The Wizard of Oz (1939) (70th + 75th Anniversary Editions)

[jsteinhauer]

Wow.

I have only come into home theater since Blu-ray came into existence, but I have been waiting and waiting for this all-time classic. This was one of the scariest movies I ever saw as a young child.

It's one of those that makes you think they don't make 'em like they used to.

Transformers, Dark Knight, Iron Man versus The Wizard of Oz. No contest.

Hollywood should be ashamed.

[fragile-reality]

I've never owned the Wizard of Oz in any form whatsoever. I've always just watched it on tv. I'll definately be buying this on Blu.

[blukrank]

70th Anniversary version?! Gush I still remember buying the 50th Anniversary version on VHS when it came out in 89. Bought it at a store that sadly went out of business years ago-Lechmeres.
Well yeah I sure would buy this movie on Blu-Ray.I'm sure The Land of Oz would look wonderful in 1080p.

[monkeyjb1988]

Originally Posted by Doc Ostrow

I own 6 versions of The Wizard of Oz:

1. Original laserdisc release
2. Re-mastered laserdisc release
3. Ultimate Oz laserdisc box set with original script, etc.
4. Original DVD release
5. DVD release with many extras
6. 3 disc collector's edition DVD

I'm definitely buying the Blu-ray.

I concede to you. You make my collection seem pitiful. Glad to hear your still going Blu Oz.

Originally Posted by blukrank

70th Anniversary version?! Gush I still remember buying the 50th Anniversary version on VHS when it came out in 89. Bought it at a store that sadly went out of business years ago-Lechmeres.
Well yeah I sure would buy this movie on Blu-Ray.I'm sure The Land of Oz would look wonderful in 1080p.

I know how you feel. I was one during the 50th anniversery and even I go "Man, I was around for the last two big anniverseries" (I remeber the hype for the 60th).

I also think Oz will look great with 1080 lines of resolution to play around in.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by EricJ

If nothing else, it'll help you understand at least twenty-three phrases that have entered our common language...

Although does bring up a point:
With movies on free TV essentially extinct, and Ted Turner hiding it away in his little cable TNT/TCM treehouse, we're facing a generation that can't "accidentally" watch Oz on TV for the very first time, any more than they can accidentally watch Errol Flynn or the Marx Brothers--
Pretty soon we'll have to come to terms with a world that doesn't necessarily know every line of Oz dialogue from birth (except from our daily usage), which is something to keep the Film-Literacy cause in mind.

(And yeah, even the DVD looked pretty darn wow on Warner Ultra-restoration...)

It was my understanding that because of the film's entry into the National Film Registry, it was now impossible to show the film on network television with modern commercial gaps. It's against the law now to air the film with time compression and other techniques, as WoOz is now a National Treasure (not the kind with Nick Cage). Since CBS can't squeeze it into two hours, it now airs on TNT or whatever every Thanksgiving.

[HumanMedia]

Originally Posted by Superblaster76

Can't wait to get my hands on this. The dvd box set was brilliant and looks great on a my tv but I can't imagine how beautiful the blu-ray will be, the colors should be incredible. This is a day one purchase, anything from the 30s or 40s ia a day one purchase for me though

I was a little disappointed with the last DVD release, it was heavily cropped on all sides and the blacks were all crushed. the previous DVD release almost looked better...

[Joon]

I really hope, and I am sure they will, spend a lot of time making sure it gets the white glove treatment. This is one of the all time classic movies and there are very few people in this world that don't like it. The book release of it on DVD was a great touch, it would be nice if they do something along those lines.

[jstutman]

I will be buying this. A classic

[MTRodaba2468]

Originally Posted by JJJ225

I hope we don't have to wait that long for Gone with the Wind!

Gone With The Wind is also going to be released on Blu in December.

[blukrank]

Can some one tell me how Warner ended up owning The Wizard of Oz? I believe all The MGM Turner movies are now own by Warner is that correct?
I know A Christmas Story was once an MGM movie. And it was still a MGM movie when DVD debuted in 97. As the first DVD releases of The Wizard of Oz,and A Christmas Story was MGM DVD's. I still have The MGM A Christmas Story DVD. But The Wizard of OZ DVD I gave to my brother when Warner released there first DVD version.
Another MGM DVD I have is Westworld. That too is also own by Warner now.
Never knew the story how Warner ended up owning the rights to these movies?

