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The Ninth Gate
1999
Based on a novel by Arturo Perez-Reverte (THE CLUB DUMAS) and coscripted by director Roman Polanski, THE NINTH GATE was Polanski's first feature after a long break following the release of 1995's DEATH AND THE MAIDEN--in between, there was an aborted project that faltered when designated star John Travolta opted out. Dean Corso .. Read more
| Starring | Johnny Depp, Lena Olin, Frank Langella, Emmanuelle Seigner |
|---|---|
| Director | Roman Polanski |
| Genres | Horror, Thriller |
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The Ninth Gate
Based on a novel by Arturo Perez-Reverte (THE CLUB DUMAS) and coscripted by director Roman Polanski, THE NINTH GATE was Polanski's first feature after a long break following the release of 1995's DEATH AND THE MAIDEN--in between, there was an aborted project that faltered when designated star John Travolta opted out. Dean Corso (Johnny Depp) is a cynical rare books dealer hired by Boris Balkan (Frank Langella), a scholar specializing in books on Satanism, to recover the only two remaining copies (in addition to the one owned by Balkan) of THE NINE GATES OF THE KINGDOM OF SHADOWS, a 17th-century text with cryptic illustrations supposedly contributed by Lucifer himself. Corso's investigation takes him to Europe, where he is pursued by a strange girl (Emmanuelle Seigner) who seemes to assume the role of his guardian angel: Bizarre deaths inspired by the book's morbid illustrations befall all those who come into contact with the book--except himself. This occult mystery should satisfy fans of subtly creepy, stylish tales of the supernatural along the lines of Polanski's own ROSEMARY'S BABY.
| Starring | Johnny Depp, Lena Olin, Frank Langella, Emmanuelle Seigner, Barbara Jefford, James Russo, Jose Lopez Rodero |
|---|---|
| Director | Roman Polanski |
| Studio | UCA |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 8 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Horror, Thriller |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Released | DVD: 06 Oct 2001 Production year: 1999 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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This largely successful return to the horror genre by Roman Polanski features sardonic wit, subtle suspense tricks and razor-sharp irony. Johnny Depp plays the rare books expert hired by billionaire Frank Langella to authenticate his copy of an ancient tome that was supposedly written in conjunction with the Devil. Based on Arturo Pérez-Reverte's bestseller El Club Dumas, this satisfying gothic chiller has moody atmosphere, a stunning score (from Wojciech Kilar) and sinister unease to spare as it leads the viewer up numerous garden paths to a disappointing hallucinatory climax.
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"...With its fiery, over-the-top spectacle and bolts of black humor, THE NINTH GATE is actually more in the spirit of VAMPIRE KILLERS than ROSEMARY'S BABY....Lena Olin is the ultimate cat woman..."
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Most helpful member's review
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19 out of 28 people found this review helpful
What!!!
You watch this film and it actually starts of well you get excited thinking you've found like the only devil/ angel film tnat works and then the end happens and your like 'oh well that was exciting.' Not!
If your watching this then just start from the beginning watch half way and then stop to avoid disappointment. -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
What the hell?
Not since 'Angel Heart' has a devil movie been so intriguing.
Every scene pushing the story and mystery further and further forward until you're inevitably hooked into the characters' journey, and a demonic world that you just can't take your eyes off.
Now, that's my review for the first half of the movie!
Sadly, it all goes downhill in the second half, becoming more of the typical Satanic yarn you'd expect from a socially redundant teenage Goth.
How it could go so wrong is the biggest mystery in this disappointing tale of a rare book investigator's (Johnny Depp) quest to authenticate a copy of a manuscript, supposedly written by the devil himself.
Frank Langella does his best to inject a bit of fire into the luke warm script, but by the end of the first hour it's blatant that 'The Ninth Gate' is just leading you up the garden path. -
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The Ninth Gate
Based on a novel by Arturo Perez-Reverte (THE CLUB DUMAS) and coscripted by director Roman Polanski, THE NINTH GATE was Polanski's first feature after a long break following the release of 1995's DEATH AND THE MAIDEN--in between, there was an aborted project that faltered when designated star John ...
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