The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary 3d Release

3D Remaster

Warner Bros. are marking the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz in a way that's sure to please both the film's fans as well as home video enthusiasts. First up will be the release of a 3D remastered version of the film along with a return to the big screen for an exclusive one week engagement in the IMAX 3D format across North America beginning September 20, 2013.

IMAX

This IMAX presentation will be a perfect chance for the studio to show off its digitally remastered wunderkind that features unprecedented sound and image quality utilizing IMAX's proprietary digital remastering technology that's way too technical for our understanding, but we're assured a first-of-its-kind immersive 3D experience.

Home Video Collector's Editions

Then, following the IMAX theatrical release, Warner's Home Entertainment division will take over with the release of limited and numbered Collector’s Editions on October 1, 2013, featuring the 3D version of the film and more.

The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will debut as a five-disc set to include Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and UltraViolet versions of the film; a new documentary, The Making of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; bonus features and premium collectibles that is expected to retail for about a hundred bucks. Three more editions will also be available separately: a two-disc 3D/Blu-ray set expected to list at $36, a one-disc Blu-ray at $20, and a two-disc DVD for $16.95. All four versions will contain the new documentary and extra content.

Special Features will include all previously released special features along with:

  • ALL-NEW Documentary! The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz - This candid overview of how a troubled production overcame the odds to become an integral part of American culture features contributions from historians John Fricke and Sam Wasson, composers Stephen Schwartz and Marc Shaiman, critics Leonard Maltin and Michael Sragow, Bert Lahr’s son John as well as revealing interview clips with Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Buddy Ebsen, Margaret Hamilton and Mervyn LeRoy, among others.
  • NEW! Exclusive Collectible Memorabilia —A collectible 75th Anniversary journal; Sparkle RUBY SLIPPERS™ Globe; Noble Collection 3-piece enamel pin set, a Map of Oz and a 48-page hardcover book. Collection is limited and numbered.

The 3D Conversion Process

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.

“People have asked for years about The Wizard of Oz 3D conversion. My answer was always, ‘We’re not doing it until it’s perfect.’ And now it is,” said Ned Price, Warner Technical Operations’ Vice President of Mastering. “As a kid, I was so enthralled by this film. Watching it, you just want to enter the frame, enter the Land of Oz. This new version will allow you to do just that.”

And if all this weren't enough, Warner will get in on a new licensing game via partnerships with world-renowned toymakers, jewelers, publishers, celebrities, and National TV programs that will all take part in the The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary celebration in those special ways they do.

About the Movie

Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s timeless children’s tale about a Kansas girl’s journey over the rainbow, The Wizard of Oz opened at Grauman’s Chinese Theater on August 15, 1939. The film was directed by Victor Fleming (who that same year directed Gone With the Wind). 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. Ray Bolger appeared as the SCARECROW™; Bert Lahr as the COWARDLY LION™, Jack Haley as the TIN MAN™. Frank Morgan was seen in six different roles, including that of the wonderful “Wizard of Oz" himself.