The Wizard of Oz (Two-Disc Special Edition) | 
| Directors: Victor Fleming, Mervyn Leroy, King Vidor
Actors: Judy Garland, Stephen Cox (ii), Meinhardt Raabe, Dona Massin, Jerry Maren
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
Buy New: $27.50
New (11) Used (3) from $27.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  627 reviews
Sales Rank: 585
Format: Ac-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Original Recording Remastered, Restored, Special Edition, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: Unrated
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 103
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.5
MPN: D67536D
ISBN: 1419810820
UPC: 012569675360
EAN: 9781419810824
Theatrical Release Date: August 25, 1939
Release Date: October 25, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Original Warner Brothers DVD in Case with Artwork as Shown, Classic, 2 Disc Special Edition, From Private Party, Shipped 1st class w/ Delivery Confirmation and e-mail notification
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Amazon.com essential video
When it was released during Hollywood's golden year of 1939, The Wizard of Oz didn't start out as the perennial classic it has since become. The film did respectable business, but it wasn't until its debut on television that this family favorite 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. 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, 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 color and decor), The Wizard of Oz may not appeal to every taste as the years go by, but it's required viewing for kids of all ages. --Jeff Shannon DVD features
The Wizard of Oz 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 favor of this new two-disc edition. First things first: All the bonus material from the earlier disc is there (with one small exception). That includes the Angela Lansbury-hosted documentary The Making of a Movie Classic; 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, for whatever reason.) Brand-new to the 2005 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 (the featurette is in 2.0). 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. Oh, and if you were still wondering about the missing material mentioned above--the 1999 disc included one-minute excerpts of three early treatments of The Wizard of Oz. Those excerpts are not included in the two-disc special edition, but the third disc of the three-disc collector's edition includes the complete versions of those treatments and more. --David Horiuchi
Description
An All-New Wizard of Oz With State of The Art Ultra-Resolution Picture Quality and Over 10 Hours of Bonus Extras.DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by John Fricke and multiple cast and crew members.
Biographies:We Haven't Really Met Properly - includes 9 orginal cast biographies
Deleted Scenes:If I Only Had a Brain; If I Only Had a Heart; Triumphal Return to Emerald City; Over the Rainbow; The Jitterbug
Documentary:Memories of Oz -2001 TCM documentary
Featurette:The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Storybook; Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration of Oz; The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz; Because of the Wonderful Things it Does: The Legacy of Oz
Music Clips:Audio Vault Includes: Over the Rainbow; Munchkinland Medley Rehearsal Recordings; Munchkinland Medley Sequence Recordings; Munchkinland Medley Voice Tests; If I Only Had a Brain; We're Off to See the Wizard; If I Only Had a Heart; If I Only Had the Nerve/We?re Off to See the Wizard; Emerald City/The Merry Old Land of Oz; If I Were King of the Forest; The Jitterbug; Over the Rainbow/Triumphal Return to Emerald City; Kansas Underscoring; Munchkinland Underscoring; and more
Music Only Track
Newsreel:Cavalcade of the Academy Awards Excerpt - 1939 newsreel
Other:Another Romance of Celluloid: Electrical Power - 1938 MGM short; Leo Is on the Air Radio Promo; Good News of 1939 Radio Show; 12/25/1950 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast
Photo gallery:Oz on Broadway; Pre-MGM; Sketches and Storyboards; Costume and Make-up Tests; Richard Thorpe's Oz; Buddy Ebsen; Oz Comes to Life; Behind the Scenes; Portraits; Special Effects; Post Production; Deleted Scenes; Original Publicity
TV Special:The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Making of a Movie Classic - 1990 TV special
Theatrical Trailer:1939 What is Oz? Teaser; 1940 Loews Cairo Theater Trailer; 1949 Re-issue Trailer; 1949 Grownup Re-issue Trailer; 1970 Children's Matinee Re-issue Trailer; 1998 Warner Bros. Re-issue Trailer; Texas Contest Winners [1939 trailer]
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| Customer Reviews: Read 622 more reviews...
 Wizard of Oz - "Better than ever in Widescreen " August 8, 2008
I certainly have enjoyed "THE WIZARD OF OZ" through-out all these years. One thing remains a mystery to me. The original Laserdisc versions had an "extras" feature about the movie. The MGM re-release showed coming attaction trailers that introduced the Movie's arrival again. Even in the Turner Intertainment ( 1989 dvd version) the following trailer indicated:
IF YOU'VE SEEN IT BEFORE... YOU'LL GET A LIFT ALL OVER AGAIN
ALL THE MAGIC. THE SPECTACLE AND BEAUTY... Better than ever in WIDESCREEN ! This is not in reference to the Version that was shown
in Theatres around 1998 either !
