Warner Bros. | 1939 | 102 mins | Rated G
Wow. Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West is several shades of green. The make up Jack Haley wore as the Tin Man sparkles, Judy Garland has numerous freckles and Billie Burke (Glinda,The Good Witch of the North), has some of the most perfect skin I’ve ever seen; who knew.
I first saw The Wizard of Oz when I was around six years old. I’ve seen it countless times in the last thirty years, on the big screen at film festivals, television broadcasts, home video and various DVD incarnations. Despite that, watching the 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray truly felt like I was discovering the film for the first time. While this wonderful set boasts an impressive array of special features that shouldn’t be overlooked, the film itself is the real star of the collection. I’ll cover in more detail what makes The Wizard of Oz look so impressive on Blu-ray in a bit, but first, a little background on the film itself.
Now considered by many as one of the greatest films of all time, The Wizard of Oz wasn’t considered a major success upon its release on August 15, 1939, due to the films large budget and fairly modest box office return. But from 1959 to 1991, The Wizard of Oz was an annual television tradition in the United States, and through these showings, it has become one of the most famous films ever made. Of course, with cable and home theater capabilities Oz enthusiasts can watch the film whenever they please.
Nearly everyone is familiar with the basic story: Dorothy (Judy Garland), lives on a farm in Kansas with her Auntie Em (Clara Bandick), Uncle Henry (Charles Grapewin) and her beloved dog Toto. After attempting to run away in order to keep Toto safe from the wrath of Miss Almira Gulch (Margaret Hamilton), Dorothy is caught in a tornado while attempting to return home. When she finally does arrive at her house, everyone else has gone into the underground shelter, forcing Dorothy and Toto to ride out the storm alone. As they cower in the young girls bedroom, the gusting winds unhinge a window from its place, Dorothy is knocked-out, though hallucinates that she is still awake, seeing all the people she knows passing by her window as her house is carried through the air by the tornado.
Once the twister stops, Dorothy carries Toto to the door and they step outside to discover they’re no longer in Kansas. The world outside looks like a vivid dream state; Dorothy is soon greeted by Glinda the Good Witch (Billie Burke). Glinda informs her that the crashing of her house has killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and she is honorably praised for the act. However, Dorothy merely wants to return home, and after a brief celebration with the Munchkins, Glinda tells her that her best bet would be to ask for the way home from the Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan) who lives in the Emerald City. Following the yellow brick road, Dorothy embarks on her journey to the Emerald City, along the way she makes three new friends; the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr); they all join her on a journey that is complicated by unwelcome appearances by the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).
It’s fairly easy to see why The Wizard of Oz continues to entertain movie fans. Made at a time when studios actively interested in breaking ground and experimenting with three strip Technicolor. Most films in 1939 were still in black and white, so the gimmick of beginning in black and white then shifting to Technicolor was very effective. Most importantly, the bevy of writers who worked on the screenplay weren’t afraid to take the original book by L. Frank Baum and add a big dose of originality and imagination to the project. They hired all the midgets they could find, populated Oz with all sorts of weird props, added songs to the story and believed audiences would react positively.
The Wizard of Oz has been released on Blu-ray in full 1080p in the 1.33:1 (a 4×3) aspect ratio. Warner Brothers went all out with this transfer, going through a painstaking six-month process to make this classic look better than it ever has before. Warner Bros. own engineers took nearly a month to scan the film’s three separate negatives at 8K resolution and three months of color correction. The result is quite possibly, the best Blu-ray on the market as of this review.
A moderate veneer of grain permeates every frame, granting the picture a filmic appearance purists will be overjoyed to see in tact. There are no noticeable comptrssion flaws. I didn’t see any signs of the use of digital filters like DNR (digital noise reduction) or edge enhancement. Rare instances of softness should be attributed to the original source, not the Blu-ray transfer or the restoration team’s efforts, digital scanning, or touch-ups. Further, there was no ringing, banding or aliasing in evidence.
The palette oozes primary brilliance, black levels are deep and absorbing, and skintones are flawless. Moreover, contrast is bright and vivid, imbuing each scene with convincing depth and dimensionality, edges are refined, and textures are revealing. A field of tiny flowers, individual strands of straw, costume seams, the intricacies of Billie Burke’s gown, craters on the Witch’s nose, wrinkles on the Wizard’s face, Toto’s hair… they all pop with a vibrancy rarely seen on Blu-ray. Suffice to say, this is, without a doubt, the definitive home video transfer of Oz.
Because The Wizard of Oz is seventy-years-old, it’s impossible for the audio to live up to today’s modern soundtracks. However, even in that area Warner Bros. clearly did their best to provide the best sonic experience possible. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surroundtrack is impressive. Dialogue is warm and intelligible, preserving the distinct tonal personality of its 1939 recordings while giving each voice a fresh, 21st Century upgrade. Each song dances across the soundfield as if it was recorded yesterday. Lyrics and orchestration ebb and flow in perfect harmony, and the various score pieces are sharp and resonant. It helps that rousing LFE output bolsters each musical cue, every boom of the Wizard’s thundering performances, and all of the Witch’s eruptions and explosions. The rear speakers are subdued, paying respect to the film’s original audio mix, but still involve themselves in everything from the music to the swirling winds of Dorothy’s tornado. Fire crackles with unexpected intensity, a menacing forest rustles with immersive activity, and scrambling monkeys smoothly scamper from channel to channel. As an added bonus, the film’s original mono track is available via a 192kbps Dolby Digital mix.
Check out this clip about the munchkins, included in the special features:
Special Features: Owners of this beautiful Blu-ray collection should be very pleased. From the beautiful box it’s all packaged in, to the hours of bonus features, Warner Bros has certainly pulled out all the stops for this release.
The 4-disc Blu-ray edition of The Wizard of Oz comes bundled in a attractive collector’s box (measuring 8.5 x 11 inches) that contains a generous helping of pack-ins and bonus items. The Blu-ray release itself is packaged in a separate slipcovered digipak. The digipak itself is larger than a standard Blu-ray case (approximately 5.5 x 7.5 inches.)
The collector’s box also includes a high-quality replica of the film’s original 1939 Campaign Book (for the first time reproduced in its entirety); a budget sheet for the production; a 52-page hardbound commemorative book, “Behind the Curtain of Production 1060” (7.5 x 11 inches); a limited edition 70th Anniversary Watch nestled in an Emerald City-embossed tin; and a separate disc containing a Digital Copy of the film. All of the items are safely packed inside the box and are easy to remove.
Audio Commentary (Disc 1): The late Sydney Pollack hosts this extensive, informative commentary track featuring Oz historian and author John Fricke, as well as rare interview clips with associate producer/writer Arthur Freed’s daughter, Barbara Freed-Saltzman; actress Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch of the West) and her son Hamilton Meserve; actor Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow); actor Jack Haley (the Tin Man); John and Jane Lahr (children of actor Bert Lahr, the Cowardly Lion); uncredited co-director Mervyn LeRoy; assistant choreographer Dona Massin (who worked directly under Bobby Connolly); assistant make-up artist William Tuttle; performer Buddy Ebsen; and one of the last surviving Munchkin actors, Jerry Maren. While Fricke sounds as if he’s narrating a documentary, he lends focus to a track that might otherwise be overwhelming. The real meat of the track lies in its interview clips. Nostalgic reflections, candid anecdotes (particularly from Hamilton and her co-actors), and amusing asides. The audio quality of each clip varies, but the inconsistencies are never a distraction. Each voice remains clear and intelligible.
• The Making of a Movie Classic (SD, Disc 1, 51 minutes): This 1990 documentary (hosted by Angela Lansbury) explores the enduring international legacy of Oz, scenes cut from the film, casting challenges, Judy Garland’s breakthrough performance, the development of the witches, set design, differences between Baum’s original book and the movie, critical reaction to the film, the competition Oz faced at the box-office when it was first released and much more.
