1999
Dean Corso, a rare book dealer, is hired by Boris Balkan to authenticate his copy of 'The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows,' a legendary book rumored to summon the Devil. Corso travels to Europe to compare Balkan's copy with the only two other known copies, encountering a mysterious girl who repeatedly saves him from danger, and discovering that each copy contains different engravings. As Corso investigates, he finds that the previous owners of the other two copies have been murdered, and Liana Telfer, the widow of the book's original owner, attempts to steal Balkan's copy. Corso realizes that the true 'Nine Gates' is a composite of specific engravings from all three books, which Balkan eventually obtains and uses in a ritual to summon the Devil, but fails and is consumed by flames.
Save the Cat beat sheet
Book dealer Corso investigates the mysterious and deadly engravings of a rare tome, The Nine Gates, hired by the enigmatic Balkan.
Open full beat sheetDean Corso is listed as Book Detective. Tall, lean, unkempt man in his 30s, wears steel-rimmed glasses, crumpled tweed jacket. In the parsed data, Dean Corso is connected to 43 scenes, 41 dialogue lines, 41 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.
43 scenes / 41 dialogue linesThe Girl is listed as Mysterious Guardian. Childlike face, short hair, green feline eyes, wears jeans and white sneakers. In the parsed data, The Girl is connected to 21 scenes, 14 dialogue lines, 14 text mentions, first appearing around scene 17.
21 scenes / 14 dialogue linesBoris Balkan is listed as Bibliophile / Client. Bulky, imposing man around 50, thick gray hair, horn-rimmed glasses. In the parsed data, Boris Balkan is connected to 7 scenes, 12 dialogue lines, 13 text mentions, first appearing around scene 6.
7 scenes / 12 dialogue linesLiana Telfer is listed as Widow / Antagonist. Sexy, thirtyish blonde with a French accent. In the parsed data, Liana Telfer is connected to 5 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 8.
5 scenes / 2 dialogue linesBruno is listed as Henchman. Man with a mustache and scarred face. In the parsed data, Bruno is connected to 4 scenes, first appearing around scene 20.
4 scenes / 0 dialogue linesPedro Ceniza is listed as Book Restorer. Gaunt, bent-backed old man, chain-smoker. In the parsed data, Pedro Ceniza is connected to 3 scenes, 14 dialogue lines, 14 text mentions, first appearing around scene 15.
3 scenes / 14 dialogue linesPablo Ceniza is listed as Book Restorer. Twin of Pedro, gaunt, chain-smoker. In the parsed data, Pablo Ceniza is connected to 3 scenes, 8 dialogue lines, 8 text mentions, first appearing around scene 15.
3 scenes / 8 dialogue linesBernie Feldman is listed as Book Dealer. Man around Corso's age, dark curly hair. In the parsed data, Bernie Feldman is connected to 3 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 4.
3 scenes / 1 dialogue linesVictor Fargas is listed as Collector. Tall, bone-thin, drooping white mustache, slight limp. In the parsed data, Victor Fargas is connected to 3 scenes, first appearing around scene 18.
3 scenes / 0 dialogue linesBaroness Friede Kessler is listed as Collector. Elegant white-haired old lady, amputee. In the parsed data, Baroness Friede Kessler is connected to 2 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 32.
2 scenes / 1 dialogue linesAndrew Telfer commits suicide by hanging himself in his library.
Corso appraises a rare book collection for a widow and her greedy relatives.
Dean CorsoCorso encounters Witkin while leaving the apartment.
Dean CorsoCorso visits Bernie to discuss the 'Quixote' volumes and his commission.
Dean Corso, Bernie FeldmanCorso attends Boris Balkan's lecture on medieval literature.
Dean Corso, Boris Balkan, The GirlBalkan hires Corso to authenticate his copy of 'The Nine Gates'.
Dean Corso, Boris BalkanCorso examines 'The Nine Gates' in his apartment.
Dean CorsoCorso interviews Liana Telfer about her husband's book.
Dean Corso, Liana TelferCorso researches the book and spots the mysterious girl.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso returns to find his apartment has been broken into.
Dean CorsoCorso asks Bernie to hide the book.
Dean Corso, Bernie FeldmanLiana visits Corso to seduce him and steal the book.
