It didn't hit me until a few years ago when I read an article about transfers to bluray, but the resolution of film was very high even way back to the 60s, 50s, and earlier. So when these studios get hold of a print, clean it up, and focus on a quality transfer to blu, the results can be pretty stunning. I was watching The Outlaw Josey Wales earlier this year on blu, and it was like being transported back in time.