Who is the girl??? - The Ninth Gate (2000) Discussion

[–] Amesmb974 18 years ago

In response to some of those who've said Corso was Lucifer, that never dawned on me because the baroness said she'd seen him and it was "love at first site." If Corso were him she probably would've known, true?

reply

[–] the_shillelagh 18 years ago

The baroness also said that she could see the Devil as clearly as she saw Corso in front of her...

reply

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] richcapo 15 years ago

If Corso were him she probably would've known, true?

Not if Lucifer was in a different form than Corso when she saw him.

In my opinion, her "plain as I see you" comment and the appearance of Corso as Balkan performs his ritual are hints to the audience that Corso is Lucifer.

_Richard

reply

[–] deinosmos 18 years ago

Not sure if anyone's said so yet, but I am not about to read through half an hour's worth of uneducated theological commentary - including what appears to be one post where the capslock broke halfway through.

However: The whore of Babylon was not a person, it was the pre-christian roman empire.

reply

[–] the_shillelagh 18 years ago

That's just one interpretation...

reply

[–] nny4213 18 years ago

corso is lucifer he did not volentarilly enter tyhe earths plane but was trapped there by the book the seals ha to be re opened in order for him to re-enter hell the girl is a demon sent to help him find his way home. he did not realy care about his friends death in fact he was indifferant to all of the deaths he was indifferant to all deaths throught the movie the only person he cared about was him selfwhich is one of the satanic principals there is no god higher than yourself. if anyone recalls that roman polanski worked with anton leVay on the movie rosemarys baby. polanski and leVay were close friends. whs why alot of his movies include referances to the satanic bible.

reply

[–] artemis_moon 18 years ago

quite alot of people believe corso to be satan, whereas alot of other believe the girl to be satan... so there is no definite answer to this?

I, When in good humor, Give grass its green, Blazon sky blue, and endow the sun with gold

reply

[–] Ace_of_Diamonds 16 years ago

Ive read this whole thread, took me a while.

The best scenario I've come to the conclusion is;

Corso infact passes through the gates in real life as they happen in the book. He passes through each of the gates, Balkan doesn't pass through the ninth, because he doesnt ride/have sex with the 'whore of babylon"/the girl if you will.

Lucifer (the morning star, giver of light) appears as a star of light when the final gates open, and manifests as Balkan had described.

However, because Corso rode the whore of Babylon, would that make him Lucifer? Not necessarily, in some circles the rider of the whore of Babylon is the Antichrist, the Antichrist is not necessarily a 'evil child', but rather someone that causes the fall of Christ and the reign of Satan, by manifesting Lucifer on earth, Corso could be considered the Antichrist, and thus the rider of the whore of Babylon.

Thats my belief of the whole thing anyway.

reply

[–] artemis_moon 16 years ago

whoa you read it all? in one go? props for that :) you think she's the whore of babylon too eh? i see there's a thread saying that she is a witch but meh

I, Know you appear, Vivid at my side, Claiming you feel, Love fiery enough to prove flesh real

reply

[–] Velvet_Roses 18 years ago

I think the fact that she made love to Corso was to be pregnant and the baby would be the Devil...or something like that...or she is Satan.
Corso is the one who found the ninth gate because he didn't want it...he went through all the steps described in the book.

I think You're Mistaking Me For Someone Who Gives A Sh!t

reply

[–] DramaQueenJessi5 18 years ago

That's interesting ^^. I believe she's the whore of babylon because in the engraving she rides the beast, which is what Revolation says.

Johnny Depp...almost as good as chocolate--ALMOST!

reply

[–] viv-26 18 years ago

According to the movie, the girl is considered to be the WHORE OF BABYLON. She actually is. But she's also LILITH. Everything in this movie seem to relate to LUCIFER & LILITH anyway...

This, in fact, is a PROPHECY.

The book was made so the devil (Lucifer) could be "awakened".

Corso is just the "chosen one" of the prophecy (NOT lucifer!!!), who pass through each gate. Each engraving shows things that happened to Corso (I won't spoil them, just check and you will find 'em easily) -the prophecy happens; he went through all the gates; Balkan as well, but only Corso will go through the ninth. (Yes, Balkan is actually the reason why all these people die, he go through the same steps as Corso does, but I won't spoil everything and let you think about it)

Lucifer was originally a Latin word meaning "light-bearer" (from lux, "light", and ferre, "to bear, bring").

What do you see in the end of the movie, that Corso approaches?

Light.

End.

reply

[–] gotfong 18 years ago

I can't say who the woman is exactly, but I can tell you for sure who she isn't. Simply put, she cannot be the devil because the devil hath not a body of flesh and bones...that's part of his curse. He may have dominion over elements of the Earth, but he can't have a real body (like, one to have sex with in the film) because a body is a gift given by God and Lucifer was kicked out of Heaven before be got one. He, along with a third of the hosts of heaven, were sent out before bodies were given. They are spirits, and, while they may be able to manifest themselves with the "appearance" of a body, it would not be tangible, thus he (she) could not have intercourse. Perhaps a demonic spirit has "possessed" (for lack of a better term) the woman, but that's about as close as the inhabitants of hell can come to a physical experience.
I loved this film--I think it's cool that people are still thinking about it and speculating on it. I suppose we should remember that it is just speculation, tho. (Unless someone here has had a little sit-down with Mr. Polanski--genius that he is...he's beautiful).

