THE WIZARD OF OZ: 2 and 3-Disc on October 25th, 2005 (1 Viewer)

[Jeffrey Nelson]

Nothing about the silent OZ's other than the 1925 version...I hope the others are still going to be included!

Looking forward to seeing the Larry Semon epic...so much denigration has been heaped on this over the years, and I'm really curious to see if it's warranted. I bet it can't be ALL bad...it's at least gotta have some interesting visuals and gags.

 

[Joe:C]

Thought I would just poke my head in here and give a big . I'll definitely be getting the 3-disc version.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Great news indeed!

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I'd love to see this used for the 3-disc set:




or...

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I would personally love to see the Canadian poster used:

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

^ That kinda looks like an 80's one sheet. I don't like it.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I have a feeling that since this is going to be such a major release for them, Warner is going to design something completely new, like they did for Gone With the Wind last November. Either way, I can't wait to see what they come up with.

Andy

 

[GregoryMesh]

These are 5 extra films to be included in 3-disc version:

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Otis Turner, 1910)
The Magic Cloak of Oz (J. Farrell MacDonald, 1914)
His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz (J. Farrell MacDonald, 1914)
Wizard of Oz (Larry Semon, 1925)
The Wizard of Oz (Ted Eshbaugh, 1933)

 

[Andrew Budgell]

Where did you get that information, Gregory? Do you have a link?

Andy

 

[Conrad_SSS]

Here's the full Warner Home Video press release:

The Most Beloved Family Film of All Time Available October 25 in Two Sparkling New Editions!

The Wizard of Oz Two-Disc Special Edition & Three-Disc Collector Edition DVDs

Film Beautifully Restored with Warner Bros.patented
Ultra-Resolution Process

More than 13 Hours of Special Features, Including: Five New Documentaries, New Commentary by Oz Historian John Fricke, Original Oz Storybook read by Angela Lansbury, and Reproductions of Rare Original 1939 Memorabilia, Including the Grauman's Chinese Theater Souvenir Premiere Program

Burbank, Calif. July 11, 2005 -- Voted by the American Film Institute (AFI) as the Best Family Film of all time, The Wizard of Oz has charmed audiences of every age for more than 60 years. On October 25, Warner Home Video (WHV) will celebrate this beloved classic with two bonus-packed DVD treasuries a Two-Disc Special Edition and a Three-Disc Collector's Edition. For the very first time, these versions of The Wizard of Oz boast a stunning new digital transfer of the original film, using Warner's "Ultra-Resolution" technology, plus a newly remastered soundtrack. As a result, viewers will experience the movies Technicolor splendor and unforgettable, award-winning songs and music like never before.

Both DVD editions offer extensive bonus content, including four revealing new documentaries; a new feature-length commentary by Emmy Award®-winning producer and Oz historian John Fricke; an Emmy®-nominated making-of documentary hosted by Angela Lansbury; a Lansbury-narrated onscreen storybook treatment of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with its colorful original illustrations; outtakes and deleted scenes; vintage vault featurettes; and more than six hours of audio-only treasures, including original recording sessions for songs and underscoring and rare Oz radio programs.

The Wizard of Oz Three-Disc Collector's Edition includes an additional disc of special content, featuring a new documentary about Oz author L. Frank Baum and a newly restored transfer of the 1925 feature-length silent version of The Wizard of Oz starring Oliver Hardy and Larry Semon with a fresh score by Robert Israel. Disc three is also highlighted by several additional rare Oz film features and shorts, originally produced between 1910 and 1933. In addition to the bonus disc, the Collector's Edition DVD will include reproductions of the original eight-page Grauman's Chinese Theatre Oz souvenir program from August 15, 1939, and the invitation to that premiere; the sixteen-page Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio News magazine from August 14, 1939, celebrating The Wizard of Oz; nine beautifully restored natural color Kodachrome portraits and publicity photos from the film...and more.

The Wizard of Oz Two-Disc Special Edition will be available for $26.99 SRP and the Three-Disc Collector's Edition will sell for $39.92 SRP.

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 Loew's Capitol Theatre in New York on August 17, 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, and 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 Wizard of Oz was an overwhelming popular and critical success upon its initial release and repeated its ability to captivate audiences when M-G-M reissued the film in 1949 and 1955. The film made a new kind of history with its network television premiere in 1956 on CBS. Nearly 45 million people tuned in for this initial telecast, marking the beginning of a tradition. Ever since, The Wizard of Oz has been shown virtually annually on network (and then cable) television; its magical story and heartfelt performances have enabled it to grow from a perennial classic to its current status as a treasured icon of popular culture.

The DVDs Special Features:
The Two-Disc Special Edition Disc 1:
New 2005 Ultra Resolution digital master from restored film elements
New commentary by historian John Fricke with selected archival audio comments by Barbara Freed-Saltzman (daughter of Arthur Freed), Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Ken Darby (orchestral and vocal arranger), John Lahr (son of Bert Lahr), Jane Lahr (daughter of Bert Lahr), Hamilton Meserve (son of Margaret Hamilton), William Tuttle (make-up artist), Buddy Ebsen, Mervyn LeRoy, John Lee Mahin and Jerry Maren
Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration of Oz
We Haven't Really Met Properly supporting cast profile gallery, narrated by Angela Lansbury

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz storybook, read by Angela Lansbury

Theatrical trailer gallery
5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack

Original mono and music-and-effects-only audio tracks
Languages: English (Both Dolby 5.1 & original mono) & French

