The Ninth Gate ?
#26
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I've come to enjoy this film more after listening to Polanski's thoughts on it. Not one of his best by far, but it's become more enjoyable after subsequent viewings. The commentary itself is quite good as he delves into fairly detailed descriptions of the meanings behind many of the characters etc. Also for those not in the know, The Devil as she has been called here is actually Emmanuelle Seigner a former covergirl model who is Polanski's wife and has appeared in a few of his other films most notably 'Frantic' with Harrison Ford and 'Bitter Moon' with Hugh Grant and Kristin Scott Thomas.
#27
I just watched this last night. Very atmospheric and creepy. I enjoyed it a lot. Hannibal's post above helps to answer some of the cryptic stuff in the movie.
Anyone else seen it recently?
Anyone else seen it recently?
#28
Senior Member
I liked the film and agree with Hannibal ( You raised a lot good pionts..) To catch alot of this you have to watch it several times. After watching it in the theatre, I decided to read the book (Club Dumas) which really seemed a combination between Ninth Gate and Eyes Wide Shut. I actually like the movie a little better than the book. As Hannibal said ( It was hard to read youall your comments all the way through between my old mouse and slow computer.) many of the people are in the pictures. All this talk I just might watch it tonight with the commentary and comment more on it later.
#29
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I was shocked to find out I actually liked the movie when the credits started rolling.
#31
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It's been said before...
But I'll say it again... I was a little disappointed in the "Polanski I know and love" the first time I saw "The Ninth Gate". Then, several months later, I got this insane compulsion to see it again solely for the atmosphere I remembered. And then, everything fell into place. It was much more magical the second time and I'm sure it goes on growing on the viewer with each repetition. I also got into the very simple, direct, moral point Polanski is making about violence and the concept of evil, all lessons I'm sure he learned from personal experience, from being both a victim and a hunted criminal, and which sort of make him the anti-Tarantino. That is: Tarantino, who has had no life outside a movie house, makes movies that condone violence as a form of entertaiment and Polanski, who has had the sad, meandering life of an exile because of it and other ordeals, makes films that condemn it unequivocally.
Last edited by baracine; 01-17-04 at 11:19 PM.
#33
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Re: It's been said before...
Originally posted by baracine
But I'll say it again... I was a little disappointed in the "Polanski I know and love" the first time I saw "The Ninth Gate". Then, several months later, I got this insane compulsion to see it again solely for the atmosphere I remembered. And then, everything fell into place. It was much more magical the second time and I'm sure it goes on growing on the viewer with each repetition. I also got into the very simple, direct, moral point Polanski is making about violence and the concept of evil, all lessons I'm sure he learned from personal experience, from being both a victim and a hunted criminal, and which sort of make him the anti-Tarantino. That is: Tarantino, who has had no life outside a movie house, makes movies that condone violence as a form of entertaiment and Polanski, who has had the sad, meandering life of an exile because of it and other ordeals, makes films that condemn it unequivocally.
But I'll say it again... I was a little disappointed in the "Polanski I know and love" the first time I saw "The Ninth Gate". Then, several months later, I got this insane compulsion to see it again solely for the atmosphere I remembered. And then, everything fell into place. It was much more magical the second time and I'm sure it goes on growing on the viewer with each repetition. I also got into the very simple, direct, moral point Polanski is making about violence and the concept of evil, all lessons I'm sure he learned from personal experience, from being both a victim and a hunted criminal, and which sort of make him the anti-Tarantino. That is: Tarantino, who has had no life outside a movie house, makes movies that condone violence as a form of entertaiment and Polanski, who has had the sad, meandering life of an exile because of it and other ordeals, makes films that condemn it unequivocally.
i can think of one of Polanski's "beloved" moraly action that just hit a news headline recently... but i don't think this is the place to "bash" him or anybody for that matter....
we're talking about Ninth Gate.... so, what does Quentin Tarantino got to do with it?
#35
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It's been said before...
Originally posted by BlackBeauty92
we're talking about Ninth Gate.... so, what does Quentin Tarantino got to do with it?
we're talking about Ninth Gate.... so, what does Quentin Tarantino got to do with it?
Funny how any less-than-sycophantic opinion about Tarantino always brings about such "violent" reactions!
Clear enough?
Last edited by baracine; 01-18-04 at 10:18 AM.
#36
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first movie I sold on e-bay after watching it. It just didn't click with me. It was paced slow but I don't think that is what I didn't like.