[MAPdead]

make a good christmas gift

[Old Bones]

Sorry for the length of this article I've taken from High-Def Digest , but all you Oz fans will read it..........

George Feltenstein of Warner Home Video talks about future releases and why it takes so long to bring Golden Age gems to Blu-ray

Article by David Krauss

Editor's Note - We have corrected the portion of this story relating to Warner Home Video and it's audio policies for Blu-ray releases. Mr. Feltenstein has noted that from this point forward, Warner intends to release all catalog titles with TrueHD audio tracks. Whether or not the films have multitrack audio elements, the studio believes each release deserves the absolute best audio possible.

It's a question serious movie fans have been asking for some time: "Where are all the classics on Blu-ray?" Almost three years have passed since the debut of high-def discs and we're fast approaching the first anniversary of the format war's abrupt end, and still such iconic titles as 'Gone With the Wind,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'Lawrence of Arabia,' 'Citizen Kane,' and 'Rear Window' have yet to see a Blu-ray release. "What's taking so long?" everyone seems to be asking. "Is Blu-ray only for recent blockbusters? Will we never be able to enjoy our favorite old movies on this glorious new media?" As time creeps along and more households embrace Blu-ray, the clamor for classics grows louder and more persistent, while the wait drags on…and on. I can speak from personal experience when I say film buffs are many things, but patient isn't one of them.

Well, if you're one of those antsy aficionados aggravated by the dearth of film classics available on Blu-ray disc, take heart. A prominent home video executive feels your pain, and he's doing all he can to rectify the situation without sacrificing quality or compromising a film's original elements.

Anybody who knows DVD classics knows George Feltenstein, senior vice president of marketing/theatrical catalog for Warner Home Video. A major Golden Age film fan himself, Feltenstein has been the driving force behind hundreds of classic releases from the days of VHS on through laserdiscs and into the digital era. His unrivaled passion and commitment to classic film has helped cement WHV's reputation as the genre's leading producer, and developed a loyal consumer following for the studio. And guess what? He's just nuts about Blu-ray."I don't think you'll find anyone on the planet complaining more about the lack of classic releases on Blu-ray than me," Feltenstein said in a recent phone interview from his Burbank office. As a consumer himself, he personally thinks it's "horrible, ridiculous, and frustrating" that more pre-1970 titles are not available on the format, and believes "thousands upon thousands of people" haven't made the Blu-ray leap because few of the titles on store shelves interest them. (Feltenstein also feels the film industry hindered the public's adoption of the technology because it failed to clearly and accurately communicate the format's vast superiority over standard DVD during its early stages.) As an industry executive, however, he understands all too well the studios' quandary over whether to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars on a per title basis to remaster classic films – and that's what it costs if you need to start from "scratch" – when demographic research shows "typical" buyers couldn't care less about the classic genre. And, Feltenstein adds, "The fact that we are in a recession-slash-depression and the world's economy is going to hell in a hand-basket doesn't help things."

All that said, Feltenstein, who dubs himself WHV's "in-house Blu-ray cheerleader," believes WHV has recently made some "bold and aggressive" moves regarding classics, and hopes other studios will follow suit. He cites next month's releases of the biblical epic 'Quo Vadis,' and two Best Picture winners, 'Gigi' and 'An American in Paris,' as a "litmus test" for classics, even though they are "very, very risky titles to put out in this marketplace, which mostly caters to new theatrical releases." (20th Century Fox will also hop on the classic BD bandwagon next month with 'The Robe' and 'South Pacific.')

