The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary

Release Date: October 1, 2013

In June 2013, Warner Home video announced their upcoming release of The Wizard of Oz in another boxed set celebrating the film’s 75th anniversary, which was was well over a year away (August 2014). The hook this time was the premiere of the film newly formatted in 3D. The 3D version was released in IMAX and regular theaters on September 20 for one week only.

The new boxed set was released on October 1, 2013, and was a copy of the 2009 release in format (the big box, etc.). The physical extras were different but the digital contents were the same as the 2009 boxed set with the addition of the film in the 3D format and a new documentary, The Making of The Wonderful Wizzard of Oz. The Blu-ray version was another new remaster. Just as with the 2009 version, there were various single disc and multi-disc sets available and retailer exclusives. There were also some events as noted in the press release below. Click here to jump to that press release.

The new extras:

A new feature-length documentary The Making of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
48-Page Hardcover Photo Book
Deluxe Award Pin Set from the Noble Collection
Ruby Slippers Sparkler Globe
Hardcover Journal
Frameable Map of Oz
Frameable Photo Card
In the Amazon Exclusive Edition: A Ruby Slippers Flash Drive
In the Costco Exclusive Edition: A copy of the soundtrack on CD.

The artwork for the set as originally announced and publicized in June 2013 was slightly different than what was released.

By August 2013, the artwork had changed to reflect the blue theme of Blu-ray discs. Only the single disc DVD version remained the same, in red. There were some slight variations in the Blu-ray packaging which reflected a different digital HD logo. There was also a Costco exclusive edition which featured a CD copy of the soundtrack not available in any of the other sets. Likewise, Amazon had its own set that featured an exclusive flash drive in the shape of the Wicked Witch of the East’s leg and Ruby Slipper as seen under Dorothy’s house.

Some of the contents of the boxed set. Included here are the cover and cover sleeve of the clamshell case; the color photos sheet; the four discs; the cover, contents and back cover of the award pins; the flyer for the companion book; the map of Oz; the cover and back cover of the timeline book; the back cover of the journal.

The soundtrack was re-released on green vinyl for “Record Store Day” on April 19, 2014. It was available in participating record stores on that day only. The big selling point for this release (aside from it being on green vinyl), was the producer’s lame attempt to get people to purchase the record by touting a “newly discovered” audio track of “If I Only Had A Brain” recorded by Ray Bolger and Judy Garland in early October 1938. This recording was NOT “newly discovered” but had been available since the fall of 2009. At the time the track could only be downloaded from the Watertower Music website with a code provided with this LP. Check out The Judy Garland Online Discography for details about this release. The real pleasure of the LP was the green vinyl and the fact that it’s the first time the remastered soundtrack has ever been available in a vinyl format (all other issues had been on CD).

It was given a general release on October 16, 2015, on vinyl but without the green color. The contents of the LP were the same as the previous single CD versions released by Rhino Records beginning in 1995.

The Costco exclusive version of the deluxe boxed set was the only edition that included a CD of selections from the soundtrack. It was a copy of the single CD as originally released by Rhino Records in 1995 and re-released in several editions since.

Sepia Records released a wonderful compilation CD that presents the complete 1940 Decca album on CD for the first time. Also included is the 1939 radio show “The Making of The Wizard of Oz” which sounds much better than the previous, and out of print, CD releases. To top it all off we get a medley of songs from the