THE
WIZARD OF OZ
IN 3D
& IMAX® FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!
WARNER
BROS. TO CELEBRATE THE FILM’S 75THANNIVERSARY WITH HUGE FALL 2013
INITIATIVE
Film
Returns to the Big Screen for Exclusive IMAX® 3D One-Week
Run on
September 20
75th
Anniversary Collector’s Edition
Available October 1 on Blu-ray™, Blu-ray 3D™, DVD and
UltraViolet™
Burbank, Calif. June 4, 2013 – Marking
the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, Warner Bros.
has produced a 3D remastered version of the film which will launch a
comprehensive, cross-divisional campaign encompassing theatrical, home
entertainment, consumer products and a number of promotional partnerships.
Kicking off the celebration, The
Wizard of Oz 3D will be presented in the immersive IMAX® 3D
format and return to the big screen for an exclusive one-week engagement in
IMAX® theatres across North America beginning September 20,
2013.
“We couldn’t be happier to partner
with IMAX® as we celebrate the 75th
anniversary of this iconic film,” said Dan Fellman,
President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “The Wizard of
Oz IMAX® 3D Experience is an integral part of our
studio-wide anniversary initiative and we are excited to give fans the rare
opportunity to see this stunning version on the big screen.”
“The Wizard of Oz is one
of the most beloved films of all time and we are thrilled that our longtime
partners at Warner Bros. have made IMAX® a part of this exciting
milestone event,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and
President of IMAX® Entertainment. “This film revolutionized the use
of color and special effects in cinema, and we’re excited to add another ‘first’
– bringing this timeless classic to moviegoers through the power of The IMAX 3D
Experience® for the very first time.”
The IMAX® release The
Wizard of Oz will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound
quality of The IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX
DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images,
coupled with IMAX®'s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital
audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are
in the movie.
Following the IMAX® theatrical release, Warner Bros. Home
Entertainment (WBHE) will release a limited and numbered The Wizard of Oz
75th Anniversary Collector’s Edition on October 1, 2013,
featuring the 3D version of the film and more.
“Seventy-five years later, The
Wizard of Oz continues its reign as a multi-generational favorite, with
nearly 100 percent awareness among adults and more than 80 percent awareness
among children,” said Jeff Baker, WBHE Executive Vice President and General
Manager, Theatrical Catalog. “In this new 3D version, the film is bound to make
history all over again—with both past and future fans.”
The Wizard of Oz 75th
Anniversary Collector’s Edition will debut as a five-disc set that
will include Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and UltraViolet versions of the film; a
new documentary, The Making of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; bonus features and premium
collectibles ($105.43 SRP). Three more
editions will be available separately: a two-disc 3D/Blu-ray ($35.99 SRP), a
one-disc Blu-ray ($19.98 SRP) and a two-disc DVD ($16.95 SRP). All four will
contain the new documentary and extra content.
SPECIAL FEATURES will include all previously released
special features along with:
· ALL-NEW
Documentary!
The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of
Oz—This candid overview of
how a troubled production overcame the odds to become an integral part of
American culture features contributions from historians John Fricke and Sam
Wasson, composers Stephen Schwartz and Marc Shaiman, critics Leonard Maltin and
Michael Sragow, Bert Lahr’s son John as well as revealing interview clips with
Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Buddy Ebsen, Margaret Hamilton and Mervyn LeRoy, among
others.
· NEW! Exclusive
Collectible Memorabilia —A collectible 75th Anniversary
journal; Sparkle RUBY SLIPPERS™ Globe; Noble Collection 3-piece enamel pin set,
a Map of Oz and a 48-page hardcover book. Collection is limited and
numbered.
The 3D conversion was a long and
complex project which Warner Bros. initiated with a very high resolution (8k)
scanning of the original Technicolor camera negative. The restored 2D image was
then transformed by creating a depth-map of each frame to construct 3D imagery
and determine distances from the viewer’s vantage point. This was followed by
the long process (with the use of a rotoscope) to further refine viewer
distances and fully layer shapes and objects.
