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Directed by Elaine May
USA 1971
One of America's greatest comic legends, Elaine May, made her debut as writer
and director in the wonderful A New Leaf. Unanimously acclaimed from the
start, but unavailable for many years, it now stands as a classic alongside
Harold and Maude,
Bananas and
M*A*S*H* as a key film in the new direction of American screen comedy in
the 1970s. *** Henry Graham (Walter Matthau) is a man with a problem: he has run through his entire inheritance and is completely unequipped to provide for himself. His childhood guardian, Uncle Harry (a deliciously mean-spirited James Coco), refuses to give him a dime, so Henry devises a plan with the help of his imaginative butler (George Rose) to make his money the old-fashioned way - he can marry it. But he cannot see himself as a happily married man, so he comes up with an even more devious solution... with a temporary loan from his uncle, Henry has six weeks to find a bride and repay the loan; otherwise he must forfeit all his property to his uncle. Henry finally meets his dearly beloved, a clumsy, painfully shy heiress Henrietta Lowell (played by the film's writer/director Elaine May). The answer to his prayers - if only he can overcome the obstacles placed in his path by his uncle and Henrietta's Lawyer (Jack Weston). |
Posters
Theatrical Release: March 11th, 1971
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
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Distribution | Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray | Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:42:26.140 | 1:42:02.866 |
Video |
1. 78:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 18,631,365,930 bytesFeature: 30,857,963,520 bytesVideo Bitrate: 22.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
1. 78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 35,456,481,368 bytesFeature: 30,554,057,280 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.78 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate Olive Blu-ray |
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Bitrate Masters of Cinema Blu-ray: |
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Audio | DTS-HD Master Audio English 848 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 848 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) |
LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: 1. 78:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 18,631,365,930 bytesFeature: 30,857,963,520 bytesVideo Bitrate: 22.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details:
• None |
Release Information: Studio: Masters of Cinema
1. 78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 35,456,481,368 bytesFeature: 30,554,057,280 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.78 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
• The Bluebeard of Happiness, a new video essay by critic David Cairns
(16:13) DVD
Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 7 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
ADDITION: Masters of Cinema
Blu-ray
(March 2020): Masters of Cinema's transfer of Elaine May's A New Leaf
to Blu-ray is superior to Olive's
original release from 3-years earlier.
It is on a dual-layered disc with a, more than, 50% higher bitrate. This
translated into richer, deeper colors and warmer skin tones. It is also in
the 1.78:1 aspect ratio and provides a strong 1080P presentation.
On their
Blu-ray,
Masters of Cinema use a linear PCM 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the
original English language. It also advances upon the 16-bit Olive. This
is evident in the music which includes Albert W. Ketèlbey's In a
Monastery Garden, and some pieces by Johnny Mandel (Fantasy No.1,
Discotheque) and an uncredited theme by Neal Hefti. Masters of
Cinema offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B'
Blu-ray.
The Masters of Cinema
Blu-ray
offers as a supplement The Bluebeard of Happiness - an excellent
17-minute video essay by critic David Cairns who examines Elaine May's
career (directing
Ishtar,
Mikey and Nicky,
The Heartbreak Kid)
including as an actor and, this, her directorial debut, A New Leaf. I
loved her in Woody Allen's
Small Time Crooks where she almost steals the movie. Included in
the package is a 32-page liner notes booklet featuring writing on the
film and archival images. A second disc DVD is included.
I appreciate A New Leaf
has more each time I watch it and see the brilliant individual elements
that are pulled together to make up this essential comedy. I agree with
Jonathan Rosenbaum when he says "May’s savage take on her characters
irresistibly recalls Stroheim; she’s at once tender and corrosive (as
well as narcissistic and self-hating).". The Masters of Cinema Blu-ray
has as good an a/v transfer
***
ON THE OLIVE Blu-ray (2012): A New Leaf has a predictable modest
technical Blu-ray transfer from
Olive Films. This is only single-layered but contrast looks adequate to
support the film. It looks okay - a bit faded in some scenes but the
black levels do seem to improve in the second half and detail is
acceptable - if not stellar. There is a smidgeon of depth but there is a
hint of grain. The Blu-ray improved the presentation over an SD
rendering and any minor flaws (speckles) had no detrimental effect on my
viewing.
The DTS-HD mono track at 848 kbps is inconsequential - probably as it
was theatrically. There is no depth - nor requirement of the film for
aggressive bass to be supported. I assume this is a faithful transfer
and I noted no flaws. Presume that it lacks any dynamic features. There
are no subtitles offered. |
Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample - Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
1) Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
Box Cover |
|
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Distribution | Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray | Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |