‘The Searchers’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Landmark Western Gets The Ultimate Presentation

John Wayne and John Ford made The Searchers a landmark Western with an indelible image of the frontier and the people who challenged it. Although not nominated for any awards at the time of its release, the film has since been widely acknowledged as one of the supreme triumphs of the genre. The Searchers was placed on the National Film Registry in 1989 and ranked number 12 on the American Film Institute’s 2008 list of “100 Greatest American Films of all time.” 

Wayne plays an ex-Confederate soldier searching for his niece (Natalie Wood), captured by the Comanches who massacred his family. He will not surrender to hunger, thirst, the elements or loneliness. And in his five-year search, he encounters something unexpected: his own humanity. Beautifully shot by Winton C. Hoch (four-time Academy Award winner), thrillingly scored by Max Steiner (21 Academy Award nominations, 3 wins) and memorably acted by a wonderful ensemble including Jeffrey Hunter (King of Kings, The Longest Day), Vera Miles (The Wrong Man, Psycho), Natalie Wood (Rebel Without a Cause, Gypsy, West Side Story) and frequent Ford cast member Ward Bond (My Darling Clementine, The Quiet Man), The Searchers endures as “a great film of enormous scope and breathtaking physical beauty.” (Danny Peary, Guide for the Film Fanatic).

For thoughts on The Searchers, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

Video Quality

The Searchers makes its hotly-anticipated 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut with a dazzling 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer which allows the film to look better than it ever has. It is derived from a new restoration in collaboration with The Film Foundation sourced from the original VistaVision camera negative along with yellow separation protection masters used to fully restore the film’s original color palette capturing the masterful cinematography of Winton C. Hoch. This new transfer allows the film to look as close to the original intent as possible. The new 4K UHD disc offers substantial improvements over the dated previous Blu-Ray released all the way back in 2006 that was in desperate need of an upgrade. This 4K UHD package does come with a remastered Blu-Ray from the new restoration that can also be purchased individually. 

Outside of the small step-down you see in image quality during optical transitions, this transfer is stunning. The movie has a fine amount of natural film grain which is very light and resolves very tight and specific. This is a major upgrade from the Blu-Ray, which suffered from many more moments when grain would turn into a blocky mess that looked chunky rather than detailed. The fine grain allows this movie to thrive and gives some pleasing texture and detail to the transfer. There is some management to the grain when it comes to the optical shots and a few odd moments, but not so much that I feel it would be a dealbreaker for anyone. The image presents with a solid amount of depth that makes this locale feel more three-dimensional than ever. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are outstanding, especially when you look at the sprawling plains or textures on costumes. 

There is a subtle difference in color temperature between the Blu-Ray and this latest restoration. The UHD disc contains very vibrant, deep colors throughout with the sumptuous setting truly inspiring thanks to the cinematography. The Dolby Vision and color grade make the movie feel more color-accurate than the previous release. Highlights are brighter and offer greater stability without veering into blooming. Black levels are deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail including some of the sweat of the stars. The Fidelity In Motion encode is a 5-star effort free of artifacts. This transfer is a treat for fans of the film who have dreamed of a worthy presentation. 

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a newly restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master split mono audio track sourced from the best available source materials. The disc handles this material well in a way that is bound to impress most audience members. The rousing score from Max Steiner sets the tone with excellent fidelity on a technical level. The track is free of nearly all damage and balances all of the competing sounds quite deftly so that dialogue does not get overshadowed. The track does not feature constant kinetic activity, but it comes alive when it makes sense such as the rollicking finale. The environmental sounds such as the weather effects and the yelling of different groups are rendered well alongside everything else. This track does everything you could ask from it admirably. Option English SDH subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich provides a terrific archival commentary track that sustains fairly well over the lengthy runtime as he analyzes every scene while giving rich context to each shot and decision. 

• 1996 Introduction by Patrick Wayne: A two-minute introduction from the son of John Wayne recounting his memories of the production. 

• The Searchers – An Appreciation: A 31-minute archival featurette with filmmakers Martin Scorsese, Curtis Hanson, and John Milius discussing why they love this film and why it is a classic. 

• A Turning Of The Earth – John Ford, John Wayne and The Searchers: A 33-minute retrospective on the film and its journey from novel to screen, the shooting locations, and more. 

• The Searchers World Premiere In Chicago – Newsreel Coverage: A 44-second black-and-white glimpse of the premiere.

• Outtakes: A 12-minute collection of unused material from the production. 

• Behind The Cameras: A selection of short vintage featurettes from the production of the film is provided. 

• • Meet Jeffrey Hunter (3:57)

• • Meet Natalie Wood (6:17)

• • Monument Valley (5:57)

• • Setting Up Production (6:06)

• Original Theatrical Trailer (2:46)

Final Thoughts

The Searchers is one of the great Westerns that is often used as an entry point for newcomers to the genre. This makes sense considering it has John Wayne in one of his most thematically complex roles teaming up with the legendary John Ford. The craft put into this one is a sight to see, and there are numerous shots you want to pause to appreciate its sheer beauty. The depiction of Native Americans is very shallow and regressive, but this does not erase the positive aspects of the picture. This is a pivotal entry in the genre. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray sporting an exceptional A/V presentation and great special features. If you are a fan of this classic, you will be thrilled to own it in the best presentation possible. Essential 

The Searchers can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.