That trio, however, is just a warm-up for what Feltenstein calls a "murderer's row" of classic releases later this year that will include such AFI 100 masterpieces as 'Gone With the Wind,' 'The Wizard of Oz,' and 'North By Northwest.' Hitchcock's thriller underwent a $1 million restoration, while 'GWTW' and 'Oz' – both of which were remastered in 2K Ultra Resolution three or four years ago for splashy DVD releases – have been completely overhauled once again to make sure they meet all of Blu-ray's exacting standards. "What was perfection two to three years ago is not now," Feltenstein says. "We thought 'Gone With the Wind' would be good to go on Blu-ray with what was done previously, plus $200,000 for dirt cleaning. But to look perfect, we had to start all over from scratch at enormous cost. I took it to management and there was no hesitation. Having a film like 'Gone With the Wind' on Blu-ray will set a new standard and pave the way for more classic releases."According to Feltenstein, WHV has been mastering its classic films in 1080p since 2002, long before Blu-ray's official dawn, but he's quick to point out that even those relatively new transfers still must undergo expensive, time-consuming dirt and scratch removal to make them suitable for Blu-ray. Regular 1080p remastering is fine for standard definition, he says, but HD quality requires additional work. "Blu-ray demands perfection and our consumers demand that these films achieve the best possible image quality. I assure you they will, but there will always be people out there who will nitpick and find something wrong with them."

Perfection, he explains, doesn't mean compromising a film's original elements, such as grain structure, and Feltenstein is adamant that WHV does not condone such tampering, nor does it allow The Motion Picture Imaging Group, the company that produces its transfers, to artificially enhance images or apply digital noise reduction to achieve a more modern, sleek look. Black-and-white films of the 1930s and 1940s tend to exhibit more grain than movies made in the '50s and '60s, and sometimes that grain looks amplified when projected on a high-def display. When doing transfers, Feltenstein says, "we keep the grain, but get rid of every piece of non-photographic originated dirt we can."

Oftentimes, 1080p remastering shines a beacon on basic rudimentary production techniques used in classic films. Mattes, backdrops, and rear projection work are more noticeable, and special effects can lose their mystique. When upgrading 'Top Hat' (1935), Feltenstein was shocked to see how dirty the floor was on which Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced. That dirty floor will be clearly visible when the Astaire-Rogers films make their Blu-ray debut in 2010, as will the wires that support the Scarecrow in certain scenes of 'The Wizard of Oz.' Age-related specks, scratches, and grit, however, will be erased.

Sound issues have also drawn ire from many consumers hungry for high-def audio on Golden Age films. Some have complained about the lack of a Dolby TrueHD track on 'Casablanca' and the upcoming 'An American in Paris.' Both 'Casablanca' and 'An American in Paris' were recorded in mono, so monaural tracks were used on their respective Blu-ray discs to preserve each film's authenticity. However, Mr. Feltenstein has noted that from this point forward, Warner Home Video intends to release all catalog titles with TrueHD tracks. When original multiple channel recordings are available, the studio may produce newer, multitrack audio mixes, but whether or not the films have multitrack audio elements, the studio believes each release deserves the absolute best audio possible and will provide it in TrueHD.When discussing the criteria for selecting suitable titles for Blu-ray release, especially this early in the format's lifespan, Feltenstein notes there are still "hundreds upon hundreds of wonderful classic films in the Warner library that still haven't even seen a standard DVD release." At this time, he says, limited audience titles will not immediately come out on Blu-ray, such as a collection of Esther Williams movies WHV is readying for later in 2009, because projected sales would not effectively cover costs, which can quickly spiral into the stratosphere. Dirt and scratch removal on existing 1080p masters is expensive enough, but some films require new intermediate elements from the original negative, while others demand a full photochemical restoration before a new master can be created. Authoring, compression, menu creation, and design also inflate the price tag. "Even replicating the physical Blu-ray disc is expensive," Feltenstein says. "So it's not just the cost of making the master that determines whether we go forward." As a result, the studio is currently prepping its most iconic titles for Blu-ray and holding off on more specialized material.

Does that mean some titles, especially those antiques with heavy grain and scratchy audio, will never see a Blu-ray release? "Just because it can't be perfect doesn't mean it shouldn't be on Blu-ray at some point," Feltenstein says. "Some titles will take longer than others, but a film's vintage will not keep it from Blu-ray. Because we've been mastering in 1080p since 2002, we have gorgeous high-definition masters on more than 250 black-and-white 4x3 movies. They're just not the kind of movies that will lure people into Blu-ray. Remember, it was about five years into the DVD era before it became financially viable to go deeper into the classic library; we are about to begin year number four of Blu-ray in a few months, and I believe our plans for Blu-ray library marketing are in line with what we did – and continue to do – for DVD. But right now, we have to try and find the right classic film that will really show off the technology."

