Blu Ray, Sound and Vision: The Wizard of OZ Deluxe Limited Edition 70th Anniversary Blu Ray Boxset

'I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!'

The Wicked Witch

Fig 1. Inside the Box Front

Every now and then I do manage to get hold of and enjoy some 'Classic' movies and off of the top of my head I don't think I can think of another film that I have seen or a movie that provoked so much emotion when I was a child other than 'The Wizard Of OZ'. Before I get into the story that most of us know and love, I shall share the contents of this Magnificent Box Set with you. Please take some time, have a good look and let's 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road' together.

Fig 2. The Complete Contents of the Box

Above you can see the following from left to right

1. (Left) Place inside a embossed tin you get a Genuine crystal Watch.

2. The 4 Disc Blu Ray/DVD and Digital Copy.

3. (Far Right) Replica of the Original Movie Budget.

4. (Front) Behind the Curtain of Production 1060, 52 Page Commemorative book.

5. (Right) Original 1939 Campaign Book Reproduction with Silver Writing.

For those who don't know, Dorothy (Played by the great Judy Garland) is a farm girl from Kansas and is angry at her neighbour Elmira Gulch (Margaret Hamilton) because she wants to kill Dorothy’s dog Toto. Dorothy’s aunt Em (Clara Bandrick) and Uncle Henry (Charley Grapewin) are her Gaurdians, but on the farm there’s also some friends/helping hands (Roy Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley). Dorothy decides to run away, after she has a run in with Elmira and runs into a man called Professor Marvel (Frank Morgan), who reads her future(or so he says), but as they are talking a tornado comes whizzing in and Dorothy is sucked away to the land of Oz, where she accidentally kills the Wicked Witch of the East. This gets her some Ruby Slippers, and after that we get midgets, the Lollipop Guild, Glenda the Good Witch (Billie Burke), the Scarecrow (Bolger), the Tin Man (Haley), the cowardly Lion (Lahr), the Wicked Witch of the West (Hamilton), the Wizard of Oz (Morgan), flying monkeys, torture, brilliant songs and water. Just remember there's NO place like home.

Fig 3. The Blu Ray Disc Case

Fig 4. The Blu Ray holder is a lovely Matt Silver with 'There's No Place Like Home' inside

VIDEO*****

Presented in 1.35:1 Aspect Ratio in Re-Mastered and Restored 1080p

A restoration of the highest quality has gone into this and its hard to think of where to start. But I think it has to be the actual clarity along with the colour for me, it is absolutely breath taking. Colours are rich and bright, detail is crisp and more prevalent than ever before. The VC 1 encode is a joy to watch, whether its the actual yellow brick road, the Tin Man's shiny Tin, the pure horror green of the witch or the magnificent castle itself, you will be blown away. You can make out the scarecrows suit detail all the way down to counting each and every strand of straw. Flowers pop off of the screen as does little Toto's fur. Contrast is spot on, I can't fault it at all. Blacks are nice and deep without losing shadow depth and detail. Not forgetting the film grain which is all there but in a cleaner way, brilliant. There is some print damage but hey it was made in 1939 it can't all come out in the magical restoration washing machine can it ?. The DVD extras disc is not an entirely different matter but you can't blame them for that and to be honest it's not that bad. I haven't yet had time to watch the second Blu Ray extras Disc but I don't know about you, it's the film that matters to me on this one anyway.

I'm giving this a 4 and a half out of 5 and that's just down to a few minor problems with the initial print. But spot them if you can..

AUDIO****

DOLBY TRUE HD 5.1 English, English Dolby Digital Mono, French Dolby Digital Mono
German Dolby Digital Mono, Italian Dolby Digital Mono,Portuguese Dolby Digital Mono,
Spanish Dolby Digital Mono, Japanese Dolby Digital Mono.

To be honest with you and to get it out of the way the audio gets a 4 out of 5. Admittedly it has a lot to live up to if you've just come from reading the Video review you will know it was outstanding, and I can confirm that it wasn't just the PQ that got a major over haul, the TRUE HD 5.1 soundtrack is bloody good. Its seems fresher, tighter and more alive than any other time you have heard it. Every voice has had a clean up and along with the sound effects it does make for a complete package. The rear surrounds get a little work out but only when you think they should, like the tornado scene and the echo of OZ's castle doors. Monkeys do fly past and around your head and that makes you feel more involved, hardly any LFE I'm afraid so Bass hunters look else where, except during the musical sequences. turn it up and have a sing song because sonically it stands up pretty well.

EXTRAS*****

Yes I will admit the contents partly make up for 3 of the 5 stars but the other 2 stars are for the mass of bonus/extras/behind the scenes and rare never before seen footage. Delicious.

DISC 1.

Making of Featurette.

A tribute to OZ documentary.

Because of the Wonderful Things it Does: The Legacy of Oz documentary.

Memories of Oz documentary.

Wizard of Oz Storybook.

Restoration of Oz.

We Haven’t Really Met Properly highlights from the supporting cast.

Radio promos Leo is on the Air , Good News of 1939 and the Christmas broadcast from 1950 of the Lux Radio Theater Another Romance of Celluloid.

Electrical Power.

Calvalcade of Academy Awards.

Texas Contest Winners promo footage.

Off to See the Wizard Excerpts feat Chuck Jones animated segments.

18 still galleries.

Deleted scenes.

6 Trailers.

5 deleted/alternate scenes.

Tornado Tests effects work.

DISC 2.

Victor Fleming a Master Craftsman the director.

L. Frank Baum The Man Behind the Curtain.

Hollywood Celebrates Its Biggest Little Stars.

The Dreamer of Oz TV Movie

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz a silent 1930's film.

His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz documentary.

The Magic Cloak of Oz documentary.

The Patchwork Girl of Oz documentary,

There’s also a 1925 version of Wizard.

DISC 3.

standard definition DVD

When the Lion Roars 6 hour documentary.

Plus you get all the extra very collectable bits and bobs in the actual box itself including in case you forgot are the following items. A Genuine crystal watch, with all four leads on the face. And a digital copy. And the budget sheet, the original campaign book, which offers colour and black and white promo pieces for the theatre manager to help sell the film. And finally, there’s the 'Behind the Curtain of Production 1060' book, the 52 page glossy picture book that highlights the making of, and its stars

phew.. that's me done and dusted.. if you can't get yourself this Deluxe Edition then at-least go out and pick up the normal Amaray or try and hunt down the now available French steelbook..very, very nice. Plus remember each one is numbered out off 243,000 worldwide.