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.
妮可刚出来的时候脸好僵…黑白的地方比较像。感情戏和事业线拍出来总感觉不对味。还行吧
靠对话传达的信息点高频输出持续而密集，一开始确实感到有点疲。fight against McCarthyism、对拉丁裔移民和女性的歧视、年龄困境容貌焦虑、婚姻。最后听到戏中丈夫角色扮演者 - 自己鲜少归家的丈夫说出台词“I’m home”，一瞬间的出神让Lucy Ricardo与Lucille Ball融为一体，舞台与现实的隔阂不再。Nicole的表演可圈可点。最喜欢的一个小段落是Lucille指出不要把观众当傻子（害）。
covid-19、Metoo、大数据、《后窗》的大背景杂糅+女性反杀主线。给死宅的启示或许有：勤运动多锻炼，要当技术宅，改用智能家居。
剪得太碎了，看了一个小时才明白在讲什么。预告片比正片要好看很多……不过知道了原来wandavision是在致敬这个 嗯嗯
剧场五天+闪回 明暗线交织 最后一场戏所有的铺垫汇集将人拉回现实
没看懂，中间瞌睡虫和进度条争相领先。
【4.5】美妙的类型语气融汇当下时态，症候紧扣，数字漩涡与物质世界同构。“门窗=界面”，轻巧的比喻句，秘密不断在其间流窜。简单高效却面面俱到，索德伯格太会拍，也是当之无愧的广角镜头大师。
索德伯格再次发挥其快狠准的创作特色。从疫情封锁期间的人际关系与过于自我防护的心理入手，结合时下最流行的家居人工智能设备，编写出一个相当贴地气的犯罪悬疑剧本。观众看到的全是热门话题：后MeToo时代的女性意识、疫情下工作环境的转变、黑人维权运动等，而内在却是老派的类型架构推动叙事。传统与现代两者却融合得无比流畅，更不时浮现出致敬经典的情节：德帕尔马的《凶线》、希区柯克的《后窗》，令阅片无数的影迷大感惊喜。
不必要的细节还是有点多。索德伯格还能翻身吗？
冲着新蝙蝠侠猫女主演＋类似黑客军团的感觉去看，前半段到中段都挺好，到后面被抓...斗智斗勇动作片，抑郁狂躁症爆发？还是快速结尾杀？
耳目无限放大的数位时代后窗+凶线，索德伯格能玩
与时俱进、优雅流畅的类型佳作，思维-意识-阐述的现代媒介/人类行知学标杆。窗口视讯间的友邻是相互拯救的彼此，人工智能的指令是呼唤求救的讯息，桌面通知是大脑优先级判定的进化更迭。人们自由穿梭在破碎空间后的虚拟世界，网路的便利却比疫情更能封闭现实的活动范围，它加固了现有安全稳定的秩序统治，也解放了人类使其拥有化身造物主的全能视角，在这个当下比任何时代都更熟知并贴近窥见监视资本主义的权力集团、游荡在光明黑暗面的两端。这些魔爪埋藏在侵犯用户权益的长长的使用须知中，也躲避在判定用户现实主体的习惯喜好中，更尾随于用户行动位置的人身安全中。人们在零和一的世界中得到升级进化，却被更为广阔的恐惧阴霾所笼罩，让本就惊恐受伤的个体进一步暴露在病菌培养皿中，唯有迈向现实的勇气才能带领我们去打破单线程运算的程序闭环。
相由心生。四十岁以前的相貌是父母给的，四十岁以后的相貌是自己修的。这一点在同期出道的妮可•基德曼和娜奥米•沃茨脸上看的清清楚楚。
最后竟然不是和胖子在一起吗？what？故事节奏稍微慢了点，前面社恐的描画多了些，毕竟谁不社恐？不用再体会一遍了吧……
虽然厌恶社交碎片侵占屏幕的影像语法，但KIMI不可思议地以紧凑精炼的类型框架将新冠时代科技惊悚流派与超级英雄悬念技巧结合。短小篇幅热点议题也和流媒平台配合默契。门缝和隔窗窥伺正如信息流无孔不入，割喉刀刃反面即是自卫钉枪。远程交流互相隔离的沟通和日渐蔓延的群体焦虑在疫情之中得到天然掩体，现代社会真正的流行病。预知情节熟稔于心，幽闭视角聚焦特写面部表演，摄像诡计最大限度操纵氛围，家庭空间有序舒适和室外天地混乱危险相形构成难以名状的恐怖。数据罪证可以一键清除，杀人灭口却劳神费心，监视者自造的绳索也会成为结果他们的圈套。光明结尾似是呼吁虚拟数字世界真实依托还在，摘下口罩更换发色，自由肉身仍和数据海洋共生共存。作品本身就像恐慌发作的物理浮木，正义得偿一刻清除了体内交叠的疮疤枷锁，线上线下暂时相安无事。
一般般，比较少见的反映智能电子产品正面的设定。虽然只有不到90分钟，主线简单支线却很散，部分运镜还可以。床戏裸露真的可有可无，只当福利。互相偷窥神TM换来个莫名其妙的见义勇为。还以为结局要和肥宅在一起呢，结果就是一个挡刀的路人甲。记住两个知识点：钉枪绷住当枪使，杀人能治社恐症。
还挺喜欢的。短小精悍，从后窗转向智能科技的窥视。
国内翻拍版名为“天猫精灵”/ “小爱同学”。点子不错，但展开的剧情走向也太烂俗了，镜头语言也很稚嫩奇怪。
感觉现在的电影范式变了…我们不再满足于单纯地观看叙事，只是讲述一个故事是不足够的，我们期待在电影里感受到对于时代和人的存在性的更深思考…
上一次看这个导演的片子还是上一次那个极其拧巴无法get为佳作的性谎言录像带……
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