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Blu-Ray Boxed Set:
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WHV Press Release (June 9, 2009):
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary UCE (DVD/Blu-ray)
70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition
Warner Home Video Celebrates the Beloved Classic
with Spectacular New Blu-ray Version September 29
16 Hours of Enhanced Content, Four of Which Are Brand New, Includes
New Documentaries, Featurettes, a Sing-Along Track
and Extraordinary Collectibles
THE WIZARD OF OZ
70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition
Burbank, Calif. June 9, 2009 – It is difficult to imagine a motion picture more magical and more wonderful than Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's wonderful The Wizard of Oz. Over the last seven decades, the film has indelibly woven itself into America’s cultural consciousness: Is there anyone who doesn’t immediately think of the film upon hearing the words, “Dorothy,” “Toto,” “Emerald City,” “Ruby Slippers” and “Yellow Brick Road” -- or the lines to the song “Over the Rainbow?”
Now, the colorful characters and unforgettable songs of Oz come alive as never before when Warner Home Video brings this cinematic treasure into the digital age with the September 29 Blu-ray release of The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition. The commemorative edition contains nearly 4 hours of all-new and never-before-available bonus features and is housed in numbered collectible packaging, and will be available for a limited time only for $69.92 SRP (DVD) and $84.99 SRP (Blu-ray Hi-Def).
Blu-Ray boxed set contents:
Note: The four 8x10 colored "character sheets" shown in the set above are only available when purchased through Amazon.com |
In order to bring all the visual splendor of The Wizard of Oz to the Hi-Def world of Blu-ray Disc, the film has been entirely remastered, with each of the original Technicolor camera negatives scanned using 8K resolution. From this scan, a final ‘capture’ master was created in 4K, yielding twice the resolution seen in the master utilized for the film's previous DVD release.
Working in ‘full film Resolution’, extreme care was taken to ensure that all of the image fidelity contained in the original negatives was properly captured for this new presentation. The sounds of Oz will come alive on Blu-ray disc utilizing the full audio spectrum capabilities available through Dolby TrueHD audio. The net result is one of unprecedented quality that is sure to make The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Edition a benchmark in the history of the Blu-ray format.
There will also be a dedicated official site for all Oz-related events and products: Warner Bros.
The following components are ALL-NEW and exclusive to this release:
The Dreamer of Oz – which makes its long-awaited home video debut. Also remastered the occasion, this full-length motion picture was an NBC-TV special event in 1990 and thrilled critics and audiences as it told the back story of author L. Frank Baum, "the Royal Historian of Oz.” John Ritter shines in the title role -- the man who defied all odds to create the famous characters and stories. Annette O'Toole beautifully co-stars as his supportive wife, with Rue McClanahan as his challenging witch of a mother-in-law.
Victor Fleming, Master Craftsman -- a new feature-length documentary produced specifically for this release about the Hollywood director who, in the same year, miraculously brought both Oz and Gone With the Wind to the screen.
Restoration Comparison:
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Hollywood Celebrates It’s Biggest Little Stars -- a new featurette stars seven of the original "Munchkins of Oz" and tells the saga of the long journey, culminating in them receiving their own 2007 Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Magic Cloak of Oz -- the first release of the complete 1914 silent film, including lost footage never before included in a home video presentation of this feature (produced by Baum himself).
The Patchwork Girl of Oz -- another 1914 Baum-produced, feature-length silent film, new to Warner Home Video.
The Wizard of Oz Sing-Along Track -- here making its home entertainment debut.
Reproductions of Archival Material -- Extraordinary renderings of the original 1939 Oz campaign, exploitation, and press books. These materials constitute a Hollywood "holy grail" for Oz, Garland, and motion picture fans alike and, for decades, have been among the most sought-after and impossible-to-find collectibles.
Behind The Curtain -- a 52-page miniature coffee-table book, assembled by pre-eminent Oz historian John Fricke. Encompassing much previously unpublished material, the deluxe volume includes behind-the-scenes Oz photographs, studio memos, and script pages for abandoned scenes and musical numbers.
Exclusive Wizard of Oz Watch -- A collectible and numbered 70th Anniversary watch, incorporating art from the film and enhanced with genuine crystals. Available nowhere else, this beautiful timepiece was created specially for this DVD edition.
