Well-known for his influential crime films (LE SAMOURAI, LE CERCLE ROUGE), director Jean-Pierre Melville explores the lives of French Resistance fighters in his moody World War II masterpiece, ARMY OF SHADOWS. Restrained and controlled, the film follows Philippe Gerbier (Lino Ventura), and other members of the underground, carrying out clandestine missions against Nazi occupiers. And while there are some exciting scenes (air drops, escapes), the film largely avoids action-film histrionics. Its tone is a subdued one and tension results from its quiet moments, interrupted by brief, jarring violence. This is appropriate, given the film's subject. Silence is the guiding principle of espionage. The film's look--bruised and penumbral--reflects the tenuous position of its characters, who live divided, imperiled existences. There is no glib heroism in ARMY OF SHADOWS; there are only people living through untenable situations, acting as is necessary, and sacrificing, perhaps, everything.
CRITERION: SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES
New high-definition digital transfer of the 2004 restoration, supervised by director of photography Pierre Lhomme
Optional Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 soundtrack
Audio commentary by film historian Ginette Vincendeau
New interviews with Lhomme and editor Françoise Bonnot
Archival video excerpts, including on-set footage and interviews with Melville, cast members, writer Joseph Kessel, and real-life Resistance fighters
Jean-Pierre Melville et "L'Armée des ombres" (2006), a short program on the director and his film
Le journal de la Résistance (1944), a rare short documentary shot on the front lines of the final days of German-occupied France
Film restoration demonstration by Lhomme
PLUS: A booklet featuring critic Amy Taubin, historian Robert Paxton, and excerpts from Rui Nogueira’s Melville on Melville
