A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Wizard of Oz -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

If you are referring to me, I'm not "bitching." I'm concerned that if it was not originally there, then it should be fixed. You know, I know it's not popular nowadays, but some people actually care about things they really love. Also, this has nothing to do with the player, because the same thing happened at the Hi Def Event at the theatre, and on the TBS HD broadcast (which I'm not sure utilizes the new restoration...if it doesn't, then it's almost a 100% given that it was a part of the negative.)

 

[MielR]

BTW- there's a lengthy review of the OZ Blu-ray in the current issue of Sound+Vision magazine. The reviewer addresses the grain issue in some depth, so anyone who's interested in that subject should definitely check it out.

Quote:Originally Posted by Eric Scott Richard
...The reason the right side of the frame doesn't have a glitch could be because the special effect compositing may have taken place only on the left, leaving the right side with one exposure.

That sounds like the best explanation so far, Eric. You may have cracked it.

 

[Brian W.]

Thanks for posting that, Tony. VERY strange. Must have been some sort of digital glitch somewhere in the chain. Fortunately, it's not glaringly obvious. And you're right, it's not on any previous DVD edition.

 

[Brian W.]

I never bought the '05 version, but I have the previous DVD versions prior to that. I examined them frame by frame, and the glitch is not there. Perhaps some damage happened to that frame between then and 2005.

 

I wish we could ask someone like Ned Price who actually supervised or worked on the new restoration. The weird thing is that it also did it on the TBS HD version last week. If that version wasn't taken from the new master, then it was always like this and is just now seen.

 

[Brian W.]

I know I'm late in the game, but I finally got The Wizard of Oz blu-ray today. A friend of mine who works at Warner's got me a copy with his employee discount for $36, shipped. But it took almost three weeks to arrive from the time he ordred it.

Not to repeat what others have said, but it really is like a veil has been lifted off the film, isn't it? This is their, what, fourth or fifth attempt at restoring the film using the three-strip elements, and they finally got the brightness and contrast perfect. It's like you can see, unobstructed, all the way to the back of the sets for the first time. It's funny, the thing that really stands out to me is that I notice the large backdrop paintings, which I never have in the past; nuances of color in them that I've never seen before. And I think the color is far more consient than it's ever been before. (But, boy, is the mesh on the Lion's lace-front wig ever noticeable in his closeups!)

After (finally) seeing this, I am so pumped for "Gone With the Wind."

Just noticed something else, which really has nothing to do with the new transfer... During "Off to See the Wizard," after they meet the lion, someone walks in front of a light in the background, or a light is turned quickly off and back on. It's right on the words, "whiz there was," right before they cut to them from the back with the Lion's tail swinging back and forth, on the left side of the screen, at 52:59. Never noticed that before.

 

I contacted WB about the possible mistake. Waiting to hear back from them. This was a frame by frame restoration, so every frame must've been important....well, that should remain true now that there was a mistake.

 

[Bob_L]

It was just a matter of not knowing and that is one of the reasons I love this forum. And that is it is a great place to learn and I admit there is still alot that I do not know and am still learning every day.

Very classy response, Dave. And I agree, there's always something to learn around here.

As an example, FWIW, widescreen format did not originate in the '50s as is commonly believed (though it's true that it wasn't a success until the '50s.) In fact, there was some pursuit of widescreen aspect ratios shortly after motion pictures were invented in the 19th century (!!), and then again in the 1920s and the early 1930s; and there's even Abel Gance's flirtation with the three-screen Polyvision (Cinerama-like) format in "Napoleon" in 1927.

This generation of home video gives us an unprecedented ability to see classic films as they were originally intended (or better than originally intended, for good or ill.) "Oz" in HD is a superior example of that. For those of us who first went to Oz in front of a black-and-white TV during those initial telecasts in the 1950s, this new Blu-ray disc is a miracle.

 

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by Eric Scott Richard

I contacted WB about the possible mistake. Waiting to hear back from them. This was a frame by frame restoration, so every frame must've been important....well, that should remain true now that there was a mistake.