Where is the Widescreen Version made mention of in this trailer ?
 Over the top August 7, 2008
This product has an amazing amount of supplementary material. More than I ever realized existed about this subject!
Great Job July 31, 2008
The movie arrived before it was promised and in the condition it was promised in. I was also really happy with the price.
A must have! July 29, 2008
This is a must have for any Wizard of OZ fan. Great collectables and behind the scenes footage.
rubbish you have no power here, now be gone, before someone drops a house on you, too July 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Like the entire world, I have so many fond memories of "The Wizard of Oz." This truly is the greatest film ever made and the greatest story ever told. Because not even taking into account the perfect performances, the movie has such a message that's completely universal.
A few years ago Warner Home Video released a beautiful 3-disc special edition boxed set. I finally got around to buying it last year and I am so glad I finally did because out of all the boxed sets this one is the very best because it is the most complete and comprehensive. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued, however there is still a special edition 2-disc set, which includes everything the 3-disc set did, except for the promotional materials and the third disc about the Oz creator, Mr. L. Frank Baum. To celebrate the 70th Anniversary Warner Home Video plans to release this classic next year on Blu-ray and I can't think of a movie that is more deserving of this.
The Wizard of Oz
~ Feature Film Presentation ~
Original World Premiere: August 25, 1939
Principal filming began on: October 12, 1938 & completed on: March 16, 1939
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the most glorious studio in town
Distributor: Waner Home Video
Runtime listing: 103 mins.
Scene Index: Separated by a total of 55 chapters
Screen Size: Original Full Screen (keep in mind this movie predates widescreen, and the subsequent releases that were widescreen actually included black bars that were copied over the upper and lower portions of the screen.)
Picture Color: Sepia Tone & Three-strip Technicolor
Brief Synopsis:
A Kansas farm girl dreams herself into a magical fantasy land where she fights a wicked witch as she tries to escape.
Miss Garland's brief comments on this film: I've always taken 'The Wizard of Oz' very seriously, you know. I believe in the idea of the rainbow. And I've spent my entire life trying to get over it.
Below is the cast, with their roles that they portrayed:
** Miss Judy Garland ~ Dorothy Gale
** Frank Morgan ~ Professor Marvel / The Gatekeeper / The Carriage Driver / The Guard Who Cries / The Wizard of Oz / The Wizard of Oz Video-Image
** Ray Bolger ~ Hunk / The Scarecrow
** Bert Lahr ~ Zeke / The Cowardly Lion
** Jack Haley ~ Hickory / The Tin Man
** Billie Burke ~ Glinda The Witch of the North
** Margaret Hamilton ~ Miss Elmira Gulch / The Wicked Witch of the West / The Wicked Witch of the East
** Charley Grapewin ~ Uncle Henry
** Clara Blandick ~ Auntie Em
** Terry the Terrier (known as prior to the film) & Toto (known as after the film) ~ Toto
** The Singing Little People ~ The adorable, lovable Munchkins
** Pat Walshe ~ Nikko (the little monkey)
My very first memory of "The Wizard of Oz" is being at my grandparents house watching it on Channel 2; back in the day when they used to show it once a year. And I was almost scared, but not really during the parts with the flying monkeys. There was so much mystery and almost chemistry and spark throughout the entire film.
As you know, when this motion picture first came out it was a success but certainly not a huge hit. In 1939 the top grossing films were of course "Gone With the Wind" and "The Women." Perhaps it's no coincidence that all of these Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer classic feature films all had stunning color.
I also love this movie because it totally turned me on to Judy Garland. She was so talented and beautiful and almost larger-than-life in "The Wizard of Oz." IMHO she truly is one of the greatest entertainers ever. I love how she, as Dorothy Gale was able to turn on her emotions so easily. Dorothy emoted all over the place and ran the gamut of somber, sweet and even a touch on the dramatic. I love when she screams to the witch, Miss Gultch (played by the perfect Margaret Hamilton) "I'll bite you myself." This viewer wholeheartedly thinks that she was prepared to do it, too.
You know, as a kid watching this movie I never realized that Judy was actually a child, too. She always appeared like a grown person to me. Now when I watch the movie she looks like such a little girl. And that's another fun thing about "The Wizard of Oz." Because you can watch it and experience both new and old emotions watching something that feels both familiar and brand-new.
