The Wizard of Oz

Based on the children's book by Frank L. Baum, 1939's The Wizard of Oz opens in black and white (restored to its original sepia tone), as Dorothy (Judy Garland) has a run-in with Miss Gulch (Margaret Hamilton) over her dog Toto, meets a magic man named Professor Marvel (Frank Morgan), and is knocked unconscious in the farmhouse when a tornado sweeps across the Kansas plain. When Dorothy comes to, she finds that she are Toto are not in Kansas anymore, but rather caught in the whirlwind's vortex, and ultimately dropped in a strange place called Oz (where the film shifts to Technicolor). Dorothy's adventures with the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion as they travel the Yellow Brick Road to seek the mighty Wizard of Oz (Morgan) have been a source of joy and delight to audiences of all ages for many years, while the Wicked Witch (Hamilton) who squares off against Dorothy has become a child's trademark conception of evil. Filled with legendary songs such as "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" and the Oscar-winning "Over the Rainbow,” this Best Picture-nominated classic was voted by the American Film Institute as the Best Family Film of all time. Boasting a new digital transfer plus a remastered soundtrack, this new two-disc special edition features four documentaries, commentary by Emmy Award-winning producer and film historian John Fricke, an Emmy-nominated "making-of" documentary hosted by Angela Lansbury, an onscreen storybook treatment with colorful original illustrations narrated by Lansbury, outtakes and deleted scenes, vintage vault featurettes, and more than six hours of audio-only treasures, including original recording sessions for songs, and rare radio programs. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)[Blu-ray Review—Oct. 13, 2009—Warner, 3 discs, 102 min., G, $84.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1939's The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition) boasts a great transfer and a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack. Blu-ray extras include audio commentary hosted by historian John Fricke featuring cast/crew/family members, three radio programs (133 min.), the 1990 TV movie The Dreamer of Oz starring John Ritter (93 min.), the production featurettes “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic” (51 min.), “Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman” on the director (34 min.), “The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz” (30 min.), “L. Frank Baum: The Man Behind the Curtain” on the author (28 min.), “Memories of Oz” (28 min.), “Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy” (25 min.), a “We Haven't Really Met Properly…” supporting cast profile gallery (21 min.), outtakes and deleted scenes (14 min.), “Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration” on the digital restoration process (11 min.), “Another Romance of Celluloid: Electrical Power” vintage featurette (11 min.), “Hollywood Celebrates Its Biggest Little Stars” featuring seven of the original Munchkin cast (10 min.), “It's a Twister! It's a Twister! The Tornado Tests” (8 min.), an “Off to See the Wizard” selection of animated clips (4 min.), a “Cavalcade of the Academy Awards” excerpt (2 min.), a “Texas Contest Winners” vintage clip of the cast with contest winners (2 min.), and various other versions of the film including The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910, 13 min.), His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz (1914, 59 min.), The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914, 43 min.), The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914, 51 min.), The Wizard of Oz (1925, 72 min.), and The Wizard of Oz (1933, 8 min.). Also included is a Jukebox section with various recordings and alternate takes, as well as several stills galleries, a sing-along option, and trailers. A separate DVD features MGM: When the Lion Roars, a six-hour chronicle of the award-winning studio. A bonus digital copy of the film is also included. Finally, the various memorabilia featured in this handsome boxed set include a commemorative watch, the original 1939 campaign book to help theater owners promote the film, a 52-page commemorative book, and a one-sheet replica of the original movie budget. Bottom line: a top-notch collector's edition of a landmark Hollywood classic makes a most welcome debut on Blu-ray.][Blu-ray Review—Oct. 8, 2013—Warner, 2 discs, 102 min., G, $35.99—Making its second appearance on Blu-ray, 1939's The Wizard of Oz sports a superb 3D transfer and DTS-HD 5.1 audio. Extras include an all-new retrospective documentary (69 min.), and bonus 2D and UltraViolet copies of the film. Extras carried over from previous releases include audio commentary hosted by historian John Fricke (featuring cast, crew, and family members), three radio programs (133 min.), a “We Haven't Really Met Properly…” supporting cast profile gallery (21 min.), “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Storybook” hosted by Angela Lansbury (11 min.), a Jukebox section with various recordings and alternate takes, stills galleries, a sing-along option, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine release for those who are building 3D collections; others will be fine sticking with the earlier 70th anniversary Blu-ray release.]