Centennial, Colo. – Aug. 18, 2009 – You won’t believe your eyes and ears on this brand new magical journey down the yellow brick road with Dorothy, her dog Toto, The Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. On September 23rd, NCM Fathom, Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will give theatergoers the opportunity to experience this family classic for the first time in high definition on the big screen.
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Hi-Def Event, a special one-night only, nationwide in-theater presentation, will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 23rd at 7:00 p.m. local time. The unforgettable cultural icon has been entirely re-mastered and will be shown in movie theaters for the first time ever in high definition in an historic big-screen event that celebrates the 70th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz.” The event will also feature the specially created “To Oz! The Making of a Classic,” an exclusive look inside Oz featuring behind-the-scenes footage, home movies and archival interviews with the cast and crew.
Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit the web site (theaters and participants are subject to change).
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Hi-Def Event will be introduced by Robert Osborne, classic film historian and host of Turner Classic Movies, who will share facts and stories about this ageless classic. The exclusive cut of “To Oz! The Making of a Classic” will offer audiences a unique peek into the Land of Oz through interviews with original Munchkin actors; an audio outtake of “If I Only Had a Brain” with Ray Bolger and July Garland, complete with stills and home movie footage; and a look at how the MGM artists and craftsmen created the music, costumes and amazing special effects for “The Wizard of Oz” in the 1930s.
“Warner Home Video is proud to be part of the year-long celebration of this cinematic treasure. We’re also delighted to be bringing it into the digital age with this new painstakingly re-mastered Blu-ray, which makes it seem like you’re seeing these endearing characters and hearing the unforgettable Oz songs for the first time,” said Jeff Baker, Warner Home Video’s executive vice president and general manager, Theatrical Catalog.
Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s timeless children’s tale about a Kansas girl’s journey over the rainbow, “The Wizard of Oz” opened on Aug. 15, 1939 and is ranked among the top 10 best movies of all-time. “The Wizard of Oz” received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and captured two Oscars – Best Song (“Over the Rainbow”) and Best Original Score – plus a special award for Outstanding Juvenile Performance by Judy Garland.
“NCM Fathom continues to bring communities together in local movie theaters and we are proud to be the first to present this much-loved story to audiences in a way they’re sure to remember,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of Fathom. “Fans – young and old – will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Dorothy’s journey come to life on the big screen in a high definition experience that will include an exclusive look inside the making of this masterpiece.”
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Hi-Def Event appears on the big screen in high definition with Cinema Surround Sound in 449 select AMC Entertainment Inc., Celebration! Cinema, Cinemark Holdings, Inc., Clearview Cinemas, Cobb Theatres, Georgia Theatre Co., Goodrich Quality Theaters, Hollywood Theaters, Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, Malco Theatres, National Amusements and Regal Entertainment Group movie theaters, as well as Arlington Theatre (Santa Barbara, CA), The Carolina (Asheville, NC), El Raton Theatre (Raton, NM), Palace Cinema 9 (South Burlington, VT) and Penn Cinema (Lititz, PA), through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.
Warner Home Video’s re-mastered Blu-ray and DVD release, The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition, debuts September 29. With six times higher resolution than standard DVD, along with the sonic excellence of Dolby TruHD, the film will be at its pristine best, marking an historic benchmark in the Blu-ray format. The limited and numbered Ultimate Collector’s Editions will feature 16 hours of bonus features – four hours of which have never been available before now. Every package will bear a silver label containing a specific numbered version; once these packages are sold out, they will never again be available to consumers.
Visit the official website www.thewizardofoz.com for more information on events and products.
About National CineMedia:
NCM LLC operates the largest digital in-theatre network in North America through long-term agreements with its founding members, AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), the three largest theatre operators in the U.S., and through multi-year agreements with several other theatre operators. NCM LLC produces and distributes its FirstLook pre feature program; cinema, lobby and online advertising products; comprehensive meeting and event services and other entertainment programming content. NCM LLC’s national network includes approximately 16,800 screens of which approximately 15,500 are part of the company’s Digital Content Network (DCN). NCM LLC’s network covers 171 Designated Market Areas(R) (49 of the top 50). During 2008, approximately 660 million patrons attended movies shown in theatres currently included in the network (excluding Regal Consolidated Theatres). National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 41.5% interest in and is the managing member of NCM LLC. To learn more about National CineMedia Inc., please visit the company’s website at www.ncm.com.
About Warner Home Video:
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment. www.thewizardofoz.com
About Turner Classic Movies:
Turner Classic Movies is a Peabody Award-winning network celebrating 15 years of presenting great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world. Currently seen in more than 80 million homes, TCM features the insights of veteran primetime host Robert Osborne and weekend daytime host Ben Mankiewicz, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests. As the foremost authority in classic films, TCM offers critically acclaimed original documentaries and specials, along with regular programming events that include The Essentials, 31 Days of Oscar and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, along with hosting a wealth of materials at its Web site, www.tcm.com. TCM is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.
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