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.
故事并不复杂，3个主观视角最后归于一处，也没有什么惊喜和反转，因为从第二个视角一开始，观众就明白是什么套路了，还以为第三个视角会有什么不同，结果依然是不痛不痒的重复了一遍。……唯一好看的就是最后的决斗，足够残忍血腥。……本片的罗生门不同于黑泽明的谎言，而是主观意识的真实，加上一点叙诡，完全撑不起2个半小时的张力。……观众又不傻，导演这种方式的确搞砸了，1亿美金陈本，票房2700万美金，就别怪观众不识货了。
棋盘上的傀儡们有尝试过挣扎，王，将，骑士，公主，平民。拍的挺好的，拍法的不同营造了巨大的观测偏差，关于人类，大抵如此。
开场就很对味儿，中间感觉变成了一部中世纪metoo故事有点失望，好在最后的决斗又把场面撑起来了。
主题先行的罗生门 但拍得规整大气 演员到位 好看！
13.10.2021 | @ Regal Majestic | 媒体场点映。Jousting还是很爽的，弥补了今年没去Renn Fair的遗憾。以为是又一个罗生门，结果是一个完全没有反转的彻彻底底的#metoo故事。说好的unreliable narrator呢？！用这样的结构设置来讲故事，这不是杀鸡用了牛刀吗？有点失望。不过用山羊胡来遮盖屁股下巴，这一招不错！//再往深了想想，为什么我对这部metoo片本能反感，大概是因为这片的导演和两位编剧都是男性，而各处的男性凝视又格外显眼吧。现在网上的男性影评人（包括IGN）纷纷给出高分，我倒是很好奇最后评价的性别分化会是什么样子。
——你想我吗？——我很想你。——那我们上床吧。被伯爵玩弄的两个将军。男人养家真命苦。简单粗暴的叙事。
一边看一边想天呐让这两个男的按顺序都死了吧，果然真的都死了，令人满意。
非常工整也很稳的命题作文，看之前以为是「罗生门」，但其实特意留下的「the truth」已经表明了整部电影并不意在扑朔迷离——只有婆婆带着所有仆人离开这段没有给出明确解释。比为了美化自我而说谎更恐怖的，是从头到尾都认为自己的真相合情合理。哪怕是慷慨勇猛自诩爱妻的骑士，也只是把妻子当成财产。
尽管雷公是名导，我也看过他一些片子，但也不是每部片子都能拍手叫好，这部就是其中一部，也尽管他一直坚持拍古装大片和支持女性，这点很值得珍惜和称赞，但这部片的演员实在太让我出戏了，风景布景挺不错，可一看到演员就很违和跟别扭，几个男演员都毫无古典气质，特别是亚当司机这种长相的竟然都能演公认的帅哥了？（虽然也有长脸帅哥美女，但显然他不在此列），你说大本绿了马达我都觉得合理一些，剧情分了三段式但有些地方根本没有变化（譬如女主被强奸的戏根本没有不同，拍两遍有啥意义），男主个性也不讨好，夫妻之间竟然不信任，加上颜值身材都已经走样的马达，简直让观赏度大打折扣，尽管剧情一再强调女主是个坚强的人，但总觉得她腹黑有心眼，最后的决斗戏还算精彩
虽然比不上导演九十年代的《末路狂花》（此片是我最爱的电影之一），但非常感谢他一如既往的为女性发声。其实中世纪的这种男权控制欲和强占，至今没有太多改变，这才是最恐怖的地方。那时的男人们将女人视为物品，私有物。如今仍然可以各种评论里看到被低劣基因所控制的雄性生物对女性的不敬和戏谑。女主角的演技实在是很棒，在这个写满了悲情，男性争斗无关正义只不过是争夺面子的故事里极其加分。最后，希望未来的文明会越来越好吧。
3.这电影真的太酷了！
三个章节从三个主人公的不同视角解构了这场关于权力、荣誉的争夺战，历史由胜者和男性书写（history、his-story），被“强行补充上”的第三章女性视角 在如今这个cancel文化盛行、性别冲突对立问题格外敏感，依旧以男性为中心的父权体系社会 有着更加复杂的时代含义。
7/10 中世纪罗生门，METOO觅到西元前
三段论不在于完整还原“真相”，而更多的是在试图揭开完整的人类主观视角，其实人类历史上的绝大多数真相都是这样的“真相”吧
11.2 剧本写的好，电影也拍的好，朱迪科默演的也好。女性觉醒，但是女主没有做任何不符合时代背景的事情。两位男性的视角恰到好处的展示了为何女人难以被听见。真的是非常的妙了。其实并不是很喜欢把这个片子比作罗生门，因为罗生门是多方在有意说谎，而这部片子三方陈述的都是自己心中的真相。前两个“真相”则更衬托了第三个真相的悲凉。
一場血淋淋的羅生門，漸入佳境的典型。那時盲目的男人們已經不再適應“真實”，或者說將生活建立在真實之上了：虛無飄渺的榮譽，自以為是的愛情，刀光劍影固然痛、固然勇，但從不是為了真相，不是為了「生」。當女人的聲音只是旁觀的附屬品、當女人無法共同站出來，這場勝利頗為慰藉卻徒勞依舊。
额，刚才写完所谓影评又去瞄了一眼其他人的 吓死我了，为啥把女性置于这么一个苦大仇深的位置。影片里玛格丽特有享受好嘛，甚至用这种享受来羞辱丈夫，甚至想借刀杀人搞掉丈夫好吧。只是最终失败了。但是，怀孕这事，她还是赢了的啊，上帝站她这边了啊。远木有那么悲观，这是导演的光明面。
只有男人的脸面，没有女人的尊严。
自私暴躁的骑士丈夫，虚荣不自知“凤凰男”，以及处处被当作工具的妻子，三个人物，三个视角，层层递进。第三章真正从女性视角出发，展现了中世纪对于女性的压迫和桎梏，女人们永远只是男人追求财富和权力的工具，更有借古讽今的意味。虽然是部中世纪历史片，但我愿称之为真正的女权主义片
堪称典中典中典中典了，《欲拒还迎》、《骑士精神》、《双方自愿》、《科学》、《上帝判决》、《我很愉悦》、《好丈夫》、《girls help girls》……前两幕的俗套和无趣差点劝退，但最后一幕直接把嘲讽力度拉满，老雷的针憋时弊，让好莱坞某些妄图靠选角和喊口号吃性别红利的导演像小丑一样
Copyright © 2015-2023 All Rights Reserved
