The Wizard of Oz 3D: Will it spoil a cinematic classic?

To celebrate its 90th anniversary, Warner Bros. announces a 3D re-release of the classic family film. Fans are skeptical

"The Wizard of Oz"
(Image credit: Facebook.com/The Wizard of Oz)

Attention, fans of Dorothy and Co.: The next time you're off to see the wonderful Wizard of Oz, you should probably bring your 3D glasses along. This week, Warner Bros. announced that it will celebrate the company's 90th anniversary by converting its most beloved film — 1939's The Wizard of Oz — into 3D. (Watch a trailer from a previous Wizard of Oz re-release below.) The Wizard of Oz's fully remastered, 3D-converted re-release will arrive on DVD and Blu-Ray in fall 2013, and a 3D re-release in movie theaters is widely expected to follow. Of course, not everyone is excited about this new twist on an old favorite. Fans have decried the decision as "the ultimate slap in the face" to devotees of the classic film. Is it really such a bad idea?

3D could improve The Wizard of Oz: "The Wizard of Oz is one classic-era film I'd love to see in 3D," says Lou Lumenick at The New York Post. The film's bold colors and otherworldly setting make 3D a perfect fit. And if you really don't want to see The Wizard of Oz in 3D, you don't have to. Though Warner Bros. hasn't made an official announcement about a non-3D Blu-Ray release, it's obvious that the studio won't miss the chance to release its "most valuable and lucrative catalogue title" in every format imaginable — including a version without 3D.

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