In the time of Counter-Reformation, a miller and his son come under investigation by a priest of the Inquisition, when rumors spread that their prosperity comes from working with the Devil.
The Devil's Trap is a film directed by František Vlá?il, based on a novel by Alfréd Technik, adapted by František A. Dvorák and Miloš Kratochvíl. It was the first of three historical dramas that Vlá?il made during the Czech New Wave (technically he isn't really a part of the New Wave, however these films were made during the same era of artistic freedom), preceding his more well known Marketa Lazarová (1967) and Valley of the Bees (1968).
Set in the late 16th Century during the Catholic Reformation, in the Moravian Karst, situated in what is now the Eastern Czech Republic, it tells the tale of a miller (Vítezslav Vejrazka), and his son Jan (Vít Olmer), who come under suspicion and are investigated by a Jesuit priest of the Inquisition (Miroslav Macháchek), when rumors of witchcraft are spread by the local regent (Cestmír Randa), who is jealous of the miller's prosperity and degree of respect among the local populace.
As expected from Vlá?il, this film is a stunning experience all the way through. From the opening shot, an ominous manipulation of perspective with a close up of a mangled figure of Christ dominating the foreground against a tiny figure in black walking along the horizon, to the breathtaking confrontational finale inside the vast stalactite filled Karst caverns, it is a wonderful display of visual mastery.
Maybe not quite as impressive as Marketa Lazarová, but still full of astonishing imagery. As seen from unique angles and distinct points of view which highlight the director's remarkable sense of awareness of framing, motion, and positioning on the emotional and dramatic tone of the scene. The most memorable being a repeated shot where the camera is suspended and launched with speed through the air towards the miller's door.
The story here is a simple one and I would say more accessible than his later works. With a conventional structure emphasized as much by its plot and characters, than by its expressionistic cinematography or authentic historical detail. The events play out without much surprise, and there is a strong underlying, almost supernatural, mysterious aspect that is left unresolved, in fact barely explored, which is slightly disappointing, but only because it's so fascinating that I wish there was more.
Acting is great all around. Particularly the villains: Miroslav Macháchek as the priest, casting a sinister and imposing shadow wherever he goes, and Cestmír Randa as the weasel like regent behind all the persecution. While Vít Olmer brings a charismatic leading man presence in his role as the miller's son Jan, in love with the lovely orphan girl Martina (Karla Chadimová), who becomes a dangerous object of rivalry between Jan and other young men of the village.
The film also features the evocative music of Zden?k Liška (perhaps the most prolific composer of the Czech New Wave). In this his second of eleven collaborations with Vlá?il, his compositions are used sparingly, but to great effect, complimenting but never overpowering a scene. The best example of which can be heard in an amazingly shot celebration and dance sequence at the end of the second act.
The Devil's Trap might not be a masterpiece, but it is still a strong effort, with a fascinating straightforward story and a glorious historical setting captured beautifully by Vlá?il's unmistakable visual prowess. A fine work that would also be the perfect starter plate to prepare yourself for the challenging feast of Marketa Lazarová or The Valley of the Bees. It even has an easy to digest running time. It's therefore puzzling why this gem remains largely overlooked and ignored.
美国政府不等于美国，这是所谓民主国家最大的悲哀。
不要忘了我们为什么这么做的意义。不把它当作真实，就拿来比喻。人生有太多被别的事情东拉西扯，别忘了意义。
艾伦索金的政治倾向真是个迷……而我已经对这种要做爱不要作战的口号式表面热血完全无感了。
信息量极大。现在看来，过去的辉煌岁月真的太牛逼了，无法复刻。
众星云集飙戏飙得舒畅爆了，摄影和剪辑把这个老套的真实故事又玩出了一些新意，虽然最后还是主旋律了一把lol，片长限制每个角色只能在有限的时间里刻画所以都不太深刻，反映出的时代，台词我都很喜欢，总体上呈。
美国政府不等于美国，这是所谓民主国家最大的悲哀。
"Inside the bar, it's like the '60s never happened. Outside the bar, the '60s were being performed for anyone who looked out of the window."
影片根据真实历史事件改编，马丁路德金被刺杀，越南战争，尼克松上台激发的一系列国家内部政治、民族、反战冲突，一股脑的在本片里层次分明的一浪浪席卷过顶，让人窒息不已。
行吧，之前想说的不让发，那我就删了，不让管理员这个时间点还加班。
The whole world is watching. 极具煽动性的民主党竞选利器。但是有意思的是，隐藏在后面代表了美国民众的陪审团，最终还是判了他们有罪。我甚至怀疑这个法官是忠装反了。
剧本的设置也极为精彩。
这法官真尼玛是个逗逼~”法律“大多数时都只是掌权者的武器，无论在哪个地方~
让我们都诚实一点，既然是要借酒杯浇块垒，片尾最主旋律的美国价值就应当退离于法庭之外。因为违法与否，量刑多少，与动机是否出于爱国并无关系，与共和党是否真的总是会选派迂腐可笑的权力单元也没有关系。索金太精明了，他可以点出文化革命与建构派本质上的内在矛盾性，却翻手之间用动机上的共情将左派捆绑在一起。片叶不沾身呀。但身处左右如此对立的当下，我们真的需要你来告诉大家谁更无辜吗？我们在等待一种解决的可能性，一种已知暴力冲突来自随机波动，但势能退潮必须跟随政治手段的理性途径。煽动我没有用，我只会更难过。btw音乐烂爆了。
密集台词和剪辑，两个多小时必须高度集中以免错过关键细节。可怕的1968年，全球都在闹，会利用媒体的嬉皮士真可爱，一早明白是zz审判，可惜后来死于“自杀”？小雀斑的白左精英真体制内功利分子了，后来还娶了简方达，煽动也是他，煽情也是他。灯塔国一样问题一把，起码还有人拍出来啊~
Rennie David
很有张力的法庭群戏，台词和冲突设置满分。看过的片子里，cultural revolution真是影响了全世界，从北爱尔兰（以父之名）到巴黎（戏梦巴黎），再到芝加哥的Abbie Hoffman。
太工整了，一百二十分作文，少见的极左但不至于太讨厌的作品。political trial，唯一用生命抗争的，是名字和数量没有出现在事件中的黑人。
勇敢地挑戰公信部門的權威，他們不是一個人在作困獸猶鬥，不發聲不抗爭，這個世界決不會善意一點，今日之暴亂，明日之革命，道路太血腥/艱辛/反人性了。能把冗長的審判過程講述得絲絲入扣，導演功力值得敬佩。
JerryRubin
其实这部在柯南系列里面算是超高质量了，案件合理，而且注重感情线，相信不少人看柯南也都是追这条线吧，看到自己想看到的剧情，真是激动，五星高分，这部剧值得拥有。
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