The Criterion Collection
Jan 11, 2011 — His most personal film as well as the final one to deal with the German occupation of France, Jean-Pierre Melville’s thriller showcases human consciousness grappling with mortality.
Essays
Jan 11, 2011 — Jean-Pierre Melville’s film Army of Shadows (1969) gives a dramatic account of the extreme dangers faced by the French who resisted the German occupation of 1940–1944. The time of the story is unspecified, but it is probably 1943, late enough...
The Daily
Jul 24, 2024 — The retrospective lays the groundwork for the release of a new restoration of Army of Shadows.
The Oscar-winning writer and director talks about Army of Shadows and Jean-Pierre Melville’s cinema of betrayal, shares his love for Denis Lavant's dancing in Beau travail, and selects favorites by Yasujiro Ozu, Ernst Lubitsch, and Nicholas Ray.
The Daily
Jul 5, 2019 — This week, we look back on the making of If...., black filmmakers in the 1990s, and the golden age of Mexican cinema.
Short Takes
Oct 20, 2016 — On the ninety-ninth anniversary of Jean-Pierre Melville’s birth, we’ve gathered a selection of essays, photos, and videos that showcase the best of the iconic director’s varied oeuvre.
Sep 30, 2019 — At first glance, Jean-Pierre Melville’s body of work might seem to display a schizophrenic split between two currents or tendencies. The first is in total symbiosis with the history of France and is rooted in the filmmaker’s own life, notably...
Apr 26, 2019 — A politically engaged actor who refused to be commodified, this French icon showcased her piercing intelligence throughout four decades of unforgettable performances.
The Daily
Feb 18, 2022 — This week we’re celebrating pioneers of queer cinema and reading about Melville, Menelik Shabazz, Patrick Wang, and Francis Ford Coppola.
Mar 29, 2013 — Dear Criterion collectors, We wanted to let you know that the following titles are going out of print effective March 31: Army of Shadows Le cercle rouge Le doulos Last Year at Marienbad Léon Morin, Priest Mafioso We have limited...