It took me years and years to grasp that "The Wizard of Oz" was all just an illusion. I must have been maybe 7 or 8 and my mom purchased one of those horrid video-cassettes for me. And at the end of it, my aunt comes in and announces to anyone who would listen, "this movie was all just a dream, you know." I don't know why, but I got so angry when she said that. I wanted to punch her in the nose because it made the movie seem less important and it made me feel like my thoughts and admiration towards this beloved classic were compromised. But she was totally correct.
It's almost hard to remember that "The Wizard of Oz" is in essence a musical. It captures the viewer and takes them on a journey and throughout that journey the audience doesn't ever lose sight of the fact that this is a tale of great hope and a new beginning. I absolutely love all of the songs in this movie. Of course my favorite is Judy's signature "Over the Rainbow." And, I also adore "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead." And, with lyrics like "Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch," is it any wonder that all kids love this song (and probably some adults, too.)
Besides Judy Garland, the entire cast, including her supporting cast was out of this world. Glinda (the indomitable Billie Burke) uttered my favorite line: only bad witches are ugly. OMG, can it get better than that? I love Billie Burke in so many other movies. She was always such a great character actress, but in this classic she's more than that. Glinda is such a theatrical person who is also overpowering and memorable.
Clara Blandick (Auntie Em) and Charley Grapewin (Uncle Henry) were both flawless and absolute. Uncle Henry was so funny, too. Auntie Em has carved out such a place in pop-culture. I love when she almost tells Gultch off, "but being a Christian woman I can't" and then runs to Dorothy's bedside. It's totally something my old granny would have done. Everyone loves Auntie Em because just about everyone has a grandmother or a beloved relative like her.
The Great Frank Morgan as Professor Marvel and the title character, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was perfectly cast. He captured all of those special emotions and was so believable. I also really liked him as the Guard (it was so funny watching him cry like a baby.) Rounding out the cast are Dorothy's 3 special friends: The Scarecrow (Ray Bolger,) the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) and the Tinman (Jack Haley.) It's difficult to say who is my favorite out of Dorothy's friends in Oz. One of the best scenes is when the Cowardly Lion tries to attack Toto and Dorothy gives him a nice smack! There were so many more memorable scenes with Dorothy and her Oz companions. I think Dorothy's favorite was the Scarecrow. Wasn't he such a sweet guy, such a loveable loser. And, Dorothy didn't care that he was as dumb as dirt. It didn't matter to her because here was a friend that she just met who loved her and made her feel special just the way she was.
All of the Munchkins were so perplexing and downright delicious. If you looked closely, you could see that these tiny people each had a very unique and diverse personality. I really enjoyed their singing and dancing and how they all welcomed Dorothy to Munchkinland after her house dropped on the Wicked Witch of the East. (This also included some of the best singing and dancing numbers of the entire film.) But I think, even more than that, they were in this story to convey the special meaning of compassion and approval because even though they were different they all still had such a zest for life. According to published reports, there are only 7 surviving cast members of "The Wizard of Oz:" Mickey Carroll, Ruth Duccini, Jerry Maren, Margaret Pellegrini, Meinhardt Raabe, Karl Slover and Clarence Swensen. And, perhaps it's no coincide that they were all Munchkins.
Miss Gultch. She was one scary witch. As the Wicked Witch of the West she was more, I think, indignant. At least to me, she came off as very power-hungry and when none of her little tricks managed to pay off she would turn violent. IMHO there isn't any other movie villain in the entire history of motion pictures who is as identifiable as the roles the late Margaret Hamilton played in this.
Dorothy Gale. Everything always starts and ends with Dorothy, right? "The Wizard of Oz" is really her story. Wouldn't you say? And, perhaps that's why the movie is so loved and so attached to Miss Garland; because it's just as much Judy's story as it is Dorothy Gale's story. Think about it. A young girl who was otherwise shunned by the people closest to her. And there's really nothing worse than that. To be discarded by your own kind is one of life's cruelest jokes. Because we all have a natural desire to be loved and accepted. It's only those people (like the Witch) who are the odd ones because they do not know how to love or be loved; not the Dorothy's of this world.
But Dorothy found solace. My favorite part of the movie has always been when Dorothy first landed in Oz. As she stands in her Kansas doorframe, she's standing at the exact cusp of approbation and freedom. And, as she comes out the screen turns to color! So dramatic. It's when Dorothy finally is accepted by the freaks and geeks of society, who the world has otherwise thrown away does she learn that she holds the key to her own happiness.
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