A few words about...™ The Wizard of Oz -- in Blu-ray - Page 6

Rich, you put the answers in the file names.

The skip I mentioned is not visible in the older version, but could it be because it is so much clearer now?

I just read (or partly read) the review over at DVDTalk and there were some screen caps.  One of the Scarecrow in which you can see the texture of burlap in his face makeup!  I had never noticed that in my entire life.  I sure would like to have this.  I want the version with all the disc extras and I wouldn't mind having the book the set comes wiht.

I won't buy paying $51 for it, though.  Guess I wait for a sale on Amazon like they recently did with Casablanca.  That will (if ever) be several months down the line.

Thanks Mod, but I tried the paste link with several different formats and it was a no-go.  What is the syntax that worked?

Perhaps.  Or (paraphrasing Dirty Harry)  perhaps I deliberately named them incorrectly to trip you up.  The question is: do you feel lucky?  Well, do you Ben?

Top: 2005
Middle: 1999
Bottom: 2009

I hate to keep harping on this because it is such a wonderful restoration...but to lose even a frame from this film when it is not necessary bothers me to no end. I don't know if the downconversion from the 8k master caused this, or the problems with the optical of Glinda's ever changing bubble, but there is definitely a glitch here. It happens when her bubble changes to yellow. There is either a digital glitch or a jump.
As far as the colors and texture.....never have seen Oz like this....and that is not an overstatement. Fix the glitch and the audio edit and this would be 100% (or very, very near.)

Ok, PM me if I'm silly or not. My guess is

Top: 2005

Middle: 1999

Bottom: 2009

I agonised over this because in my experience a release prepared in conjunction with a BD release, when viewed on a plasma, may appear to have duller colours than a previous SD edition, which will often be oversaturated. I speculated that the top one is an oversaturated SD release, the middle is a faded oldest dvd release, and the bottom is a combination of true colours and rich colours achieved via restoration.

 I'm watching it now.  And it's a stunner.  I believe only my own eyes and my own eyes tell me that this Wizard is a beautiful thing to behold.

I copied each link exactly as you posted them, then pasted them one by one into the Insert/Upload Image tool,*** Existing Image tab, where it says "Paste the URL to an external image". As soon as one loaded, I started over with the next one.

I'd never done it before, but I just followed the prompts.


***That's the yellow square, to the left of the film strip; if it doesn't say "Insert/Upload Image" when the cursor is resting over it, you're on the wrong icon.
Edited by Michael Reuben - 9/29/09 at 9:51pm

Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary edition is a splendid release.  I just watched it for the first time - amazing sound and picture quality for a film this old.  It's been more than 20 years since I had watched the entire film. I went to Wal-Mart to purchase my copy - well worth the $19.96

cheers!

If the gang at Warners happens to be peeking in, let me join the chorus of thanks for giving fans the chance to see this film in high-definition at an affordable price.  It's a great thing to have had the $35 Target and $20 Wal-Mart options today.  While I would have liked to have the MGM documentary, I went to my local Wal-Mart to save a few dollars.  Thank you.

Watched it last night and didn't notice any skip.  I must have blinked.

Mark

You guys are too good.  Correct-a-mondo. 

I'm very pleased with the colors as we're back to the Emerald City being Emerald again and the yellow brick road back to being yellow.  Little things like that.  I'm also noticing things that I've never really noticed before.  I've always loved the matte paintings but never really noticed them behind the Tin Man when he's doing his little solo dance.  The audio also seems terrific, at first listen (I haven't watched it all the way through yet).  I haven't compared it to the prior releases but it seems to be a fantastic upgrade done with a judiciously light versus heavy-handed touch.

Only thing I noticed at first blush was the really awful job on the English subtitles.  Looks like they gave it to a summer intern to do on his last day.  The subtitles are far more accurate on the 1999 release.  Regardless of who did them, I have no idea why they weren't crossed checked with a prior release for accuracy sake.  I mean I've seen plenty of B movies that had more accurate subtitles than the scene I watched (specifically, Elmira Gulch in the Gale's parlor).   

Yeah, you must have blinked because it is clear as day.

I was looking for it because you mentioned it, and didn't see it.

Robert, watch the Munchkins as they are running up and waving. The glitch was on the print at the HD showing last week. I also noticed it on the TBS HD presentation last Sunday night. Did they use the new restoration? If not, then maybe I am seeing it because the film is so clear now.

This BD is stunning and exceeded my expectations. 

I did not see any skips in the Glinda scene.  It looked just fine to me.

Picked up the Walmart version - didn't want the box o' junk and the Target edition duplicated much of the content of the last ultimate edition from several years back so Wally World made a lot of sense.

I watched this last night ($20 Wal-Mart version), and thought the film looked wonderful. I also did not notice any frame skips in the Glinda scenes, and I was trying to pay attention for them.

Here are a couple of screen captures (thanks to Xylon!):

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u98/adzez/WizardofOz/ce4a9983.png

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u98/adzez/WizardofOz/09540904.png

I love the more faithful rendering of the grain and detail, and the richness of the colors (check out Judy's lips!).  :)

I found it interesting to watch the complete "If I Only had a Brain" extra where it would have been while watching the complete film. I paused the film and switched over the extras I assume the complete dance clip is unrestored SD. The difference in color is amazing.

I watched this last night, and I hate to say this, but I was a little disappointed with the picture quality. Not a lot, just a little. I was expecting more picture detail than what I saw. Anyone else feel this way?

-R

Not at all.  This really was a case of Warner giving it their best effort.

I don't remotely feel that way.  You can't create detail where none exists.  This was filmed in the late 1930s.  What you feel is missing now was certainly missing back then.  In your mind, you are probably comparing it to the detail you would see in the transfer of a modern film.  WoZ as originally screened simply didn't look good enough for that comparison in the first place.

Mark

wow, that was interesting.

I don't believe any of the things you mentioned were ever in the final cut of the film as shown in 1939. There were parts of the some of the scenes in the trailer  for the film such as Dorothy and all marching to Emerald City after killing the Witch but this scene was always cut from the final version of the film.
Surrender Dorothy or Die was never in the final film. Too scary for children. A lot of the wicked witch's scenes were cut from the final film because they were too scary. There was no resolution in the film to what happens to Toto after Dorothy woke up. Is Miss Gulch coming back to have Toto put to sleep?
.
When the witch sends the flying monkeys to capture Dorothy and Toto she mentions that she has sent an insect to take the fight out of them. The insect was the Jitterbug which was a song cut from the film. The witch talking about the insect does not make sense since the scene with the Jitterbug was cut but that is the way it always was. The witch mentions she is going to make a beehive out of the Tin Man but nothing like that happens in the final film.
I think what you might be asking for is a preview version of the film but the materials just don't exist anymore.


Edited by Garysb - 10/1/09 at 4:21pm

RAH, the skip occurs at: 32.29. You may have to back it up a second to see the entire thing. I can't tell if it is a digital glitch, a result of cleanup, or if it was always this way and is just visible now. Like I said, the remastering is first class. I am just concerned about this little anamoly.

Wow is right.  That stuff has never been in any version I've ever seen, including the 1998 theatrical release.