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.
用力哭不如用力跑
可以看得出着重在了家庭，主角与母亲的共同成长到成功的点点滴滴，各种温情，悲伤的情节配上音乐的确很打动人。可惜剧本为了营造戏剧冲突，后面有些过于强行，整体节奏也比较流水账，剧情水到渠成。
中规中矩，但是可以拍得更好的，很多被压缩的情节其实真的值得好好讲讲。（或许是阿甘正传打头，已经在我心中有了一个固定印象了）
▪️提到残障运动员的待遇问题很有意义。
我给满分！演员满分！编剧满分！苏桦伟和体育精神满分！台词满分！“用力哭不如用力跑”“你走的是比别人慢，到你跑的比别人快” 吴君如从岁月神偷之后，越来越棒！
其实还蛮真实的，但是没有讲他最终退役后做了啥？
喜欢冯皓扬十足的少年感，但工整的温情反倒是有些乏味，太缺少神来一笔的日常琐碎了。即便是全片倒胃口的失距配音，抛开宏大叙事仅是点到为止的专注运动员的「窘迫困境」就更能凸显拼搏的澎湃。迈入娱乐圈的运动员、被网红蜂拥的全红婵，内地也有很多有意思的体育素材呀。人总是贪心，既然「一刹那的闪耀不等于永恒」，那就让永恒的长度变为一刹那就好。
冬残奥会开幕式当天六公主播了残奥冠军的电影，不能说不应景。故事很励志，电影拍得有些平淡了，但是可能真实情况就是没有那么多大起大落，就，努力地让一切看起来顺其自然吧。
独自在外的时候，我常常会怀疑我是否值得被爱，能否过好自己的生活，可在妈妈的眼里，我永远值得被爱，永远是神奇小子。
三星半，虽然是个已知结局的故事，仍会被感动，每个神奇小子的背后，都有一个伟大的母亲，虽然吴君如大多数的形象都是大笑姑婆，但在我心中她最好的角色就是岁月神偷里的妈妈，其实认真演温情戏的君如姐真的很可以，张继聪邋里邋遢的样子真的跟最近他的荧幕形象差别很大，不过钱小豪真的第一眼认不出了，天宝就变成了这个样子…
算是给题材的加分吧，一种关注。本片我倒是还算喜欢，不仅有着对人物细腻的刻画，也将残奥会运动员的不易描写了出来。残奥会终究是不如奥运会关注大，所以同工同酬很难实现，电影直到最后也没有回答这个问题。一次冠军是不够的，即使得了多次冠军也是不够的，电影的最后，也只是定格在了北京奥运会夺冠那一幕，但是电影后半部分所聚焦的残奥会运动员退役之后如何生活也没回答。总之，电影只把励志的鸡汤不断灌输，却对问题只提出却不解决，整体我还是不太满意的。
我们这不缺好的电影素材，有太多的人物值得用电影去介绍。有不错的亮点，有不错的台词，但整体还稍欠火候。现在看不得这类电影，一看就哭得稀里哗啦，加一点感情分。祝全天下的妈妈母亲节快乐！
@2021-10-26 03:13:53 @2022-06-03 23:21:33
大概是因为去看电影之前看了各种片段，本想哭一场却没实现。运动员真是不容易，残障运动员更不容易，希望同工同酬！苏桦伟很辛苦，妈妈很辛苦，弟弟很心酸，一直活在哥哥的影子中。
一定要看粤语原声的，吴君如可以冲一下金马金像，配合刚刚结束的残奥会，还是可以的，除了小演员是真的有健康问题，扮演长大后的演员真的很厉害了…这是人物传记类电影可能剧情会很平，但是不影响观感。
其实我一直觉得国内拍不好这种题材，直到电影进行到一半仍是这样想，但后来发现电影的立意有一个意想不到的走向，不只是成功失败再成功的煽情套路。残疾人和运动员这两个词语不能将他概括，他也是一个感情丰沛的小男生，他很感激亦都好心疼妈妈，他有一份珍藏于心的美好感情，他有除竞技之外的生活困境，他不希望所得到的尊重如身体一样残缺。由个体到群体，为所有本地残障运动员发声，瞬间升华电影高度。所有演员都贡献了出色的表演，致敬respect！
题材用了残奥会冠军的故事，也点到了残疾运动员以及他们家人的心酸和社会的反应，不过也就点到为止，没有深挖。可以看出电影重点不在这里。
想到了《岁月神偷》+《奇迹男孩》，生活实苦，但坚持就很伟大。美中不足的是故事结构有所欠缺，很多情节似乎只是为了推动情绪而没有了下文，比如和小儿子的争吵与矛盾如何化解、经纪人接广告的处理、跑步和谋生之间的权衡、未得到心仪女孩儿的后续等等都没有交代，虽无关乎主线，但问题抛出来了却又没个回应，显得整体故事结构不够完整。
看哭了！觉得大家更应该关注一下残奥会，他们都太不容易了
不僅形神恍如一人，
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