The Ninth Gate (1999)

The alternative is floating around in Heaven forever and ever. No food; no entertainment; no sex; no fun.

Forever.

The only film presentation of Satan I've seen was Al Pacino's in "The Devil's Advocate". Unlike you, I don't understand why people worship God since He doesn't exist so I don't see much difference between worshiping God or worshiping Satan. Either way, they are worshiping a man-made creation. I didn't care much for "The Ninth Gate". I found it to be rather lackluster and ho-hum.

This is one of the few films I can stand to watch Johnny Depp in. Great cast and film.

My apologies. My post above should have read "The only film presentation of Satan I've seen that made Satan seem appealing was Al Pacino's in "The Devil's Advocate".

R2 Believe what you want, but I understand the Christian church and why people believe in God and want to go to Heaven- redemption.

Al Pacino was good in The Devil's Advocate. You also seem like a really negative person. Are you toxic???

The book is so much better.

My favorite scene is watching the baroness, dead in her wheelchair, a tie around her neck, tongue hanging out, while her electric wheelchair goes round and round in circles. It’s so sick. And hysterically funny.

I loved the soundtrack to this film.

The point was that they would gain power - invincibility and immortality - by summoning the devil.

Also, people are looking for proof of the divine.

R7 Yes, she was a real bitch. I am still confused if her and Boris were friends or enemies? The postcard seemed to indicate that they were friends once, but she didn't like he found the castle before her.

R8 the composer is Wojcieh Kilar. He has composed films for Polanksi, Coppola, Zanussi, and Hitchcock.

R9 Yes, but they had to know the devil would trick them. Especially after studying his work for so many years.

I think Balkan just wanted power. He was never meant to open the ninth gate - Corso was meant to. The whore of Babylon was leading him to it.

I think the other members just wanted to party. I don’t think they thought the devil would actually show up. The Baroness was probably just jealous that Balkan was going after what she wanted or maybe he had stabbed her in the back.

It was also one of the last times Depp looked handsome.

Some people believe in the Devil as a life-force similar to Pan (from whence his modern interpretation and appearance was chiefly derived) and discount Hell itself as an invention (which is somewhat true - the concept of Hell did not figure largely into the bible itself). They think it makes more sense to worship vitality and pleasure than the (to them) sterile intellectual comforts of the angels. But this is arguing for a pre-Biblical interpretation of the concept of Satan that sees him as a wrongly accused elder god.

The people who worship him in the full belief that he is the Prince of Hell are probably thrill-seeking contrarian nihilists, of whom there have always been a portion throughout time. Add to that atheists exploiting the Devil for his symbolism and power to inspire fear.

"The Master and Margarita" explores both concepts and puts forth the only actually convincing half-argument for the Devil as a moral character I have ever read. It's also screamingly funny.

R11 Why was he not worthy of entering the Ninth Gate? Because he paid Corso to do all the work? It seemed like he devoted his entire life to finding that book and to being a part of the dark cause.

R13 Interesting. I will have to add it to my list.

I remember my old friend laughing her ass off in the theater during the scene where the old lady was dead and her wheelchair kept bumping into the walls with her neck all askew

I enjoyed the movie upon a rewatch a couple of years ago

lol seems R7 has the same comment I did. Should have seen it first!

I enjoy this movie a lot. I do not understand why some people do not like it.

R15, r16, that’s good.

So nice to see that some are as twisted as me....

I also laughed at the scene in THE COLOR PURPLE when Harpo hits young Celie in the head with a rock.

“She ain’t MY mammy!”.

Polanski's post-Chinatown career has been underwhelming. I understand about being ostracized. But a talented person can get funding from somewhere.

r13, I would add the original, "Bedazzled" with the Devil's morals as well.

Yeah...the whore of Babylon certainly didn't age too well...more of a GILF nowadays...

