10 Gripping Neo-Noirs You Must See Before You Die

Widely considered to be where neo-noir began, Roman Polanski's labyrinthine Chinatown set the dark, tragic tone for the genre. Starting out much like a classic film noir mystery, Jack Nicholson's understated turn as cynical private investigator J.J. Gittes sees him become embroiled in a conspiracy far larger than the simple infidelity case it initially seems.

Inspired by the real life California water wars of the early 20th century, the film sees the Los Angeles Department Of Water And Power sabotaging the water supplies of local farmers in order to facilitate a ruthless land grab. Here, Chinatown's villains are not underworld crime lords or crooked cops. Instead, they're bureaucrats and wealthy land barons, carrying out their hateful campaign with no scrutiny having placed themselves firmly above the law.

Hopelessly out of his depth, Gittes ploughs on, contending with forces far beyond his reach, and grim revelations of corruption, greed and familial abuse surface. The bleak final act paints a gloomy picture of a world where power and wealth will always triumph over morality and justice. Chinatown is a brutal yarn - a scathing indictment of the worst excesses of capitalism, it is emblematic of neo-noir's trademark mood of pessimism and distrust of authority.