New Wizard of Oz Restoration for a SE?

[PocahontasPride]

when does this come out again?

[Disneykid]

There's no date set, yet. My guess is 2006 because 2005 seems too soon considering they just recently started work on the restoration. You never know, though. With all of the laserdisc and previous DVD features available, it shouldn't be too hard to produce the new DVD, so perhaps we may see it in 2005, afterall.

[deathie mouse]

mmm I was thinking about that. Didn't Sony just buy the MGM library of films? I wonder if this would affect the WB SE re-release..

Maybe someone else has more info on this. 2099net?

Anyway if Sony would be the one doing a re-release, Wizard of Oz probaby will be one of the flagships in the initial batch of its Blue-Ray format to establish it as THE format


btw I rewrote a paraghraph on my last post to correct something

[Little Red Henski]

I got the Judy Garland boxset on order. If The Wizard of OZ gets the 4 disc treatment like Gone with the Wind did I'll gladly double dip.

[2099net]

mmm I was thinking about that. Didn't Sony just buy the MGM library of films? I wonder if this would affect the WB SE re-release..

Maybe someone else has more info on this. 2099net?

Warners will continue to own all of the early MGM films (with the odd exception which belongs to Turner, which, let's face it, is virtually Warners anyway). I'm not sure, but I think Turner owns Gone with the Wind, not Warners as such, but I could be wrong. I don't think it really matters being as Turner and Warners are close companies.

I'm not sure the exact cut-off point, but I think its 1986. Warners own all the MGM films before this date, and MGM (now Sony) own all the MGM films past this date. <strike>Warners basically bought them in a job lot, with Turner cherry-picking some titles.</strike> Turner bought the MGM studio, but had to quickly sell the film catalog. They were sold "en mass" to Warners, but Turner kept a few hand-picked titles himself.

Note: I am only talking about MGM branded films. MGM's United Artists films have always remained with MGM, so these will be with Sony now. I think the logic behind this was MGM wanted to keep their James Bond films, which are UA titles. MGM also owned some Polygram library of titles (such as Four Weddings and A Funeral) and all[?] Orion pictures (such as Three Amigos!). There will now be with Sony too.

So here's a quick list of examples:

Legally Blonde > Sony (post cut-off)
Dr No > Sony (pre cut-off, but United Artists)
West Side Story > Sony (pre cut-off, but United Artists)
Strange Brew > Warners (pre cut-off)
A Day At The Races > Warners (pre cut-off)
Thelma and Louise > Sony (post cut-off)
Tarzan The Ape Man > Warners (pre cut-off)
Robocop > Sony (Orion)
Freaks > Warners (pre cut-off)
How To Get A Head In Advertising > Sony (post cut-off)


You will note the Warner owned MGMs all include the original opening MGM Lion. I believe this was a condition of the sale; the opening cannot be removed at any time. Such agreements are common, as it appeals to the vanity of the studio heads - their company may be bankrupt or in financial trouble, but their branding will live on. It's the same as how some Universal films still include the Paramount opening (such as Duck Soup, Island of Lost Souls and Psycho[?] does), and some Warner films still have the RKO openings.

Jack will, no doubt, be able to confirm Psycho's opening, but some Universal Hitchcock's have Paramount openings.

One interesting result of this is Never Say Never Again, the faux-James Bond title. This was a Warner Bros co-produced film with Orion and distributed by Warners, that was sold to MGM (who wanted to get a consistant James Bond catalog).

Here's some info, at appears I was mainly right:
http://www.brainyencyclopedia.com/encyc ... mayer.html

It would appear MGM never owned Gone With The Wind, it was a distribution deal only. Turner does own the film now (it has copyrights of (c) 1939 Turner Entertainment) I think this because he kept the right rather then sell them on to Warners.

[Teen Artist]

Wow, this release of The Wizard of Oz sounds like it'll be really good. I'll probably get it since it was one of my favorite movies when I was younger and I have yet to own a paid version of it. Yay for remastering!

[The Little Merman]

WOO HOOO!!! I have watched this movie 13 times in the past 5 days! I saw it once on t.v. then I saw it twice on saturday on t.v, and then watched the dvd, then I saw it two more times on the tube sunday and watched the dvd twice, then on monday I watched the dvd three times, once on tuesday, and one today! WoW o WoW I'm strange... anyways.. I am fine with the current DVD's movie, but must double dip for special features. In the DVD, there are 2 sections- Kansas (Movie) and Oz (Spec. Features), so...if I watch the movie in Kansas and then go to Oz and then want to go back to Kansas, it sends me to the Main Menu, and UGH! How about 2 SEPARATE discs. But, this is fabulous news....

[MickeyMouseboy]

All I can say is that I cant wait for ShowGirls - Boob job Edition Deluxe Superbit edition!