The Luscious New 'Wizard Of Oz' Box: Come For The Watch, Stay For The Movie

Judy Garland looks extra-spiffy in the restored The Wizard Of Oz, which has been released in a new box set with some extra add-ons. (MGM Studios/Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

by Linda Holmes

One important thing to understand about the fancy new box set of The Wizard Of Oz celebrating its 70th anniversary is not a new restoration of the film. The big restoration came in 2005 for the "Collector's Edition" -- this is the "Ultimate Collector's Edition," and it's the first release of the film on Blu-ray, which is how I saw it.

What makes The Wizard Of Oz such an interesting candidate for a loving and meticulous restoration -- especially on Blu-ray -- is that the more closely you look at the film, the less realistic it appears, and the more the matte paintings look like matte paintings, and the more conspicuous it becomes that the entire thing is shot inside on soundstages, and not in fields or forests or on the Kansas prairie.

When you look at a modern film that benefits from high-definition, like, say, The Dark Knight, the high quality feeds the vivid realism. But with Oz, those same things feed the vivid unrealism -- rather than intensifying the film as a true-to-life, you-are-there, through-the-screen immersion, it works as an ever more beautifully produced storybook.

What's included and whether it's worth it, after the jump ...

Some elements of the gradual spiffing-up of the movie over the years have been critical to even a basic appreciation of its beauty: those of us who grew up watching it on television were largely stuck with actual black-and-white for the opening in Kansas, when it was, of course, actually done in sepia tones that made their comeback in 1989.

This set also includes -- as did the 2005 set -- a lovely little featurette about just how much work it took to restore the original at that time, from improving the audio to digitally removing dust and scratches. If you've never treated yourself to the cleaned-up version since 2005 and you're any kind of a fan of the movie, you will want to see it for sure. TV viewings and VHS tapes really are remarkably different from what's been achieved since the restoration.

As for what's new, the big box sets (both on DVD and Blu-ray) include a collectible watch that is, as you might expect, nothing to write home about, elegance-wise, but it does tell time, and if you know an Oz fan who likes a playful fashion accessory, it might go over well. There's also a book with photos and cast bios, but it's likely to be a little underwhelming for anyone who has basic access to film history.

What is a hoot is the replica of the campaign book, which contains the material sent to theater owners to help them with publicity. Marvelously, opening the book reveals the giant word "EXPLOITATION," which is used in an entirely positive way: "A book famous in fiction, a play celebrated on the American stage, a picture that is truly a triumph for EXPLOITATION." I promise you, that's what it says.

Inside, there are ideas for promotional games of all kinds (like coloring contests), some of which are adorably referred to as "ballyhoos." It's absolutely tragic we don't say "ballyhoo" very much anymore. The campaign book is a great example of bonus material that actually helps put the film in historical context by casting light on how MGM planned to promote it, what they thought would sell it, and -- oh, yes -- the fact that the movie business has always been crass, so if you find it crass now, just remember the words "a triumph for EXPLOITATION."

The best reason to see the movie, however, remains ... the movie. It's a pretty radical notion, if you think about it, that even if a fantasy is in brilliant color and home is dusty and simple, you will long for home. It is apparently a true story that "Over The Rainbow" was almost cut from the movie, but it thankfully wasn't, and as Judy Garland leans back into the hay, you'll understand what makes it great (and if you've never listened to that discussion of the song that NPR carried about a year ago, do treat yourself).

But even if you didn't follow the story, you could just stare at the movie and not do badly. Those pretty painted backgrounds may not be very realistic, but they have their own brand of retro brilliance, and DVD and Blu-ray releases are particularly nicely suited to movies where blocks of brilliant color dominate. Red shoes, the Yellow Brick Road, the Emerald City, the witch's face -- colors play a huge role here, both because of the use of Technicolor to begin with and because they chose the contrast between Technicolor and sepia to represent the line between Kansas and Oz. (One of the many bits of trivia mentioned a couple of times in the bonus material is that the famous shoes are silver in the book; they were red in the movie because ... why waste Technicolor on silver?)

There are hours and hours (and hours) of extras, some new and some not, depending on the edition you choose, so make sure you check the label. (The movie's official site may be of some help with that.) This release doesn't represent a huge step forward from the 2005 set, but if you haven't popped for a restored version on DVD or Blu-ray yet, it's a great big box with a lot to recommend it.

Plus: a watch!