The Wizard of Oz (75th Anniversary)

This review is for the single Blu Ray disc of the 1939 version of the Wizard of Oz. I assume you have either seen the movie, or are familiar with the storyline so I won't delve into that here. There are other filmings, and other versions, but to most all people THIS is the definitive version of the L Frank Baum classic. As one who has had and watched this classic through the years on many different home video technologies I can honestly say I have never seen this movie look better, even in the theater! Not just a restoration, but a revelation of detail and texture are revealed in this wonderful classic. Almost everywhere you look you find textures, details and images that literally bring the story to life. Additionally the audio is crisp and clear and thankfully is free from crazy gimmickry. This is movie restoration done correctly and with respect to the original film, which has become a classic in American family life. The single disc version has the movie we almost all know and most of us love. Judy Garland has never looked more clear, nor the costumes of her compatriots more detailed. Its almost as if this movie were not made some 75 years ago, it looks THAT good. My youngest son, who usually does not watch "Old movies" with me was completely captivated and did not move until the movie was done. He was shocked when I told him when the movie was made. The old effects, particularly the tornado still look great and really show how movie making can be a wonderful art form. The commentary track is really a wonderful source of some interesting information, including the original choice of Buddy Ebsen, from the Beverly Hillbillies, as the tin man. I have quite a few movies in my collection and seldom watch and listen to the commentary, but I have to say I really enjoyed this one. It even had interviews with original cast members interspersed throughout in a manner tha added to one's understanding of the movie. Far from giving us a glimpse behind the curtain which destroys the magic this only burnishes the incredible work that make such a movie. Highly recommended. This is truly an incredible bargain at the current price of 8 dollars, that I cannot recommend it more highly for those who wish to have the definitive version of this classic. If one wishes there are lots of add on versions that have more content, but for this paltry sum you get the definitive version of the movie and a very informative commentary. You will enjoy it, so will your kids, and likely THEIR children. It is pure pleasure to watch how faces light up when watching this movie, and perhaps that is the best recommendation of all. God Bless ya and may you enjoy many movies!

after seeing the 75th anniversary revitalized 3D version in IMAX theatre (simply A M A Z I N G) I assumed the Bluray edition released was also going to be reworked n enhanced...well its not people, this release is no different from the 70th on bluray etc... even the front picture of packaging is cartoon like? they couldn't of came up with a nice holographic picture or something ?? isn't this 2013??? n when you take the disc out, was hoping for even a nicer picture labelled on the disc, uh no, a picture of the scarecrow? by himself? wtf? if anything it should be just Dorothy!! save your money people get it from your local library...

Bought this movie to watch with my 95 year old father. This has been a family favorite for years. I bought the Blu-ray version, it came quickly and movie quality was great.

The Wizard of Oz Is A Classic Movie & The Wizard of Oz Is Love By So Many People But You Don't Know How We Got To The Wizard of Oz Without Seen Wicked

Forget all the socioeconomic stuff and whatever was going on in American history at the time. All of that doesn't matter at all when it comes to what this masterpiece represents. What people absolutely fail to notice is that this movie is all about death, the afterlife, past lives, and future lives. It literally proves that there is life after death, which is why I watch this movie religiously at least once or twice a week. It's that powerful, and it enthralls the masses because of its grip on the human unconscious. To clarify further, the tornado symbolizes the act of death and the turbulence associated with it. When Dorothy gets hit with the windows, the death process begins. We see her actively dying within her bed, and within the tornado are all the people who mean the most to her and whom she can't forget, both her family and her main enemy (the Wicked Witch). This is called visioning, which happens during the dying process, and you can actually get glimpses of what's to come in your next life (symbolized by the changing of Ms. Gulch to the Witch), and meanwhile, the ones she loves just take different forms in the next life but are the same at their core. Then when the house lands, Dorothy is officially in the next life or heaven, symbolized by the change to color and the uniquely gorgeous setting. The scene of the afterlife is now bright and vibrant. Etc etc.... It's also extremely important to know that L. Frank Baum was a theosophist. What is theosophy? "Theosophy holds a monist position that there exists a single divine Absolute and articulates an emanationist cosmology in which the universe is perceived as outward reflections from this Absolute. The purpose of human life is spiritual emancipation and the human soul undergoes reincarnation upon bodily death according to a process of karma." Furthermore, the slogan for theosophy is "There is no religion higher than truth." ----- "There is no place like home." NEED I SAY MORE? Absolutely not. I just nailed the exact interpretation of this movie according to L. Frank Baum. You're welcome!!! Hopefully, my revelation here causes millions of people to see this movie in a brand new light. Try it for yourselves. When you watch this movie, just constantly think about death and the afterlife. It will change your perception of this film forever, and open your minds and hearts in the process. The Wizard of Oz is truly the most significant piece of cinema ever created, and nothing will top it.