Let me take you down, 'cause i'm going to...

reply

[–] artemis_moon 18 years ago

that's a very good reason as to why the girl isn't lucifer

I, When in good humor, Give grass its green, Blazon sky blue, and endow the sun with gold

reply

[–] lovecraftfan 18 years ago

What about a more basic view: the plates depict things that happen in the film -hanged man[Bernie the book] , the girl[knight]- silence is golden, the arrow falling from above sword of damaclease style perhaps the falling scaffolding etc. The final plate brings the final step to entry to hell -the way -sex with an unclean creature [Well she is hot!] so the path is Corso losing his soul at the end and thus gain entry to hell the actual type of Denizen of hell that she is maybe immaterial. The rejection of Frank Langella would be logical he's already sold his soul and he's a murderer therefore he's the devil's already ,Johnny Depp however needed seducing to the dark side so to take his soul was the girl's pleasure!!

reply

[–] dsedin 18 years ago

isn't she riding the beast on the last page of the nine? (consider that it's the last page), and also that in the picture she's infront of the castle and everything. she rides corso while she's screwing him infront of the castle. maybe the whole thing was just to find someone worthy to spawn an anti christ, given that the pappy himself gets to go to hell too.

vans says:
oh sh!t i got a theory of my own!
vans says:
on the last page, consider that it's the LAST page. she rides on a beast. she rides corso too. maybe the whole thing was not to find someone to enter the nine gates of the kingdom of shadows, but finding someone worth to enter the nine gates of the kingdom of pussy
karl says:
hahahahaha.
karl says:
i was like "oh sh!t he's got a kickass theory. oh sh!t there it comes, oh sh!t i'm reading oh sh!t damn that's cool, oh sh!t oh sh!t "pussy"... fuq"

then again maybe not haha.

reply

[–] pendrum 18 years ago

just as a side note, i've noticed that quite a few people have been giving all sorts of religious and linguistic information, and i had to throw in my piece. during the movie, corso mentions that his name is italian and means "run." this is, i guess, true, but not really as a verb. it means more a way or path. in a lot of places, it is pretty much interchangeable with road. if it is meant as a verb, it is a past participle, thus meaning a thing which has been run.

inherent in the man's name is a clue as to his role in the film.

just seemed weird to me that people are going on and on about latin, greek, hebrew, and who knows what else, but no one mentions the italian translation that is specifically brought to our attention in the movie.

reply

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Doylenf 18 years ago

I agree with the theory you have that she was an agent of the devil who protected him because he showed more potential than Balkan did. She was obviously supposed to be an emissary of The Devil.

The ending is definitely open to interpretation. But the whole story is so full of moral ambiguities (as most of Roman Polanski's films are, maddeningly enough), that it's anyone's guess as to what is supposed to be going on in those final scenes between Depp and The Girl, aside from the obvious.

Intriguing film, but it does make one long for more clarification.

reply

[–] swellwrench 18 years ago

what nigs i thot she was mary madgalene??

---freshings the free stylin gangster

reply

[–] lovecraftfan 18 years ago

so Corso- I am the way! sounds good

reply

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Masterblaster98 18 years ago

Well, in my opinion the girl was sent from the devil to help Corso to solve the mystery of the nine gates as he was the only one, who really understood the difference in the books to lead the way. As said many times in the movie, the dark circle were doing nonsense-rituals, which didn't lead the devil to return on earth finally and he was fed up with the circle.

Balkan killed Andrew Telfer and all the other people, who owned the book (Baroness Kessler and Victor Fargas), because he knew, that the books together were the key to great evil power. But he couldn't find the clue and thought, that if he only gets to know where the 9th gate is, he will receive the power.

But as a matter of fact, you have to enter all gates and that is what Corso did.
As Corso started his investigation he entered the gates step by step and the girl started to help him to get to the next gates.

Again, the nine gates are the key to bring the devil back on earth. The person who enters all gates will receive great evil power to become the devil on earth.
And one person finally did it: Corso.

reply

[–] lookoutjoe75 18 years ago

thats what i said

reply

[–] artemis_moon 18 years ago

well explained masterblaster

I, When in good humor, Give grass its green, Blazon sky blue, and endow the sun with gold

reply

[–] chilledout247 18 years ago

I've always believed that Corso is Rosemary's baby and The Girl is a demon agent or whatever sent from hell to guide Lucifer's son back home. Corso shows both human and devilish traits in the movie, so I think its quite possible.

reply

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] info-3508 18 years ago

willsgb is onto something. Based on Jewish and Christian scripture, and the various liturature inspired by it, such as Milton's 'Paradise Lost,' as well as a corresponding history of angels & demonology, the woman is Lilith, consort of the 'Satan'. She lures men into Hell by way of lust. The beast, which emerges from the sea, has seven heads and ten horns, and ten crowns upon its horns. The beast of the earth has two horns, like a lamb. The image plate we see lacks ten horns, crowns, and/or "two horns like a lamb." Therefore, the image is neither the beast of the sea nor the earth, as in the Book of Revelation. As someone else deftly acknowledged, the image of the beast we see here must represent the seven deadly sins, the soul's succumbing to evil, or the path to Hell, i.e., "selling one's soul."

reply