|
|
|
The Searchers (Widescreen Edition)
|
Click for a closer view
|
List Price: $12.98
Our Price: $2.74
You Save: $10.24 (79%)
Availability:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product Details
- Starring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood
|
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
|
- Binding: VHS Tape
|
- Director: John Ford
|
- EAN: 9780790736921
|
- Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, Letterboxed, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
|
- ISBN: 0790736926
|
- Label: Warner Home Video
|
- Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
|
- Number of Items: 1
|
- Product Group: Video
|
- Publisher: Warner Home Video
|
- Release Date: 1998-09-22
|
- Studio: Warner Home Video
|
- Theatrical Release Date: 1956-03-13
|
- Title: The Searchers (Widescreen Edition)
|
- UPC: 085391633433
|
Avg Customer Rating: 
Product Description: For fans of The Searchers, this special edition features not only a stunning widescreen transfer of this pivotal 1958 Western but an informative new 30-minute documentary by Nick Redman (best known for his impressive film music series with Varèse Sarabande). A Turning of the Earth: John Ford, John Wayne and "The Searchers" provides a rare glimpse into the making of this very special Ford/Wayne collaboration. It juxtaposes important clips with never-before-seen outtakes and home movies. For instance, the Indians of Monument Valley, Ford's favorite location, revered the director for his friendship and for keeping them gainfully employed in film after film. Also, there's one shot of Wayne and Ford relaxing over a couple of beers that says it all about their father-son relationship. But the MTV-like style won't please everyone. The new footage tends to be repetitive and jarring, though the rhythm somehow seems in keeping with the bitter tone of this film about hatred and obsession. At least the Ken Burns-inspired voice-overs offer some first-hand insight and historical perspective (mostly by director John Milius, an eloquent Ford enthusiast). However, all you have to do is watch The Searchers to see how inspiring it was for its director and star. It's as if they discovered the very essence of the Western in this story about one man's quest to rescue his niece from her Comanche captors. Because at the heart of that quest is the poignant struggle between the needs of the individual and the needs of the family. --Bill Desowitz
|
Customer Reviews
A Classic Western
"The Searchers" is a film that has rightfully been condiered a classic with an ability to transition between playful humor and the darkness of the human heart. John Wayne's character is an ex-confederate veteran with a shadowy past few years. His main accompanying partner is a mixed white-native american portrayed by (Jeffrey Hunter) who was adopted by members of Wayne's family after Comanches murdered the former's family. Their goal is to find a girl abdupted by the Comanches after they killed several of Wayne's realtives. The film covers several years and a number of events ranging from almost comical incidents to violent encounters with both natives and whites.
While the main Comanche chief is a nasty and ruthless villian, other natives the characters meet along the way are peaceful. In fact, the U.S. cavalry doesn't get the very ideallook Ford had given them in his trilogy. In one winter scene, Wayne and Hunter find a village of possibly peaceful natives the cavalry massacred. The main lesson is that there were generally bad and generally fairly good people on both sides in the West.
Wayne's characterization seemes ones of his best that I've seen and yes he is darker than usual. He has racist tendencies (especially towards the Comanches that attacked some of his relatives) and is truthfully rather ruthless at times. Ultimately, the film ends pretty well and Wayne's character shows some signs of changing though not after taking the aduience on a fascinating journey in the American West.
|
Pleasantly Surprised
I've avoided this movie for years, but I was plasantly surprised when I finally viewed it. Most people talk about the complexity of John Wayne's character, but I disagree. I feel he wasn't complex at all.... just a cut and dried racist. Near the end of the movie he did become a little complex, but I think it was just a matter of conscience. What I really liked about the movie was the storyline and the scenery. ONe of my favorite movies is The Color Purple and there were scenes in The Searchers that I'm almost certain Speilberg had to have copied for the Color Purple. Especially the shot of the family on the porch at the beginning of the movie. It was so reminiscent of one of the final scenes in the Color Purple.
|
Old time favorite
Glad that I was able to purchase this movie, adding it to my cowboy collection.
|
Essential Cinema
Monument Valley rarely looked better in this VistaVision restoration of John Ford's disturbing Western epic. Though not without its minor flaws, "The Searchers" (1956) is propelled by John Wayne's ambiguous, complex performance as the embittered Ethan Edwards -- his best work for the legendary director. The Ford stock company acquits itself admirably. Winton C. Hoch's cinematography deserved an Oscar for this powerful and remarkably influential film.
|
Moving listings - general
As a HOH (Hard of Hearing) Individual, I need to know if this
movie is captioned (marked "CC" or "Q."
|
|
|
|
|