Firstly, a massive thank you to our Patreon supporters. Your generosity touches me deeply. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance has become essential.

 

What do Patrons receive, that you don't?

 

1) Our weekly Newsletter sent to your Inbox every Monday morning!
2)
Patron-only Silent Auctions - so far over 30 Out-of-Print titles have moved to deserved, appreciative, hands!
3) Access to over 50,000 unpublished screen captures in lossless high-resolution format!

 

Please consider keeping us in existence with a couple of dollars or more each month (your pocket change!) so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. Thank you very much.


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Not Tonight, Josephine!')

directed by Billy Wilder
USA 1959


Somewhat unusually, Some Like It Hot simultaneously sustains almost two separate pictures. Connected only by Curtis and Lemmon, on one side bitter Chicago is populated by cold-hearted villains and tough city folk. Times are hard and no one is likely to give you a break, effectively putting a damper on people's dreams. In contrast, Miami is full of holiday-makers and rich families taking their vacation. The cheer is infectious and love breaks out all over, like a rather dynamic rash. In these surroundings, Joe E. Brown is terrific as Osgood E. Fielding, the aged tycoon who falls for Daphne. A veteran of numerous marriages, nothing phases him in his pursuit of a lady. In a stroke of genius, Wilder sets the two strands off at different times, then brings them together without ever making the film feel artificial. It's in these details that a great director leaves behind the merely ordinary.

The remaining area in which Some Like It Hot stands apart from the competition is that Curtis and Lemmon remain believable throughout. Instead of acting camp, they play their roles straight and with conviction. Picking up on the quirks of being female, the outcome is far more amusing than might be expected. The costumes of Orry-Kelly help a great deal, as does Wilder's decision to shoot in black and white, but the credit must lie with Curtis and Lemmon. Such professionalism contrasts with Monroe, legendary for her epic tardiness and inability to recall lines. Faced with such inconsistency, the performance that Wilder extracts is amazing; Monroe is funny, sings three memorable songs and adds her special sparkle. Overall, Some Like It Hot is remarkably innocent, a tone that perfectly wraps up what is one of the most consistent comedies ever to emerge from Hollywood.

Excerpt from UK Film Reviews located HERE

 

Theatrical Release: March 29th, 1959

Reviews                                                                 More Reviews                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Comparison: 

MGM (original) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

  

on 4K UHD from Kino:

  

Distribution

MGM

Region 0 - NTSC

MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition)

Region 1 - NTSC

MGM

Region FREE - Blu-ray

Criterion Collection - Spine # 950

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Also available in the Forever Marilyn Blu-ray Collections in the US ,Canada and the UK. The North American package has The Misfits - Some Like It Hot - There's No Business Like Show Business - River Of No Return - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - How To Marry A Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch. The UK Blu-ray version has only Some Like It Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch.

        

Runtime 2:01:20 2:01:20 2:01:32.076 2:02:18.289

Video

1.63:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.59 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.84 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,493,514,118 bytes

Feature: 42,069,983,232 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 31.99 Mbps

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 49,083,086,789 bytes

Feature: 31,165,304,832 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 29.83 Mbps

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate : MGM (SE)

Bitrate: MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition)

Bitrate: MGM Blu-ray

Bitrate: Criterion Blu-ray

Audio English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 1.0), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 1.0), Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0) English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 1.0), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 1.0) DTS-HD Master Audio English 4057 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4057 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit / DN -4dB)
DTS Audio French 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit / DN -4dB
DTS Audio German 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit / DN -4dB
DTS Audio Italian 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit / DN -4dB
DTS Audio Russian 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit / DN -4dB
DTS Audio Spanish 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio English 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Czech 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Hungarian 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / DN -4dB
* Dolby Digital Audio Japanese 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Polish 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Portuguese 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Thai 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / DN -4dB / Dolby Surround

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles French, Spanish, None English, French, None English (SDH), Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italia, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, none English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: MGM

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 1.63:1

Edition Details:
• Theatrical Trailer (2:37 / 4:3)

DVD Release Date: May 22nd, 2001
Keep case

Chapters 16

Release Information:
Studio: MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition)
 

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.66:1

Edition Details:
• 
Commentary featuring interviews with Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and others
• New documentary "The Making of Some Like It Hot"
• New documentary "The Legacy of Some Like It Hot"
• "Nostalgic Look Back" with Tony Curtis
• "Memories from the Sweet Sues" featurette
• "Virtual Hall of Memories" 3-D tour
• Original pressbook gallery
• Original theatrical trailer

