Experience the legendary performance of John Wayne in John Ford’s classic film The Searchers, which is set to make waves with its upcoming 4K Ultra HD release from Warner Archive next month. This highly anticipated version promises to deliver an exceptional viewing experience, allowing fans of Western cinema to appreciate the film like never before. Mark your calendars for December 17th, when this cinematic masterpiece will be available for home viewing in stunning detail.

Regarded as one of the greatest Western films ever created, The Searchers features John Wayne in his iconic role as Ethan Edwards. This film, originally released in 1956, has been meticulously restored and remastered from its original VistaVision camera negative, enhancing its visual quality for modern audiences. The anticipation surrounding this 4K Ultra HD release is palpable, and viewers can expect a vibrant and immersive experience that showcases the film’s stunning cinematography. This release not only celebrates the film’s legacy but also allows a new generation of viewers to discover its profound storytelling and remarkable performances.

In this timeless tale, directed by the legendary John Ford, Wayne portrays “an ex-Confederate soldier on a relentless quest to rescue his niece, played by Natalie Wood, who has been captured by a Comanche tribe following a brutal massacre of his family. His journey is marked by immense challenges, including hunger, thirst, and the harsh elements of the wilderness, yet he perseveres. Over the course of five long years, he confronts not only external adversities but also the internal struggle that leads him to rediscover his own humanity.”

The restoration of The Searchers was a labor of love, completed earlier this year and unveiled at the prestigious 15th annual TCM Film Festival. The film’s unique visual quality is due to its filming process, utilizing the 8-perf 35mm VistaVision technique, which captures images with double the frame size of standard 35mm film. This method not only enhances clarity but also depth of field. For this new presentation, the original negative and yellow separation protection masters have been utilized to faithfully restore the film’s original color palette, preserving the artistic vision of cinematographer Winton C. Hoch, a frequent collaborator of Ford. The new 4K release will feature Dolby Vision and HDR10, ensuring a dynamic range of colors and contrast, while the sound design will include the “original monaural audio track, meticulously restored from the best available sources to deliver a crisp and immersive auditory experience.”

When you purchase the 4K UHD disc and Blu-ray disc of The Searchers, you will gain access to an array of special features designed to enhance your viewing experience. These features provide deeper insights into the film’s creation and its enduring legacy.  

• Enjoy an insightful archival commentary by Director Peter Bogdanovich, known for his work on The Last Picture Show and What’s Up, Doc?, included on both the 4K and Blu-ray discs.

On the Blu-ray disc, viewers can look forward to additional content that enriches the film’s context:

• Original Theatrical trailer (HD)
• The Searchers: An Appreciation (HD)
• A Turning of the Earth: John Ford, John Wayne and The Searchers (HD)
• Newsreel coverage of the film’s world premiere (HD)
• Outtakes (HD)
• Behind the Cameras (segments from the 1956 Warner Bros. Presents TV series): (HD)
  • Meet Jeffrey Hunter
  • Monument Valley
  • Meet Natalie Wood
  • Setting Up Production

The highly anticipated The Searchers 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray combo will be available for an affordable price of $29.99, while the standalone Blu-ray option can be purchased for $21.99, providing great value for fans of classic cinema.