I know what you’re thinking. “Why do we need another Wizard of OZ film review? The film is pushing 70 and is already considered a classic. Why do we need to be told, once again, how great it is?”
I know, I know. Trust me. I thought of all that before I began writing a word of this review, but upon opening up my Three Disc Collector’s Edition Wizard of OZ DVD, I realized that, until now, I had never really and truly “seen” The Wizard of OZ.
With the Three Disc Collector’s Edition, there are truly bits of OZ that you’ve never seen before. For instance, remember that old urban legend about the hanging Munchkin in the background as Dorothy, The Scarecrow, and the Tinman ‘Follow the Yellow Brick Road’? With the new color correction that this Special Edition provides, you can finally see that the movement in the background is certainly not a hanging Munchkin, but indeed a large bird who is spreading his wings.
If you, by chance, already purchased the 1999 release of The Wizard of OZ, you’ll find all the extras here that were on that disc. However, the transformation on OZ is worth replacing that older version as well as a slew of other features and extras that weren’t on that release. For one, the third disc covers OZ from its birth as a novel and the life of its author, L. Frank Baum, as he brought the world of OZ to life.
The first silent film incarnations of OZ are also here, “The Wonderful Wizard of OZ”, “The Magic Cloak of OZ”, “His Majesty, the Scarecrow of OZ”, and “The Wizard of OZ” (1925).
While there are actually two new releases of the film, this three disc collector’s edition and a two disc special edition (the three disc features the Wicked Witch as cover art, while the two disc features Dorothy’s ruby slippers standing on the Yellow Brick Road), the three disc is really an amazing collection of extras. Joining the three discs worth of film and extras are full color stills, a reproduction premiere program, reproduction Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio News Intracorporate Newsletter celebrating the release of the film, reproduction Photoplay Studies, reproduction campaign booklet and facsimiles of the premiere invitation and ticket and a newly designed commemorative theatre ticket to the premiere of The Wizard of OZ at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on August 15, 1939.
Of course, we all know the classic story of Dorothy and her epic adventure in OZ, but even almost 70 years later, this film remains a favorite of young and old alike, including me. As a lover of all things film, I believe I can safely say that this film has never truly been replaced in my heart as my favorite film of all time. The story of finding home for a second time is a touching and almost gut wrenching one as you watch from the eyes of an adult and a cautionary tale to those who have not yet reached adulthood. This new release of one of the most beloved films of all time truly does the film justice and should be a staple of any film collector’s dvd collection.
The Wizard of OZ Two Disc Special Edition and Three Disc Collector’s Edition can be purchased at Amazon.com.