Army Of Shadows

The DVD set features a glossy booklet with an interesting essay by Jean-Michel Frodon and a short biography of Jean-Pierre Melville both nicely presented with colour photographs. Also contained is a description of La Liberation De Paris short film which is featured on the DVD. The opening page includes a short review from Cahiers du Cinema (1969), making the booklet altogeter something for the Melville fan to cherish.

The DVD itself features the black and white film La Liberation de Paris (Le Journal De La Resistance) from the archive of the imperial war museum giving some historical context.

There is also a short documentary (four minutes) on Jean Pierre Melville which while intersting could do with being longer.

One film commentary is on offer from French cinema expert Professor Ginnette Vincendeau. She is highly informative on several levels. Her commentary is peppered with insights into things obscured by the passage of the years and the absence of a perfect knowledge of French cultural history.