The new immersive experience, The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, has officially opened in Las Vegas, and it’s a visual/physical experience that defies superlatives.
The original 1939 musical film stars the legendary Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, a young Kansas girl living in a dull black-and-white world who dreams of a place filled with color and life before she and her dog Toto are whisked away to the Technicolor world of Oz. The iconic movie has often been seen as a metaphor for young queer people searching to find their lives “over the rainbow.”
But at Sphere Las Vegas, the familiar classic is reborn with a stunning sensory depth. The 16K LED screen (the largest in the world) envelops you in a way that feels less like watching a movie and more like stepping into a dream. Thanks to generative AI technologies, the original film (shot for a 4:3 movie screen in the 1930s) now fills Sphere’s 160,000 sq. foot display plane, which wraps up, over, and around the audience to create a fully immersive visual environment.
A ‘Wizard of Oz’ Even Dorothy Couldn’t Dream Of
Throughout, the classic film’s narrative is seamlessly integrated with Sphere’s technology: the uber-vibrant colors of the Yellow Brick Road, the towering majesty of the Emerald City, and the terrifying glow of the Wicked Witch of the West’s fire are all amplified to jaw-dropping effect.
And the transition from black-and-white to the glorious Technicolor of Munchkinland is not just a visual change, but a full-body sensory shift.
The Kansas tornado scene is a visceral masterpiece; the haptic seats rumble, the air is filled with wind effects, and the visuals are so dynamic you can feel every swirl of the storm.
Video can’t do the live experience justice, but you’ll get the idea in this audience-shot clip.
Along the way, multi-sensory 4D elements – including snow, butterflies, flying apples, winged monkeys, and fire – fly through the air combining for maximum impact to make audiences feel like they are on the journey alongside the characters.
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The sound is a revelation. To leverage the capabilities of Sphere Immersive Sound, the original mono audio was digitally separated into individual stems of music, vocals, dialogue, and sound effects.
Then, the Academy Award-winning score was re-recorded (at the original MGM sound studio) and layered with the separate stems. As a result, the venue’s 167,000 speakers deliver every note, every whisper, and every tap of the ruby slippers with a new clarity that fills the entire space.
And with the Sphere’s directional sound capabilities, sound can travel around the dome. It’s an auditory feast that makes you feel like you’re standing right beside Dorothy and her friends.
You don’t just watch “The Wizard of Oz at Sphere,” you live it. This isn’t just a movie showing; it’s an experiential journey. Highly recommended.
Check out the report from CBS Sunday Morning below. Click here for more info and tickets.
We saw it last night. Incredible!