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Even if Dorothy had clicked her heels and wished for something special, she could hardly have anticipated the superb DVD release of "The Wizard of Oz".

The vivid and near lurid Technicolor tones of the film offer plenty of potential for poor definition when transferred to disc. There are no such worries here though, and it's hard to imagine that the movie ever looked better.

With songs galore set to delightful orchestrations, this is a film that's begging for a stereo track. Given the relative crudity of the recording system used, the all-new 5.1 sound mix is an absolute joy to listen to.

A whole host of special features accompany the movie, and their quality is excellent. They're broken down for you here, but this review can only hint at the depth of the material on offer:

• The Wonderful "Wizard of Oz": Documentary hosted by Angela Lansbury, produced in 1990. Including interviews with cast and crew, behind-the-scenes stills, and fascinating stories of how the movie was made, this is essential viewing for any fan of MGM's golden era. The difficulties of making such a costly, technically difficult movie are covered well. If this makes you want to know more, then do remind 大象传媒 Radio 4 that they have an excellent documentary of their own that could do with a repeat airing.
• Theatrical Trailers: We wouldn't normally highlight trailers on a DVD release, but these are worth making time for. A series of original and re-issue trailers are on offer here, and it'll be of interest to anyone that enjoys historical changes in movie marketing. Certainly "The Wizard of Oz" set new standards for hype campaigns that are very much still in use today.
• Outtakes and Deleted Scenes: Seasoned DVD buyers will know what a waste of time many deleted scenes sections are. Not so here; the material chopped from the movie is of a high standard, and these scenes reflect that. One is of original footage, while the rest is made up of stills shots, 16mm footage, and Technicolor test shots.
• Behind-the-Scenes: This section of the DVD offers a comprehensive gallery of stills, from special effects tests to costume trials, and 16mm footage shot by the composer Harold Arlen.
• "Oz" History: Here you can see clips from other "Oz"-related ventures, including a 1933 cartoon and silent movie versions - including one directed by (creator) Frank L Baum himself.
• "Oz" Afterlife: There's more interview material on offer here, plus stills taken from the New York and Hollywood premieres, a lovely gallery of different poster design from around the world, and plenty more.
• Audio supplements: Mysteriously, the DVD cover makes no mention of this section. Do seek it out, though, as there are extracts from the MGM Radio Show, a radio trailer, a jukebox of songs, and outtakes from the recording sessions.

Region: 2
Chapters: 55
Ratio: 1.33:1 (original Academy fullscreen ratio)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Extra Features: Scene selection, multiple languages and subtitles, and English and Italian for the hearing impaired.