EXTRAS DVDs OF THE MONTH
ARMY OF SHADOWS Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville Starring: Lina Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Simone Signoret The most personal film by the underworld poet Jean-Pierre Melville, who had participated in the French Resistance himself, this tragic masterpiece, based on a novel by Joseph Kessel, recounts the struggles and sacrifices of those who fought in the Resistance as intrepid underground fighters who must grapple with their conception of honour in their battle against Hitler’s regime. Long underappreciated in France and unseen in the United States, the atmospheric and gripping thriller Army of Shadows is now widely recognized as the summit of Melville’s career, channelling the exquisite minimalism of his gangster films to create an unsparing tale of defiance in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
TWO-DVD SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
28
High-definition restoration supervised by director of photography Pierre L’homme. Alternate 2.0 surround soundtrack Audio Commentary from 2006 featuring film scholar Ginette Vincendeau. Interviews from 2007 with L’Homme and editor Francoise Bonnot. On-set footage and excerpts from archival interviews with director Jean-Pierre Melville, cast members, author Joseph Kessel, and real-life Resistance fighters. Jean-Pierre Melville et “L’armee des ombres” (2005), a short programme on the director and his film ”Le journal la Resistance” (1944), a rare short documentary shot on the front lines during the final days of the German occupation of France. Restoration demonstration by L’Homme Trailers PLUS: An essay by critic Amy Taubin
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