• 4 postcards with a poster and 3 caricatures

• 8 page liner notes booklet
 

DVD Release Date: July18th, 2006
Double standard Keep Case  

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio: MGM

 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,493,514,118 bytes

Feature: 42,069,983,232 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 31.99 Mbps

 

Edition Details:
• 
Commentary featuring interviews with Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and others
• New documentary "The Making of Some Like It Hot"
• New documentary "The Legacy of Some Like It Hot"
• "Nostalgic Look Back" with Tony Curtis
• "Memories from the Sweet Sues" featurette
• "Virtual Hall of Memories" 3-D tour
• Original theatrical trailer
 

Blu-ray Release Date: May 10th, 2011
Standard Blu-ray Case  

Chapters 17

Release Information:
Studio:
Criterion

 

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 49,083,086,789 bytes

Feature: 31,165,304,832 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 29.83 Mbps

 

Edition Details:
• 
Audio commentary from 1989 featuring film scholar Howard Suber
• New short program on Orry-Kelly’s costumes for the film, featuring costume designer and historian Deborah Nadoolman Landis and costume historian and archivist Larry McQueen (18:57)
Three behind-the-scenes documentaries
• Making of - (25:45)
• Legacy of - (20:21)
• Memories from the Sweet Sues - (12:02)
• Appearances by director Billy Wilder on The Dick Cavett Show from 1982 (55:36)
Conversation from 2001 between actor • Tony Curtis and film critic Leonard Maltin (31:12)
• French television interview from 1988 with actor Jack Lemmon (09:49)
• Radio interview from 1955 with actor Marilyn Monroe (08:44)
• Trailer (02:18)
PLUS: An essay by author Sam Wasson

 

Blu-ray Release Date: November 13th, 2018
Transparent
Blu-ray Case  

Chapters 13

 

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - October 18': Criterion bring us Billy Wilder's classic comedy, "Some Like it Hot" on a dual-layered Blu-ray. The 1.85:1 image (the aspect ratio that was used in the initial U.S. theatrical run - the MGM BD was 1.66:1) has a high bitrate and looks great in motion. This is a brand-new 4k restoration and it is quite impressive. Detail levels are enhanced, as the screen captures will prove. The contrast levels are also better layered, with a deep and wide range of blacks and grays. I can't help but repeat how great this Blu-ray is in motion. Just look at the detail that is now visible in the fabric of the dress in the third screen captures. There are the odd instances of damage, with a scratch or debris here or there (see last capture), but these moments are few and far between.

Criterion give us the uncompressed 24-bit 1.0 mono track here, and it sounds crisp.
The background score music by Adolph Deutsch (Ramrod, The Maltese Falcon, High Sierra, Across the Pacific) as well as Runnin' Wild played during the opening credits, by the girls on the train and performed by Marilyn Monroe. Also a capella by Tony Curtis. As well there is I'm Thru with Love, Some Like It Hot, Sugar Blues - Runnin' Wild etc. It sounds, flat, but carries some depth in the uncompressed mono. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles on Criterion's Region 'A'-locked
Blu-ray disc.

Supplements include some previously available material (the commentary was on the old Criterion laserdisc) and some brand new stuff. Let's start with that commentary, film scholar Howard Suber chats with Jack Lemmon sporadically throughout the picture. This is a great listen, with Suber breaking down the film. Also here is a brand new 19-minute extra on Orry-Kelly’s costumes for the film, featuring costume designer and historian Deborah Nadoolman Landis and costume historian and archivist Larry McQueen. The 1982 55-minute Billy Wilder appearance on the Dick Cavett Show is presented here in its entirety. Also included here is a half-hour 2001 conversation between Tony Curtis and film critic Leonard Maltin at a diner. There are some older documentaries here too, 3 of them to be exact. "Making of..", a "Legacy of.." and "Memories from the Sweet Sues" all add up to about an hour of vintage footage. There is a 10-minute interview with Jack Lemmon from a French television show, and a 9-minute radio interview with Marilyn Monroe from 1955. The film's trailer is included here, as is an essay by author Sam Wasson.