Will have to revisit this one. Just rewatched “The Ghost Writer” (again), and thoroughly enjoyed it (again). Aside: I kept getting it mixed up with Kubrick for some reason, maybe I’m getting senile.

At the time I thought it wasn’t very good, or at least not up to his usual standard.

R22 The Ninth Gate is good. I think the second watch is better than the first.

R7 and R15 - But all of her invaluable books were destroyed. I cared more about them than her. LOL

Balkan was just a rich, power hungry asshole. He might have thought he was worthy, but obviously the devil just wasn’t that into him. It was Corso’s fate - Balkan was just meant to lead Corso down this path. Balkan did the dirty work - murdering the Baroness and Fargas and the whore protected Corso from danger.

Or at least that’s how I always saw it - I was a teen when it came out and my mom loves this movie and I have watched it with her multiple times. Maybe my view is simplistic though.

I love the score and the locations and it makes the devil worshippers seem glamorous and not very frightening at all. Johnny is perfect in this - a handsome, slightly amoral hero and by the time he releases the devil you’re like “yeah, he’s been through a lot. I totally understand”.

Hahahahaha r23. You have your priorities.

The only other time I’ve seen someone’s tongue hanging out like that in the movies was the first onscreen victim in Hitchcock’s FRENZY.

John Milton said it best: “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven” and I agree.

R24 I always felt the devil was playing him. I also believe that Balkan had the powers at the end and the devil tricked him to be a part of his cult in Hell. After all, he is the devil! I also felt bad for Fargas. I felt like he came from a super influential family like the Vanderbilt's, but he was the last survivor and had to sell things so he would not go into bankruptcy. I also felt like his book was passed down for generations, but he himself did not believe (at least Baroness said he didn't).

I do not know why this movie fascinates me so much, it is not the best and I grew up in the church. I know the evil and the occult are not things to be messed with.

I re-watched it about a year ago after a very long time and it is strangely captivating and compelling OP. I'm not exactly sure why.... it's no masterpiece, the camera work and acting are average for me, perhaps it's the fact that it tells a dark little story? It seems like a little adventure and mystery worth unraveling and I find these sorts of theological related stories fascinating even if I'm not that religious myself.

Not a scholar either, but is the Whore of Babylon supposed to have supernatural powers? I feel like they tried to give a little red herring with her and make her seem like an "angel" sent to protect Corso, but maybe I'm misremembering.

And agree with R7, the wheelchair scene with the baroness' tongue hanging out is probably one of the most memorable scenes from the whole movie. Not sure if they intended it to be as funny and ridiculous looking as it was.

The movie had a very slow plot and Johnny Depp was kind of slimy in it. It's one of those movies where you don't like anyone.

And Christ R21, she did not age well! That body and face is going to keep drooping by the likes of it. Were her tits always that large?

This film is one of my guilty pleasures. It has a weird sense of humor and some of the acting is poor, but the story is intriguing and has a certain lushness to it. I love media which portrays the occult with a certain lushness.

r28, there was a line that was something like, "The devil fell in love with you". And she did have supernatural powers.

Did they ever explain what caused the Baroness to lose her hand? Was she also missing a leg?

I really like when Johnny plays “normal guy surrounded by weirdos” more than when he plays the weirdo

I agree with the poster who said that Johnny Depp was hot in this movie.

What about Frank Langella?

The Ninth Gate is good, but I’ve always had an interest in the occult.

I do like how Balkan ruined his life. Great twist of fate.

No r33. I’m assuming that it was mentioned in the novel that the film was based on?

Maybe she was in an orgy that went wrong?

I mean, really, really wrong. Something that involved alligators.

I downloaded this. It better be good, bitches!

I never interpreted the girl to be the actual Whore of Babylon. IIRC In the book she is a fallen angel, but associated with the army of Legion.

The Whore is the keeper of the Mysteries. But the girl in fact solves the puzzle for Depp's character. That would seem to be opposite of the Whore's role.