annes Big Winner The Michigan Theater screens Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne's "Rosetta," win- ner of the Palme d'Or at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. 7 and 9 p.m. Ulj Aliw saI michigandaily .com/arts MONDAY MARCH 13, 2000 5. ''Gate' a confusing portal of darkness Tight technique brings back Bach in Eng. Concert By David Victor Daily Arts Writer As a film student, I am often sub- jected to obscure films that make lit- tle sense at their face value, but after an in-depth analysis, reveal a com- The Ninth Gate Grade: C-, At Quality 16 and Showcase N ' plex and intrigu- ing message. After watching R o m a n Polanski's "The Ninth Gate," starring Johnny Depp, I felt as if I had watched such a film. Except after pouring over it in my head, I couldn't make much sense of it. "Gate" is a film "The Ninth Gate" focuses on the dangerous, action-packed field of rare book collecting. I know it sounds like an oxymoron, but when the book in question is capable of summoning the devil himself, the stakes are raised significantly. Boris Balkan (Frank Langella), a rich collector, convinces Corso ( Depp) to track down the two existing copies of "The Book of the Nine Doors to the Kingdom of Darkness" for compari- son to his own copy. Along the way, Corso finds a whole lot more than he bargained for, and ultimately finds he is consumed in the powers of The Book himself. Polanski ("Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown") has crafted "Gate" into a film heavy with symbolism and filmic artistry. However, sometimes Polanski's efforts quickly become tiresome and/or unnecessary. Long, lingering shots of Depp smoking and/or drinking, or the strange inter- action of characters that make no sense prolong the film needlessly. This results in a dull, slow moving film peppered with bursts of energy. By Jim Schiff Daily Arts Writer Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert musicai ensemble revitalized Bach's famous "Brandenburg Concertos" with unparalled style, tech- nique, and musicality Saturday night at Hill Auditorium. Playing on authentic 18th Century instruments, the performers brought elongated trumpets and miniature vio- lins back to the stage. Led by conductor and harpsichord player Trevor Pinnock, courtesy of Artisan Entertainment Devils, cults and demonic texts oh my! Rrman Polanski returns to the dark side with "The Ninth Gate," starring Johnny Deepp and Frank Langella. with some intriguing premises, some rilling scenes, and interesting char- cters, but it is ultimately bogged down by a confusing plot and a strange, strange ending that leaves little satisfaction for the viewer. There's a certain pattern to the plot: Corso investigates something, gets bludgeoned over the head and then someone dies. It's pretty laugh- able, and the film becomes pre- dictable very fast. Corso also seems to have a thing for sleeping with strangers at the drop of a hat. And then there's Corso's nameless companion, played by Emanuelle Seigner (Polanski's wife), who passes her time floating around or smearing her blood on peo- ple. I think she's supposed to be some sort of guardian angel, but a strange- ly kinky fireside tryst in the film makes one think otherwise. For a horror thriller, there is a dis- tinct lack of supernatural special effects. Not that they are required, but those that are in the film are sim- ple set-dressing and detract from the movie. Whenever Corso drives some- where, an obvious blue-screen effect is used instead of mounting a camera on the car. This makes for a slightly cheesy "Saturday Night Live" effect. if you know what I mean. The best use of special effects is to duplicate one actor into a set of bookseller twins, which makes for a great scene. The first three-quarters of the film take place in dark city streets, ruined gothic mansions and old libraries, which lends a perfect atmosphere to the film. Also, the details of The Book and its creators are intruiging. However, when the camera pans from copy to copy of the books as they lay ,side-by-side for comparison, the cru- cial, yet subtle differences between them are hard for the viewer to dis- cern. So things are going pretty well ... and then comes along the ending. And what a confusing piece of anti- climactic crap it is. I'm tempted to min it for you just so that I can ridicule it more, but let's leave at, "It makes no sense at all." The villain dies in an almost goofy way, and Depp supposedly has become cbsessed with the book, but the film gives scarce evidence for this trans- formation. There is some startling, disturbing imagery, but it ends with such a whimper that the audience is left waiting for more. "Gate" is captivating despite it's slow pace and confusing turns. Also. the lack of resolution makes for a very unsatisfv- ing trip to the theater. Do yourself a favor aiad rent Polanski's earlier, and much bet- tet, horror film, "Rosemary's Baby" The English Concert Hill Auditorium March 11, 2000 the group cap- tured the essence of Bach's work. T h e "Brandenburg Concertos" were designed to show the range of pos- sibility and enrich the concerto form. In general, the pieces were written in a light- hearted mood, and The English Concert helped to feeling. This was two oboes and a bassoon. The remainder of the concert contin- ued the liveliness of the first piece, while exploring additional period instruments. "Concerto No. 5 in D Major" is, Pinnock said, "probably the first concerto for a keyboard instru- ment." Here, Pinnock takes on an active role in the piece with an impressive cadenza at the end of the first move- ment, running up and down the scale. Following the intermission, the "Concerto No. 4 in G Major" featured a large ensemble and a lovely trio section between a violin and two recorders. Light as a feather, the piece felt like an afternoon at a Renaissance Festival. "Concerto No. 6 in B-flat Major" is an unusual piece in that it features a miniature cello called the "Viola de Gamba" instead of violins. Finally, "Concerto No. 2 in F Major" brought back the fanfare of the first piece, uti- lizing the highest octave on an elongat- ed trumpet. Throughout the concert, Pinnock takes on the role of musician, con- ductor and ambassador to the audi- ence. While conquering the demand- ing harpischord melodies, he man- ages to conduct the ensemble with his free hand or even through pro- nounced head movements. His entire body is involved in the presentation of the group. Between each concerto, he gave some background on the instruments and styles that were about to be fea- tured in the next piece. Pinnock's British charm and sense of humor made the audience feel at ease. Bach's "Brandenburg Concertos" are timeless masterpieces that require incredible technique, stylistic flare and musical sensitivity. Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert's delightful performance would cer- tainlv have made Bach proud. capture a cheery accomplished through light, short bow strokes in the strings, and accented, sep- arated notes in the wind instruments. "Concerto No. I in F Major" opened with a glorious horn fanfare, accompa- nied by a chorus of strings and double- reeded instruments. From the begin- ning, the music carried a distinct 18th Century feel, especially with Pinnock's prolific harpischord playing and the wonderful stylings of the principal vio- linitt, Rachel Podger. The adagio moe- metit was considerably slower, but exemplified how stately and dignified the mIusic is. An uncharacteristic fourth movement featured perfectly-pitched violin chords and a lovely trio between Courtesy of Artisan Entertainment Even Johnny Depp, as book collector Corso, is confused about "The Ninth Gate." BEFORE YOU Go PLACES, Go HERE. .,.. Frustrated and disappointed with the University? Need help making sense of your U of M experience? Check out http://universitysecrets.com UNIVERSAL FREE ADVANCE SCREENING I She brought a small town to its fi and a huge company Michigan Union Bookstore March 13.17 11-4 PM North Campus Bookstore March 13-15 11.4 PM GRADUATING SOONm t As9 Ifyou are: & A recent or soon-to-be college graduate. e Motivated and dynamic and want to use your talents to help others, i Uncertain about your career. to its knees. Julia 'Rob: ro0 Based on a t2 Then call today to find out about the I I I IL.I i