“People have asked for years about
The Wizard of Oz 3D conversion. My answer was always, ‘We’re not
doing it until it’s perfect.’ And now it is,” said Ned Price, Warner Technical
Operations’ Vice President of Mastering. “As a kid, I was so enthralled by this
film. Watching it, you just want to enter the frame, enter the Land of Oz. This
new version will allow you to do just that.”
In support of the 75th
anniversary of the film, Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ extensive licensing
program of more than 80 top-tier licensees will expand with new partnerships.
Leading the way is master toy partner Jazwares, along with Mattel, Rubies,
Lionel, Steiff, USAopoly, Thomas Kinkade, and many more that will be taking part
in the celebration. Special commemorative anniversary product will be available
across a wide array of categories including apparel, jewelry, collectibles,
publishing, stationery and paper goods, toys and games, slot machines and
personal care.
In addition, the Warner Bros. releases
will be massively supported by a far-reaching promotional campaign encompassing
numerous participants. National corporate partners include (to date) promotional
activities with a Major National Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR), the debut of a
giant hot-air balloon and balloonhead characters in the 87th Annual
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as joint programs with
Amtrak, Gourmet Trading Company, Langers Juice, QVC and Simon Malls®. In
collaboration with the Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, new child passenger safety Public
Service Announcements (PSAs) featuring iconic elements from The Wizard of
Oz film will be distributed and run in donated media
nationally.
The Wizard of Oz themed competition will also be
featured on an upcoming episode of Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars” to be aired
later this year.
About the
Movie
Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s timeless
children’s tale about a Kansas girl’s journey over the rainbow, The Wizard of
Oz opened at Grauman’s Chinese Theater on August 15, 1939. The film was
directed by Victor Fleming (who that same year directed Gone With the
Wind), produced by Mervyn LeRoy, and scored by Herbert Stothart, with music
and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. DOROTHY™ was portrayed by a 4'11"
sixteen-year-old girl who quickly earned her reputation as “the world’s greatest
entertainer”—the incomparable Judy Garland. Ray Bolger appeared as the
SCARECROW™; Bert Lahr as the COWARDLY LION™, Jack Haley as the TIN MAN™. Frank
Morgan was seen in six different roles, including that of the wonderful “Wizard
of Oz" himself.
The Wizard of Oz received five Academy Award® nominations[i], including Best Picture (Outstanding Production), and captured two Oscars®—Best Song (“Over the Rainbow”) and Best Original Score -- plus a special award for Outstanding Juvenile Performance by Judy Garland. The film was an overwhelmingly popular and critical success upon its initial release and repeated its ability to captivate audiences when M-G-M reissued the film in 1949 and 1955. The film made a new kind of history with its network television premiere in 1956 on CBS. Nearly 45 million people tuned in for this initial telecast, marking the beginning of an annual tradition. Ever since, The Wizard of Oz has been shown virtually annually on network (and then cable) television; its magical story and heartfelt performances have enabled it to grow from a perennial classic to its current status as a treasured icon of popular culture.
Blu-ray Disc™ and
Blu-ray™ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc
Association.
Warner Home Video
Blu-ray Discs™ offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs,
as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp
sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant
access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy
features without leaving or interrupting the film.
Note:
All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.
About Warner Bros.
Home Entertainment, Inc.
Warner Bros. Home
Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video,
digital distribution, interactive entertainment, technical operations and
anti-piracy businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation
distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees
the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and
DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and
video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a
significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles
worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and
licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com.
About
Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Warner Bros. Consumer
Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing
and retail merchandising organizations in the world.
About
IMAX® Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in
entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and
equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a
world you’ve never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX
theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX’s
network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution
platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered
in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai
and Beijing. As of March 31, 2013, there were 738 IMAX theatres (606 commercial
multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 113 institutions) in 53
countries.
IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX
DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and
IMAX Is Believing® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about
the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also
connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter
(www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube
(www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).
