The Searchers was shot on 35mm photochemical film in 8-perf VistaVision format by cinematographer Winton C. Hoch
(She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Quiet Man, Robinson Crusoe on Mars) using Mitchell VistaVision cameras and it was released theatrically at the 1.85:1 flat aspect ratio. Warner Motion Picture Imaging has scanned the original VistaVision camera negative in 13K (technically, each half of the negative was scanned in 6.5K and it was stitched together digitally) with all restoration work and grading completed in 6.5K by colorist Jan Yarbrough and approved by the Film Foundation. A new filmed out 65mm negative was created for preservation purposes. The digital presentation was also graded for high dynamic range on Ultra HD, available here in both Dolby Vision and HDR10, and it’s been encoded for a 100 GB disc to ensure the highest possible quality by the fine team at Fidelity in Motion, with data rates ranging from 70 to 100 Mbps.
Put simply, the resulting 4K image is as gorgeous as any I’ve seen on this format to date for a classic film. The resolution here is truly remarkable, approaching what you’d expect from a modern IMAX presentation. Texturing and fine detailing are exquisite, with a striking dimensionality that results from the VistaVision format’s unique depth of field.
Photochemical grain is present and natural at all times, but also incredibly subtle. And the wide gamut of HDR lends depth and detail to truly black shadows and naturally bold highlights, even as it expands the film’s stunningly broad and nuanced color palette. Seemingly thousands of different shades of tan, brown, orange, ochre, and gold are apparent in the desert sands and rocky peaks of Monument Valley, not to mention the blue skies, fiery sunsets, skin tones, and fabrics. This is a jaw-dropping image that demands to be seen on the biggest possible screen. And it’s a truly massive improvement over Warner’s previous Blu-ray release, which—though fine for its day—is now almost unwatchable by comparison.