And for the Blu-Ray Ultimate Collector’s Edition, the original extended version of “If I Only Had a Brain” performed by Ray Bolger has been remastered in hi-definition especially for this release.
ABOUT THE MOVIE:
Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s timeless children’s tale about a Kansas girl’s journey over the rainbow, The Wizard of Oz opened at Grauman’s Chinese Theater on August 15, 1939. The film was directed by Victor Fleming (who that same year directed Gone With the Wind), produced by Mervyn LeRoy, and scored by Herbert Stothart, with music
Standard DVD 2-Disc set:
"Clamshell" packaging:
Standard DVD Boxed Set:
Back (for both boxed sets):
Standard DVD boxed set contents:
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and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. Ray Bolger appeared as the Scarecrow; Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman. Frank Morgan was seen in six different roles, including that of the "wonderful Wizard" himself. Dorothy was portrayed by a 4'11" sixteen year old girl who quickly earned her reputation as “the world’s greatest entertainer”-- the incomparable Judy Garland.
The Wizard of Oz received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and captured two Oscars® -- Best Song (“Over the Rainbow”) and Best Original Score -- plus a special award for Outstanding Juvenile Performance by Judy Garland. The film was an overwhelmingly popular and critical success upon its initial release and repeated its ability to captivate audiences when M-G-M reissued the film in 1949 and 1955. The film made a new kind of history with its network television premiere in 1956 on CBS. Nearly 45 million people tuned in for this initial telecast, marking the beginning of an annual tradition. Ever since, The Wizard of Oz has been shown virtually annually on network (and then cable) television; its magical story and heartfelt performances have enabled it to grow from a perennial classic to its current status as a treasured icon of popular culture.
TWO DISC DVD SPECIAL FEATURES:
DISC 1
· Remastered feature with Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio (NEW)
· Sing-along Track (NEW)
· Commentary by John Fricke with Barbara Freed-Saltzman (daughter of Arthur Freed), Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, John Lahr (son of Bert Lahr), Jane Lahr (daughter of Bert Lahr), Hamilton Meserve (son of Margaret Hamilton), Dona Massin (MGM choreographer), William Tuttle (make-up artist), Buddy Ebsen, Mervyn LeRoy, and Jerry Maren
· The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Storybook
· Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration of Oz
· We Haven’t Really Met Properly
· Music and Effects Track
· Original Mono Track
DISC 2
· The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic [1990 TV special]
· Memories of Oz [2001 TCM documentary]
· The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz
· Because of the Wonderful Things it Does: The Legacy of Oz
· Harold Arlen’s Home Movies
· Outtakes and Deleted Scenes
· It’s a Twister! It’s a Twister! The Tornado Tests
· Off to See the Wizard
· 3 Vault Shorts
· Audio Jukebox Selection
o Leo Is on the Air Radio Promo
o Good News of 1939 Radio Show
o 12/25/1950 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast
· Still Galleries
· Six Theatrical Trailers
DVD & BLU-RAY HI-DEF ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITIONS:
Includes everything listed in the Two Disc SE as well as the following:
DISC 3
· Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman (NEW)
· L. Frank Baum: The Man Behind the Curtain
· Celebrating Hollywood’s Biggest Little Stars (NEW)
· The Dreamer of Oz [1990 TV special] (NEW)
· The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910)
· The Wizard of Oz [1933]
DISC 4
· His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz
· The Magic Cloak of Oz [1914] (NEW)
· The Patchwork Girl of Oz [1914] (NEW)
· The Wizard of Oz [1925 feature]
(Blu-ray Hi-Def will have Discs 1 & 2 and Discs 3 & 4 combined)
Also included are unique premiums:
· Collectible and numbered 70th Anniversary Wizard of Oz watch with genuine crystals
· Replica of the original film budget
· Behind the Curtain, A 52-page, coffee-table book
· Reproduction of the original 1939 campaign book
EXCLUSIVE TO THE DVD and BLU-RAY HI-DEF RAY ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITIONS:
· Digital Copy on Disc
EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAY HI-DEF ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITIONS:
· MGM: When The Lion Roars Documentary
(the entire 6 hour documentary)
RETAIL PRICES:
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Edition
Street Date: September 29, 2009
Rating: G
Blu-ray Hi-Def Ultimate Collector’s Edition
$84.99 SRP
Ultimate Collector’s Edition (SD)
$69.92 SRP
Two-Disc Special Edition
$24.98 SRP |
ARTWORK FOR BACK OF STANDARD & BLU-RAY BOXED SETS
(The paper insert that goes under the shrink wrap):
 
