MTRodaba2468

Naturally, I pick it up for about $5 at Best Buy a couple weeks ago, and a SE is announced. Not surprising.

Oh well, I have no qualms upgrading.

DJariya

Since it's $14.99 MSRP, it will probably be $9.99 in stores

tylergfoster

A large disappointment, mainly because both Polanski and Nicholson do commentary as far as I know. That would be enough to solidify it as a worthwhile release.

Cameron

hope we say a same day release in hd

Cosmic Bus

Seconded. This is an embarassing excuse for a "special" edition of Chinatown, and at this point, just gives Paramount an inarguable reason to get the movie (both movies?) onto the two high-def formats.

elvis_depp

Will this be in one amaray or two amarays with slipcase?

GoldenJCJ

"Eh, Roman! You remember that time I was out of town and let you use my place for your photography sessions..."

Yeah, I'd be up for a Polanski/Nicholson commentary.

Zen Peckinpah

One of my favorite Polanski/Nicholson stories (aside from the obvious), according to a book I have, was this incident on the set of Chinatown where they got into a fight and then Polanski chased Nicholson into the dressing room, where the director proceeded to smash Nicholson's TV set to oblivion. So what happens in the end? Nicholson completely undresses and leaves the set. One of the most ridiculous on-set stories I've ever heard.

It's nothing compared to some of the shit Robert Evans (the producer for both movies) has done though.

animatedude

awsome!! that's what i asked for.

MrE

Since the current release has "retrospective interviews with director Roman Polanksi, writer Robert Towne, and producer Robert Evans", it'll be pretty hard to call this SE an upgrade.

lamphorn

Well, of course the obnoxious thing is, this not-so-special wimpy edition will come out and not many will double-dip. Then Paramount will decide that the audience didn't really want a special edition of Chinatown and will be less likely to make special editions on other old movies.

The previous edition has a decent set of interviews with Evans, Towne and Polanski, and the announced featurettes sound a lot like the lame-o press packets that masquerade as "special features". No commentaries? No deleted scenes? Why bother?

Palpadious

I wish they would have just retained the theatrical poster like the original release. It's truly one of the greatest movie posters ever.

tylergfoster

I'll get that two-pack while keeping my original copies (featuring that original poster art) for both.

Imail724

So what exactly is new to this release? I noticed Best Buy is selling the original for $4.99 right now and I'm wondering if I should just pick that one up or wait for the new one.

Zen Peckinpah

The Two Jakes is a very underrated sequel. Nowhere near as good as Chinatown, but really, really good. Gittes feels more like Jack Nicholson in it though, but since he was basically unstoppable post-Batman it's no problem. And Harvey Keitel kicks ass in it.

Cameron

C'mon Paramount with the HD goodness

Breton

I have to think Roman Polanski's legal status and personal reputation might have something to do with a lack of a true special edition. I'm sure it definitely has something to do with the lack of an audio commentary by him. It surprises me that "Rosemary's Baby" has never been upgraded or given a special edition (at least it didn't appear to when I looked it up on Amazon).

Brent L

Well, for what it's worth, there are discs out there with commentary tracks with Polanski on them.

ctyankee

Why does it seem the films we really care about get half-ass treatment? Oh, that's right ... it's because there are so many half-ass studios.

Breton

Now I looked it up, and you're right. But the ones I found with his commentary were his European movies, pre- and post-Hollywood. His biggest Hollywood hits, "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown" (his only Hollywood movies, besides "Fearless Vampire Killers," which was UK/US, according to IMDb) still don't. It might be a political thing, it might not be.

souvenir

No, it might be a Paramount thing. They control the two you mentioned, as well as The Tenant.

Premise

DVDBeaver has screenshots of the Chinatown SE up.

Johnny Zhivago

Nice. Sold.

Matthew Ackerly

Looks good. Cleaned up quite a bit. Sold to me, too.

hanshotfirst1138

I think that it's quite likely that we'll see another release at some point in the future for such a high-profile film, but I don't see it happening too soon.

LMAO!