Hey, if it worked for James Franco and buddies, then surely the third dimension can also work for the classic 1939 adaptation. THE WIZARD OF OZ is rightly regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, and that means that Hollywood are just aching for the chance to re-release the Judy Garland starrer in a converted 3D format. This would make THE WIZARD OF OZ the oldest 3D converted film by quite a margin, with TOP GUN from 1986 the current elder. The buzz around THE WIZARD OF OZ has never really died down, with Broadway show WICKED becoming a gigantic hit, as well as this year’s OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL doing well at the box-office.
Warner Bros. will partner with IMAX to convert the film into 3D, from a print of the film that Warner Bros. have been restoring over the last four months. The restored print was screened for IMAX president Greg Foster, who had some nice words to say about it:
The sound was exceptional, the sharpness was exceptional. But it’s the color that stands out. What they could do is truly amazing, maybe what people felt when they first saw it.
It will be interesting to see how such a classic is adapted into 3D, and this could mean a whole load of classic films will be returning to the big-screen. I think companies should focus more on the idea of just IMAX prints though, as I would love to see some of my favourites on a gigantic screen.
The Wizard Of Oz gets a 3D conversion and release on 20th September 2013, with a 5 disc Blu-ray set following on 1st October.
Source: USA Today
