Movie “The Wizard of Oz” Returns to Theaters in HD
August 19, 2009 by admin
Filed under Movie News
Warner Home Video, NCM Fathom, and Turner Classic Movies has just announced a special one-night screening of the classic Victor Fleming film “The Wizard of Oz” in theaters across the country. The event, which takes place on September 23rd, will allow families to experience the movie in high definition on the big screen for the first time in history. Here is the press release:
You won’t believe your eyes and ears on this brand new magical journey down the yellow brick road with Dorothy, her dog Toto, The Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. On September 23rd, NCM Fathom, Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will give theatergoers the opportunity to experience this family classic for the first time in high definition on the big screen.
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Hi-Def Event, a special one-night only, nationwide in-theater presentation, will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 23rd at 7:00 p.m. local time. The unforgettable cultural icon has been entirely re-mastered and will be shown in movie theaters for the first time ever in high definition in an historic big-screen event that celebrates the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. The event will also feature the specially created “To Oz! The Making of a Classic,” an exclusive look inside Oz featuring behind-the-scenes footage, home movies and archival interviews with the cast and crew.
Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at Fathom Events. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit the web site (theaters and participants are subject to change).
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Hi-Def Event will be introduced by Robert Osborne, classic film historian and host of Turner Classic Movies, who will share facts and stories about this ageless classic. The exclusive cut of “To Oz! The Making of a Classic” will offer audiences a unique peek into the Land of Oz through interviews with original Munchkin actors; an audio outtake of “If I Only Had a Brain” with Ray Bolger and July Garland, complete with stills and home movie footage; and a look at how the MGM artists and craftsmen created the music, costumes and amazing special effects for The Wizard of Oz in the 1930s.
“Warner Home Video is proud to be part of the year-long celebration of this cinematic treasure. We’re also delighted to be bringing it into the digital age with this new painstakingly re-mastered Blu-ray, which makes it seem like you’re seeing these endearing characters and hearing the unforgettable Oz songs for the first time,” said Jeff Baker, Warner Home Video’s executive vice president and general manager, Theatrical Catalog.
Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s timeless children’s tale about a Kansas girl’s journey over the rainbow, The Wizard of Oz opened on Aug. 15, 1939, and is ranked among the top 10 best movies of all-time. The Wizard of Oz received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and captured two Oscars – Best Song (“Over the Rainbow”) and Best Original Score – plus a special award for Outstanding Juvenile Performance by Judy Garland.
“NCM Fathom continues to bring communities together in local movie theaters and we are proud to be the first to present this much-loved story to audiences in a way they’re sure to remember,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of Fathom. “Fans – young and old – will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Dorothy’s journey come to life on the big screen in a high definition experience that will include an exclusive look inside the making of this masterpiece.”
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Hi-Def Event appears on the big screen in high definition with Cinema Surround Sound in 449 select AMC Entertainment Inc., Celebration! Cinema, Cinemark Holdings, Inc., Clearview Cinemas, Cobb Theatres, Georgia Theatre Co., Goodrich Quality Theaters, Hollywood Theaters, Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, Malco Theatres, National Amusements and Regal Entertainment Group movie theaters, as well as Arlington Theatre (Santa Barbara, CA), The Carolina (Asheville, NC), El Raton Theatre (Raton, NM), Palace Cinema 9 (South Burlington, VT) and Penn Cinema (Lititz, PA), through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.
Warner Home Video’s re-mastered Blu-ray and DVD release, The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition, debuts September 29. With six times higher resolution than standard DVD, along with the sonic excellence of Dolby TruHD, the film will be at its pristine best, marking an historic benchmark in the Blu-ray format. The limited and numbered Ultimate Collector’s Editions will feature 16 hours of bonus features – four hours of which have never been available before now. Every package will bear a silver label containing a specific numbered version; once these packages are sold out, they will never again be available to consumers.
Visit the official website The Wizard of Oz for more information on events and products.
