The Wizard of Oz 4K UHD (1939) (80th, 85th Anniversary Edition)

[Dubstar]

out of the numerous times I've seen this movie, I've never noticed that the witch's broomstick has four red stripes on it - and what a fantastic Dolby Vision presentation from the UHD disc - my hat's off to you Warners !!

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Cherokee Jack

I couldn’t stop laughing during the Cats trailer, especially whenever the Judy Dench cat was on screen.

Ohhh so you were that guy!

[joe6pack]

Originally Posted by Knrsa333

Just picked up my order for the steelbook from BB, and took a look at the rack to see how many copies were left and this is the first time in a long long while that they were completely sold out of a steelbook on release day!

Same thing happened for me today. Zero steelbooks and only 1 copy of 4K at 4 pm. Fortunately I had placed an order for steelbook last night for in-store pickup today. My copy was waiting for me and in mint condition!!

[Castor18]

Originally Posted by clifford finch

great disc! only issue is that the yellow brick road looks a tad on the orange side anyone else find this?

A couple of UT reviewers pointed that out a few days ago, I personally don't see its an issue, probably not related to the disc, sometimes depends on TV settings especially color temperature.

We are safe, no Orange Brick Road on UHD .

Gorgeous 4K release, perfect companion for the previous 3D disc.

[Castor18]

Originally Posted by DVD Josh

Agree, but they are both unattractive to me. This movie has so many iconic images. No one thinks of red flowers when they think of this movie. No one.

That's why I went with the slipped version from the Target 3 for 2 deal.

I can relate, the poppy seed flowers are just a small part on their way to Emerald City. It does look nice, but knowing that Zavvi exclusive will have debossed title ... would probably bother me.
Very lovely and iconic inside art, an incentive if the cover is not enough for some to make a decision.

The std slipcover looks better in person, and its all in the details, the title in the front cover and spines has some sort of red metallic finish so it does Tin Man with a silver finish, even the YBR has some sheen to it. NICE

[ray0414]

Originally Posted by Knrsa333

Just picked up my order for the steelbook from BB, and took a look at the rack to see how many copies were left and this is the first time in a long long while that they were completely sold out of a steelbook on release day!

Or like at my store, they didn't put the stock on the shelves! I went there around 6pm and they had to locate them and confirm the street date. She said it was very odd that they weren't put out.

[Vertizontal]

Can't wait to watch this on saturday night, perfect Halloween weekend movie!

My digital code is free to the first person to PM me and say "Trick or Treat"

EDIT: GONE!

[spudeus]

Originally Posted by joe6pack

Same thing happened for me today. Zero steelbooks and only 1 copy of 4K at 4 pm. Fortunately I had placed an order for steelbook last night for in-store pickup today. My copy was waiting for me and in mint condition!!

Same here, I had reserved a copy a few days ago, picked up the steel at BB with no problems.

It was impressive, though there were a few shots that seemed soft (e.g. some closeups of Judy); my player confirmed this with a sharp drop off in mbps bitrate. Possibly that 'feminine soft focus'? Anyway, not being a naysayer, overall the UHD presentation captured the detail present to the point it gave the image real depth - almost like watching a live performance!

[jh901]

It's 80 years old! Absolutely, there's some deliberate soft focus.

And the yellow brick road is YELLOW.

I screened at about 75" diagonal. Quite an experience. Never thought I'd see 3 strip technicolor look like this.

[spudeus]

Sure thing - I suppose back in the 30s they adjusted lenses frequently depending on the effect they were after?

One footnote: throughout Oz, I couldn't help but notice how Toto always manages to be near the center the action, while deftly dodging the various marching/running/singing/dancing/flailing characters! That is one alert, well-trained little dude! (actually, according to wiki, a dudette).

[Matt89]

Originally Posted by DVD Josh

Agree, but they are both unattractive to me. This movie has so many iconic images. No one thinks of red flowers when they think of this movie. No one.

That's why I went with the slipped version from the Target 3 for 2 deal.

"Red flowers", you mean poppies?

They're pretty closely associated with the film, I'd argue. It's a pretty iconic scene.

~Matt

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by spudeus

Sure thing - I suppose back in the 30s they adjusted lenses frequently depending on the effect they were after?

This isn't meant to sound smug and superior at all, but if you've seen any amount of filmed content from that period all the way into the '80s and even '90s you may have noticed that women are often represented with a soft kind of 'glow' to them compared to the men, the "feminine soft focus" as you put it. This was achieved by putting some kind of filter onto the camera lens, some DPs actually used stockings because of the way that the fine mesh would deflect and diffuse the light. Some actresses demanded such treatment but eventually it just became part of the visual lexicon for a generation of cinematographers. Even when watching something like Candyman there are shots of Virginia Madsen in an early restaurant scene which have that typical diffuse 'glow' to them.

