InthetimeofCounter-Reformation,amillerandhissoncomeunderinvestigationbyapriestoftheInquisition,whenrumorsspreadthattheirprosperitycomesfromworkingwiththeDevil影片追求去戏剧化的美学理念。现代技术让历史影像焕然一新，全彩修复丰富视觉层次，画面呈现增强临场感。技术运用保持适度，整体色彩偏向沉静。整体处理注重人文思考。色彩管理十分审慎，声音创作追求质朴自然。　　TheDevil'sTrapisafilmdirectedbyFrantišekVlá?il,basedonanovelbyAlfrédTechnik,adaptedbyFrantišekA.DvorákandMilošKratochvíl.ItwasthefirstofthreehistoricaldramasthatVlá?ilmadeduringtheCzechNewWave(technicallyheisn'treallyapartoftheNewWave,howeverthesefilmsweremadeduringthesameeraofartisticfreedom),precedinghismorewellknownMarketaLazarová(1967)andValleyoftheBees(1968).　　Setinthelate16thCenturyduringtheCatholicReformation,intheMoravianKarst,situatedinwhatisnowtheEasternCzechRepublic,ittellsthetaleofamiller(VítezslavVejrazka),andhissonJan(VítOlmer),whocomeundersuspicionandareinvestigatedbyaJesuitpriestoftheInquisition(MiroslavMacháchek),whenrumorsofwitchcraftarespreadbythelocalregent(CestmírRanda),whoisjealousofthemiller'sprosperityanddegreeofrespectamongthelocalpopulace.　　AsexpectedfromVlá?il,thisfilmisastunningexperienceallthewaythrough.Fromtheopeningshot,anominousmanipulationofperspectivewithacloseupofamangledfigureofChristdominatingtheforegroundagainstatinyfigureinblackwalkingalongthehorizon,tothebreathtakingconfrontationalfinaleinsidethevaststalactitefilledKarstcaverns,itisawonderfuldisplayofvisualmastery.　　MaybenotquiteasimpressiveasMarketaLazarová,butstillfullofastonishingimagery.Asseenfromuniqueanglesanddistinctpointsofviewwhichhighlightthedirector'sremarkablesenseofawarenessofframing,motion,andpositioningontheemotionalanddramatictoneofthescene.Themostmemorablebeingarepeatedshotwherethecameraissuspendedandlaunchedwithspeedthroughtheairtowardsthemiller'sdoor.　　ThestoryhereisasimpleoneandIwouldsaymoreaccessiblethanhislaterworks.Withaconventionalstructureemphasizedasmuchbyitsplotandcharacters,thanbyitsexpressionisticcinematographyorauthentichistoricaldetail.Theeventsplayoutwithoutmuchsurprise,andthereisastrongunderlying,almostsupernatural,mysteriousaspectthatisleftunresolved,infactbarelyexplored,whichisslightlydisappointing,butonlybecauseit'ssofascinatingthatIwishtherewasmore.　　Actingisgreatallaround.Particularlythevillains:MiroslavMacháchekasthepriest,castingasinisterandimposingshadowwhereverhegoes,andCestmírRandaastheweasellikeregentbehindallthepersecution.WhileVítOlmerbringsacharismaticleadingmanpresenceinhisroleasthemiller'ssonJan,inlovewiththelovelyorphangirlMartina(KarlaChadimová),whobecomesadangerousobjectofrivalrybetweenJanandotheryoungmenofthevillage.　　ThefilmalsofeaturestheevocativemusicofZden?kLiška(perhapsthemostprolificcomposeroftheCzechNewWave).InthishissecondofelevencollaborationswithVlá?il,hiscompositionsareusedsparingly,buttogreateffect,complimentingbutneveroverpoweringascene.Thebestexampleofwhichcanbeheardinanamazinglyshotcelebrationanddancesequenceattheendofthesecondact.　　TheDevil'sTrapmightnotbeamasterpiece,butitisstillastrongeffort,withafascinatingstraightforwardstoryandaglorioushistoricalsettingcapturedbeautifullybyVlá?il'sunmistakablevisualprowess.AfineworkthatwouldalsobetheperfectstarterplatetoprepareyourselfforthechallengingfeastofMarketaLazarováorTheValleyoftheBees.Itevenhasaneasytodigestrunningtime.It'sthereforepuzzlingwhythisgemremainslargelyoverlookedandignored.