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Robert Harris

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The problem with the new 4k Blu-ray of The Wizard of Oz, if there is one, is that the previous HD Blu-ray was as good as it was.
And because of that, and the myriad of previous releases, whether one ponies up for the new 4k will probably revolve around whether one has the Blu-ray, or the 3D release, or is a blatant 4k fan.
Is there a difference in overall resolution between the Blu-ray and the 4k?
Absolutely.
It’s obvious, when examining details such as Judy Garland’s freckles when during her first color close-up.
Will it make a difference to the casual viewer?
I think not.
I certainly appreciate it, along with the more natural appearance to grain.
Blacks are a bit blacker.
Colors a bit more vibrant.
It’s all good.
If one never bought a copy of WoZ, this is certainly the way to go, but it’s not the film to sell 4k hardware.
It all comes down to personal desires.
I happen to love the look, but it may not be for everyone.
Image – 5 (Dolby Vision)
Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
Pass / Fail...

Continue reading...
 
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Robert Crawford

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I already watched it once in 4K/Dolby Vision on iTunes and loved the video presentation of the movie so I might buy the 4K disc at a later time if it gets discounted down enough.
 

Mark Booth

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I think the gist of Robert's comments is that the previous Blu-ray is so darn good the margin for glaring improvement with the 4K version is diminished compared to what we normally see with 4K upgrades. He doesn't seem disappointed, he's just commenting that the room for improvement is less than we are used to.

Mark
 

Robert Crawford

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I think the gist of Robert's comments is that the previous Blu-ray is so darn good the margin for glaring improvement with the 4K version is diminished compared to what we normally see with 4K upgrades. He doesn't seem disappointed, he's just commenting that the room for improvement is less than we are used to.

Mark
That's probably true, but non-hardcore viewers will most likely not remembered what the previous Blu-ray looks like as they will be astonish to how this current 4K disc looks on their 4K display. Of course, it depends on whether they have their 4K equipment hooked up properly.:)
 

Colin Jacobson

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I think the gist of Robert's comments is that the previous Blu-ray is so darn good the margin for glaring improvement with the 4K version is diminished compared to what we normally see with 4K upgrades. He doesn't seem disappointed, he's just commenting that the room for improvement is less than we are used to.

And that's where I differ.

I watched the 4 Bond 4Ks over the weekend and felt those offered only moderate improvements - I wouldn't endorse those as being obvious upgrades.

IMO, "Oz" is. I flipped back and forth between the 2013 BD and the 4K and the difference was major...
 

Colin Jacobson

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RAH, I think the casual viewer will see a major difference as it will be eye-popping to him/her from previous viewings.

Are there really many "casual viewers" who're a) gonna read reviews and/or b) buy it at all? 4K is a niche of a niche that appeals overwhelmingly toward those serious about quality.

The "casual viewer" is probably still happy with his circa 1990s DVD! :D
 

Brian Kidd

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And that's where I differ.

I watched the 4 Bond 4Ks over the weekend and felt those offered only moderate improvements - I wouldn't endorse those as being obvious upgrades.

IMO, "Oz" is. I flipped back and forth between the 2013 BD and the 4K and the difference was major...
Then again, you have to take into consideration that the 4K Bond films are modern films where you likely won't see much difference between the Blu-ray and UHD, due to the fact that these movies were made with modern production technology and methodology and were expressly mastered to look good on primarily 2K digital cinema projectors. The Wizard of Oz was produced in 1939 and it's only now, with the power of computers, that work can be done on the original elements that rivals that which was performed even a decade ago that allows the viewer to watch the film with a clarity that couldn't have been imagined back in 1939. Add to that, the potential benefits of HDR on a film with as vibrant a color palate as Oz and you have a result that, according to those who have the disc, rivals the experience available on the Blu-ray. As Mr. Harris pointed out, it isn't a dramatic boost over the Blu-ray, but it is something that will likely make an appreciable increase in quality for those who care about such things. At the current price point, I'm excited for it. If for no other reason, I'm going to buy it to show WB that there is a market for older films in UHD. I know it isn't going to open the flood gates or anything, but we might see a few more 4K releases of older films, which would be great.
 

