8.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.7 |
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: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Mono (192 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital Mono
German: Dolby Digital Mono
Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
Portuguese: Dolby Digital Mono
Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono
Japanese: Dolby Digital Mono
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
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.
Warner Home Video's exquisite restoration of the film is an amazing sight to behold...
What!? Heresy! A 4.5 for a transfer most others are declaring perfect? Bah! Surely a marvelous, faithful, meticulous restoration -- a restoration that brings a beloved seventy-year-old classic to life like never before -- deserves the highest score possible!
With that out of our collective system, let's begin. The Wizard of Oz has indeed been blessed with a staggering restoration; one that has renewed its aging frames, reinvigorated its fading colors, and preserved the integrity of its image at every turn. Working from three original Technicolor negatives, scanning each one at the highest resolution possible, and lovingly recoloring and retouching the film, Warner Home Video has produced one of the finest, most impressive restorations in the history of cinema. Thankfully, the Blu-ray edition reaps the rewards with a striking 1080p/VC-1 transfer that boasts exquisite colors, astounding clarity, and crisper details than Oz fanatics have ever seen. The palette oozes primary brilliance, black levels are deep and absorbing, and skintones are flawless (any rosy cheeks you see are a product of the actors' make-up, not some strange technical flaw). 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, distant Munchkins, the tight pattern on Dorothy's dress, the intricacies of Billie Burke's gown, Garland's freckles, craters on the Witch's nose, wrinkles on the Wizard's face, Toto's hair... I could go on and on. Suffice to say, this is, without a doubt, the definitive home video transfer of Oz.
But that's not all. A moderate veneer of grain permeates every frame, granting the picture a filmic appearance purists will be overjoyed to see in tact. I'm pleased to report that I didn't detect a hint -- not a sliver, shred, or slather -- of noise reduction. As it stands, any instance 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. In fact, dear readers, I didn't encounter ringing, banding, aliasing, smearing, or any other debilitating digital nonsense. And edge enhancement? It either hasn't been applied or has been used so judiciously that its presence is nearly untraceable. The entire transfer showcases the quality of Warner's restoration, as well as the immense work that went into creating the go-to presentation of the film. Granted, as technology advances over the coming decades, the studio's 20+ terabyte scans will yield even greater transfers with more detail than a 1080p presentation could ever possibly reproduce, but I doubt anyone will complain about the limits of our current high definition format when they could spend their time soaking in the beauty of Oz.
Brace yourselves. There are a few minor issues; issues most viewers will quickly shrug off, brush aside, or overlook altogether. For starters, lingering print damage is visible in some shots. While the damage is infrequent and quite negligible, vertical lines, scratches, blemishes, contrast wavering, and spots still flicker across the screen from time to time. Moreover, faint (I stress faint) artifacting mingles with the grain in several scenes. Eagle-eyed videophiles will spot some in the film's sepia sequences, during Dorothy's initial approach to Emerald City, and in the gray skies surrounding the Witch's castle. Finally, there are moments, particularly in the third act, in which the Witch's clothing fuses with the surrounding shadows; her cloak and hat become one with the darkness. Not worth mentioning? Perhaps. However, had Warner relocated the first disc's special features -- nine hours of standard definition video documentaries, audio-only materials, and other bonus content -- more disc space could have been dedicated to the film itself. Would it have resulted in a perceptible difference? Would it have made the transfer the slightest bit cleaner? Alas, I'm unqualified to answer, but I couldn't help but wonder each time I noticed a fleeting compression anomaly.
Even so, such silly shortcomings barely register in the grand scheme of things. The Wizard of Oz looks undeniably fantastic. It not only raises the bar for catalog transfers, it rewards enthusiasts and filmfans alike with a near-perfect presentation of a stirring cinematic legend.
Though it doesn't provide the instant gratification of the film's video restoration or its subsequent Blu-ray transfer, Warner's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track effectively demonstrates the studio's craftsmanship, care, and commitment to all aspects of the film's presentation. Dialogue is warm and intelligible, preserving the distinct tonal personality of its 1939 recordings while giving each voice a fresh, 21st Century upgrade. Likewise, every playful sound effect has been granted renewed fervor, prioritization is impeccable, and each song dances across the soundfield as if it was recorded yesterday. Lyrics and orchestration wax and wane in perfect 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. As an added bonus, the film's original mono track is available via a 192kbps Dolby Digital mix. It's a bit of a lossy letdown (even for a mono presentation), but purists and completists will no doubt appreciate its inclusion.
Could The Wizard of Oz stand its ground in a sonic tussle with a modern Blu-ray blockbuster? Of course not. The very nature of the seventy-year-old production would limit the impact of any lossless track. However, as catalog classics go, it doesn't sound much better than The Wizard of Oz, particularly when you factor its age into the evaluation. I doubt anyone, no matter their disposition, will be disappointed with the results.
This single-disc Walmart exclusive sheds the excess baggage from Warner's Ultimate Collector's Edition -- the oversized gift box, campaign book replica, budget sheet, hardbound book, themed watch, and Digital Copy disc -- as well as several documentaries, a six-hour overview of the rise and fall of MGM, and a collection of short films based on Baum's Oz tales. While there's enough additional content on the 3-disc editions of the film to justify spending the extra cash, frugal consumers will nevertheless be quite pleased with the value offered in this single-disc release.
What more can I say? I was blown away by the Blu-ray edition of The Wizard of Oz; so much so that I'll be purchasing the collector's set for several family members this Christmas season. It offers an acclaimed '30s classic, a masterful restoration, a near-perfect video transfer, an equally impressive TrueHD audio track, and a slew of supplemental features, additional full-length films, and mesmerizing documentaries. This single-disc Walmart exclusive doesn't include the Ultimate Collector's gift set pack-in items, or the 3-disc edition's bonus documentaries and films, but it should appeal to anyone who isn't interested in outlying supplemental content and bonus trinkets. Regardless of which edition of The Wizard of Oz you choose, this gorgeous restoration deserves to find its way into the hands of every fan, young or old. Well done, Warner... well done.
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
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
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
2019
Rental Copy
1940
2004
2018
Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1959
25th Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1991
2010
Special Edition
1996
1978
The Signature Collection
1940
2016
2005
2016
2014
Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1953
1971
50th Anniversary Edition
1964