FilmFlicking

Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 12791

I finally got round to watching The Ninth Gate and I have to say even though some may think its not the best Depp movie (Which I agree with) its still a great watch and experience which improves I find the more times I view it. The movie is full of riddles not all fully explained which I found part of its charm.
I loved the opening titles where we travel through bookcases, corridors and then through varied doorways/gates and yes the final one we venture through was the ninth one

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Johnny Depp as always is brilliant.... the guy is just so versatile he can take on any role and be convincing....In this he plays a conscienceless hunter of rare books who will literally do anything to get what he wants and I do think he nailed it which is why I was surprised when I heard before that director Roman Polanski apparently thought Depp didn't play it the way he envisioned it (Polanski never told Depp this though) This does make me wonder what way did Polanski want the character to be?
Anyway I also loved Frank Langella in it too.. I recently watched the DS9 episodes on Virgin 1 about the Circle and Langella was starring and I have to say I think he's great however for me I'll always think of him as Dracula in the '79 version

. And of course the two main ladies are very good too though Lena Olin was my favourite of the two...she always reminds me of the goth woman who used to present the Redemption series of movies that used to be shown on Bravo years ago.

...She is very hot for an older woman and I also must mention the scene after having sex with Corso (Depp) she starts attacking him, biting and eventually smashing a bottle over his head .

.... I thought she was brilliant in it

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The music like Cat I really liked too.....it kind of reminded me of the Third Man though not so much the tune but the simplicity in the way its used throughout. Which kind of really leaves only one other thing to discuss...the ending!!! I have read suggestions that many believe Corso was Lucifer in the picture with the Whore of Babylon but I'm more inclined to think that the woman (Emmanuelle Seigner) was the big guy...if you think about it she protected Corso throughout subtly helping him get to the answers also when he brutally keeps hitting the guy in the cellar she turns almost in delight and says "I didn't know you had it in you" which could suggest her triumph in the fact that she turned a mere dishonest guy into a minion of evil.
It is hard to know for sure though......
All in all its a film that I believe doesn't get the recognition it deserves perhaps because Depp isn't as attractive with the glasses and beard? or maybe people were expecting another classic from Polanski like Rosemary's Baby? or it could be just simply that it leaves you with questions with multiple possible answers? Though I'm not surprised to hear its developing a cult following now.

I almost forgot to add too....remember Depp's first scene where he is conning a couple out of a more expensive book and there is the actual owner in a wheelchair unable to speak....well the two guys are played by the same actor ...Polanski used a motion capture rig to pull it off....he didn't even use a real actor for it either....assistant director and production manager Jose Lopez Rodero played the parts...he also appears later as the two workmen clearing out the bookstore

A very enjoyable watch that I personally would recommend it to anyone

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Catnapper · Site Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 8906

Excellent Luc!

I can't see why Pulanski said that about Depp, I think Depp nailed the part and was very good in it. He sort of kept a quietness about the character which I think worked better than if he'd been frantically running around yelling and screaming. The quietness worked well with the eerie music too because you got a sense of uneasiness and the menace built up.

You've answered one of my questions Luc! I was going to ask is that the Ninth Gate at the end (I know he'd solved the mystery so I kinda figured it must be!).......and I wanted to know what you thought about the woman. I thought she was maybe a Devil's Disciple and she was leading him to the Devil at the end......I didn't think she could be the Devil!

Did you notice about his glasses too? In one scene they get broke then they're suddenly fine again! How come?!

Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 12791

Well spotted babe

I never noticed the glasses

I think you could be right in your assessment either of the woman she may have been just a minion of the devil....its hard to know for sure .....
Thats what I really liked about the film
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Catnapper · Site Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 8906

I thought I'd missed someone saying he'd gone to SpecSavers or something

I thought the ending was appropriate for his character........a book dealer who'd sell his soul to the devil......clever stuff!

Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 12791

Well they do give out a spare pair don't they in Specsavers?

so maybe that would explain it alright

Yep it was a good flick I wonder is it much different than the novel though??
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Catnapper · Site Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 8906

I hadn't heard about the book before so I don't know how different it is......I'll have to look out for it.

Lucifer_666 · Site Joined: 27 Jul 2007 Posts: 12791

The book is called El Club Dumas babe if your looking

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