Justice delayed is by no means justice diminished- especially when it comes to an unspeakable crime such as this. Arrested in Zurich over the weekend, noted film director Roman Polanski, now faces trial for his part in creating the rambling, brain-thumpingly silly occult thriller The Ninth Gate.

Throughout his years in exile, photos of Polanski would occasionally appear in the media, his sly smile a direct indication that he thought he had gotten away with it. He assumed that he could just serve up a terrible movie that not only marred his own career but the beloved Johnny Depp as well and that we would all just let it go. But we didn't let it go.

In the panoply of human behavior there are a few acts so horrible, so heinous that they cannot be ignored or forgotten. So, it is fitting that today film buffs the world over are reveling in the knowledge that, at long last, someone is going to be held accountable for that horrible movie.

Thousands of people risked their retinas and their sanity on that film primarily because Polanski's name was attached. Still, Polanski believes that he bears no responsibility for The Ninth Gate in spite of multiple reports of uncontrollable nausea, irreparable eye damage, and projectile diarrhea during screenings of his film.

He may be right, of course. Budget constraints, studio interference, and even Depp's working methods could have played a role in the film's eventual stinkiness. But that is for a court to decide. Now that Polanksi is in custody he can make his argument before a judge.

In truth, The Ninth Gate would have been little more than an embarrassing throw-away film in a lesser filmmaker's backcatalog, but for the director of films like Chinatown and Tess, The Ninth Gate is not just "criminal" in the colloquial sense but actually criminal and punishable by by as much as fifteen years in prison.

Still, a great number of Polanski's fans want to know why, after all this time, police felt the need to arrest him. In a Q&A session yesterday, representatives from Swiss and American law enforcement agencies attempted clear up any confusion.

Q: It's been ten years since the movie came out. Isn't there some kind of statute of limitations for really bad movies?

A: No. Rounding up Michael Cimino and Joann Carelli for their work on Heavens Gate took seven years and a task force of more than two dozen agents.

Q: If The Ninth Gate were an M. Night Shyamalan picture, an unwelcome surprise ending like the one in The Ninth Gate would be par for the course.

A: But it wasn't. Also, word has it that Shyamalan is remaking it with an even dumber ending.

Q: Then how is Ben Afflec still a free man after making Gigli?

A: If Mr. Afflec had Polanski's repuation, then yes he would be serving time right now.

Q: Rosmary's Baby was kind of schlocky, too. What about The Ninth Gate makes it so much worse as to be considered a criminal act?

A: Shut up. Nobody likes you.

At the moment, Polanski's lawyers are vigorously fighting extradition to the United States where the director will face a hostile jury of film critics and bloggers. Local authorities have chosen to ignore Polanski's pleas and defer to law enforcement officials in the U.S. on this matter. Once again, the Swiss government is remaining fiercely neutral.