Dean Corso, Liana TelferCorso finds Bernie murdered.
Dean Corso, Bernie FeldmanCorso consults the Ceniza brothers about the book's authenticity.
Dean Corso, Pedro Ceniza, Pablo CenizaCorso discusses the authenticity of 'The Nine Gates' with the Ceniza brothers, who reveal the book's connection to the Devil.
Dean Corso, Pedro Ceniza, Pablo CenizaCorso narrowly escapes a collapsing scaffolding in an alleyway.
Dean CorsoCorso examines the book on a train and encounters the mysterious girl.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso visits Victor Fargas to examine his copy of the book.
Dean Corso, Victor FargasCorso compares the two copies of the book and discovers discrepancies.
Dean Corso, Victor FargasCorso is nearly run over by a car driven by the mustache man.
Dean Corso, BrunoCorso encounters the girl again and receives a call from Balkan.
Dean Corso, Boris Balkan, The GirlThe girl wakes Corso and tells him to return to Fargas.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso finds Fargas dead and retrieves the mutilated book.
Dean Corso, The Girl, Victor FargasCorso and the girl fly to Paris.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso checks into a hotel and examines the books.
Dean CorsoCorso meets Baroness Kessler to discuss the book.
Dean Corso, Baroness Friede KesslerCorso is attacked by the mustache man, but the girl intervenes.
Dean Corso, Liana Telfer, The Girl, BrunoCorso and the girl share an intimate moment.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso prepares to make copies of the book.
Dean CorsoCorso wakes up to find the girl gone and breakfast arrived; he checks on the book and receives a call from Balkan.
Dean Corso, Boris Balkan, The GirlCorso meets Balkan to discuss the deaths and the book.
Dean Corso, Boris BalkanCorso examines the Kessler copy of the book; the Baroness is murdered.
Dean Corso, Baroness Friede KesslerThe girl intercepts Corso to warn him about police.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso meets Gruber to get information about Liana Telfer.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso and the girl search the suite.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso and the girl pursue Liana in a stolen Lamborghini.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso and the girl arrive at the village.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso and the girl confront Liana.
Dean Corso, Liana Telfer, The Girl, BrunoCorso and the girl escape Bruno.
Dean Corso, The Girl, BrunoBalkan interrupts the ritual and kills Liana.
Dean Corso, Boris Balkan, Liana Telfer, The GirlCorso and The Girl drive to a remote castle where Balkan is performing a ritual.
Dean Corso, The GirlBalkan performs a ritual with the Nine Gates engravings, leading to his demise.
Dean Corso, Boris Balkan, The GirlCorso wakes up to find The Girl has disappeared.
Dean Corso, The GirlCorso visits the Ceniza workshop and finds it abandoned, discovering the final engraving.
Dean Corso, Pedro Ceniza, Pablo CenizaI give you my allegiance, Master. I surrender myself unto you body and soul. Let me fear neither noose, nor sword, nor poison. Let me walk unscathed among lepers and the plague-ridden. Erase me from the Book of Life and inscribe me in the black Book of Death. Let it be no! Let it be so now! Yes, master, yes! Oh, thank you, thank you! I can feel the power flowing through me like an electric current, rendering me capable of any achievement, mental or physical! I could float on air, walk on water. See? I plunge my hands in fire and feel no heat.
We had ample opportunity to examine it thoroughly. The printing and binding are superb examples of 17th century Venetian craftsmanship. Finest rag paper, resistant to the passage of time! None of your modern wood pulp!
I'm aware of all that, but could some part of it be forged? Restorers have been known to replace missing pages with pages taken from another copy of the same edition. Have you never done that yourselves?
Watermarks, identical shades, ink, type faces... If this is a forgery, or a copy with pages restored, it's the work of a master.
He says you're a double-dealing, money grubbing bastard. He says he had that sale tied up, and now you've queered his pitch.
The man who wrote this did so in alliance with the Devil and went to the stake for it. Even Hell has its heroes, senor.
It's simple enough. You give me 'The Nine Gates' and they start dropping like flies. I'm thinking of giving it back.
Even a life of their own. Senor Balkan is a noted bibliophile. He's no fool. He must know this book is authentic.
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