StudioCanal have announced that Jean Pierre Melville's critically acclaimed classic, ARMY OF SHADOWS will make its digitally restored blu-ray debut on, 8th April 2013.
The controversial French resistance epic originally released in 1969, was heavily criticised upon its release in France for its particular form of glorification of the Resistance. At the time, it appeared to be running against the tide of history, as attitudes to the war were about to take a U-turn, with a nation split between collaborationists and resisters.
American film-programmers took their cue from the French critics and on this basis, decided not to give it a US release. It was not until over 35 years later in 2006, that it was finally released in the US and was granted its due acclaim, including winning the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Starring Jean-Pierre Cassell, Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse and Simone Signoret, the blu-ray premiere also includes a brand new one hour documentary extra 'Army of Shadows – The Hidden Side of the Story.'
