4K/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital News

“The Wizard Of Oz” 85th Anniversary Theater Edition Lands On 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ November 5

Burbank, CA – August 24, 2024 – 1939’s acclaimed and beloved classic “The Wizard of Oz” will be released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ as an 85th Anniversary Theater Edition on November 5th. Directed by Victor Fleming (“Gone With the Wind”) and starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, “The Wizard of Oz” is widely considered to be one of the most influential films in cinematic history.

The 85th Anniversary Theater Edition includes a 4K UHD disc of the film, a Blu-ray™ disc of the film, and a digital code, along with commemorative steelbook packaging, a reproduction of the original program, a reproduction of the film’s premiere invitation, reproductions of 8 original lobby cards, reproductions of 2 original poster cards, and a reproduction of the film’s original movie ticket.

Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s timeless children’s tale about a Kansas girl’s journey over the rainbow, “The Wizard of Oz,” officially premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theater on August 15th, 1939. The film was directed by Victor Fleming (who that same year directed “Gone With the Wind”), produced by Mervyn LeRoy, and scored by Herbert Stothart, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. Ray Bolger appeared as the Scarecrow, Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, and Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman. Frank Morgan was seen in six different roles, including that of the “wonderful Wizard” himself. Dorothy was portrayed by a 4’11” sixteen-year-old girl who quickly earned her reputation as “the world’s greatest entertainer” – the incomparable Judy Garland.

“The Wizard of Oz” received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and captured two Oscars® —Best Song (“Over the Rainbow”) and Best Original Score—plus a special award for Outstanding Juvenile Performance by Judy Garland. The film was an overwhelmingly popular and critical success upon its initial release and repeated its ability to captivate audiences when MGM reissued it in 1949 and 1955.

Released to wide acclaim and recognition, and with a long-lasting legacy in the film world, “The Wizard of Oz” owns a place in multiple AFI lists, including 100 Years… 100 Movies (#6); 100 Years… 100 Thrills (#43); 100 Years… 100 Heroes and Villains (#4); 100 Years… 100 Songs (#1); 100 Years… 100 Movie Quotes (#4); and Greatest Movie Musicals (#3).

In 1989, “The Wizard of Oz” was part of the inaugural group of films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry because of their cultural, historically, and aesthetically significant nature.

The 2017 remaster used an 8K 16bit scan of the original Technicolor camera negative, which became the basis for the 4K UHD scan. MPI colorist Janet Wilson, who oversaw every remaster of “The Wizard of Oz,” oversaw the process for the past 20 years.

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ disc of “The Wizard of Oz” will feature Dolby Vision™ HDR, dramatically expanding the color palette and contrast range and using dynamic metadata to optimize the picture for every screen frame by frame.

Also, the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ disc of “The Wizard of Oz” will feature a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos-enabled AV receiver and additional speakers or a Dolby Atmos-enabled sound bar are required. Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

Special Features:

“The Wizard of Oz” Blu-ray™ disc contains the following previously released special features:

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic
Prettier than Ever: The Restoration of Oz
Deleted Scenes/Behind the Scenes
   ♦ Over the Rainbow
   ♦ Jitterbug
   ♦ If I Only Had a Brain
   ♦ Wizard of Oz excerpt

Available on a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ 85th Anniversary Theater Edition November 5th

 

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