Product description

The Wizard Of Oz (3 Disc Collector's Edition) [DVD] [1939]

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Binding : DVD
EAN : 7321900677059
Label : Warner Home Video
Manufacturer : Warner Home Video
Publisher : Warner Home Video
Release date : 2006-10-02
Title : The Wizard Of Oz (3 Disc Collector's Edition) [DVD] [1939]
Actor : Array
Audience rating : Universal, suitable for all
Format : Array
Languages : Array
Number of items : 3
Original release date : 1939-01-01
Region code : 2
Running time : 93
Studio : Warner Home Video
Theatrical releaseDate : 1939

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
When it was released during Hollywood's golden year of 1939, iThe Wizard of Oz/i wasn’t regarded as anything like the perennial classic it has since become. The film did respectable business, but it wasn't until its debut on television that this family favourite saw its popularity soar. And while Oz's TV broadcasts are now controlled by media mogul Ted Turner (who owns the rights), the advent of home video has made this lively musical a mainstay in the staple diet of great American films. p Young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), her dog, Toto, and her three companions on the yellow brick road to Oz -- the Tin Man (Jack Haley), the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), and the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) -- have become pop-culture icons and central figures in the legacy of fantasy for children. As the Wicked Witch who covets Dorothy's enchanted ruby slippers, actress Margaret Hamilton has had the singular honor of scaring the wits out of children for more than six decades. The film's still as fresh, frightening and funny as it was when first released. It may take some liberal detours from the original story by L. Frank Baum, but it's loyal to the Baum legacy while charting its own course as a spectacular film. Shot in glorious Technicolor, befitting its dynamic production design (Munchkinland alone is a psychedelic explosion of colour and decor), iThe Wizard of Oz/i may not appeal to every taste as the years go by, but it's nonetheless required viewing for kids of all ages. --iJeff Shannon/i pbDVD features/b/p iThe Wizard of Oz/i DVD released in 1999 was loaded with extra features, but it's now safe to throw away that version in all its cardboard-package glory in favour of the new three-disc edition. First things first: All the bonus material from the earlier disc is there. That includes the Angela Lansbury-hosted documentary iThe Making of a Movie Classic/i, which is worth the price of the DVD alone; then there are the outtakes and deleted scenes, including Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow" reprise and the home-movie recording of "The Jitterbug"; the sketches and stills and composer Harold Arlen's home movies; the audio underscores and radio programs; the 1979 interviews with Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, and Jack Haley; and other items too numerous to mention. (Some text introductions to the features have been replaced by narration by Lansbury.) p Brand new to this edition is a sharp restoration using Warner's Ultra Resolution process and an accompanying featurette on how it's done. The technicians also discuss how the sound was remixed, though that would have been more effective had it included surround-sound demonstrations. Other features on the new set include a commentary track by critic John Fricke supplemented by vintage cast interviews (he offers a lot of trivia, and debunks the myth that Shirley Temple was ever close to getting the Dorothy role); profiles of nine cast members and clips of other movies they appeared in (including Toto); a lightly animated 10-minute storybook again narrated by Lansbury; 2001 and 2005 behind-the-scenes featurettes; and a 1950 Lux Radio Theater broadcast. p The old 1999 disc also included one-minute excerpts of three early treatments of iThe Wizard of Oz/i. The third disc of this new three-disc collector's edition includes the complete versions of those treatments and more. They are four silent films: iThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz/i (1910, 13 min.), iThe Magic Cloak of Oz/i (1914, 38 min.), iHis Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz/i (1914, 59 min., written and directed by Baum himself), iThe Wizard of Oz/i (1925, 72 min., Larry Semon). The fifth treatment is Ted Eshbaum's 1933 Technicolor cartoon short which has songs and sound, and is the first depiction of Kansas in black and white and Oz in colour. The third disc also has a 38-minute biography of L. Frank Baum and collector's-edition supplements include a gorgeous set of photo cards among other materials. This is a gloriously comprehensive addition to anyone’s classic DVD collection. --iDavid Horiuchi/i

Customer reviews

review by: date: 2009-06-08 rating:

The Wizard of Oz 3 Disc Edition - Wow
I you're looking for the ultimate collection of video material about The Wizard of Oz, this may very well be it. I did not grow up watching this movie, and honestly only got into it when I became addicted to "Oldies". Yet the bits presented by Angela Lansbury on the extras had me choking up, especially the bit where you realise most of these actors are no longer with us. I get like that, only don't tell my friends. br / br /The Good: br /Firstly, the restoration of the Feature is excellent, period. It looks great, sounds great and heck, I bet if you ate the disc it would even taste great. The extras are seemingly endless: Hour after hour of informative, enjoyable and yes, even touching titbits. br / br /The Bad: br /Nothing. Really. br / br /This is under-priced for the sheer quantity of what you get. If you love the film the extras will keep you entertained for hours on end and, most importantly, you will get to see the Wicked Witch melt as many times as you like. Good stuff.

review by: date: 2009-04-08 rating:

West is Best
I purchased the 3 disc box set after only having the one disc I wanted to know more about the making and behind the scenes of this great movie and I was not disappointed. br /I have always like the Wicked Witch of the West and was never frightened of her even as a child. She seems to have the best lines aswell. br /Go on and treat yourself to this 3 disc box set and you to will not be disappointed. br /Now, now my pretty.

review by: date: 2009-03-11 rating:

Extremely happy with this product!
As we all know the Wizard of Oz film is an amazing piece of cinema, with all its crazy quirks and classic scenes but this DVD really puts the cherry on the cake! The three disks have an imense amount of footage on them including deleted scenes and stills galleries. br / br /Very Happy br /x x x

review by: marky the date: 2009-02-14 rating:

excellent
a present for my daughter- she was very pleased with it- added to her wickedmania

review by: date: 2007-09-05 rating:

Glorious film-making
With three discs in this boxed set this is the definitive edition of the Wizard of Oz to buy. The first disc contains the original film and interviews. The second disc contains a number of documentaries on the making of the film. The third disc contains four older film versions as well as a documentary. Most of the documentaries were made in 1990, no doubt to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the films making. br / br /Even now nearly seventy years later, this is the of the best films you can buy for your children. As an adult its still superb entertainment and contains one of the greatest songs ever written (Over the Rainbow). The film is from the golden age of Hollywood, lavish sets, great special effects (for the era) and marvellous performances from the main actors and actresses. br / br /This has literally hours and hours of extras as well as the original 98min film. At its current price this is one of the best value DVD boxed sets you can buy. This is timeless entertainment that all the family (except perhaps a few grumpy teenagers!) will enjoy.

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