And Warner has plenty of those on tap. In addition to the Astaire-Rogers canon in 2010, Feltenstein said the 1954 'A Star Is Born' with Judy Garland, currently being remastered in 6K resolution, will also see a 2010 release, and 'Citizen Kane' will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a Blu-ray bow in 2011. Other titles in the pipeline include the 1959 'Ben-Hur,' which was already remastered in 1080p, but is being redone because, Feltenstein says, many viewers were displeased with the standard DVD transfer. 'Singin' in the Rain,' previously mastered in 1080i in 2001 is unsuitable for Blu-ray in its present form, so it's gone back to square one for a "profusely expensive" 1080p makeover. 'The Music Man,' 'Doctor Zhivago,' and 'Meet Me in St. Louis' also will see high-def releases in the next two to three years. And in honor of its 40th anniversary, 'Woodstock' will arrive on Blu-ray later this year in limited numbered editions with two hours of recently discovered performances. The classic concert film was originally shot in 16mm, so beware, there will be noticeable grain.Though Hollywood usually thrives during tough times, Feltenstein said the home video industry has not been immune to the economic downturn, as layoffs and store closings make production more time consuming and marketing more challenging. "It's a very difficult environment to further this agenda," he said. "But if you put out a great release, people will buy it, and buying ensures that more releases in the same vein will follow. If people want to see more classic releases, they need to support the ones that are available or will soon be available. It's that simple."

Feltenstein can't speak for other studios, but emphasizes WHV's strong commitment to classics on Blu-ray, both from a financial and ideological perspective. "The horizon is bright," he says. "We will continue to be aggressive, and I believe people will be very happy with what we have in store."

In other words, good things come to those who wait.

[Dubstar]

^ the rumoured date of Woodstock is the latter end of July.

[Alpha Sixx]

So has any one listened to the dark side of the moon with the wizard of oz???? The dark side of the moon is my favorite album of all time. Pink Floyd is not my favorite band but they are close. But anyways if you are very familiar with the album some of the parts that match up well if you let the cd repeat itself are on the song Time when floyd says home home again Dorothy wakes up at that exact moment at the end of the movie with her family on the 3rd playthrough of the cd. And again on the song time at the end he says far away across the field...softly spoken magick spell right when the witches magik spell is broken and they wake up in the field. Then on the 1st playthrough everytime a new scene starts a new song starts also. But the most beautifull part is when the song The Great Gig in the Sky plays and it matches perfect with the chaos of the tornado it matches so good it almost brings a tear to my eye!! There is so much more i could keep blabbering forever about this and all the matching parts, you just have to see it for your self. All you have to do is push play on the cd at the exact moment the lion does his 3rd roar in the beggining of the movie and make sure the cd is on repeat!!!

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by Alpha Sixx

So has any one listened to the dark side of the moon with the wizard of oz???? The dark side of the moon is my favorite album of all time. Pink Floyd is not my favorite band but they are close. But anyways if you are very familiar with the album some of the parts that match up well if you let the cd repeat itself are on the song Time when floyd says home home again Dorothy wakes up at that exact moment at the end of the movie with her family on the 3rd playthrough of the cd. And again on the song time at the end he says far away across the field...softly spoken magick spell right when the witches magik spell is broken and they wake up in the field. Then on the 1st playthrough everytime a new scene starts a new song starts also. But the most beautifull part is when the song The Great Gig in the Sky plays and it matches perfect with the chaos of the tornado it matches so good it almost brings a tear to my eye!! There is so much more i could keep blabbering forever about this and all the matching parts, you just have to see it for your self. All you have to do is push play on the cd at the exact moment the lion does his 3rd roar in the beggining of the movie and make sure the cd is on repeat!!!

Oh boy. I'm kind of sad you brought this up. You should read the Wikipedia entry on this; here's an excerpt:

Synchronicity

Fans have compiled more than one hundred moments[4] of perceived interplay between the film and album, including further links that occur if the album is repeated through the entire film. This synergy effect has been described as an example of synchronicity, defined by the psychologist Carl Jung as a phenomenon in which coincidental events "seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality."[5], although most accounts assume that the effect was deliberate on Pink Floyd's part. Detractors[6] argue that the phenomenon is the result of the mind's tendency to think it recognizes patterns amid disorder by discarding data that does not fit. Psychologists refer to this tendency as apophenia. Under this theory, a Dark Side of the Rainbow enthusiast will focus on matching moments while ignoring the greater number of instances where the film and the album do not correspond.

