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.
對我而言堪稱是“中式（或廣式）家庭子女的噩夢重現”，被時刻與更完美的人設（父母自己或者別人家的孩子）進行比較，永遠要壓抑自己內心的需求，永遠要帶著對叛逆的負疚感，朋友要經過篩選，不能行差踏錯，永遠要選擇他們認為的正確答案，才能被認可。一旦不能成為他們所預期的那類人，會得到“生舊叉燒都好過生你”的指責。絕大多人沒有機會像美美那樣，得到嚴苛父母的一句“對不起”，哪怕父母的錯已嚴重扭曲了一個孩子的認知，內化成了是孩子自己選擇的人生，即便這並不適合ta，即便會給ta的人生留下巨大的禍根。想起前不久跟我媽溝通的那樣，她說自己喜歡“乖的小孩”，我便表明“她其實根本不喜歡孩子，因為懂事和乖，不是孩子的天性，我也是，所以我不應該要孩子。”
标准的好莱坞工业动画，说明皮克斯近几年在走下坡路。套用中国传统家庭矛盾的外壳，内在仍是老美传统家庭保留节目——“be yourself”。但所谓的“自我认同”只是一个假象，因为其来源是身边同龄人的对宠物般的喜爱，所以伴随主角成长自然产生的爱欲却无疾而终。这种友谊大于亲情的价值观优越感让人感到不适。从设定上来说，送走小熊猫的仪式可以多次反复进行，而保留小熊猫的技能则不需要付出任何代价，所以最后主角的选择显得不痛不痒。不过，片中以流行音乐演唱会作为中国道教仪式的施法吟唱，也算是欧美文化的强势输出了。
“我太厌倦追求完美了。我对她来说永远都不够好，对任何人都是。”不要再去迎合他人了，要与内心里可爱的小熊猫共存呀。（说起来当然很容易，虽然有点想到了自己。
好棒啊，虽然很显而易见的“变红熊猫”是关于13岁的青春发育，上一辈的人都是要克服性格的缺陷，这一辈的人变成了接受自己的不完美。亚洲家庭关系也依旧是延续《包宝宝》的主题，红色头发，变熊（猫），母女关系和解，其实也是延续了《勇敢传说》，不过整体观感都比《勇》要好……
这么好的片子为啥不引进到院线呢？真的可惜可惜可惜啊！虽然故事和角色设置有很多cliche的地方，但内核却是动人的，你身体里的那个小熊猫，还在吗？最后母女大战那里好泪目。如果出了周边真的想爆买啊！
青春期的伤痛大多来源于被父母教条困住的开始寻找自我的渴望，青春里的每一次嘶吼与变形都是对家庭关系的撕扯，我们往后的人格、观念以及对待子女的态度也正是在这「自我」与「家庭」间的一次次拉扯中成型，悲剧喜剧就这么一代又一代的无止境的延续下去，多年回首，尽是狼狈。不喜欢叛逆期这个词，「叛变」与「忤逆」天然就带有着「君臣」与「驯化」的不平等属性，结尾的大战其实也昭示唯有「血与破坏」才能带来全新的关系变革，男女也是如此。
整部片子在妈妈变大之前都有点无聊，把青春期幻化成怪兽其实很有意思，但是呈现得太表面了：美美在妈妈面前装的很辛苦这个点应该再多给一些，游戏时间可以短一些，低谷太短。虽说妈妈变大之后节奏稍微好起来了，但可惜母女和解还是写得很平。其实都可以更好。#但还是希望可以在电影院看唉
亚裔女性视角的青春成长故事，时代背景与母女关系的刻画与阮凤仪的《美国女孩》有相似之处。传统华人家庭里家长式管教与西方环境里孩子个性自由之间的冲突，千禧年代感的细节相当惊喜。人物变身小熊猫的设计具有多重隐喻，不论是女性自身生理成熟的暗示、种族身份的指代，或者是女性精神压抑的标志，都留下了充分的解读空间，这和皮克斯去年《夏日友晴天》里人物变身与性向暗示的表达异曲同工。
Stereotypes 太多了，吴珊卓加一星
it's all warm and fluffy until you realize there's almost nothing Disney cannot capitalize on, including generational trauma...
六个红熊猫扯着一个大熊猫的尾巴，女孩们在B-Box，戴着翅膀的男Idol在飙高音，人群在尖叫——谁能告诉我为什么如此诡异的画面会让我泪流满面......
13岁女孩暴怒会变成红毛熊猫， 母亲要求克制收敛，用仪式把怪物收走，小女孩坚持做自己，拒绝历代传统对女孩的规训。母女之间的怪物大战，认真讨论的话就是所谓女德与女性觉醒的战斗，肤浅追星看演唱会和成绩卓越乖巧孝顺并不是互斥的，那怪物和小女孩的真自我共存也是。
哪一个东雅女孩不是这样被规训着长大的，母亲也曾经是叛逆的少女。母女和解那段我爆哭😭
确实得指望女导演和女编剧。卡司里有吴珊卓。而且卡司很对应人物。四个女孩太好玩了，哈哈。谁不喜欢毛茸茸呢，朋友星星眼和大力那里哈哈哈。女孩穿裙子穿长裤好评，公交车前门侧面好评（想起很久以前听过的公交前门后方盲区上下学时段拥挤事故的新闻），毛的质感，尤其母女两人鼻子那里。配乐竟然也不错，片尾歌一下子就忆起以前听后街和西城的感觉了。女孩学霸，东亚家庭文化，母女，和自己和解，女性主义和女性力量，她的红熊猫（一定要留下自己的红熊猫，对女孩来讲很重要）。除了女性主角都是直的这点（哈哈，太直了，男美人鱼那里，噗）笑点也很可爱，红熊猫周边也很适合出。配乐竟然也很不错。很喜欢背景，场景，片尾的调色。这部的故事内容其实很适合走院线的，流媒体确实有些可惜了。有时怪物不是怪物，是力量，对女性尤其如此
六个红熊猫扯着一个大熊猫的尾巴，女孩们在B-Box，戴着翅膀的男Idol在飙高音，人群在尖叫——谁能告诉我为什么如此诡异的画面会让我泪流满面......
皮克斯的又一部佳作，主角是个有脾气的小女孩，反抗与撒野的外在物化实体表现，那么多规矩和束缚，是成年人世界强硬施加的，小孩子不应该背负那么多枷锁。
很喜欢这个设定，把叛逆期变成一个实体来比喻真的很有新意。通常pixar disney的电影都是老少皆宜，大人也可以enjoy，但是这部有几个镜头有点太过青少。总体很喜欢，对asian family诠释的很到位了。
有趣，搞怪，原声带洗脑，Turning Red给人一种不一样的青少年的感觉，但又和Pixar的大部分佳作一样，它给到了自己对家庭、父母、青春期等话题的满意答卷。
中国女人，就是牛！（导演是有点美战情节在身上的）早上7点看这部，不愧是我！
这是皮克斯？看完只觉得儒家文化圈太tm累了
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