The Ninth Gate Page #3

Synopsis: Dean Corso (Johnny Depp) specializes in tracking down rare and exotic volumes for collectors. Boris Balkan (Frank Langella) has recently acquired a seventeenth-century satanic text called The Nine Gates- a legendary book written by Satan himself. With The Nine Gates in his possession, Corso soon finds himself at the center of strange and violent goings-on. Not only is his apartment ransacked, it appears that he is being shadowed ferociously by others determined to regain the book.
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Production: Artisan Entertainment
  1 win & 4 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.7
Metacritic:
44
Rotten Tomatoes:
42%
R
Year:
1999
133 min
Website
685 Views


His eyes flicker in the direction of the door as CORSO enters.

CORSO's entrance has also been noted by a GIRL in jeans and white

sneakers:
childlike face, short hair and green, feline eyes.

He sits down in the same row, but on the other side of the aisle,

settles himself in his chair and scans the AUDIENCE, most of whom

are middle-aged and female. He gives the GIRL a cursory glance,

then concentrates on BALKAN.

BALKAN (cont.):
Bodin was probably the first to attempt to

establish a system - if the term system may be applied to the

Middle Ages - for classifying the contemporary perceptions of

evil. In Bodin we find one of the first definitions of the word

'witch'. I quote: (c*cks his head for a better look at the text)

'A witch is a person who, though cognizant of the laws of God,

endeavors to act through the medium of a pact with the Devil...'

As BALKAN's lecture proceeds, CORSO's eyelids begin to droop. We

PAN over the faces of the AUDIENCE (THE GIRL is still covertly

observing CORSO). BALKAN's voice drones on, fades away.

9. BALKAN BUILDING: LECTURE ROOM INT/NIGHT

CLOSE on CORSO fast asleep.

BALKAN (O.S.):
I see you enjoyed my little talk, Mr. Corso.

CORSO gives a start and opens his eyes. He takes a moment or two

to focus on BALKAN, who's standing over him. Peering around

through his steel-rimmed glasses, he sees that the lecture is

over. The last of the AUDIENCE are filing out. We glimpse THE

GIRL making her exit.

CORSO:
Did I snore?

BALKAN:
Nice of you to ask. No, not that I noticed. Shall we go?

He gestures at the door with a cold and impassive air. CORSO gets

to his feet.

10. BALKAN BUILDING: LOBBY INT/NIGHT

BALKAN walks swiftly across the lobby to the elevators with CORSO

at his heels. They leave behind a buzz of conversation from

members of the AUDIENCE who are still discussing the lecture.

BALKAN:
Don't you sleep nights?

CORSO:
Like a baby.

BALKAN:
Strange, I'd have bet a brace of Gutenberg Bibles you

spend half the night with your eyes peeled. You're one of those

lean, hungry, restless types that put the wind up Julius Caesar -

men who'd stab their friends in the back...

They reach the elevator. BALKAN presses a button and turns to

CORSO, who yawns.

BALKAN (cont.) Not, I suspect, that you have many friends, do

you, Mr. Corso? Your kind seldom does.

CORSO (calmly):
Go to hell.

BALKAN is unruffled by CORSO's discourtesy. The elevator doors

open. He stands aside to let CORSO pass, then follows him in.

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John Brownjohn

Rajmund Roman Thierry Polański (born 18 August 1933), known professionally as Roman Polanski, is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer, and actor. Having made films in Poland, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers". Born in Paris to Polish parents, he moved with his family back to Poland (Second Polish Republic) in 1937, shortly before the outbreak of World War II.He survived the Holocaust, was educated in Poland (People's Republic of Poland), and became a director of both art house and commercial films. more…

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Submitted by aviv on November 30, 2016

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