Off to see “The Wizard” for free at Netflix Oct. 3

By Ian Bell September 8, 2009

Netflix Anyone with a computer and Internet connection can be off to see “The Wizard of Oz” for free next month, courtesy of Netflix Inc.’s movie-streaming service.

The free showings will be available throughout the U.S. for 24 hours beginning at 9 a.m. EDT Oct. 3.

It’s part of a publicity stunt to draw attention to the film’s 70th anniversary. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is celebrating the occasion by selling a special edition of the movie on Blu-ray and DVD beginning Sept. 29.

While Time Warner Inc.’s home video unit is trying to drum up more sales, Netflix is hoping to introducing more people to the convenience of streaming movies over the Internet. The technology already has helped Netflix — the leading DVD-by-mail service — attract more than 4 million subscribers since the company unveiled its streaming service in 2007.

Netflix’s 10.6 million subscribers will be able to watch “The Wizard of Oz” in high-definition during the free promotion if they have a flat-panel TV and one of the many gadgets compatible with the company’s streaming service. Customers just have to remember to add the movie to their queues.

Non-subscribers should be able to watch the movie for free on their computers by going to http://www.netflix.com/wizardofoz.

Netflix is also staging a free concert in New York’s Central Park on Sept. 29, headlined by Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, performing songs from film. After the concert, the movie will be shown on an inflatable screen in Central Park. (Unfortunately for those into “The Wizard of Oz” psychedelic lore, there are no plans to play Pink Floyd’s album “Dark Side of The Moon” during the public showing.)

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Publisher

I work with the best people in the world and get paid to play with gadgets. What's not to like?

Audio / Video

How much does Netflix cost? A breakdown of the streamer’s plans

Netflix Who's watching/manage profiles screen.

Like everything else on the planet, Netflix seems to get more expensive each year. The most premium Netflix plan now costs $23 per month -- though the team has also introduced a relatively new plan that clocks in at just $7 per month (but you'll need to deal with pesky ads to offset the low price). The company has been cracking down on password sharing in recent years, so there's a good chance you'll be kicked off your old roommate's plan and need to get your own soon enough, making it important to understand how much the service costs.

Netflix offers three different plans, and determining how much Netflix costs comes down to figuring out which plan you're interested in. The three plans have big differences, including streaming resolution, number of supported members, and whether you'll be stuck watching ads during your favorite show.

Audio / Video

Crutchfield sale: Up to $1,500 off LG TVs — including the fantastic C3

The LG C3 Series OLED 4K TV in a living room.

Crutchfield has some fantastic TV deals going on at the moment with one of our favorites -- the LG C3 -- featuring prominently. Alongside that are many other exceptional OLED TVs. With 17 available in the sale, it’s a good idea to take a look for yourself through the button below. If you want to read more about the TVs we love though, keep reading and we’ll explain all.

What to shop for in the Crutchfield LG TV sale
One of the best TVs around is currently $900 off at Crutchfield with the down to $1,597 from $2,497. The LG 65-inch C3 OLED TV is an exceptional TV with its OLED panel ensuring that every pixel lights up independently of each other, ensuring deep blacks and vibrant colors all in the same scene. The TV uses AI processing via the LG a9 Gen 6 processor so it analyzes and improves the picture as you watch. It leads to a boost in brightness and detail as needed while there’s LG’s Cinema HDR, dynamic intelligent tone-mapping, Dolby Vision IQ, and much more. It’s great for gaming as well as watching movies thanks to dedicated modes that are enabled as needed. Even the remote is great thanks to having a mic built-in and being very simple to use.

Entertainment

23 of the best Netflix hacks, tips, and tricks

The Netflix home screen.

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming platforms for all things movies and TV shows. Home to an immense library of titles, the Netflix archive is constantly changing and evolving, and so are the many ways you can use your Netflix account.

For instance, did you know you can access region-locked Netflix shows and flicks by using a VPN? Or that you can disable that pesky Autoplay feature? There are tons of Netflix hacks, tips, and tricks out there, so we’ve gone ahead and rounded up all of our favorites!
Expand your streaming with a VPN