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The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray
70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's EditionWarner Bros. | 1939 | 102 mins | Rated G | Sep 29, 2009
The Wizard of Oz(1939)Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical     Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their home in Kansas to the magical land of Oz. They set off on a quest down a yellow brick road to see the Wizard, who can help them return home. Along the way, they are joined by others seeking the Wizard's help: a scarecrow, who wamts a brain; a Tin Man, who wants a heart; and a lion, who wants courage. For more details about The Wizard of Oz on Blu-ray, see The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray Review Starring: Judy Garland Director: Victor Fleming The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray, Video Quality  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. The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray, Audio Quality 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. The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray, News and Updates• Wizard of Oz Emerald Edition BD Gets Wide Release - November 5, 2009 Warner Home Video has announced 'The Wizard of Oz: Emerald Edition' for release on Blu-ray on December 1. When Victor Fleming's classic was released on September 29, this three-disc, no-frills set was originally a retailer exclusive, available only at Target stores. ... • Today on Blu-ray - September 29th - September 29, 2009 According to the Library of Congress, the 1939 film adaptation of the American fairy tale 'The Wizard of Oz' is the most watched film of all time. After a mediocre (but successful) theatrical debut, the film gradually obtained an iconic status through re-releases ... • Wizard of Oz Blu-ray Buying Guide (Update 3) - September 29, 2009 Months ago, when Warner Home Video announced the 70th anniversary
edition of 'The Wizard of Oz', only one version was listed for Blu-ray: the
Ultimate Collector's Edition. However, several retailers are now allegedly
preparing their own exclusive editions, ... • Target BD Exclusives: Gremlins, Monsters vs Aliens Combo, Cheaper... - September 24, 2009 According to promotional materials, Target has secured three very interesting Blu-ray exclusives which will hit the retailer's shelves next week: Joe Dante's 'Gremlins', which is not available anywhere else in the US; a 'Monsters vs Aliens' BD/DVD combo edition; ... • Warner Details and Dates The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray - June 10, 2009 Warner Home Video has announced the technical specs and special features for
the upcoming Blu-ray release of 'The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Ultimate
Collector's Edition', which is due to hit store shelves on September 29th, day-and-
date with the DVD ... • Gone With the Wind and Wizard of Oz Coming to Blu-ray - March 13, 2009 In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Home Video has revealed that
they will bring 'Gone With the Wind: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's
Edition' and 'The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition' to
Blu-ray sometime this year. ... The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray, Forum Discussions
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