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.
无法忍受这种一个场景讲完整部电影的文本对话，根本就浪费了电影形式本身优势，甚至还凸显了其对大段文本表现的缺点，无法被观众快速吸收，无法停下来思考，只能囫囵吞枣的带过。这根本不需要导演，也不需要演员，不如出个短篇小说，或者这本就是将历史记录照抄上了银幕。
单纯而脆弱的人 溺亡在时代的重压落下之前 comprehensive的风格手法 住在出租屋里穷困的文艺青年 让人想起罪与罚里的罗佳
当他的尸体在湖中试图学会游泳时，声音已经被烈火掩盖。
依然是一部具有强大历史意义的影像。上世纪乃至人类历史里规模最大的制度性种族屠杀灭绝，定调及策划会议的全程还原。霍奇迈尔把外表儒雅内心残暴的党卫军头目海德里希演绎的非常到位，全程对话推进，把那一场不到120分钟、却最终屠杀了600万犹太人的13个恶魔会议，重现了那种历史惊悚画面。
视觉风格强烈影音呈现出彩，加上Tom schilling本人自带的忧郁气质和影片基调相辅相成。最大的缺点就是太长，分为几天看完，明白导演对于这部电影在叙事和摄影上想追求一些特立独行的个人概念，纪录片的纪实性和文艺片的荒诞感杂糅，本来只想打三颗星，看完结尾加一颗。最后男女之间爱情相互纠缠与守望的撕裂也确实很动人。Ps：活着是无力的，唯有死亡可以力挽狂澜。
结局好忧伤 真的是走向毁灭了 虽然有近三个小时的时长 但出乎意料地没觉得冗长 很喜欢剧中人物状态 也喜欢对爱情的表现 对背景的描述用只言片语就勾勒出了轮廓 很棒 男主角好帅啊 某个角度和一美很像 文质彬彬礼貌又绅士 爱了
爱极了这种间离感和文学性强的脚本，他游走在声色犬马光怪陆离的魏玛，保持着难得的清醒又孤立于每一个群体和时代。汤姆真的太可爱了德国一美。
感谢昆仑字幕组，翻译的很好，表述到位，会议室的辩论尤其精彩，恍惚有十二怒汉的意境———却突然发现：这是在讨论数百万人的生命而非一个人，一群演员居然一个不认识，打破了德国只有20名演员的传统—-没一张熟脸，百拍不厌的二战题材，反思到骨髓里的德国人，是否看到了现在世界的乌纳呢———————翻了下演員表，级別最高那位居然是《公猫》的男二！颠覆啊，加一星
既然我们都是要死的，作为一个理想主义者死去也没什么不好。
现在看到它，我看到的是世界沉沦前的困顿和疯狂，好似如今一样，一切在下沉。走不出孤独和理想的，最终只会死于一场玩笑，被砍掉头颅生活的，只剩荒谬而无尽的等待。
#Berlinale2021 破碎混乱的时代，战争前夕的柏林，绝望自裁的枪声， 沉入河底的消亡。
法比安想过要和他的朋友一样盲目的生活下去，但这让他很绝望。莱辛在他的哲学中高呼恐惧和仇恨的声音不能再高过精神和心灵的，人的尊严时代即将到来。人文主义理想与堕落腐化的生活交媾，战争逼着人们向自己的心灵开枪，结果也只不过是法比安溺死时，露台上那个男人的声音:“一条鱼淹死了。”
4.5，鲜活的视听手法与文学趣味奇妙共振。揶揄口吻下光怪陆离的柏林一闪而过的阴霾，为"生活"提供了多个模糊的面向。然而婉转的爱情却更能打动人，一如《爱乐之城》那样传统、平庸，却悄然结成了情感的水晶。
疫情时代又一部精彩的低成本室内电影，就像《人民的名义》一样，看官僚们唇枪舌剑的会议也比很多大场面还过瘾。“远程无接触的屠杀可以减少执行者的负罪感”，德三真是把人性玩明白了。虽然这段历史早已耳熟能详，但是再看一遍仍然触目惊心。
不是短评：女主和男主分开后第一次在咖啡馆见面，问他为什么不看着自己 镜头只给了男主手一部分戏 无奈的手势
战前的柏林，一切都在逐渐崩溃，“体面、人道和正常的人”不再可以被向往。法比安没学会游泳，因此他不懂如何在时代中逃生。他自身难保，奈何却背着沉重的正直之天赋。也许，无论是像挚友那样自杀，还是像他那样悲剧英雄主义色彩的溺水身亡，突如其来的死亡，生命于青年时期戛然而止，对理想主义者来说都是善终。看到法比安的笔记被烧毁，感觉非常悲伤，随后是更多的笔记和书被销毁。青年法比安们，他们的爱、友情、理想、迷惘、痛苦，都被历史的洪流吞没，成为无人知晓的存在。
3小时的片长，老电影的画幅比，勾勒出1930年代魏玛共和国青年男女们的颓废糜烂。
用七十年代的技法，讲三十年代的故事，一个人游荡的意识，旋转在已知是悲剧的历史。
可哪怕这样，依然坚持这该死的自尊，伤痕累累。
3 什麼都沒有 只是在敘述一個個故事 你說他在寫悲劇嗎 也不是 但放到當時的時代 就是一出出悲劇 如「紅樓夢」
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