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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Searchers, The
    Genre:Western

    Reviewed In Issue 32 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 1.5
    Sound Rating: 1.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 16334
    (MPAA Rating): Not Rated
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 119
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1956
    (LD Release Date): 12/98
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): John Ford
    (Screenplay/Written By): Frank S. Nugent
    (Story):
    (Music): Max Steiner
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Frank Hotaling & James Basevi
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Jack Murray
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers): Merian C. Cooper

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): VistaVision
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): Variable
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.90:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Mono Sound
    (Theatrical Sound): Optical Mono
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital): No
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    With The Searchers, based on Alan LeMay’s novel, John Wayne and director John Ford forged an indelible saga of the frontier and the men and women who challenged it. Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) is an ex-Confederate who sets out to find his niece (Natalie Wood), captured by the Comanches who massacred his family. He won’t surrender to hunger, thirst, the elements or loneliness. One of the most influential movies ever made, The Searchers is “a brilliant fusing of editing, camera work and performance.” The disc offers a making-of documentary is included that features outtakes and home movies and an introduction by Patrick Wayne.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The LaserDisc when compared to the anamorphically enhanced DVD reviewed in Issue 28, exhibits softer images and poorer color fidelity. Most of the picture appears oversaturated and poorly contrasted. Images lack sharpness and detail, often appearing plugged up and lacking clarity. Minor noise is occasionally apparent, but artifacts are more noticeable. the picture is measured at 1.90:1.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack is undistinguished monaural that sounds compressed and distorted throughout.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
    (Aggressive System Surround): No
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): No
    (Deep Bass Challenging): No
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): No
    (Aggressive Split Surround): No
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): No
    (Directionalized Dialogue): No
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    		 No
    Superb Cinematography:
    		 -
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison: