8.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.9 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Young girl and her dog are swept away by a tornado to the magical land of Oz. They embark on a quest to see the Wizard who can help them return home.
Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan (I), Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley (I)Family | 100% |
Adventure | 66% |
Fantasy | 52% |
Musical | 51% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Mono
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital Mono
Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono
Portuguese: Dolby Digital Mono
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
Czech: Dolby Digital Mono
Hungarian: Dolby Digital Mono
Polish: Dolby Digital Mono
Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Thai: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, German SDH, Italian SDH, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Korean, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
UV digital copy
Blu-ray 3D
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
"For nearly forty years this story has given faithful service to the Young in Heart; and Time has been powerless to put its kindly philosophy out of fashion. To those of you who have been faithful to it in return, and to the Young in Heart, we dedicate this picture."
So begins director Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz, a timeless, truly magnificent classic that's as charming and endearing today as it was seventy years ago. Born in an age when soul and spirit were invested in every frame, when digital effects had yet to be conceived, when craftsmanship sat upon the same cinematic throne as creativity, the seemingly simplistic story of a young girl's quest to escape a strange land of talking animals and sneering creatures has emerged as one of the most indelible, recognizable, and untouchable films in history. From actress Judy Garland's unforgettable rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to her cries of joy upon returning home, Oz has few equals. From the bustling land of the Munchkins to the frightening kingdom of the Wicked Witch of the West, it boasts stirring artistry and design. From Dorothy's declaration that she isn't in Kansas anymore to her first, hushed utterance of "there's no place like home," it transcends age, capturing the imagination of anyone, young or old, lucky enough to set their eyes on the majesty of its yellow-brick road.
Off to see the wizard...
"The 3D conversion was a long and complex project which Warner Bros. initiated with a very high resolution 8k scanning of the original Technicolor camera negative. The restored 2D image was then transformed by creating a depth-map of each frame to construct 3D imagery and determine distances from the viewer's vantage point. This was followed by the long process (with the use of a rotoscope) to further refine viewer distances and fully layer shapes and objects."
The burning question many of you are asking -- other than, "How does The Wizard of Oz fare in 3D?" -- is "just how much better can The Wizard of Oz possibly look?" Warner's 2009 Blu-ray release remains a stunning catalog standout. Does the film's new 8k scan produce a higher quality 1080p encode? The short answer is not exactly. For all intents and purposes, the 2013 Oz looks every bit as good as the 2009 Oz. Try as I might, I had a difficult time discerning much of a difference in quality... to which the informed among you are already nodding your heads. Whether scanned at 4k or 8k, a film still has to be downscaled to accommodate a relatively inferior 1080p Blu-ray presentation. So while combing through screenshots or comparing the two versions frame by frame will undoubtedly lead to discoveries of tiny improvements in the image, the human eye simply isn't going to perceive much of a difference when the film is in motion. What has been corrected and improved, almost entirely, are many of the minor issues that crept into the 2009 version. Additional print damage and blemishes haves been addressed and eliminated by the new restoration (not that there was much in the 2009 transfer to begin with) and the faint, altogether negligible artifacting I noticed in a few shots in 2009 appear to be absent from the 2013 edition. Grain remains intact too, and the utmost respect has been paid to the texture and intent of the original photography and film. It's enough to justify that last little bump in score (from a 4.5 to a 5), although I still wouldn't necessarily call the new restoration and transfer utterly flawless. Worthy of top marks, though? Absolutely.
As for the 3D experience, I was quite surprised. Still am actually. Depth and dimensionality are more convincing than I expected, and very rarely does the film resemble a pop-up storybook. Great care has been invested in making the actors and the world they inhabit look wondrous in 3D, and the film's elaborate sets -- already a hallmark of color, vibrancy and cinematic craft -- are more immersive than ever before; almost to the point of inviting the viewer to step into the screen and tour the MGM lot. There are some drawbacks, if you can call them that. Every now and then, a face, tree or background painting is too flat; the film's smoke, fire and practical effects don't always play well with the 3D conversion; and the fact that each locale is a large-scale set is made that much more obvious. However, Oz's 3D conversion comes close, so very close, to achieving the illusion of native 3D; as if the production were shot in 3D all those years ago. No small feat considering the challenges the restoration and conversion teams faced. Not only were they tasked with producing a magnificent 8K restoration, they were tasked with justifying the existence of a 3D release of The Wizard of Oz. After all, it's not as if fans were clamoring to see the 1939 classic in 3D. Add to that the precision of the 1080p/MVC-encoded transfer -- the lack of aliasing and other anomalies, as well as the image's near-immunity to ghosting (on displays that are prone to crosstalk that is) -- and you have a striking 3D presentation and a definitive transfer of the film.
It simply doesn't get much better than this. Of course, I shared the same sentiment in 2009. That's why the future of home video remains so exciting from decade to decade. Here's hoping Warner celebrates Oz's 80th anniversary with a True4k presentation that renders even the best of 1080p Blu-ray obsolete. I can't wait to see how much more the studio's 8k restoration has to offer.
(Note: Only the 3D disc (Disc 1) features the new restoration and MVC-encoded transfer. The 2D disc (Disc 2) features the same 2D VC-1 transfer as the 2009 Blu-ray release. Those with both a 3D Blu-ray player and 3D-ready display can switch off the 3D and watch the new presentation in 2D. Unfortunately, though, those who don't own a 3D Blu-ray player and display will not be able to view the new presentation in 2D.)
Virtually identical to its 2009 Dolby TrueHD 5.1 counterpart, Warner's new DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track doesn't fail or falter for a second. Dialogue is clean, intelligible and largely free of air hiss or a noise floor, preserving the distinct tonal personality of the film's 1939 recordings while blessing each voice with a fresh, 21st century warmth. It only helps that prioritization is remarkable, and that each song blossoms and blooms beautifully. Lyrics and orchestration fill the soundfield in terrific harmony and the various score pieces and trumpeted fanfares are sharp and resonant. It helps that rousing LFE output bolsters each musical cue, every thoom of the Wizard's thundering performances, and all of the Witch's eruptions and explosions. The rear speakers are subdued, paying unspoken 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. Could Oz's lossless track stand its ground in a battle with a modern Blu-ray blockbuster? Of course not. The age of the production would limit the impact of any lossless track, no matter how well-crafted. However, as catalog classics go, it doesn't get much better than The Wizard of Oz. Anyone armed with appropriate expectations will be delighted.
The only thing of note the 2-disc release of The Wizard of Oz 3D lacks compared to the 5-disc Collector's Edition set is a third Blu-ray disc, loaded with previously released special features from the 2009 BD, and a fifth disc, a DVD, which offers a 6-hour MGM documentary. What remains here is still a very solid supplemental package, even if the 5-disc set bests it in terms of sheer volume of content. The new documentary available on both editions is the real draw anyway, particularly for those who already own the 2009 release.
New and Exclusive Bonus Content
If you already own the 2009 Blu-ray release of The Wizard of Oz and all the special features that go with it, if you have no need or want of further Oz collectibles, and if you'd like to add the film's 3D presentation and new feature-length production documentary to your collection, I strongly recommend going with the more affordable 2-disc Blu-ray edition of The Wizard of Oz 3D. If, however, you haven't purchased the 2009 release, want to feast your eyes on (almost) every special feature released thus far, and have a thing for photo books and collectibles, the more expensive 5-disc Collector's Edition may be more to your liking. Either way, prepare yourself for a magnificent new restoration and surprisingly effective 3D experience, an excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and a sprawling series of special features, chief among them the new documentary Warner has wisely seen fit to include with both editions.
80th Anniversary Edition
1939
85th Anniversary Theater Edition | Limited Giftset
1939
1939
80th Anniversary Edition
1939
75th Anniversary Edition | Lunchbag
1939
75th Anniversary Edition
1939
75th Anniversary Edition Collectible
1939
75th Anniversary Edition | 5-Disc Set with Hardcover Book / Lenticular
1939
75th Anniversary Collector's Edition
1939
75th Anniversary Collector's Edition | 4GB Wicked Witch of the East Flash Drive
1939
75th Anniversary Edition
1939
Travel Poster Cover
1939
75th Anniversary Edition
1939
75th Anniversary Edition
1939
70th Anniversary Edition | Iconic Moments
1939
1939
70th Anniversary Edition | Academy Awards O-Sleeve
1939
1939
70th Anniversary Edition
1939
70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition
1939
70th Anniversary Edition
1939
75th Anniversary Edition | w/ 2009 Video Transfer
1939
70th Anniversary 3-Disc Emerald Edition
1939
Special Edition
1971
Limited Edition Collector's Set
1986
2013
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2019
Rental Copy
1940
2004
2018
Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1959
1978
25th Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1991
2010
Special Edition
1996
2005
2016
The Signature Collection
1940
2016
2014
1971
Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1953
50th Anniversary Edition
1964