A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Searchers -- in High Definition (13 Viewers)

[haineshisway]

Probably after the initial theatrical run of the 70mm print and after the 4k WHV is released.

They had the new transfers of Rio Bravo and East of Eden up before the Blu or 4K came out.

 

[Robert Crawford]

They had the new transfers of Rio Bravo and East of Eden up before the Blu or 4K came out.

They have screwed up the Max streaming service for me. They even showed those new transfers on TCM.

 

[JWC1969]

How many domestic venues with large screens are able to run 70mm PROPERLY?

Still not understanding what the overriding interest is in 70mm vs 4k projection. The 4k will be closer to the restored data, and many theaters outside of half a dozen major cities can run 4k.

Quick question, Mr. Harris: other than, say, Dolby Cinema, can a theater projecting digitally match the deep blacks one would see from a 70MM traditionally projected image? I remember seeing quite a few 70MM (and 35MM) films projected at The Music Box in Chicago (yes, they definitely know their way around a 70MM print/projector) and was always blown away by the blacks. Thx!

 

[mskaye]

They had the new transfers of Rio Bravo and East of Eden up before the Blu or 4K came out.

That’s true but it seems like they are trying a new strategy w The Seachers.

 

[mskaye]

How many theaters would show this film on their largest screens making the experience akin to seeing the film as it was first released ? In the NY City area once the Ziegfeld Theater closed classic films on large screens disappeared in the area for the most part. Most theaters would show it in a smaller auditorium as most Fathom screenings are. I think anyone lucky enough to see it at the TCM Festival will be the only ones who experience what the film was like when it was new. Though seeing 5 movies a day at the Festival for 4 days might dull that experience

They have screwed up the Max streaming service for me. They even showed those new transfers on TCM.

Land of the Pharohs is not The Searchers. Rio Bravo is not The Seachers.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Land of the Pharohs is not The Searchers. Rio Bravo is not The Seachers.

That’s your argument. Granted, The Searchers is a better film but the difference between it and Rio Bravo is not as great as you implied by including Land of the Pharaohs in your comment too. Either way, it’s not a discussion I want to have with you because The Searchers is among my five favorite movies that I’ve watched more than any other film over the last 60 years or so.

 

[JPCinema]

GIANT as well
Sadly, their new strategy will prevent people who really want to see it from seeing it..

 

[Alan Tully]

I'd love to know more about the restoration, which I'm sure I will do in time. I just couldn't get on with the current Blu-ray, which I believe was made from from the b/w separation dupes, the original negative being faded beyond use. I'm thinking this new restoration (I think we can safely call it that) was made by combining the faded original negative with one of the separation dupes, I believe that Spartacus was done like that. Anyway, I'll be very interested in finding out how it was all done...& seeing the results!

I'm thinking 70mm is a good selling point, just like a 4K scan is for Blu-rays.

 

[mskaye]

GIANT as well
Sadly, their new strategy will prevent people who really want to see it from seeing it..

I disagree. I think you’re just going to have wait a bit for your physical media fix . And I think they want the added “buzz” from this little 70mm tour - and w the pr it will generate - to help spur sales etc. PS - also a new TCM podcast on John Ford. This is all a strategy to build awareness

 

[Robert Crawford]

I disagree. I think you’re just going to have wait a bit for your physical media fix . And I think they want the added “buzz” from this little 70mm tour - and w the pr it will generate - to help spur sales etc. PS - also a new TCM podcast on John Ford. This is all a strategy to build awareness

I need to see more concrete details as to whether this limited theatrical release will spur sales or not.

 

[Into The Archives]

GIANT as well
Sadly, their new strategy will prevent people who really want to see it from seeing it..

Well, Delta flys into LAX from two NYC airports, so you have a chance on the 3rd and 4th of May in Santa Monica!

 

[JPCinema]

I’ll be curious to see which my sweetheart large movie palace that they will choose in New York that will show The Searchers as it was meant to be seen. I saw it at the Criterion when I was 5

 

[JPCinema]

Well, Delta flys into LAX from two NYC airports, so you have a chance on the 3rd and 4th of May in Santa Monica!

I forgot people are made of money and cavalierly just book a flight to go see a movie and come back

 

[Into The Archives]

I forgot people are made of money and cavalierly just book a flight to go see a movie and come back

Again, if you are dying to see it ASAP, spend the money.

 

[JPCinema]

Book Radio City Music Hall.

 

[mskaye]

I need to see more concrete details as to whether this limited theatrical release will spur sales or not.

Yes will be interesting to see if it makes a difference. One important note, is that WB are really prioritizing getting people back to seeing films in theaters vs. getting people to subscribe to MAX. So while an older strategy would to immediately make things available on MAX, that seemingly isn't happening anymore. To eventize The Searchers restoration seems to be part of this. I'm sure it's an experiment. But this is also, probably wrapped up into the Film Foundation (Spielberg, Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson) and that is wrapped up into TCM, and TCM is under the executive watch of the two co-chairs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group - Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca (who are both film lovers.)

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Still not understanding what the overriding interest is in 70mm vs 4k projection. The 4k will be closer to the restored data, and many theaters outside of half a dozen major cities can run 4k.

Maybe for the same reason people are choosing vinyl records instead of CDs.

 

[Robert Harris]

Quick question, Mr. Harris: other than, say, Dolby Cinema, can a theater projecting digitally match the deep blacks one would see from a 70MM traditionally projected image? I remember seeing quite a few 70MM (and 35MM) films projected at The Music Box in Chicago (yes, they definitely know their way around a 70MM print/projector) and was always blown away by the blacks. Thx!

No. But the alternative?

 

[Robert Harris]

I'd love to know more about the restoration, which I'm sure I will do in time. I just couldn't get on with the current Blu-ray, which I believe was made from from the b/w separation dupes, the original negative being faded beyond use. I'm thinking this new restoration (I think we can safely call it that) was made by combining the faded original negative with one of the separation dupes, I believe that Spartacus was done like that. Anyway, I'll be very interested in finding out how it was all done...& seeing the results!

I'm thinking 70mm is a good selling point, just like a 4K scan is for Blu-rays.

No.

 

[Rob W]

The print & visual presentation at The Egyptian was certainly beautiful - it almost seemed like we were watching digital as the picture was so clean and almost totally free of any dirt or dust - I think I actually noticed two specks in the entire presentation. I thought the colors were not quite as saturated as I expected them to be, but don't claim to know exactly how it should look.

However, the sound was another matter. The sound at the new Egyptian is a huge disappointment - everything I saw this year was far below the quality I remembered for anything I ever saw there at the previous TCM Festivals ( and I've been to them all ). It was like seeing the film in a cave - there was echo throughout the auditorium that made the sound muddy and not effortlessy easy to understand as it used to be. Everything I saw there this year was in mono ( White Heat / Gambit / The Mad Miss Manton / The Searchers ) but friends who are 70mm geeks went to LOA in 70mm stereo and heard the same issues . And when an action scene in The Searchers combined sound effects with a booming musical score the sound became a cacophany of noise.

I have to wonder what Netflix's filmmakers who have their films presented at this theatre think of the audio presentation at this venue.