PMF

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"The Wizard of Oz" (1939) is now the oldest film on 4K.
Now, if that's not exciting news then I don't know what is;
especially since RAH's review has confirmed its balanced success.
Echoing Brian Kidd, Warner's will see my support, as well. Can't wait.:thumbs-up-smiley:
 
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PMF

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The whole point is that 4k is not for the casual viewer, right? I've seen samples of the 4k and it is like nothing my eyes have ever seen before. Stunning.
Definitely stunning.
But to the befuddled shaking of my head, I know a few people who remain satisfied with viewing a film on their laptop;
and, before my eyes, they just literally shrug their shoulders over these advancements that astound so many others.
As it is, even a 10% improvement over the prior BD; which was already as perfect as one could imagine; is something I look more than forward to experiencing.:thumbs-up-smiley:
 
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Colin Jacobson

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Then again, you have to take into consideration that the 4K Bond films are modern films where you likely won't see much difference between the Blu-ray and UHD, due to the fact that these movies were made with modern production technology and methodology and were expressly mastered to look good on primarily 2K digital cinema projectors. The Wizard of Oz was produced in 1939 and it's only now, with the power of computers, that work can be done on the original elements that rivals that which was performed even a decade ago that allows the viewer to watch the film with a clarity that couldn't have been imagined back in 1939. Add to that, the potential benefits of HDR on a film with as vibrant a color palate as Oz and you have a result that, according to those who have the disc, rivals the experience available on the Blu-ray. As Mr. Harris pointed out, it isn't a dramatic boost over the Blu-ray, but it is something that will likely make an appreciable increase in quality for those who care about such things. At the current price point, I'm excited for it. If for no other reason, I'm going to buy it to show WB that there is a market for older films in UHD. I know it isn't going to open the flood gates or anything, but we might see a few more 4K releases of older films, which would be great.

I brought up the Bonds simply to point out I don't always - or often - go "MASSIVE improvement!!!" for 4K releases.

And I've seen other modern movies that looked way better on 4K than on BD - "Guardians 2" comes to mind - so new movies benefit from the format.

I'm confused about your point, as on one hand, you seem to indicate that "Oz" 4K is a big improvement, but then you say it's not..,
 

Brian Kidd

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I brought up the Bonds simply to point out I don't always - or often - go "MASSIVE improvement!!!" for 4K releases.

And I've seen other modern movies that looked way better on 4K than on BD - "Guardians 2" comes to mind - so new movies benefit from the format.

I'm confused about your point, as on one hand, you seem to indicate that "Oz" 4K is a big improvement, but then you say it's not..,
I think you misunderstood me. It will absolutely be an improvement on the old Blu-ray, especially for those of us who are enthusiasts. My post was inferring that an increase in clarity and judicious use of HDR on an eighty-year-old film will typically have more of an impact on the viewer than a 4K transfer of a modern film, where one already expects that the film will look good on Blu-ray. In quantifiable terms, the difference between the Blu-ray and UHD for Oz is undoubtedly nothing Earth-shattering, but in terms of perceptual impact, I believe it has a much-higher potential to please fans of the film than does a UHD upscale of a typical modern, 2K, digitally shot and mastered film. Of course there will be modern films that, for one reason or another, offer notable benefits from their 4K version in comparison to the Blu-ray version, but I honestly feel that, in many cases, these are exceptions rather than the norm.

Everyone's personal appreciation of the benefits of a particular film's UHD vs. Blu-ray release is different depending upon their individual preferences and that's fine. Sometimes there are huge benefits of one over the other and sometimes not. In the case of Oz, I expect that the factors that have been mentioned by others are ones that are of interest to me and I've stated my reasons why I feel this is the case. I apologize that I misread your last point in your post to which I was responding. I just realized that. That's what I get for reading too quickly.
 
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Timothy A Goldich

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The problem with the new 4k Blu-ray of The Wizard of Oz, if there is one, is that the previous HD Blu-ray was as good as it was.

And because of that, and the myriad of previous releases, whether one ponies up for the new 4k will probably revolve around whether one has the Blu-ray, or the 3D release, or is a blatant 4k fan.

Is there a difference in overall resolution between the Blu-ray and the 4k?

Absolutely.

It's obvious, when examining details such as Judy Garland's freckles when during her first color close-up.

Will it make a difference to the casual viewer?

I think not.

I certainly appreciate it, along with the more natural appearance to grain.

Blacks are a bit blacker.

Colors a bit more vibrant.

It's all good.

If one never bought a copy of WoZ, this is certainly the way to go, but it's not the film to sell 4k hardware.

It all comes down to personal desires.

I happen to love the look, but it may not be for everyone.

Image – 5 (Dolby Vision)

Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Upgrade from Blu-ray - Depends

Extremely Highly Recommended

RAH
The thing is, everyone seems to think that a movie consists only of a picture; what about the sound! Maybe the picture cannot be improved upon, but advancements in audio technology are such that noticeable improvements could be made. I'd be every bit as excited about that, but no one seems to have anything at all to say about the sound portion of this great classic.
 

Robert Harris

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RAH, I think the casual viewer will see a major difference as it will be eye-popping to him/her from previous viewings.[/QUOTE
The thing is, everyone seems to think that a movie consists only of a picture; what about the sound! Maybe the picture cannot be improved upon, but advancements in audio technology are such that noticeable improvements could be made. I'd be every bit as excited about that, but no one seems to have anything at all to say about the sound portion of this great classic.

The audio has been beautifully rendered, but image takes precedence here.
 

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