Subtitles: English, French and Spanish (feature film only)

Disc 2:
Documentaries on the movie's creation and impact:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic hosted by Angela Lansbury and Memories of Oz -- two original TV specials

All-New: The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz,
Because of the Wonderful Things it Does: The Legacy of Oz

Harold Arlen's onset home videos
Outtakes and deleted scenes
It's a Twister! It's a Twister! The tornado special effects tests
Vintage vault featurettes
Extensive stills gallery
More than six hours of audio-only treasures, including an "Oz jukebox" of recording session materials, radio shows and promos

The Three-Disc Collector's Edition -- includes Disc 1 and 2 plus: Disc 3:
Four hours devoted to Oz creator L. Frank Baum, who published his first Oz book in 1900. New documentary L. Frank Baum: The Man Behind the Curtain
Pre-1939 versions of Oz on screen

The Wizard of Oz (1910)

The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914)

His Majesty, The Scarecrow of Oz (1914)

The Wizard of Oz (1925): restored silent version featuring Oliver Hardy and Larry Semon, with a new, fully orchestrated score by Robert Israel

The Wizard of Oz (1933 Cartoon)

Print Reproductions Include:
The Wizard of Oz Comes to Life Eight-page Grauman's Chinese Theatre Souvenir Premiere Program from August 15, 1939
Studio's Invitation to The Grauman's Premiere and the envelope that included tickets to the original Opening Night -- with a newly designed commemorative ticket
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio News Sixteen-page edition of the studio's internal "house organ" newspaper, celebrating the release of The Wizard of Oz for the week of August 14, 1939
Photoplay Studies Rare secondary-education study guide to the film -- Volume V, Number 12
(circa August 1939) -- completely devoted to The Wizard of Oz, with articles revealing surprising insights from its producer, director, cameraman and scenarists.
Deluxe Collectors' Portfolio Reproductions of original 1939 Kodachrome publicity stills, including nine portraits and onset photographs

The Wizard of Oz
Street Date: October 25, 2005
Rating: G
Two-Disc Special Edition Run Time 101 minutes; $26.99 SRP
Collector's Edition Run Time 101 minutes; $39.92 SRP

 

[Andrew Budgell]

This is really shaping up to be a great set! Thanks for the press release, Conrad! The only thing that doesnt seem to be included from the previous releases are the 1970's interviews with Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, and Jack Hailey, and the cartoon promos from "Off to See the Wizard" the 1967 TV show. I wonder what the "Vintage vault featurettes" are? Does the John Fricke commentary appear to be a newly recorded one? If so, it would have been great to have the original Fricke commentary as an alternate track. It would also be great if Warner's could get the rights to the 1979 TV special, "The Making of 'The Wizard of Oz'" based on Aljean Harmetz book of the same name. Either way, I can't wait until October!

Andy

PS It says on the press release that art can be downloaded at www.whvdirect.com Could anyone with the ability to access this site be able to post it for the rest of us to see?

 

[Brenton]

Wow... Looks like I'll be able to chuck my current (single-disc) DVD copy. The darn thing is in a cardboard snapcase anyway.

No Patchwork Girl? That's too bad.

 

[Nicholas Vargo]

I'll definately be selling off my old copy, and since the documentary hosted by Angela Lansbury is coming back for this edition, maybe they can fix the music tracks for two sections of it. When they talk about Walt Disney, "Heigh-Ho" from "Snow White" plays behind the background, and when they first mention Shirley Temple, her song "On the Good-Ship Loolipop" plays in the background. Both music cues were changed when the documentary was released on DVD to music cues that were actually in the movie. If you don't believe me, check out the documentary the next time it plays on TCM.

My guess was they couldn't get the music rights for DVD back in 1999, but maybe with the new release, maybe they can rectify that situation.

Either way, I'll be there to pick up the new edition come October 25...two days after my 20th birthday.

 

[Jing_B]

GREAT NEWS!!! I'm all for the three-discer!

 

[Michael Elliott]

The three disc set with the Alpha disc of shorts is going to be great.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I'm so happy to see that WB is including the 1933 vintage animated short film! I was going to post earlier how terrific it would be if they somehow happened to own the rigbhts and have an existing quality print of this. I've been curious about it's production for many years now. Here's what the BCDB has to say about the film:


"The first animated version of The Wizard of Oz.

Non-dialogue. Never released to theaters, but black and white copies eventually made it into the hands of collectors.

This cartoon was made in the full three-strip Technicolor process, which is very odd, since Walt Disney had exclusive rights to the process at the time. According to film historian Bill Everson, Disney signed an exclusive agreement with the Technicolor corporation shortly after the completion of this cartoon, thus holding up its release. Another source suggests that theatrical release was prevented by an unspecified legal problem with L. Frank Baum's estate.

The cartoon begins in black and white and turns into color as Dorothy falls out of the cyclone into Oz (this was six years before the live-action MGM version).

Unlike the MGM film, this cartoon does not have the Cowardly Lion as a cast member. Dorothy's dog is unnamed"


This is going to be such an amazing set, I can't wait for October!!!!

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

I assume as per normal for Warner, absolutely none of the extras will be either Closed Captioned or English subtitles.

 

[Dane Marvin]

Hmm. You would think someone would have had that by now if it's really there. Hurry up! I NEED to see this art!

 

[BrettB]

The pic is a little small but better than nothing;

Home Media Retailing from the HTF main page.

 

[John Hodson]

Three disc for me; sold!