I ran across some info on a documentary made about the Searchers and was curious if anyone has seen it. It's called A Turning of the Earth:John Ford, John Wayne, and the Searchers. The review I read said... ,"featuring tons of outtakes and rare footage from "the searchers" intercut with interviews of many of the surviving cast and crew, "the turning of the earth" is an outstanding documentary about the making of one of the greatest films of all time. it's insightful, well-researched and well-made, one of the finest films on the making of a film. "the turning of the earth" is (as far as i know) only available with "the searchers" special edition laserdisc, but it's well worth seeking out for any john wayne/john ford fans. for fans of "the searchers" it's an absolute must."

It said only available with the laserdisc. Has anyone found it anywhere else? It really sounded like something that I would love to see. :D

I would love to see that also. Hope someone knows of where it can be had. dukefan1

That would be brilliant actually, as you have said it contains deleted scenes something which I am very interested in

B)

sorry aec23 have never heard about this one and to get lazer disc you must be joking we are years behind so we may have to wait ages before it comes here :lol:

cheers smokey

Smokey,

I don't know how to tell you this, but if it hasn't been there already, I don't think laserdisc is EVER coming to Australia - it's been here since the 70's but only really lasted maybe 5 to 10 years. Any laserdiscs or players are only available at yard sales or maybe on E-bay (that international garage sale).

While they had a good quality picture, laserdiscs had the misfortune of having video tapes enter the market and everybody went that direction instead. As I recall, laserdiscs were very expensive, but hey, having full length movies in one's own home was an entirely new concept.

It does sound like a fascinating piece of work, however, and somebody out there somewhere probably has a copy of it.

Yours :rolleyes: ,

Chester

hi chester,

thanks for the heads up about lazer disc's so we missed the boat all together on that one :lol: i do remember beta video in the 70's when i read your post i had to have a chuckle :D as its interesting to find out about these things.

cheers smokey :)

Is what you are talking about the four segments from the Warner Bros. Presents TV series hosted by Gig Young, providing an insiders's look at the Monument Valley Location filming and featuring co-stars Jeffrey Hunter and Natalie Wood?

Chisum,

You must have the same version of The Searchers that I have, with that special footage at the end of the tape. Reading the description above, I feel fairly certain that it is not the same as what AEC23 is referring to.

Chester

I have seen the "Turning of the Earth" and it is quite excellent...They discuss the making of the film, the importance of monument valley, the conditions there, the locals, and tons of amateur video of the Duke and John Ford. They show how they did stunts, they explained Wayne's tribute to Harry Carey Sr. at the end. They have interviews with several of the characters.

I obtained this documentary with my purchase of the VHS about 4 years ago. It was just bundled with the movie. And then after the Turning of the Earth, there was a documentary by Patrick Wayne about his reflections of The Searchers...and how when he came in to Jorgenson's house to announce the rescue of Mos Harper and the whereabouts of scar, that all the interruptions his Dad and Ward Bond threw at him while attempting to recite his lines...were all ad lib..unscipted. "Turn around...yeah..your a Yankee calvalryman"--JW and "Who's colonel Greenhill"--Ward Bond All that was not in the script.

These two documentaries are a must see.

GSP

General,

When you say "bundled with the movie" do you mean it is on the same tape, or a separate tape in a package? My copy of The Searchers has the extra stuff with Gig Young to which Chisum made reference, after the movie, on the same tape.

"The Turning of the Earth" sounds fascinating, and something every John Wayne fan would love to have - I know I would!

Chester

Yeah..I just walked into Best Buy in 1999, found The Searchers ... the last one on the shelf in its clamshell case ... turned it over, saw that on the tape the Turning of the Earth was included, and I headed straight to the checkout with it.

If you go to amazon.com and buy used, you could check with the seller first to see if that edition includes it. It's weird, because that same appearing release apparently sometimes has the Turning of Earth, sometimes it doesn't. The special wide-screen edition also appeared in the same clamshell case.

I hope you find it...you will not be disappointed. The narrator John Melious does a wonderful job.

GSP

OK, I couldn't stand it anymore, and I went to Ebay and did a search for The Searchers (Special Edition), and they had it!! Buy It Now for 8.95, plus shipping.

But it's the right one, with The Turning of the Earth. It's available (on VHS only, as near as I can tell), so check it out, you guys!

Yee haw! :lol:

Chester

Well done Chester...when you finish watching it, you will have the feeling like you have seen it all over for the first time...let us know what you think!

GSP

Oh no! I went from VHS to Laserdisc...
from Laserdisc to DVD...
and now I have to go back buy me a VHS!
They certainly know how to ripp off them fans.
One thing is for sure though: As soon as I've bought it on VHS -
it will be out in a Special DVD collector's box! Ouch!

You know, itdo, that is the truth!

I was kind of bummed to buy another VHS when I already have one. However, each one has a different "special feature" and The Turning of the Earth sounded too good to pass up, so I bit the bullet and did it.

And, sure as shootin', later this year out will come the DVD with both special features, plus more! Murphy's law . . .

Chester

I know exactly how you feel Chester. I couldn't take it any more either, so I went on half.com and bought mine. I think I paid around $9 with the shipping. I already have this movie on DVD, but I just had to see this documentary. I should get it in a week. I hope it's worth it.

I also bought this week on ebay a 1971 TV Special on VHS called The American West of John Ford. I haven't seen it, but I'm hoping it will be good. :lol:

Well, I just got my copy of the documentary, and it is really good. There are a lot of home movie shots with the Duke and Ford. Patrick Wayne gives both sides of the story on the discovery of Monument Valley. It was worth buying.

One thing about having extra copies of John Wayne movies on VHS is that we can share the extras with potential JW fans. If they watch enough of them, they can become hooked like we are.

:D

Then we introduce them to the message board . . . and it's all over for them!

:lol:

Chester

chester your right about letting others watch dukes movies that's what my dad did with a friend of ours and she is now hooked and she started collecting them for herself have told her about the site don't know if she has visited yet will have to find out.

cheers smokey

And, sure as shootin', later this year out will come the DVD with both special features, plus more!
Just to update this thread . . . after so many years . . . .

By now, almost anyone who has been on this board for almost any length of time knows that The Searchers was released in a special "Ultimate Collector's Edition" DVD set in 2006 and did indeed include the documentary "The Turning of the Earth" along with other bonus materials.

If you own it and haven't taken the time to watch it, I encourage you to make the time. You won't be sorry!

If you'd like to learn more about Duke-related documentaries, check out Keith's comprehensive list (http://www.dukewayne.com/showthread.php?t=4099), and the related discussion thread (http://www.dukewayne.com/showthread.php?t=2685).

Chester :newyear: