"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is officially "over the hill." The acclaimed, ever-popular movie "The Wizard of Oz" turned 70 years old this year.

To celebrate, a newly remastered high-definition version of the 1939 classic is debuting for one night only in movie theaters across the nation. It will screen 7 p.m. Wednesday at select theaters in Mesa, Ahwatukee Foothills and the rest of the Valley.

The digital process used to restore the film, which began shooting in late 1938, is more advanced than technology available at the time of the last remastered version, released on DVD in 2005. Using its own Ultra-Resolution technology, Warner Bros. scanned each of the movie’s original nitrate Technicolor camera negatives at more than twice the resolution level of the 2005 release. The scans were painstakingly aligned for perfect image registration on a frame-by-frame basis, then manually cleaned of dirt and imperfections.

The result is an Oz so rich in color and dimension that it’s easy to suppose the fantastic land has only ever been seen like this once before: in the imagination of its creator, 1900s-era children’s author L. Frank Baum.

On screen, the movie will be introduced by classic film and "Oscar" historian Robert Osborne, the host of Turner Classic Movies and writer for "The Hollywood Reporter." Osborne will share facts and stories about the original movie. In addition, a special "making-of" featurette will be shown. It includes stills and home movie footage from the 1939 production, a look at how MGM artists and craftsmen of the time created costumes and special effects, and interviews with original "Munchkin" actors.

Adapted from Baum’s children’s tales, "The Wizard of Oz" opened Aug. 15, 1939. It received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, in 1940, up against "Gone With the Wind." The film captured two Oscars - Best Song (for "Over the Rainbow") and Best Original Score - and a special award for Outstanding Juvenile Performance by Judy Garland, then 17.

"Oz" is consistently ranked among the best movies of all time on numerous lists, such as the American Film Institute’s Top Ten of the 100 Greatest Movies of All Time.

The remastered movie will be available on DVD and Blu-ray in a boxed set called "The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition," out Sept. 29. The limited, numbered packages will feature 16 hours of bonus footage - including four hours of never-before-seen material - a 52-page commemorative book and other items.

Theaters at Mesa Riverview and Stapley Drive and Baseline Road in Mesa will show the film. It will also play at Arrowhead Town Center 14 and Westgate 20 in Glendale, Ahwatukee 24 and Desert Ridge 18 in Phoenix and Sonora Village 10 in Scottsdale, and two theaters in Tucson.

Tickets are available at theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

See "The Wizard of Oz" on the big screen

What: The first-ever high-definition version of the beloved 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" plays in movie theaters for one night only, with bonus behind-the-scenes footage.

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Cinemark 16, 1051 N. Dobson Road, Mesa; Mesa Grande 24, 1645 S. Stapley Drive, Mesa; Ahwatukee 24, 4915 E. Ray Road, Phoenix. For a list of more Arizona theaters showing the film, see the film’s Web site.

Cost: $10

Information: www.thewizardofoz.com



"The Wizard of Oz" trivia



Creator L. Frank Baum is said to have thought up the name "Oz" when he glanced at his filing cabinet and saw a drawer labeled "O-Z."



MGM paid $75,000 for the film rights to Baum’s story.



Toto’s real name was Terry. She was stepped on by one of the witch’s guards and had a double for two weeks. You can also see her run out of the frame in a scene where the Tin Man shoots steam from his cap; the noise scared her.



Judy Garland wanted to adopt Terry after filming the movie, but Terry’s owner wouldn’t give her up.



The costume Bert Lahr wore for his role as The Cowardly Lion weighed 90 pounds.



The "twister" that transported Dorothy to Oz was a 35-foot-long muslin stocking, photographed with miniatures of a Kansas farm and fields.



The horses in The Emerald City were colored with Jell-O crystals. The scenes had to be shot quickly, before the horses started to lick off the "dye."



Judy Garland had to wear a corset-style device around her torso so that she would appear younger and flat-chested; while the character of Dorothy’s exact age is unknown, she’s thought to be around 12.



The Wicked Witch’s head flying monkey is named Nikko. Nikko is the name of the Japanese town with the shrine featuring the famous Hear No/See No/Speak No Evil monkeys.



Many of the Wicked Witch of the West’s scenes were trimmed or cut entirely, as actress Margaret Hamilton’s performance was thought too frightening for audiences.





Source: www.IMDB.com