Wow. The film that is often referred to as the greatest comedy of all time, gets a gorgeous 4K-restored
Blu-ray transfer. Criterion's package is a thing of beauty. Very cool to have the old commentary from the long-forgotten laserdisc, as well as all the other extras. To fans, this is the
Blu-ray you've been waiting for.

Colin Zavitz

***

ADDITION: MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray - May 11': I suspect without a further restoration - this is as good as it will get for the classic Wilder comedy. This new, dual-layered, Blu-ray has the same speckles as the 2-disc DVD and we can assume the same source. It improves in all the expected areas - tighter, some depth, far less artefacts and it visually picks-up contrast more notably. Technically the 1080P transfer is strong with over 42 Gig donated to the 2-hour feature and, hence, a high bitrate (over 4x the anamorphic DVD). It is in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio. This looks good in-motion and show a tad more information in the frame.

The DTS-HD Master 5.1 (bump) at 4057 kbps sounds pretty solid with the musical numbers. There isn't abundant separation but there is a crispness not apparent on the CE. There is some pleasing depth in "Sugar Blues" and "Sweet Georgia Brown" - overall a definite improvement - I doubt I have heard the film sounding this good. There are a host of DUBs and subtitle options signifying the disc as being region FREE.

Supplements mimic the CE but are accessible on one lone disc. We keep the commentary and featurette documentaries but lose the Pressbook, postcards/poster and liner notes. At under $15 this has to be considered a must-own. Great package of a timeless film looking and sounding better than ever with a bevy of solid extras. Recommended!    

***

ON THE DVDs: NOTE: There is another edition that came out between these two - a 'Special Edition' that was still 'flat' letterboxed. It had more extras than the original but far less than the new CE.

There is quite a significant difference even beyond that the original is not anamorphic and the CE edition is 16X9 enhanced. We took extra screen captures for comparison to help highlight some of these differences.

In a nutshell, the old edition shows more damage (slight speckles, very light scratches) and extensive artifacts next to the smoother CE. Another obvious difference is that the new CE is much darker. I prefer the darker look personally and feel it is probably closer to the original, but this is only an eduacted guess. The new CE does look like it has had boosted black levels - possibly excessively and it is quite possible that the original had boosted contrast/brightness as well. One could give examples from various scenes where background objects are obscured because of this on both editions. I don't feel it is overly significant although on the new CE skin tones can often look very dark (see 'secretary' capture and one following that). The old edition always looked 'thin' and this new CE may look too 'thick' for some viewers.

In direct comparison we can see the old edition is slightly cropped - not a lot but enough to bother mentioning it (it was 1.63 ratio to the CE's 1.66).

Overall the image quality weighs far in the new CE's favor - anamorphic, opened-up slightly, less damage and far less artifacts. It is an adequate replacement based solely on image.

Audio on the new CE contains the same options as the older release (5.1 and mono, plus a French DUB) minus the optional Spanish DUB on the original.

The original release does not have an English subtitle option (only French and Spanish). Unfortunately the new CE's subtitles are back to the common brighter yellow.

I wasn't overly impressed with the new commentary - it had few redeeming features. Writers Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel share some input interspersed with archived comments by Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. There was nothing overly interesting or unique. I enjoyed the two featurette documentaries much more with soundbites from Lemmon, Wilder and many more in the 'Making of...". There is also a Tony Curtis/Leonard Maltin piece which is as one would expect.

On the whole the new CE is the way to go. Although not perfect - it is better than one might expect from MGM. An easy choice for recommendation.       

 - Gary Tooze

 


 Menus

(MGM (original) - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

 
 

Collectors Edition Disc 2

 

MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM


Subtitle Sample: Not exact frame

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


 

1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND

3) MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

More Criterion Blu-ray Captures

Light Damage (scratch on face - mark on chin)

 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sound:

Criterion Blu-ray

Extras: Criterion Blu-ray

 

Box Cover

  

on 4K UHD from Kino:

  

Distribution

MGM

Region 0 - NTSC

MGM (2-disc Collectors Edition)

Region 1 - NTSC

MGM

Region FREE - Blu-ray

Criterion Collection - Spine # 950

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 
Also available in the Forever Marilyn Blu-ray Collections in the US ,Canada and the UK. The North American package has The Misfits - Some Like It Hot - There's No Business Like Show Business - River Of No Return - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - How To Marry A Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch. The UK Blu-ray version has only Some Like It Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch.

        




 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You