Netflix Celebrates Wizard of Oz Anniversary

LOS GATOS: A free and commercially uninterrupted online screening of the newly restored 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz is being offered by Netflix to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic film.

On October 3, the film will be available to view on a computer for free for 24 hours, starting at 9 a.m. Additionally, Netflix members on an unlimited plan will be able to instantly watch The Wizard of Oz in HD on their TVs via a range of Netflix-ready devices.

To celebrate the classic’s return to the spotlight, Netflix also announced it will host a free live concert and movie screening on September 29 in New York’s Central Park. The concert will feature contemporary interpretations of classic songs from the The Wizard of Oz by the Academy Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning singer Jennifer Hudson and two-time American Country Music Award and two-time Dancing with the Stars winner Julianne Hough.

Earlier that day, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will issue the digitally remastered The Wizard of Oz on Blu-ray, DVD, on demand and digital download. To celebrate the film’s first time in the Blu-ray format, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will issue The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition. The limited and numbered Ultimate Collector’s Edition will feature 16 hours of bonus features, four hours of which have never been available before now.