Nonus Porta

Period Fine Binder Creates Nonus Porta

www.periodfinebindings.com

My portrayal of Johnny Depp's character "Dean Corso" from the film "The NINTH GATE"

A few months ago I was asked if I would consider being a part of a mini film commercial/video for a book binding shop, Period Fine Bindings. Immediately jumping on board and accepted without thinking through the implications of the character choice the owners of the shop had in mind for me to depict. Because I rely heavily on wigs, it wasn’t until after the fact that it was brought to my attention that the character, “Dean Corso” played by Johnny Depp in Roman Polanski’s 1999 film The Ninth Gate, had short hair with greying at the temples. Initially a little dismayed with a wave of reluctance showering my judgement, I pressed on.  As my thoughts prossesed the project, I relished the challenge.

'The Nine Gates': replica of the book shown in the 1999 film "The NINTH GATE"

Conservation, Restoration and Period Bookbinder, Paul Tronson, who has worked several years for the Queen of England, is a brilliant and talented craftsman at his trade. Amongst his possessions of some of the most beautifully handcrafted pieces of History, Paul has delicately recreated the imaginary book The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows by Aristide Torchia.

In the film The Ninth Gate, Dean Corso, (Johnny Depp), a rare-book dealer, was hired by a wealthy book collector Boris Balkan, (Frank Langella) to validate a seventeenth-century copy of The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows.  Inspired by this film based on the novel El Club Dumas, written by Arturo Perez-Reverte, Paul Tronson saw the parallel’s between the beautiful historic (prop) books in the film and the reality of his own period editions and hand crafted books including his latest (fictional) piece of work ‘Nonus Porta ~ The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows’.

On set, final scene

With a transformation challenge on my hands, it was a project I wanted to pursue. Having had the luxury of experiencing first hand creations with leathers, dyes, inlays and receiving a tour of beautifully constructed Historic first editions, such as the book of King James (bible), I was left astouned, overwhelmed and enriched.

Paul Tronson, owner of Period Fine Bindings with Megan L'Hirondelle as "The Girl"

Jim Knox, Producer/Director

Bookbinder creates Nonus Porta…for Johnny Depp?

Pre- Production:  Producer/Director/Cinematographer, Jim Knox.  Actors Megan L’Hirondelle and myself along with Bookbinder/Owner, Paul Tronson.  Thought process for script layout/shot list by Margaret Stead, Paul Tronson and Jim Knox.   Storyline shot list outline only, (no actual script).  No rehearsal time.  Excellent direction by Jim Knox on day of shooting.

Johnny Depp's unfinished sigil

In the commercial/video, it briefly shows me holding the above shown sigil, creator: Paul Tronson.  Because I am a Johnny Depp Look-alike/impersonator, I was only allowed the unfinished version of Johnny Depp’s sigil and was truly honoured by this token as a gift.  The final version of the sigil can only be given to the individual it was made for,….in this case Johnny Depp himself.