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ALSO AVAILABLE IN A SINGLE DISC EDITION:
(Disc One of the UCE as noted in the main text above)
 
TARGET IN-STORE-ONLY BLU-RAY EDITION
(Contains the same two Blu-ray discs & the dual sided standard DVD of
the complete "MGM When the Lion Roars" documentary as the boxed set,
but none of the other extras)
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"EMERALD EDITION"
This is the same as the version shown above that was a Target store exclusive.
The only difference is that it was released to all stores on December 1, 2009:
 
SINGLE DISC BLU-RAY
Released on March 16, 2010, this is the same as the single disc Walmart exclusive.
Warner Home Video is still calling it the "70th Anniversary" edition,
ignoring the fact that 2010 is the 71st anniversary of the film!
 
Note: This version only contains the film, audio commentary by John Fricke, a "Restoration Featurette",
an "Illustrated Storybook", and an"Supporting Cast Profile Roundup"
TWO-DISC STANDARD DVD RE-RELEASE
Also released on March 16, 2010, this is a new 2-disc standard DVD version.
Again, Warner Home Video is calling it the "70th Anniversary" edition,
ignoring the fact that 2010 is the 71st anniversary of the film!
The difference between this and the original 2-disc standard DVD release is that
this release features Discs One and Three of the UCE as noted in the main text above,
whereas the previous 2-dsic standard DVD featured Discs One and Two of the UCE!
 
Details:
Disc 1 contains the film, audio commentary by John Fricke, a "Restoration Featurette",
an "Illustrated Video Storybook", and an"Supporting Cast Profile Roundup",
Surround 5.1/Original Mono/Music-and-Effecs Only audio tracks and a Dolby 5.1 Sing-Along Featurette
Disc 2 contains "The Life and Times of Original Author L.Frank Baum, Victor Fleming documentary,
The TV-Movie Special The Dreamer of Oz starrting John Ritter, The 2007 Hollywood Walk of Fame Salute to the Munchkins & Two pre-1939 Oz Shorts.
4 DISC STANDARD DVD EMERALD EDITION BOXED SET
This version includes the same 4 discs
that were featured in the (now out of print)
standard DVD "Ultimate Collector's Edition" boxed set.
 
The Warner Home Video site gives this set a street date of 12-08-2009
but it wasn't really available until July 2010.
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| MEDIA: |
Promo for 70th anniversary Blu-Ray:
Click here for Quicktime version |
"Beauty Shot" promo:
Click here for Quicktime version |
"HD ON THE BIG SCREEN" PROMO:
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AUGUST 3, 2009 EDITION OF THE HOME MEDIA MAGAZINE WITH TRADE AD:
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AVAILABLE IN THE U.K. ONLY - A SPECIAL "SING-ALONG" SINGLE DISC VERSION:
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