General News

Early Look At IMAX Digital Remastering Of THE WIZARD OF OZ

By Michelle McCue | September 10, 2013

With IMAX’s re-rerelease of the Warner Brothers classic THE WIZARD OF OZ, check out this special Behind the Frame featurette. This particular episode goes behind-the-scenes with both IMAX and Warner Brothers to shed light on the iconic classic brought back to life.

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 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.

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.

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.

The Wizard of Oz™ will return to the big screen for an exclusive one-week engagement in IMAX theatres across North America beginning September 20, 2013.

The film is rated PG.