[The Mad Kiwi]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

out of the numerous times I've seen this movie, I've never noticed that the witch's broomstick has four red stripes on it - and what a fantastic Dolby Vision presentation from the UHD disc - my hat's off to you Warners !!

I noticed so many details during this I never caught before, including:

* The conductor munchkin that waves at Dorothy from a tower as she leaves Munchkinland. I've always noticed him, but his appearance on other home video versions looked strange to me because he looked like a monkey - all furry and dark. The new 4K delineates his face from his bushy beard.

* The Scarecrow's dialogue just before his drop from the cornfield pole being ADR'ed. His opening dialogue (also ADR'ed) was always obvious because his mouth never moved, but this was the first time I noticed the other patch of dialogue being looped, too. I guess all wide shots of him up on the pole weren't being picked up well enough by the mic.

* Dorothy mouthing a line of dialogue at the very end of "Merry Old Land of Oz" that we can't hear.

* The Tin Man's chain for his heart clock being an actual daisy chain. I always thought the chain looked like some kind of popcorn design.

* Dorothy putting her hand on the Scarecrow's shoulder while in the hot air balloon and him kissing it.

And they finally got rid of that pesky hair that got caught in the camera weave during the final scene in Kansas!

This remaster completely bowled me over. I always thought the 2009 restoration was perfect, but going back to it now, I see how overly hot and saturated it is at times, and there's noticeable image flickering. The new master is crazily lifelike, and I would dare say it looks less like film and more like being there on the set.

[spudeus]

Originally Posted by Matt89

"Red flowers", you mean poppies?

They're pretty closely associated with the film, I'd argue. It's a pretty iconic scene.

~Matt

Also, the image captures the dream-like quality of the film pretty perfectly.

[spudeus]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

This isn't meant to sound smug and superior at all, but if you've seen any amount of filmed content from that period all the way into the '80s and even '90s you may have noticed that women are often represented with a soft kind of 'glow' to them compared to the men, the "feminine soft focus" as you put it. This was achieved by putting some kind of filter onto the camera lens, some DPs actually used stockings because of the way that the fine mesh would deflect and diffuse the light. Some actresses demanded such treatment but eventually it just became part of the visual lexicon for a generation of cinematographers. Even when watching something like Candyman there are shots of Virginia Madsen in an early restaurant scene which have that typical diffuse 'glow' to them.

No offense taken - it is something I've noticed (though not in Wizard of Oz before now) but never paid a lot of attention to. The most egregious example is Star Trek TOS, where Kirk's various paramours are 'glowed' to the extent they look like they're in an immaterial state!

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by spudeus

No offense taken - it is something I've noticed (though not in Wizard of Oz before now) but never paid a lot of attention to. The most egregious example is Star Trek TOS, where Kirk's various paramours are 'glowed' to the extent they look like they're in an immaterial state!

I literally had Star Trek in mind when typing that, no joke

[Torgon]

Originally Posted by Matt89

"Red flowers", you mean poppies?

They're pretty closely associated with the film, I'd argue. It's a pretty iconic scene.

~Matt

It is iconic...I always remember a commercial break there (when they fall asleep), when they showed it on network TV, lol.

[Matt89]

Originally Posted by spudeus

Also, the image captures the dream-like quality of the film pretty perfectly.

100% agreed.

I would've picked up the steelbook but the store closest to me that carried it (Sunrise Records) was about an hour commute from my house, so I just grabbed the standard edition.

Couldn't be happier, though. It's a shame that the true original mono track wasn't included but damn if this isn't a spectacular looking disc. I was so blown away. My roommate even commented "Wow the colours look so vibrant."

More 3-strip Technicolor in 4K please.

~Matt

[Kyle15]

The Poppies have been entirely underutilized in advertising as the image and scene they're from. For 80 years a wealth of iconic imagery has been used to advertise the film and I think it's finally they got their due.

Dorothy is adventuring in a dream, and when she falls asleep in the poppies it's a dream within a dream. It's a beautiful scene with beautiful images, and highlighting the particular moment when she's asleep as a piece of key art is a wonderful change from what we've been given for years. Not that anything else is any less powerful, it's such a nice change and actually done nice I give props to WB for getting it right and letting it happen in the first place.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

The Poppies have been entirely underutilized in advertising as the image and scene they're from. For 80 years a wealth of iconic imagery has been used to advertise the film and I think it's finally they got their due.

Dorothy is adventuring in a dream, and when she falls asleep in the poppies it's a dream within a dream. It's a beautiful scene with beautiful images, and highlighting the particular moment when she's asleep as a piece of key art is a wonderful change from what we've been given for years. Not that anything else is any less powerful, it's such a nice change and actually done nice I give props to WB for getting it right and letting it happen in the first place.

If they have the steelbook when I go to Best Buy today I am buying it for that very reason. I am also after It's a Wonderful Life.