Originally Posted By ToonKirby From <a href="http://www.thedigitalbits.com/" target="_blank">http://www.thedigitalbits.com/</a>: >Tonight, Warner Home Video announced the DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition for release on 9/29. We've known the release was coming for many months, but now it's finally official. Available will be a 2-disc DVD version, as well as DVD and Blu-ray UCE box sets. As for the contents, let's start with the 2-disc DVD (SRP $24.98). Disc One will to include the film with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio (NEW), the original mono track and a music and effects track, a sing-along track (NEW), audio commentary (by Oz historian 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). Disc Two will include the 1990 TV special The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic, the 2001 TCM documentary Memories of Oz, 5 featurettes (The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz, Because of the Wonderful Things it Does: The Legacy of Oz, Harold Arlen's Home Movies, It's a Twister! It's a Twister! The Tornado Tests and Odd to See the Wizard), outtakes and deleted scenes, 3 vintage shorts, 3 Audio Jukebox selections (Leo Is on the Air Radio Promo, Good News of 1939 Radio Show and 12/25/1950 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast), still galleries and 6 theatrical trailers. Next up are DVD and Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Edition box sets (SRP $69.92 and $84.99) which include all of the above, along with additional material as follows (note that the DVD UCE is 4 discs total, while the Blu-ray has everything combined onto 2 Blu-rays): Disc Three will include the Victor Fleming, Master Craftsman feature-length documentary (NEW - on the film's director who directed Oz and Gone With the Wind in the same year), the L. Frank Baum: The Man Behind the Curtain featurette, the Hollywood Celebrates Its Biggest Little Stars featurette (NEW - on seven of the original "Munchkins" who received their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007), the 1990 The Dreamer of Oz NBC TV special (NEW - on the backstory of author L. Frank Baum, played by John Ritter) and 2 previous film versions (1910's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and 1933's The Wizard of Oz). Disc Four will include His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz, a pair of 1914 silent short films (The Magic Cloak of Oz and The Patchwork Girl of Oz - both NEW) and the 1925 The Wizard of Oz feature. You'll also get a Digital Copy version of the film for use on your computer and portable media players. In summary, virtually all of the previous DVD features are included, along with more than 4 hours worth of new material. In addition, the box sets will contain additional items, including reproductions of the original 1939 Oz campaign, exploitation and press books, the 52-page Behind the Curtain mini coffee table book by Oz historian John Fricke (includes much previously unpublished material such as behind-the-scenes photographs, studio memos and script pages for abandoned scenes and musical numbers) and an exclusive Wizard of Oz watch. The film itself has been given an all-new high-definition remastering. Per the studio's press release... "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." In addition, for the Blu-ray version, the original extended version of If I Only Had a Brain, performed by Ray Bolger, has also been remastered in full hi-definition.<
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes I have to wait until the end of September? O.K., I'll set aside $20 a month so that no matter what they charge, I can get it!
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin I love TWOO...I can't wait and I'll buy the blu-ray even though I don't have a blu-ray player but I think I really need this. I'm already starting to justify this expense to myself...
Originally Posted By mele I am hopeful about the quality. The Godfather on Blu-Ray is so incredibly improved that I have hopes for this dvd. Either way, my daughter and I will still get the giggles when we see the monkeys fly. :-D
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Oh, man, and I bought the previous collectors edition DVD. I sure hate double dipping!!
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I think it's safe to say that 'The Wizard of Oz' on Blu-Ray, will look better than it did in theaters in 1939.
Originally Posted By BrnardM I saw the topic heading and immediately thought, " If ever there was a movie perfect for Blue Ray..." Truely awesome! It begs the question, what other classic films beg for a Blue Ray presentation? (I'm calling Gone With the Wind)
Originally Posted By ToonKirby "Gone with the Wind" is also being readied for Blu-ray release, I believer either later this year or next.
Originally Posted By mawnck >> what other classic films beg for a Blue Ray presentation?<< Song of the South. Actually ANY presentation would be nice.
Originally Posted By ToonKirby No "Vertigo" yet, but "North by Northwest" is expected to be announced soon.
Originally Posted By oc_dean With BluRay resolution - "They've gone about as fer as they can go" ...... but there'll always be some way to improve it a decade from now - I bet! Probably add to the sides using realistic digital animation to create widescreen at 2:40:1. Watch .. if we thought BluRay is as far as they can go ... just wait!!
Originally Posted By ToonKirby "Gone with the Wind": Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-ray box set is due 11/30/09. Bonus materials TBA.
Originally Posted By ToonKirby More good news: It is being reported that "The African Queen" will FINALLY be released on DVD October 13. Also, for classic movie fans (especially "Oz" and "GWTW"): TCM will air the new documentary "1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year" next Thursday (July 2).
Originally Posted By jasmine7 <<More good news: It is being reported that "The African Queen" will FINALLY be released on DVD October 13.<< About time!!