You know, I hate to say it, but would it be too much for them to have digitally removed that HUGE hair at the bottom of the frame at 1:39:28. It stays in there for nearly the whole scene and takes up about 10% of the screen vertically. I mean, really... they couldn't have digitally removed that?

 

[Adam_S]

my guess is that rather than time/wear related damage, the hair is printed in the original negative because the hair was in the gate when it was shot. so the filmmakers decided to keep that take in the final picture lock despite the shot having a bad gate. Then, continuing guessing along this line, the restorationists decided to keep the flaw in there, which I think is consistent, but sort of obtusely taking things to extremes.

 

[benbess]

Well, I finally watched my blu-ray of this beloved title last night with my daughter.

As we know, it's one of the very best films ever made...

A few thoughts.

First, I saw immediately the issue that Eric mentioned with the jump in the early scene where Glinda is heading out in her bubble. I didn't need to pause or go back or do slo-mo, and I wasn't even looking for it. Anyway, it's there, as we know. Not a big deal, but I don't recall it being on the earlier dvd, but could be wrong about that.

Overall, however, this blu is so wonderful. It's just amazing. There are so many little details I hadn't seen before. And it was definitely better than the theater presentation of a month or so ago.

A few things I noticed....Garland's beautifully freckled complexion in the scene with the scarcrow, the circle pattern at the knuckles of the hand for the Tin Man, the patterns on people's clothing, etc., etc.. Throughout I was noticing things that the costume designers, set builders, etc. had put there that I hadn't been able to see before. I love blu-ray for things like this. To get to see a film that you've seen more than a dozen times almost like it was the first time is amazing.

I do have a question, that's really rather silly, and which I feel ashamed to ask. When I was a kid, the scariest part of the film to me was not the Witch, but the weird monkey-like things that are her companions. How were these done? Are these midgets in costume? I used to think that they were real trained monkeys, but having seen the blu I'm now thinking that they are little people in suits. Is that right?

 

Ben, I'm glad you guys enjoyed the new edition. And thanks for pointing out that you see the mistake. You are right, it doesn't destroy the new restoration. However, I really hope that if it is a mistake, that WB fixes it now so that in the future it will not remain. Now to answer your question about the Winged Monkeys....most of the monkeys were smaller statured men, such as jockeys. Harry Monty portrayed a Munchkin and a Winged Monkey. Around a dozen or so men were the Witch's monkeys. To supplement the actors, several miniature rubber models were used for the flying scenes. They were positioned on wires. According to several sources, the men in suits were paid for each time they were hoisted above the soundstage!

 

[benbess]

Eric: Thanks so much for the explanation of something that's worried me since I was about 5. And I'm now 45!

 

[Marvin]

Has anyone seen (or seen a review of) the UK copy? I was wondering about the format of the extras (PAL vs NTSC, region coding etc.).

 

[Brandon Conway]

Warner titles with SD extras are always in NTSC, and all Warner BD titles are all region. And, yes, I've seen this specific title.

 

[Marvin]

Originally Posted by Brandon Conway

Warner titles with SD extras are always in NTSC, and all Warner BD titles are all region. And, yes, I've seen this specific title.

OK, it's good to hear that you've seen it. Actually I already have a US version of this. The main reason I'm interested is that I have the UK Gone with the Wind on order, which I assume will be the same, format-wise, as the blu Wizard.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Yes, GWTW will be the same.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Heads up: Blu-ray.com is reporting that the 3-Disc Emerald Edition, exclusive to Target stores back on release day, will be available from all retailers on 12/1.

 

[Torsten Kaiser]

Originally Posted by TonyD ">[/url]

Originally Posted by [b]Robert Harris[/b] [url=http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/292926/a-few-words-about-the-wizard-of-oz-in-blu-ray/180#post_3612772]

 

[Torsten Kaiser]

Originally Posted by TonyD ">[/url]

Originally Posted by [b]Robert Harris[/b] [url=http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/292926/a-few-words-about-the-wizard-of-oz-in-blu-ray/180#post_3612772]