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.
忆往昔，红警、沙丘、星际、魔兽这四大天王号令江湖、莫敢不从，21版的《沙丘》则为力图打造一个史诗级的沙丘宇宙做出了一个不错的铺垫。影片用《银翼杀手》的方式讲述《星球大战》的故事，确实。落魄贵族化身救世主带领中东土著民兵枪攒矿造兵反推高科技自由灯塔帝国，确实+1。格斗桥段符合伽利略第8定律：罡劲护体，难防暗器，功夫再高，也怕砍刀。《异形魔怪》普拉斯之帝王沙虫就是本地最靓的头牌。电影配乐倒真的是顶级的。《沙丘》作为系列的开端，整体略显冗长，高潮不足，但后续值得期待。
其实是一部你花了150分钟也不知道看了些什么的片子，即使它只是一个前作的铺陈，即使只是讲了一个世界观。但它胜在氛围感。你用150分钟的时间渗入进了这个世界的分子里，真的看到了一个世界。当然，弊端就是只有世界，没有人物和情感。
视听效果相当不错，内容乏味。确实是应该在电影院看的电影，或者不看……
殖民主义下起点宫斗小说的剧本水平，但这部电影属于电影院。
室外比室内要好，散步比打斗要好。尽管已经将原作繁复的情节大刀阔斧的砍掉，变成了直接的幕间切换，依旧拖累了具体的、可信的星球风貌。
我竟然非常喜欢！这部不再像银翼杀手那样被叙述过度束缚从而在视听上更加解放 DV是如今少有的可以在顶级商业制作上做违背好莱坞统治系统语法的任性操作的导演 诺兰也不过是变形而已。直升机下坠竟是由女主倒悬的飘动发丝画面完成表意 预知部分的诗意画面虽然在剪辑上相对规整但却把马力克式影像带进顶级制作。再次确证DV是当代少有的银幕画师 他靠画面而非叙述就征服了商业片观众 绝对是异数。开屏与宽银幕的关系究竟是寓意性还是取决于风景与情节重心的不同还有待考察。另外蜻蜓机甲可爱。故事是美帝国的隐喻 驴象之争与驴党自我标榜的世界主义承诺
维伦纽瓦+汉斯·季默=商业片天花板。维伦纽瓦的影像风格和节奏都带着一种冷峻的诗意，太适合拍宇宙科幻题材了。【宏】
【A】IMAX2D,并不失望。原作本质上就是太空修仙题材的歌剧（不是），又回忆起了晚自习每天看沙丘的的那两周，曾经脑海中构想的扑翼机轮廓重现在荧幕上也是惊喜万分。我个人认为维伦纽瓦这次的表现还是令人满意的。虽然相比《降临》，在巨物奇观的视听营造上这次显得过于主动，稍微有点喧宾夺主的配乐把观众的情绪钉得太过死板，但依然弥足珍贵。至于节奏的问题，我认为弗兰克本身在处理进入沙漠的章节就是放缓拉开场域的，牛蛙倒是很还原地重现了这个部分，作为篇章的开幕，大量的奇观营造确实把我带入了原作的世界，但是这种从人偏移到景观的视点，会不会在下一部作品中产生更大的摩擦还得看牛蛙的发挥，牛蛙作了一部精美的预告，优秀的场域和图纸已经展开，之后画笔要如何在流动的沙丘上起舞更是令人期待。
所以网上对《沙丘》的评价往两极走就不奇怪了，毕竟，大家走的不是一个片场，看的也不是一部电影。
没看过原著，完全不了解背景，但开场没多久就被古典宏大的风格征服了，这是真正属于大银幕的审美。第一次深刻感受到甜茶长了一张高级的电影脸。能感觉到旁边观众无法投入的躁动，突然就想起当年护戒使者遭遇的“这啥，怎么就完了”的吐槽。
不知所云，不算烂片，不过题材不新，剧情催眠，少得可怜的幽默包袱都显得cringy，爱不起来。打斗戏简直小儿科，看得我很尴尬。一定要挑优点的话就是摄影了，看到很多人疯狂表扬配乐，的确震撼，不过气势达到了，叙事不足，不属于Zimmer最佳。看完电影叫醒了身边的朋友，一脸懵
跑去看了imax2D，觉得美术已打回票价。剧情编排啥的，不符合好莱坞传统。但也不算辱没了原著。仔细想想，不按原著的套路讲故事，如果搞砸了那是自取其辱，讲原著，又过于老土俗套。倒不如搞成这样的大型风景片。希望弄个第二、第三集，连成一个7小时长篇。就是好一部史诗巨作了。
兔鼠好萌
20211105，IMAX。好久好久没去电影院看IMAX了，看完之后只有一个感受：活着真好。
为了吸引我们玛丽苏粉（更大的华语市场，不是）而要动用张震这种咖来演炮灰的科幻巨制都是耍流氓。折腾了这么久又是一个科幻宇宙的开启总让人有种“累了，毁灭吧”的感觉。配乐要么嗡嗡嗡要么珍珠港，镜头语言则很像甜茶的沙漠风Vogue大片拍摄花絮。
两颗星是公爵死那场戏的，证明不止看过哈姆雷特。
这样的电影应该给我大脑里安装个世界观植入功能芯片，如此这般才能让我安心镇定地欣赏它
就是不能理解那么多人舔
花了近两亿刀的pliot。只能感慨牛蛙导对沙丘系列真是爱得深切。原著生造词堆砌（制造陌生感铺陈设定）、呓语般的反复（平均每隔二十分钟的闪回），气质都必须贴。最在意的美术这块，沙虫真容绝对还原想象、蜻蜓机也挺靓，但是除去阿拉吉斯星之外的美学都太Hard Concrete，SW新三部曲也是这个死样子：增大建筑的冰冷压迫感（包括这部用到的大量巨物崇拜），去人性化。也不是说不好，就是有点无情。
几个月没在银幕上看过这么有水平的电影，搭建世界观的一部。科幻电影已经熟悉太空与深海，而维伦纽瓦将我们引向沙漠。
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