Star actors. "The Ninth Gate": the parable of the true nature of evil

Nineties for the canonical director Roman Polanski can not be called fruitful, in this period the director removes only three films: "Bitter Moon" (1992), "The Virgin and Death" (1994), and in 1999 - a mystical thriller about the temptation of the philistine Lucifer, in Who were invited to quite well-known actors. "Ninth Gate" many critics called a boring and unequivocally academic film demonstrating how much the thinking and perception of the European differs from the consciousness of a US citizen.

Many leading film reviewers considered the project of the 66-year-old director a manifestation of senile senility, while others, singing the mastery of the creator, saw in him the truth and worldly wisdom. In general, the European mystical thriller Polanski recognized the collection of all the axioms of quality cinema. "Ninth Gate", the actors of which have now gained worldwide fame and popularity, have not lost their artistic value to this day.

History of creation

To Roman Polanski, the script written by the playwright Enrique Urbizi on the work of Arturo Perez-Revert "Club Dumas" originally came into the hands. The script so captured the director that he took up the original. According to Polanski, he immediately determined the highest degree of cinematography of the novel. The wise director has seen in the literary source the tension, the comic and the bright characters. The director even approximately imagined which of the characters will be embodied on the screen by actors familiar to him. The "Ninth Gate" has its own cliches, which are also present in the novel, but Polanski tried to present them in a new light by writing his own version of the script in collaboration with his constant partner John Brownjon. The screenwriters decently reduced the plot, retaining only the main line, which directly concerned the "Ninth Gate".

The plot of the thriller

Let's talk about the film "Ninth Gate", the actors and roles of which are magnificent. The narrative begins with the acquaintance of the viewer with the main character, specialist in rare editions of Dean Corso (actor Johnny Depp), who hardly makes ends meet. Second-hand book rarities are not so popular. In a moment of despair, he receives a generous offer from the bibliophile millionaire Boris Balkan (performed by Frank Langella). He wants to hire Corso for a thorough check on the reliability of the recently purchased copy of the book of the XVII century "Ninth Gate of the Kingdom of Shadows." The author of the work is Aristide Torchia, however, according to the legends, the real creator is the devil himself. The book has nine mysterious engravings, according to the legend, if you decipher them, you can call Satan. In total there are three books in the world, and the millionaire suspects that there is only one of the three editions. He sends Dean to Europe to the owners of the other two copies for peer review and purchase of the original.

Johnny Depp

The actors of the film "The Ninth Gate", who performed the main roles, fully realized the director's idea, creating vivid, memorable images.

Johnny Depp, having met in 1997 at the film festival in Cannes with Polanski, literally took the director by the measure. Having learned in the project being prepared, he did his best to convince the director that he could translate the image of Corso on the screen, despite the fact that he was only 34, and the hero should have been over 40. Depp and more experienced actors invited to the project doubted. "Ninth Gate" nevertheless became for Johnny star movie, and the role of Corso is called one of the best in his film career. In the thriller, the character of Depp is incredibly charismatic, attractive even in style: a kind of coat that has been worn, a cigarette clamped casually in the teeth, ambitiousness, self-confidence and skepticism mixed with irony. Burton's favorite actor, public darling and sex symbol justified Polanski's hopes.

Emmanuel Sznier

The actress and model Emmanuel Seigne got the role of the Babylonian harlot and the need to embody the game element in the movie "Ninth Gate". Actors and the role of the film were chosen to each other in such a way as to realize the numerous hints of the creator. Although Polanski is a convinced agnostic, in the project he saw interesting opportunities for playing with the watcher. As a result, Lucifer in the thriller was almost always in front of the viewer's eyes, but was skillfully disguised as a floor and impressive beauty.

Actress Senie managed to brilliantly hide the true essence of her character before the climax. The granddaughter of the famous French actor Louis Sienier is the wife of Roman Polanski. Nevertheless, during the filming she had no special privileges, none of what the other actors were deprived of. "The Ninth Gate" did not become a significant milestone in her creative career. Senie received nominations for the Cesar film award for her participation in the projects "Vendome Square", "Venus in Furs", "Life in Pink".

Metaphysical parable about the nature of evil

The premiere of the thriller took place in San Sebastian at the Film Festival. According to the jury of the festival, Polanski's project, beginning as a mystical thriller, underwent mutations during the timing and became a real metaphysical parable about the true nature of evil. The main irony of the picture was also highly appreciated - while all the characters were busy in an active search for Lucifer, he did not think of hiding from anyone. This director's reception was immediately appreciated by the actors involved in the shooting. "Ninth Gate" was awarded the prize of the European Film Academy in 1999.