Searchers in 4K? (1 Viewer)

[winstoncarolina]

Having just finished Glenn Frankel's incredible book on the making of John Ford's "The Searchers," I watched the Blu-Ray again. While it might have been a state-of-the-art transfer
20 years ago, it looks pretty sad today. Are any plans in the works for Warner Archive to remaster it in 4K from the original VistaVision negative? Anyone one know who decided to film it
in VistaVision, which was a rare outside the Paramount lot.

 

[Keith Cobby]

In addition to The Searchers, Warners have North by Northwest and High Society in VistaVision (not sure if there are any others). All should look splendid on 4k disc.

 

[winstoncarolina]

Hitchcock was familiar with VistaVision because he had to shoot all his films at Paramount in the process and apparently liked it enough to continue using it at MGM for "North by Northwest." I don't know why MGM, which was using CInemaScope for its widescreen productions during the 1950s, switched for "High Society." The film was originally intended and released as a "roadshow" attraction, so maybe that had something to do with it.
However, "The Searchers" may have been the only film from Warner Bros. in the process. It was an independent C.V. Whitney production and possibly that team decided to use VistaVision, not Jack Warner. But I have not been able to find out how VistaVision figured into "The Searchers." We can all be glad it was filmed in the process and so argumented Ford's artfully composed views of Monument Valley. Ford hadn't used it before and wouldn't use it again.

 

[classicscaper]

This is one I would love to see in 4K. I have no idea as to the condition of the elements, but hopefully since it's both a "John Wayne" title and has the added appeal of being a cinema buff favorite, we will see it sooner rather than later (although separate from the Archive line would be my guess).

 

[Robin9]

This is one I would love to see in 4K. I have no idea as to the condition of the elements, but hopefully since it's both a "John Wayne" title and has the added appeal of being a cinema buff favorite, we will see it sooner rather than later (although separate from the Archive line would be my guess).

I haven't watched the Blu-ray disc in several years but my memory is that it was excellent except for the colors which were far too yellow. If that's correct, the elements are fine but they need to get the colors right for a new master. Until Warner Archive took over responsibility for releasing classic titles on Blu-ray, the quality of Warner's output was variable and often seriously substandard. Movies like Gigi, Anchors Aweigh, The Music Man and - most of all - Rio Bravo all need a new high definition master.

 

[winstoncarolina]

I saw "The Searchers" in first release and several times afterward in theaters. It's been a long while, but I recall some scenes seemed intentionally shifted to the yellow/red side to emphasize the dust in the Monument Valley locations. There's a scene indoor where two men are scuffling and you see the dust coming off their clothing when they are punched.
I know what you are talking about with "Rio Bravo" and, yes, it needs work.

 

[winstoncarolina]

More on-line digging reveals it was Ford himself who wanted to film "The Searchers" in VistaVision. Warner was shooting its widescreen films in CinemaScope at the time (like the ill-fated "Mr. Roberts" from which Ford had to be removed as director just before starting "The Seachers.")

"High Society" was lensed in VistaVision at MGM, which also had adopted CInemaScope, because Bing Crosby was one of the producers and had like the way his "White Christmas" at Paramount (the first VistaVision film) looked. Again Hitchcock used it on "North by Northwest" because was familiar with the process from his work at Paramount and liked it.

I once saw a 35mm print of "North by Northwest" at an old movie house that didn't have the correct 1.85:1 aperture plate and ran it full 1.37:1 frame. All the supports and lights and technical workers were plainly visible thoughout the movie. It was a really fascinating screening.

 

[titch]

I've just watched a beautiful 4K DCP - absolutely flawless copy, (including the hair in the gate through the title credits). I've never seen it projected on a large screen before. Original Technicolor prints might have been something else, but if Warner Bros. ever decide to release this on 4K UHD, there will be much rejoicing.

 

[bujaki]

Last time I saw The Searchers was 4 August 1976, at the Carnegie Hall Cinema, NYC, a very fine 35mm IB Technicolor print. The manager of the theater was told that the print was not being returned to the WB exchange, but inexplicably destined for the junkyard.
Sad.

 

[Robert Harris]

More on-line digging reveals it was Ford himself who wanted to film "The Searchers" in VistaVision. Warner was shooting its widescreen films in CinemaScope at the time (like the ill-fated "Mr. Roberts" from which Ford had to be removed as director just before starting "The Seachers.")

"High Society" was lensed in VistaVision at MGM, which also had adopted CInemaScope, because Bing Crosby was one of the producers and had like the way his "White Christmas" at Paramount (the first VistaVision film) looked. Again Hitchcock used it on "North by Northwest" because was familiar with the process from his work at Paramount and liked it.

I once saw a 35mm print of "North by Northwest" at an old movie house that didn't have the correct 1.85:1 aperture plate and ran it full 1.37:1 frame. All the supports and lights and technical workers were plainly visible thoughout the movie. It was a really fascinating screening.

There was Never a theatrical 1.37 print of N x NW. If one existed, it would have been produced specifically for network broadcast at 1.33.

If it was a TV print, it would have been cropped at the sides, and any extraneous information would have probably been lost in TV cut-off. Further, even standard issue 35/4 Vista prints, cropped to about 1.6 occasionally had extra material at the top or bottom, which would be cropped out at 1.85. If it was a true 1.36 print, It would also have most likely not been Technicolor.

 

[Robert Harris]

I've just watched a beautiful 4K DCP - absolutely flawless copy, (including the hair in the gate through the title credits). I've never seen it projected on a large screen before. Original Technicolor prints might have been something else, but if Warner Bros. ever decide to release this on 4K UHD, there will be much rejoicing. View attachment 155094

There is no true 4k DCP of Searchers.

 

[JJMorey]

Hitchcock was familiar with VistaVision because he had to shoot all his films at Paramount in the process and apparently liked it enough to continue using it at MGM for "North by Northwest." I don't know why MGM, which was using CInemaScope for its widescreen productions during the 1950s, switched for "High Society." The film was originally intended and released as a "roadshow" attraction, so maybe that had something to do with it.
However, "The Searchers" may have been the only film from Warner Bros. in the process. It was an independent C.V. Whitney production and possibly that team decided to use VistaVision, not Jack Warner. But I have not been able to find out how VistaVision figured into "The Searchers." We can all be glad it was filmed in the process and so argumented Ford's artfully composed views of Monument Valley. Ford hadn't used it before and wouldn't use it again.

The person responsible for “The Searchers” having been filmed in VistaVision was co-producer Merian C. Cooper. Remember, Cooper developed Cinerama. He was unusually knowledgeable about the most recent advances in motion picture technology. “The Searchers” remains the only Warner Brothers movie ever filmed in VistaVision.

 

[Robin9]

The person responsible for “The Searchers” having been filmed in VistaVision was co-producer Merian C. Cooper. Remember, Cooper developed Cinerama. He was unusually knowledgeable about the most recent advances in motion picture technology. “The Searchers” remains the only Warner Brothers movie ever filmed in VistaVision.

Thank you for that. Welcome aboard!