[Alpha Sixx]

Are you serious??? MTV also said Black Sabbath's Paranoid and Led Zeppelin 4 also matched up and I love them a lot more than I love Pink Floyd and I had to stop those right away because nothing matched. Every one who has seen The Wizard of Oz and listened to the Dark side of the Moon walked away amazed and as believers even if they dont know much about Pink Floyd and are skeptical. You should see for yourself before you just believe what you read.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Alpha Sixx

Are you serious??? MTV also said Black Sabbath's Paranoid and Led Zeppelin 4 also matched up and I love them a lot more than I love Pink Floyd and I had to stop those right away because nothing matched. Every one who has seen The Wizard of Oz and listened to the Dark side of the Moon walked away amazed and as believers even if they dont know much about Pink Floyd and are skeptical. You should see for yourself before you just believe what you read.

Everyone except a few mental health professionals. LOL.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by Alpha Sixx

Are you serious??? MTV also said Black Sabbath's Paranoid and Led Zeppelin 4 also matched up and I love them a lot more than I love Pink Floyd and I had to stop those right away because nothing matched. Every one who has seen The Wizard of Oz and listened to the Dark side of the Moon walked away amazed and as believers even if they dont know much about Pink Floyd and are skeptical. You should see for yourself before you just believe what you read.

I have been there, done that, my friend. My belief is that the Dark Side/Oz "synchronization" is more a matter of people believing what fits their hypothesis rather than accepting the fact that most of the audio simply doesn't match up. I mean do you really think that that Pink Floyd would create an album based entirely on a movie, but only if the album was started "after the third roar"? I mean come on.

... the effect is usually created by pausing a CD of the album at the very beginning, starting the DVD or tape of the film with the TV volume muted, and un-pausing the CD when the black-and-white MGM lion roars for the third time. (Note some versions have a color lion also. The black and white lion is the right one to use for the best results.) A minority of devotees argue that un-pausing the CD on the first roar produces a superior alignment. The effect can be repeated during the film by restarting the CD when the 'Cowardly Lion', during his initial scene, roars for the third time.

"The black and white lion is the right one to use for the best results." Doh!
"A minority of devotees argue that un-pausing the CD on the first roar produces a superior alignment." Doh!

I could pick this apart all day long...

I'm sure you're a smart guy, and I'm not trying to disrespect you... I just feel pretty strongly about this. Agree to disagree I guess.

FWIW, I do love Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin.

[SpaceDog]

I skipped the DVD release of this for whatever reason - though I did go to see the theatrical re-release. The blu-ray should be a revelation.

Wizard of Oz should be required childhood viewing.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by brettallica

I have been there, done that, my friend. My belief is that the Dark Side/Oz "synchronization" is more a matter of people believing what fits their hypothesis rather than accepting the fact that most of the audio simply doesn't match up. I mean do you really think that that Pink Floyd would create an album based entirely on a movie, but only if the album was started "after the third roar"? I mean come on.

I'm not a metalhead, I can't stand most aging-stoner bands, I'd like the Floyd's music a lot more if they didn't sing over it, I watch movies as movies and not pop-culture "trip"-fodder, and I tend to at any other wannabe attempt to find synch's for "Alice in Wonderland"/"The Wall" or "Willy Wonka"/"2112"...

And that said, I've seen both synch'ed and off-synch'ed Ozzes (depending on which one you YouTube), and it IS a matter of synch point:
When properly synch'ed there are some genuine moments, if for found-coincidence entertainment value only, that a second-and-a-half off might spoil--
- A lone female backup on "Home" just as Professor Marvel looks at Aunt Em's photo,
- "Black...and blue" on the Witch's entrance, (while Glinda actually appears to be saying "And who knows which is Witch?")
- The Munchkins bouncing in perfect tempo to "Money", while the Lullaby League balletically dances in tempo to "Us & Them",
- The building crescendo on U&T as the crowd starts to follow Dorothy down the road,
- The Scarecrow's ding-a-derry dance on "The lunatic is on the grass" (which is the one everyone seems to remember)

...Most naysayers seem to have gotten the messed-up version.
Can't blame 'em, m'self, but does seem to be their own fault.