Robert Towne hosts ‘Chinatown’ screening at USC

Only in Hollywood could a screenwriter mine the rather unsexy topics of water and land rights in Southern California during the early 20th century and come up with one of the most beguiling, beautiful and arresting films of all time. Robert Towne, who wrote the screenplay for “Chinatown,” screens the 1974 classic, which won the Academy Award for original screenplay. After the film, Towne will be joined by California historian Kevin Starr, and Mark J. Harris and Ted Braun, USC cinematic arts professors, to discuss the film’s resonance with our sense of Los Angeles. University Park Campus, George Lucas Instructional Building, Ray Stark Family Theatre, 900 W. 34th St., Los Angeles. 7 p.m. Thurs. Free. https://www.usc.edu.