Blu-ray Review: The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary Edition)

The Wizard of Oz is plain and simple, one of the greatest films ever made. It's a timeless story made even richer by the incredible artistry put into the visuals and music. If any film is deserving an HD restoration, The Wizard of Oz would be near the top of the list. But with so much riding on the HD transfer, can the Blu-ray ever hold up to the timeless image of the film we hold in our memories?

Luckily, the new restoration certainly makes a go at it. To breathe new life into this release, the film was completely remastered by scanning the original Technicolor negatives. All-in-all, it's a huge, noticeable step up from the 2005 DVD release, especially when viewed on a proper HD television. In the sound department, the film has been given a slick new Dolby TrueHD 5.1 option, but viewers can also choose original mono track instead, if they so desire. It might not be as noticeable as the now pristine image, but again, it's still a big step up from the latest DVD.

My only complaint would be the serious lack of consequential bonus material included. It's a one-disc set, and it really shows. Special features of note include commentary by film historian John Fricke and a featurette on the restoration, but little else that would hold your attention for very long. For true Wizard of Oz enthusiasts, I would have to recommend springing for the larger box set, if only to get a much broader experience out of this new restoration.

Bonus features aside, the new release is certainly worth it for the picture and sound quality alone. If you're packing a Blu-ray player and HDTV, there's really no better way to return to Oz.

Review material for this article was provided by Warner Bros.' Blu-ray Elite program.