#37
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Re: It's been said before...
Originally posted by baracine
Funny how any less-than-sycophantic opinion about Tarantino always brings about such "violent" reactions!
Funny how any less-than-sycophantic opinion about Tarantino always brings about such "violent" reactions!
yes, i'm pretty much clear on your opinion
#39
DVD Talk Gold Edition
I love the Ninth Gate, too. Depp gives a great performance, and the mood of the movie is great. I've seen it a few times and I like it more every time. The ending is indeed weird, but i can't think of anyway other way for it to end and was actually a little in the dark. So thanks everyone for all your opinions and thoughts, it's helped to clarify a few things for me, and made me enjoy it a little more.
I also want to say to baracine, I think you really really misjudge Tarantino. Tarantino does not condone violence or glorify it. The only one of his movies that is violent (i have not seen Jackie Brown) is Kill Bill, but that is a completely different movie, and i don't believe it really condones anything, that's just meant to be entertaining in the simpliest way.
If you have seen either Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs, you would see that there is very little violence actually happening. The most notorious scene in RD is not even something you see. Also, if you notice what happens to any of the criminals or bad guys in his movies, they get what they deserve. Also Pulp Fiction happens to be a movie about honour and redemption, and actually really does condone violence.
Tarantino himself is very anti-violent in his real life, in fact he just sees violence as another tool for a filmmaker to tell his story. He actually likes that people think his films are so violent because that just says he's a great filmmaker, portraying something so well that it makes it more than it really is.
Anyway, sorry about goin off topic a little, yes I love the Ninth Gate, but I can see how it turns some people off. Everyone has their own tastes, and i think this film is for a very particular taste only.
I also want to say to baracine, I think you really really misjudge Tarantino. Tarantino does not condone violence or glorify it. The only one of his movies that is violent (i have not seen Jackie Brown) is Kill Bill, but that is a completely different movie, and i don't believe it really condones anything, that's just meant to be entertaining in the simpliest way.
If you have seen either Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs, you would see that there is very little violence actually happening. The most notorious scene in RD is not even something you see. Also, if you notice what happens to any of the criminals or bad guys in his movies, they get what they deserve. Also Pulp Fiction happens to be a movie about honour and redemption, and actually really does condone violence.
Tarantino himself is very anti-violent in his real life, in fact he just sees violence as another tool for a filmmaker to tell his story. He actually likes that people think his films are so violent because that just says he's a great filmmaker, portraying something so well that it makes it more than it really is.
Anyway, sorry about goin off topic a little, yes I love the Ninth Gate, but I can see how it turns some people off. Everyone has their own tastes, and i think this film is for a very particular taste only.
#40
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Great thread... and thanks for the editorial Hannibal, very helpful.
I too enjoyed the movie... the storyline, the characters and the mood were extremely good...
In addition, I didn't like the ending very much either... I wanted an ending more along these lines...
Johnny Depp successfully opening the ninth gate...
A dramatic special effects ridden scene with the gate opening as the camera moves into the gate and blackness...
An evil laugh...
Credits...
I too enjoyed the movie... the storyline, the characters and the mood were extremely good...
In addition, I didn't like the ending very much either... I wanted an ending more along these lines...
Johnny Depp successfully opening the ninth gate...
A dramatic special effects ridden scene with the gate opening as the camera moves into the gate and blackness...
An evil laugh...
Credits...
#41
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Originally posted by Drop
Tarantino himself is very anti-violent in his real life, in fact he just sees violence as another tool for a filmmaker to tell his story.
Tarantino himself is very anti-violent in his real life, in fact he just sees violence as another tool for a filmmaker to tell his story.
When did he ever do a film about normal people? He can't show humanity in his films or compassion for the victims of violence because his precious kung-fu movies don't show any and he doesn't have any imagination of his own (like most arm-chair sadists).
If he had adapted "The Lord of the Rings", he would have scrapped all the boring "ring" stuff and concentrated exclusively on the fascinating social interactions of the Orcs and the Uruk-hai (and Gollum's torture scene, of course).
Polanski he ain't.
Last edited by baracine; 01-20-04 at 11:00 AM.
#42
DVD Talk Legend
I, too, loved the atmosphere but disliked the ending. For me it wasn't even the content of the ending, but the way it was done. It felt like Polanski shot most of the movie, but then they handed the ending over to Jan De Bont. The terrible, garish CGI was completely at odds with the beautiful, moody cinematography throughout the rest of the film.