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THE WIZARD OF OZ
Acclaimed as one of the greatest family films of all time
1939’s acclaimed and beloved classic The Wizard of Oz will be released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as an 85th Anniversary Theater Edition on November 5. Directed by Victor Fleming (Gone With the Wind) and starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz is widely considered to be one of the most influential films in cinematic history.
The 85th Anniversary Theater Edition includes a 4K UHD disc of the film, a Blu-ray disc of the film and a digital code, along with commemorative steelbook packaging, a reproduction of the original program, a reproduction of the film’s premiere invitation, reproductions of 8 original lobby cards, reproductions of 2 original poster cards, and a reproduction of the film’s original movie ticket.
Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s timeless children’s tale about a Kansas girl’s journey over the rainbow, The Wizard of Oz officially premiered 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 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 MGM reissued the film in 1949 and 1955.
Released to wide acclaim and recognition, and with a long-lasting legacy in the film world, The Wizard of Oz owns a place in multiple AFI lists, including: 100 Years… 100 Movies (#6); 100 Years… 100 Thrills (#43); 100 Years… 100 Heroes and Villains (#4); 100 Years… 100 Songs (#1); 100 Years… 100 Movie Quotes (#4); and Greatest Movie Musicals (#3).
In 1989 The Wizard of Oz was part of the inaugural group of films selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.
The 2017 remaster used an 8K 16bit scan of the original Technicolor camera negative which became the basis for the 4K UHD scan. The process was overseen by MPI colorist Janet Wilson, who oversaw every remaster of The Wizard of Oz for the past 20 years.
The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc of The Wizard of Oz will feature Dolby VisionTM HDR that dramatically expands the color palette and contrast range and uses dynamic metadata to automatically optimize the picture for every screen — frame by frame.
Also, the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc of The Wizard of Oz will feature a Dolby Atmos soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar. Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.
The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray disc contains the following previously released special features:
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic
- Prettier than Ever: The Restoration of Oz
- Deleted Scenes/Behind the Scenes: Over the Rainbow, Jitterbug, If I Only Had a Brain, Wizard of Oz excerpt
Street Date: November 5, 2024
Ultra HD Blu-ray Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese
Ultra HD Blu-ray Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese
Running Time: 101 minutes
Rating: Rated PG
DOLBY ATMOS [CC]
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