By Amara
How long has it been since you followed the yellow brick road? If you are anything like me, it has been more than five years since you watched the classic film “The Wizard of Oz”. That does not mean Oz has been left in the distance. In the cinematic world of twists and remakes the Emerald City gets a nose job every year or so. But this is no remake; in honor the 75th anniversary of the 1939 Judy Garland adventure comes a 3D IMAX remastered version of the original “The Wizard of Oz”.
But should the Technicolor, memorable songs, ridiculous outfits, and infamously quoted lines of this cinema classic be experienced in ultra modern 3D IMAX? I vote ‘yes’. The 3D IMAX experience offers visual changes that invigorate and honor the original. It was fun to get such a close look at facial makeup, loopy time-travel fantasy sets, and pop out slapstick moments. And due to the 3D modifications, the black and white scenes held more depth, literally, and interest for me then ever before. But the greatest IMAX success was the simple goal that so many films strive for; through the use of IMAX 3D “The Wizard of Oz” succeeds in putting the viewer into the story better than ever before.
There were select moments when the 3D IMAX failed. The pop-out text of the intro titles managed to detract from the film going experience before the film actually got going. The resulting blunder was a silly text effect that was difficult to read. But the standout error occurred during a panning shot through the poppie fields where the low film resolution merged with the modern day IMAX modifications to create an experience that was more than just off, it was slightly nauseating. The poorly reviewed result was so intensely erroneous that at one point that I came close to removing my 3D glasses entirely.
But aside from these select hiccups, “The Wizard of Oz” in 3D IMAX was a magical experience up to the needs of a new generation of viewers, with a little something extra for those of us returning to an old cinema friend.
3.5/5
