Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9786305897781
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 6305897786
Label: Lions Gate
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Publisher: Lions Gate
Region Code: 1
Release Date: July 18, 2000
Running Time: 133 minutes
Sales Rank: 34862
Studio: Lions Gate
Theatrical Release Date: March 10, 2000
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A perfect balance between the occult and psychological thriller
This film is vintage Polanski: there is little moral certitude, even if you are dealing with Satan, ruthless and evil acolytes, and a con man, expertly acted by Depp. Instead, you find a coherent and frightening journey of discovery and ambiguity. Depp is charged with examining the authenticity of some rare books, which is his profession, though he is also an unscrupulous and sleazy near-thief. As with all great actors, his every gesture exudes his personal confusion, ambition, and cynical humor - a complete personality and even an entire environment.
After witnessing a number of alarming crimes, he single-mindedly pursues his task (for which he is handsomely paid) and blithely ignores the destruction and murderous detritus as if walking though an obstacle course. Along the way, he keeps running into a mysterious and very beautiful woman, who seems to be protecting him, yet also playfully mocking him before disappearing only to reappear in dangerous moments. Looking not quite human yet vulnerable to injury, she seems to enjoy the evolution of Depp's character in a violent, unpredictable direction. There is a frightening scene where she annoints him with her blood. And the book: the more he discovers, the deeper he gets in becoming almost a direct participant in the antique illustrations in the book, which he scrutinizes as more manuscripts come to light. Depp's character emerges as something more than he appeared to be, though entirely lacking in simple definition. It is truly ... Read More
Rating: - Devil in a Red Dress
[This is the last review in my 31 Days of Halloween 2008 series. It's been fun going down Tombstone Lane & I want to thank you for taking the time to read these humble & horrific offerings. I hope you've had some fun too. I'm already looking forward to next year. More tales of terror & darkness to explore!]
Jumpin' J Lucifer, it looks like every Magus & Magatrix on the planet have reveiwed THE NINTH GATE--and some of the naughty kids actually gave the whole plot away.
I'll try to be both brief & discreet.
The teaming up of Roman Polanski & Johnny Depp was surely a pact made in hell--and I mean that in a GOOD way. Polanski's near obsession with the Diobolical Side often translate into memorable images on film. There are some obvious Satanic images in THE NINTH GATE, and others not so obvious.
Johnny Depp deftly plays the role of rare book investigator. It's nice to watch him play a more or less normal human being for a change. There's a very short sequence in the film I really enjoyed: Johnny Depp is waiting in a line (for something, I forgot what--short term memory loss, please bear with me.) Anyway, a little girl is standing next to him, giving him the evil eye. Depp looks down at her and does a very funny Johny Depp sort of double take. It was really cute--and I mean that in a nice way too.
Other cast members were excellent as well.
On one level the theme of the film is how to conjure up The Living ... Read More
Rating:  - An Incendiary Thriller
Controversial director Roman Polanski (Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown) has a talent for creating suspenseful films that utilize character actors in roles, which allow them to be ambiguous and amorphous. In his thriller, The Ninth gate, he returns to the genres he seems to be the most comfortable with: psychological suspense, and horror. Loosely based upon the book El Club Dumas, which was written by acclaimed Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte, The Ninth Gate is a straightforward mystery/conspiracy with supernatural elements. The screenplay written by Enrique Urbizu, Roman Polanski, and John Brownjohn, greatly simplifies the novel, which was deemed too complex and plot heavy to film in its entirety. However, in spite of this harsh adaptive process the film is quite impressive, though it may be a disappointment for fans of the novel.
Dean Corso is an unscrupulous bibliophile and book appraiser, who specializes in rare and highly valuable books. When he is contacted by billionaire Boris Balkan to verify the authenticity of the satanic volume, The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows, by seeking out the only other two existing copies. Balkan claims that he purchased his copy from a man named Telfer who committed suicide the day after he sold the book.
Corso goes on a mercenary quest that takes him through Europe and he crosses paths with some very strange and unsavory characters. He has a shallow sexual encounter with Telfer's wife, Liana, who desperately wants the book back. Corso also ... Read More
Rating:  - Only Johnny Gets To Climax
So the Devil, having eternity to pass the time and no XBOX 360, got bored one night in 1666, thought it was fun to play a game by conjuring up a puzzle. Whoever solves this puzzle is granted the powers of a god. You know, immortality, invincibility, ability to fly, walk on water, all that god stuff. The keys to this puzzle are hidden in 3 books, in the form of 9 illustrated pages signed with Lucifer's initials, that when properly deciphered, unlocks the "ninth gate" to the ultimate "power-up".
Nobody is able to solve the puzzle until now, when book dealer/detective Johnny Depp is hired by a wealthy collector, who owns 1 of the 3 books, to compare his copy with the other 2 that belong to separate owners, located in Portugal and France.
Okay, nice concept. I was hooked. I was entertained. I was liking almost everything in this movie; the visuals, the creepy sometimes circusy soundtrack, the mystery woman, the performances by Depp & Langella. Everything except when I got to the ending, which left me going "Huh? What the hell? That's it? That's the end?". It feels incomplete, unsatisfying, anti-climactic.
And here's why. Here comes the spoiler.
For the main character he gets his reward -- he gets laid with a hot chick and this she-devil grants him the final key to ultimate power. For the viewer, all the reward you get is to see Johnny Depp's back as he walks to the entrance of an old castle, gets engulfed by light and fades out. Man, that is SO LAME! I expected ... Read More
Rating: - Good
If you like a mystery with supernatural overtones then you will like this.I liked the sound track too,in helping with the overall feel of intrigue.The ending could have been a little more in depth.I felt I wanted more information.Acting good.
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