• The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz (SD, Disc 1, 30 minutes): Narrated by Sydney Pollack, this engrossing 2005 documentary finds modern filmmakers like Peter Jackson, composers like Randy Newman and Howard Shore, and other notable Hollywood heavyweights discussing Oz, how it came to be, the heated competition that existed to work on the film, the songs, the characters, scoring the music, production design, and special effects.
• The Legacy of Oz (SD, Disc 1, 25 minutes): Similar to Tribute of Oz, this secondary 2005 documentary looks at Oz’s themes, appeal, impact, and emergence as a ’50s and ’60s television phenomenon. Eventually, it covers the film’s merchandising madness in the ’70s fans and collectors, subsequent Oz books, and character impersonators.
• Memories of Oz (SD, Disc 1, 28 minutes): This documentary from 2001 gives surviving cast and crew members, as well as members from their immediate families, the opportunity to chat about the film. The interviewees discuss the film’s transition to color, its political connotations, influence on other films, costumes, matte paintings, set design, props, and performances.
• Jukebox (Audio, Disc 1, 70 minutes): A veritable treasure trove of original recordings and outtakes of “Over the Rainbow”, the “Munchkinland Medley” rehearsal and sequence recordings, the “Munchkinland Medley” voice tests, “If I Only Had a Brain” “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” “If I Only Had a Heart,” “If I Only Had the Nerve,” “Emerald City/The Merry Old Land of Oz,” “If I Were King of the Forest,” “The Jitterbug,” “Triumphal Return to Emerald City,” and underscoring for “Kansas,” “Munchkinland,” “The Road to Oz,” “Emerald City,” “The Witch’s Castle,” and the “Finale.”
• Stills Galleries (SD, Disc 1, 105 minutes): Hundreds of stills, production photos, and more can be found in eighteen galleries, all of which cycle images every ten seconds or so. Galleries include “Oz on Broadway,” “Pre-MGM,” “Sketches and Storyboards,” “Costume and Makeup Tests,” “Richard Thorpe’s Oz,” “Buddy Ebsen,” “Oz Comes to Life,” “Behind the Scenes,” “Portraits,” “Special Effects,” “Post Production,” “Deleted Scenes,” “Original Publicity,” “Hollywood Premiere,” “New York Premiere,” “Oz Abroad,” and “Oz Revivals.”
• We Haven’t Really Met Properly (SD, Disc 1, 21 minutes): A series of two-three minute actor biographies (narrated by Lansbury) for Frank Morgan (the Wizard of Oz/Professor Marvel), Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow/Hunk), Bert Lahr (the Cowardly Lion/Zeke), Jack Haley (the Tin Man/Hickory), Billie Burke (Glenda, the Good Witch), Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch of the West/Miss Gulch), Charley Grapewin (Uncle Henry), Clara Blandick (Auntie Em), and Terry (Toto). Watch one at a time, or get them all in one chunk with a “Play All” option.
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Storybook (SD, Disc 1, 11 minutes): Angela Lansbury delivers a severely condensed read-through of Baum’s work.
• Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration of Oz (SD, Disc 1, 11 minutes): An all-too-brief look at the 4K digital restoration of Oz, the problems its mastering team encountered, and the methods they used to tackle the project.
• Music and Effects Track (Audio, Disc 1): This option allows users to watch the film, sans dialogue, with a one-channel Dolby Digital audio mix (48kHz/192kbps).
• Original Mono Track (Audio, Disc 1): A treat for purists: the film’s original mono track. The only downside? It’s only available as a stunted Dolby Digital mix (48kHz/192kbps).
• Leo Is on the Air Radio Promo (Audio, Disc 1, 12 minutes): An extended radio advertisement for The Wizard of Oz featuring descriptions of the film, song excerpts, and dialogue.
• Good News of 1939 Radio Show (Audio, Disc 1, 61 minutes): Maxwell House Coffee presents the final edition of “Good News of 1939,” a full-length radio broadcast that finds host Robert Young interviewing the cast and music of The Wizard of Oz.
• Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (Audio, Disc 1, 61 minutes): A 1950 Christmas radio broadcast of The Wizard of Oz that tells the entirety of the film’s story. While it doesn’t feature the voices of the majority of the original cast, Judy Garland is on hand to voice Dorothy.
