Liverpool's reputation as a filmmaking hub grew further this week as production began on a big-budget Channel 4 series, Army of Shadows. Filming crews took over Lark Lane on Wednesday, July 4, with dramatic scenes showing armed officers emerging from a blacked-out van outside the Old Police Station.
What Is Army of Shadows About?
The six-part series is adapted by Ronan Bennett, known for Top Boy, MobLand, and Day of the Jackal. It is inspired by Joseph Kessel's seminal book, a fictionalised account of the French Resistance during World War II. However, the setting has been changed to an authoritarian version of the UK in the near future.
Channel 4's release states: "From first kills and internal betrayals to propaganda campaigns, internment camps, and a climactic political assassination - this is a story about how freedom is taken and how it can be won back. And the question at its heart is timeless: What would you do if your country were occupied?"
Connection to Jean-Pierre Melville's 1969 Film
This is not the first adaptation of Kessel's work. French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville released a film version in 1969, which is widely regarded as a masterpiece. The new series has the support of Melville's estate, including his nephew Laurent Grousset, President of the Jean-Pierre Melville Foundation. Grousset said: "The new approach made by Ronan Bennett is outstanding and brings a complete and surprising new life to the original, without losing its quality."
Critical Acclaim for the Original Film
The 1969 film boasts a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have praised it extensively. Slant Magazine called it "a masterpiece," while Danny Leigh of the Financial Times said: "Watch it a hundred times and the dread, bad-dream opening sequence of Nazi troops swarming through the Arc de Triomphe might still leave you reeling." The Guardian's Andrew Pulver described it as "a work of moving ideological commitment as well as beautifully detailed orchestration."
The BBC's Tom Dawson noted: "Melville handles with consummate cinematic mastery the suspenseful set-pieces." Rolling Stone's Peter Travers gave it 4/4, stating: "Army of Shadows is a movie of its time -- and ours." The Observer called it "a film to be seen and savored for its moral magnitude," and the Seattle Times said it is "as close to a masterpiece as any film you're likely to see this year." John Monaghan of the Detroit Free Press placed it "squarely in the category of overlooked gems."
How to Watch the Original Film
The 1969 film is available on StudioCanal Presents subscription service, accessible via Amazon Prime. With filming now underway in Liverpool, it is an ideal time to revisit this classic.
