- Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
- Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
- Resolution: 1080p/24
- Audio Codec: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French DTS 5.1, Spanish Mono
- Subtitles:English SDH, French, Spanish
- Region: A
- Rating: Not Rated
- Discs: 1
- Studio: MGM
- Blu-ray Release Date: May 10, 2011
- List Price: $19.99
[amazon-product]B004TJ1H1E[/amazon-product]
BestBuy.com:
Purchase Some Like It Hot on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com
Overall
[Rating:4/5]
The Film
[Rating:4/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:3/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:3/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:3/5]
Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures
(Screen captures are lightly compressed with lossy JPEG thus are meant as a general representation of the content and do not fully reveal the capabilities of the Blu-ray format)
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The Film
[Rating:4/5]
Acting chemistry is an essential ingredient for “buddy” movies. Chemistry is exactly what the combination of Tony Curtis (the sax player) and Jack Lemmon (the bass player) deliver in spades in Billy Wilder’s comedy classic, Some Like It Hot. This desperate duo find themselves as involuntary witnesses to the St. Valetine’s Day massacre in Chicago. On the lam, Curtis and Lemmon assume transvestite roles as members of an all-female big band, featuring Marilyn Monroe as the dipsomaniac ukelele player. What follows is a testimony to the genius of Wilder, the versatility of Curtis and Lemmon, the sensuality of Monroe, and a script that keeps the laughs and action coming. There are some strong supporting contributions from George Raft (arch-villain “Spats” Columbo), Pat O’Brien (Detective Mulligan), Joe E. Brown (Osgood Fielding III), and Nehemiah Persoff (“Little Bonaparte”). Some Like It Hot was nominated for 6 Oscars and took home the prize for Best Costumes, Black and White Category.
Video Quality
[Rating:3/5]
This film noir has plenty of atmosphere and captures the spirit of the “Roaring 20’s” nearly perfectly. In fact, the moderate degree of graininess suggests a much older film by at least a decade. Close up shots have adequate detail, but are noticeably softer than a number of reissues from this late ‘50’s era. The train trip to Florida sequence is one of those instant comic classics, taken right from the pages of the Marx Brothers. Marilyn Monroe fans take note, the camera really loves her in just about every shot. The juxtaposed scenes of Joe E. Brown tangoing with Lemmon and Curtis making out with Monroe are over-the-top sensational.
Audio Quality
[Rating:3/5]
The big band contributions to this DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack are true to the era presented here. For younger viewers, Marilyn does her own vocals and, do they ever get the point across. Dialog, rampant with double entendres, “All my girls are virtuosos … and let’s keep it that way”, is clearly captured in the center channel. This is essential for the witty and fast-paced script which recalls all of the better screwball comedies of the 1940’s, ala Colbert and Grant, Hope and Crosby.
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:3/5]
The Curtis and Lemmon interviews are wonderful and the background documentaries add useful details to the making of this classic comedy.
- Commentaries by Paul Diamond (son of the writer I.A.L. Diamond), and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel.
- Interviews with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon (from the archives)
- Several featurettes:
- The Making of Some Like Hot
- The Legacy of Some Like It Hot
- Nostalgic Look Back Documentary
- Virtual Hall of Memories
- Original Theatrical Trailer
The Definitive Word
Overall:
[Rating:4/5]
Some Like It Hot has been ranked among the best comedy films ever made. Unlike some 1950’s pictures, it has aged surprisingly well with much of the humor still capable of getting hearty laughs. It is a delight to see the recurring interplay between Lemmon and Curtis. The premise of two men dressing as two women and then getting into the skins of these characters for two hours might seem improbable. Not to worry, this premise is ably carried off by Director/Writer Wilder and his terrific cast. While the print and soundtrack definitely show their age, this does not detract significantly from the overall joy ride of this film. I don’t know about you, but a healthy dose of Marilyn Monroe goes a long way to making me smile. In the vernacular of a famous television commercial, “try it, you will like it.” I certainly did.
Additional Screen Captures
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[amazon-product]B004TJ1H1E[/amazon-product]
BestBuy.com:
Purchase Some Like It Hot on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com
Overall
[Rating:4/5]
The Film
[Rating:4/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:3/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:3/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:3/5]