• Sing Along (HD, Disc 1): A simple subtitle feature that provides users lyrics and timing cues to sing along with a selection of songs from the film. Songs include “Over the Rainbow,” “Munchkinland Medley,” “Follow the Yellow Brick Road/You’re Off to See the Wizard,” “If I Only Had a Brain,” “If I Only Had a Heart,” “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” “If I Only Had the Nerve/We’re Off to See the Wizard,” “Optimistic Voices,” “The Merry Old Land of Oz,” and “If I Were King of the Forest.”
• Another Romance of Celluloid: Electrical Power (SD, Disc 1, 11 minutes): Lansbury introduces this archive black-and-white short that looks at the advent of electrical power and its use in making films.
• Cavalcade of the Academy Awards Excerpt (SD, Disc 1, 2 minutes): A short excerpt reel from the 1940 Academy Awards assembled by director Frank Capra. Of note, a young Mickey Rooney presents a very enthusiastic Judy Garland with an award.
• Texas Contest Winners (SD, Disc 1, 2 minutes): Several lucky Texans score a visit to Hollywood in the ’30s.
• Off to See the Wizard Excerpts (SD, Disc 1, 4 minutes): A montage of clips from ABC’s “Off to See the Wizard” series.
• Trailers (SD, 11 minutes): Six trailers for various releases of the film.
• Harold Arlen’s Home Movies (SD, Disc 1, 5 minutes): 16mm footage shot at the cast’s portrait sittings during Arlen’s visits to the set.
• Outtakes and Deleted Scenes (SD, Disc 1, 14 minutes): Rare materials exorcised from the film’s original theatrical release.
• It’s a Twister! It’s a Twister! The Tornado Tests (SD, Disc 1, 8 minutes): Raw footage of the tornado featured in Oz.
• Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman (SD, Disc 2, 34 minutes): A thorough overview of director Victor Fleming’s life and career, including his work on The Wizard of Oz and other notable classics like Gone with the Wind.
• L. Frank Baum: The Man Behind the Curtain (SD, Disc 2, 28 minutes): An interesting biography of author L. Frank Baum that dissects his life, writing, and inspirations.
• Hollywood Celebrates its Biggest Little Stars! (SD, Disc 2, 10 minutes): A tribute to the Munchkin actors that includes interviews with surviving cast members, their families, and Oz enthusiasts.
• The Dreamer of Oz (SD, Disc 2, 92 minutes): This1990 NBC Baum biopic stars the late John Ritter as Baum, Annette O’Toole as his dutiful wife, and Rue McClanahan as her mother. Dreadful overacting and awful video quality aside, this is an interesting addition to the set.
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (SD, Disc 2, 13 minutes): A 1910 silent film adaptation of Baum’s book.
• Her Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz (SD, Disc 2, 59 minutes): Another silent film, this one from 1914, written and produced by Baum himself.
• The Magic Cloak of Oz (SD, Disc 2, 43 minutes): The silent Ozian shenanigans continue in this J. Farrell MacDonald 1914 film, written and produced by Baum based on his book “Queen Zixi of Ix.”
• The Patchwork Girl of Oz (SD, Disc 2, 51 minutes): A third 1914 silent film based on Baum’s book of the same name.
• The Wizard of Oz (1925) (SD, Disc 2, 71 minutes): This silent adaptation of Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” adds some monochromatic color to the proceedings. Of note: Oliver Hardy appears as the Tin Man.
• The Wizard of Oz (1933) (SD, Disc 2, 8 minutes): Ted Eshbaugh’s rapidfire, leftfield animated adaptation of Baum’s original work.
• MGM: When the Lion Roars (SD, Disc 3): A two-side standard DVD disc is devoted to writer/director Frank Martin’ When the Lion Roars, a massive six-hour documentary that details the rise and fall of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. Given that 1939 was such a huge year for MGM, this is a wonderful addition to the set.
• BD-Live Functionality
• Digital Copy Disc
