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.
在电影院观看《天书奇谭》修复版的过程中，我脑海里不断冒出一句话：“请把我最爱的《大闹天宫》比照此标准进行修复！”【天河城飞扬】20211107
和“蜡笔小新粉”外甥还有三个小朋友一起观影。-2022.02.08 —— 2022.02.11：没想到看了日语中字版的第二天，台配国语版就出来了。特别喜爱《蜡笔小新》的外甥已经回家了，既然如此，那我就先独自观看，等改天再播给他看。→ -小新：可惡，我是絕對不可能會放棄風間的。… -阿呆：等一下，小新在思考。-妮妮：小新不是用腦袋思考。-正男：他是用屁屁思考的人。-小新：謎題解開了。—— 青春是什麼東西呢？青春是…鐵面具、戀愛、閃閃發光、自卑感、後悔、人情道義、孤獨、狂歡、曾經有過、就是當下、……Fire！
我们还能有这样吸引下一代的前瞻性的好作品吗
虽然牵强附会，我还是觉得：三只狐狸精就是四人帮，蛋生就是实事求是，蝗灾是除四害，老百姓家里的粮食被变没了是3y自然灾害，老虎吃人是WG。
我也不清楚小时候特别爱看动画片的我为什么没看过这部动画片。看片明以为是个框架很大的故事，没想到是个格局很小的一个故事。剧情很简单，一句话就能概括：小孩除妖的故事。故事适合全年龄段观看。袁公简直就是中国的普罗米修斯，相比于师父的大格局心态，天庭玉帝却是小心眼。直接表达了上层阶级对下层阶级对于资源的封杀与统治，这种改编对于权威的辛辣讽刺非常大胆。同时影片还讽刺了普通百姓的封建迷信、官场的利益熏心和愚昧贪心的皇帝。而且本片对于反派角色的描写比主角还要多，还要丰富和立体。反派一伙人的戏份明显比蛋生要多。美术很棒，水墨画风格现在看也很美。配乐也是一流的，而配音演员则是非常强大的阵容。这才是纯正的中国特色的动画电影。由于我没有这片的童年情怀，所以我只能给四颗星。毕竟现在看来多少有些过时了。8分。
青春是什么？我们拍了那么多校园青春片，最后还不如人家五岁孩子给出的答案明白。
青春是美伢口中的曾经拥有，青春是广志口中的此时此刻，我的青春就是《蜡笔小新》陪伴着的二十年。
小时候看这个的时候，虽然不太明白，但却独自哭了很久。
节奏，画面，音乐，讽刺，现在的国产动画片怎么都缺失了呢，尤其那段妖精跳舞的，放现在也是亮点
小時候就就覺得很好看啊！不知道為什么現在的中國動畫這么難看
因为结局是这样我还是加了一星，两只狐狸跳舞那段可能是葫芦娃里宴会的雏形，玉帝垃圾应该是天庭反骨人的统一共识吧！袁工可以说是中国普罗米修斯。
荒诞戏谑滑稽可爱，想象力爆炸，笔墨画面流畅，东方韵味十足，细想还挺有深意，不错不错
#大银幕重看 故事到后面没有讲得很好，但是确实很美，加长的纪录片有心了。
上美厂作为建国后几代国人的共同记忆，在美学风格上是曾经达到过迪士尼、吉卜力的水平的，虽然因为更加注重传统文化的本土表达，在思想内核的普世性上比两者差一些，但也更凸显了中国动画王者的地位。只是市场化浪潮之下，别说上美厂，连吉卜力都日渐式微了（前几年花大力气做出来的《辉夜姬物语》算是最后的辉煌了），也就迪士尼能凭借全球化的先发优势到处攻城略地。在3D动画的大潮下，欧洲的黏土动画已经好多年都没有代表作品了，上美厂曾经的水墨、木偶、剪纸、皮影动画更是几乎绝迹。好在，去年6月份腾讯视频、今年10月份西瓜视频开始陆续上线上美厂的超清修复作品，现在院线又上映了《天书奇谭》的4K修复版，闲置许久的老胶片终于可以利用起来了。
蹦入清明上河图，
以前的老中国动画非常具有中国古典的韵味，这种风格在90年代的时候已经渐渐消失了，现在的国产动画不是学日本就是学好莱坞。而且本片的人物形象鲜明，审美也还不错，可惜过于低幼化了。袁公就是中国版的普罗米修斯啊~
荒诞戏谑滑稽可爱，想象力爆炸，笔墨画面流畅，东方韵味十足，细想还挺有深意，不错不错
【4K纪念版】人物设定鲜明，分镜干脆利落，画面非常富有诗意，如果说小时候看是看热闹场面，现在再看，能品出更多幕后人员的用心和创意，还有审美高度。一转眼离剧本定稿到现在整整四十年了，无限感慨。。
虽然最后风间拿到了炒面面包，但精华的炒面夹心还是被小新吃掉了。啊这个隐喻绝了。不要追求成为精英，人生无意义的那部分或许才最重要。
美术设计太过精致好看，剧情细节也是太传统和太中国的，八十年代有这种动画而现在呢。
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