Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

Two brilliant, captivating, haunting thrillers of 74. Which is better?

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

The Bears

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

Why don't you start the discussion off by telling us which you prefer, why, and what inspired you to compare them? Was it just the release year, for example?

I prefer Chinatown, but The Conversation is a brilliant film. I wanted to compare them because both are riveting films that, to me, were both better than GF II in the year they came out.

Both marvelously directed, and both featured memorable performances by two all time greats at their peak, Nicholson and Hackman.

Chinatown imo is the best movies of the 70s.. and the The Conversation is top 10 of the 70s.

Which do you prefer?

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

I prefer Chinatown as an overall film, but the big payoff to The Conversation is better than anything in either film, so it's pretty tough to say. I'll probably go with Chinatown for being consistently great throughout.

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

Never seen The Conversation but I should.

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

The Conversation for me.

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

I like Chinatown a lot, but I'd go with The Conversation.

It's rarely mentioned, but The Conversation is a movie centered around loneliness just as much as paranoia.

Indeed you shoud. You won't be disappointed.

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

The Conversation is a riveting, tense movie, much more contained than Chinatown. That may not be to some people's tastes, but it's certainly my preference out of the two.

I'm hardcore into noir, but The Conversation takes it for me.

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

And it inspired a weird album. I love that movie A LOT. And I love Chinatown too. But The Conversation is one that stuck with me for far longer than Chinatown. I saw both as a child. The Conversation is one of a handful of movies I made a point of tracking down when I was older, for a rewatch.

It's been so long since I've seen Chinatown but I remember The Conversation being better, and have seen it many more times. I guess it has had more rewatch value for me therefore, where as I only saw Chinatown once. Both very good.

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

Definitely Chinatown for me, as it is one of my favorite films of all time. The Conversation is great, but to me, Chinatown has close to a perfect script, stellar cinematography, and every role is cast perfectly. That said, both films are top notch.

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

I haven't seen either since the 1970s, but as I recall I was more impressed by The Conversation. Of course, I was always a big Gene Hackman fan; while I was often impressed by Nicholson's performances, I would never go to see a movie just because he was in it.

Re: Chinatown vs The Conversation
 

Coppola showed how much of a master he really is in The Conversation. There aren't many artists who have ever been in control of their skills as much as Coppola was in control of his filmmaking skills in the '70s. It's an unforgettably manipulative picture. Pure brilliance!

But forget it, The Conversation, it's Chinatown!