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Coming Dec 7



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.

The great Walter Matthau stars as Henry, a once-rich playboy who has obliviously spent his entire inheritance. Desperate to marry into further financial support, he meets Henrietta (Elaine May), a shy, awkward, though independently wealthy botany professor. What follows is a giddy tale of dubious legal advice, ruthless skulduggery and ferns.

A most unorthodox romantic comedy, stuffed with deadpan hilarity and brilliant comic invention, The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present its UK home video première in a new Dual-Format edition.

SPECIAL FEATURES including:

• New high-definition digital transfer
• Uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Booklet containing new writing and archival images
• Additional features to be announced!

What A Disgrace wrote:Throw in a few supplements and I'll gladly double dip.

Just noticed on Twitter that this will be the last Eureka title of the year. An interesting one to finish on! Hope this means more 70's US comedy in the new year...the mere mention of Bananas in the blurb makes me wonder if they could finally get some Woody Allen films.

Also, first female director as part of MoC...am I right?

I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I really don't find this film funny at all. I've seen it three times now, I recently found it on Netflix and gave it another go, It had been many years since my last viewing and during those years it had started turning up more and more in film canons and 'all time' lists. But I still can't get on with it, it's like Marmite I guess, not for me.

rapta wrote: Also, first female director as part of MoC...am I right?

Took them a good while to get there, but I believe so.

The Heartbreak Kid is more needed, but this could still be a nice upgrade if they managed to wrangle both cuts of the film. Not holding my breath though.

Gregor Samsa wrote:

rapta wrote: Also, first female director as part of MoC...am I right?

Took them a good while to get there, but I believe so.

Nope. Leni Riefenstahl's in the series with Holy Mountain, and spine 1 at that.

Hope future Paramount titles include Targets and Johnny Guitar.

Finch wrote:

Gregor Samsa wrote:

rapta wrote: Also, first female director as part of MoC...am I right?

Took them a good while to get there, but I believe so.

Nope. Leni Riefenstahl's in the series with Holy Mountain, and spine 1 at that.

But it only stars her - it was directed by Arnold Fanck

There were the women codirectors of the Maysles films.

I'd be amazed if Elaine May's cut of this film ever surfaces. Wasn't it something like three hours long?

Gregory wrote:There were the women codirectors of the Maysles films.

Also, Annie Tresgot's Wilder and Kazan docs are technically part of the MoC series.

Okay, nitpicking. This is the first feature film released as part of MoC by a singular female director.

I reckon this will just be the theatrical cut, and from the same source as the Olive disc (i.e. whatever Paramount sent them) but probably handled a little better and with some extras. I'm gonna watch this one Netflix UK tonight and see what I think of it (but have admittedly already placed a pre-order).

Finch wrote:

Gregor Samsa wrote:

rapta wrote: Also, first female director as part of MoC...am I right?

Took them a good while to get there, but I believe so.

Nope. Leni Riefenstahl's in the series with Holy Mountain, and spine 1 at that.

Hope future Paramount titles include Targets and Johnny Guitar.

Nope, she didn't direct it.

I too am hoping for Targets though! I think that's the most likely Bogdanovich film for Eureka to pick up next...assuming they're thinking of releasing one. I'm still waiting for them to follow up from Harold and Maude with another Ashby film (Bound For Glory would be my pick). My top choice as far as Paramount goes is still Malick's Days of Heaven but if they do have that lined up they're sure keeping it quiet...we'll have to see in the new year.

Damn! One of my favourite films, so much so that I paid well over my usual limit to import the Olive release back in October 2013. Another double dip coming up!

Updated specs:

• New high definition digital transfer with exclusive image restoration
• Uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• The Bluebeard of Happiness, a new video essay by critic David Cairns
• 32-PAGE BOOKLET featuring an essay by Glenn Kenny and archival images