The Chinatownmovie explained that sometimes the real worldhas stunningly dark endings that still have the power to shock. Directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne, Chinatown offers a unique spin on the detective stories of the 1940s, giving them a much darker twist than movies of that era would typically allow. Chinatown was recognized for its greatness and received a slew of accolades, including 11 Oscar nominations, one for Best Picture, and was honored as part of the AFI's 100 Greatest Films list in both 1998 and 2007.