The Wizard of Oz (UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: October 29, 2019
Rating: G
Film: 5/5

Plot
Adapted from L. Frank Baum's timeless children's tale, Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a tornado and end up in the Lad of Oz. in order to return home to Kansas, she must follow the yellow brick road to visit the Wizard of Oz. Along the way she meets the Scarecrow who wishes for a brain, the Tinman who's longing for a heart, and the Cowardly Lion in search of some courage.  
   
My Thoughts
The film officially premiered 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), 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, 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 the film 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).

Ten years ago, using state of the art technology, a new 8K 16bit scan of the original Technicolor camera negative became the basis for the 4K UHD scan.  The process was overseen by MPI colorist Janet Wilson, who has overseen every remaster of The Wizard of Oz for the past 20 years. The resulting 4K image is simply amazing. You’ll be in wonder watching a film that is 80 years old looking better than many feature films of today. Grain is perfectly intact, details leap off the screen, and the expanded color palette comes to life while Dorothy visits the land of Oz.

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track won't be confused with a modern musical, but considering its age, it sounds great. The fidelity is very good, although slightly on the tinny side, the stereo spread across the front is wide, and the dialog is intelligible and rooted in the center speaker.


Video 10/10

Audio 9/10 (DTS HD-MA 5.1)

Special Features (Housed on Blu-ray):

The Wizard of Oz Ultra HD Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:

• Commentary by John Fricke with Barbara Freed-Saltzman, Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, John Lahr, Jane Lahr, Hamilton Meserve, Dona Massin, William Tuttle, Buddy Ebsen, Mervyn LeRoy and Jerry Maren.
• 1990 CBS Special “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic.”

The Wizard of Oz Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:

• Commentary- Commentary by John Fricke with Barbara Freed-Saltzman, Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, John Lahr, Jane Lahr, Hamilton Meserve, Dona Massin, William Tuttle, Buddy Ebsen, Mervyn LeRoy and Jerry Maren
• The Making of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Storybook (narrated by Angela Lansbury)
• We Haven’t Really Met Properly…
  
  
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Frank Morgan"
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Ray Bolger"
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Bert Lahr"
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Jack Haley"
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Billie Burke"
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Margaret Hamilton"
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Charley Grapewin"
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Clara Blandick"
  • We Haven't Really Met Properly: "Terry"
• Music & Effects Track
• Original Mono Track
• Sing Along Tracks
• Audio Jukebox
• Leo is on the Air Radio Promo
• Good News of 1939 Radio Show
• 12/25/1950 Lux Radio Broadcast
• Stills Galleries
  
  
  • Oz on Broadway
  • Pre-MGM
  • Sketches and Storyboards         
  • Richard Thorpe’s Oz
  • Buddy Ebsen
  • Oz Comes to Life
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Portraits
  • Special Effects
  • Post Production
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Original Publicity
  • 8/15/1939 Hollywood Premiere
  • 8/17/1939 New York Premiere
  • 2/29/1940 Academy Awards® Ceremony
  • Oz Abroad
  • Oz Revivals
• Trailers
• Blu-ray + Digital Copy

Conclusion
The beloved classic hits 4K and delivers in spades. Warner has taken great care with this masterpiece over the years and will be sure to entertain audiences for another 80 years. Highly recommended.


Reference Review System:
 JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
 Anthem AVM60 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed ChannelsATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-980M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
 HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
 SVS SB-3000 SubwooferJL Audio Dominion D110 Subwoofer x 2 (configured as tandem mid bass modules)Mini DSP controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[AVSCraig]

I'm waiting for my pre-order to appear ! 

[Barry]

David, several years ago I got the brand-new Blu-ray of the Wizard of Oz. My brother and I turned it on just to see what it looked like. It was outstanding and incredible and we couldn't shut it off. We just stayed there for two hours and watched. Now you're telling us that the 4K is even better and it'll arrive here on Tuesday. I can't wait to see it!

In the mid-1970s Marvel comics bought the rights to the Wizard of Oz books. Just about that time Time Warner, who owned the movie, for DC comics. Four while they were going to produce two separate books but then realize that would be a waste of money. So for the first time in history the two companies combined and created a giant size wizard of Oz

[AVSCraig]

Wow - this looked amazing for an 80 year old film ! Watched it last night with friends. Way fun watching it again! I saw detail and things I've never noticed before. They did a great job on this disc ! 

[David Vaughn]

Wow - this looked amazing for an 80 year old film ! Watched it last night with friends. Way fun watching it again! I saw detail and things I've never noticed before. They did a great job on this disc !

That's what an 8K scan brings to the table. 

[AVSCraig]

That's what an 8K scan brings to the table.

I'm waiting for the 4K Blu-ray of " Ben Hur " then. I believe it was scanned in 8K for the last Blu-ray.