When a boutique label announces that they’re releasing a 4K copy of a movie that has already had a restoration done, the questions are inevitably going to be asked as to which transfer is better between the two disks, what is included as special features, and anything else. Billy Wilder’s 1959 classic Some Like It Hot was released February 2022 by Kino Lorber and was revered as one of the best 4K transfers out there at the time (and it still is one of the best transfers out there) as it was a native 4K with HDR and Dolby Vision. When Criterion announced their 4K of Some Like It Hot, the interest was piqued as I could not fathom how this disk would be different from Kino’s 4K and the reality is that the entire difference exists within the special features, and solely there.

L-R: Tony Curtis as Josephine and Jack Lemmon as Daphne in SOME LIKE IT HOT. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.

Some Like It Hot focuses on Joe and Jerry (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, respectively) as they witness the Valentines Day Massacre, something they’re never meant to see. Terrified for their lives and wanting to ensure they don’t become collateral damage, they flee the state and join an all-female band disguised as woman where they meet Sugar Kane Kowalczyk (Marilyn Monroe). However, on their adventure it is clear things are not going to be easy and things start to go haywire, leading to mishaps and chaos that have delighted audiences for the last 65 years and shows why Billy Wilder is regarded as one of the best to ever do it due to his senses of writing and direction. Some Like It Hot is a classic that has proven to stand the test of time, with Lemmon (The Apartment), Curtis (Spartacus), and Monroe (All About Eve) bringing their all to the roles, making the film a delight whether it’s the first or 15th time seeing this beloved classic.

L-R: Tony Curtis as Joe and Marilyn Monroe as Sugar “Kane” Kowalczyk in SOME LIKE IT HOT. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.

The Kino Lorber disk is a native 4K (2160 p) with Dolby Vision and HDR10 on a 100 GB disk for the 4K, and the Criterion disk is also Dolby Vision, HDR10, and a 100 GB disk for the 4K. So, comparing how the two versions look, nothing seems different to the naked eye. With that being said, the Criterion 4K has the same features as the older Criterion Blu-ray release from November 2018, so the Kino release is your best bet if you’re looking to upgrade to 4K as it has different special features. However, if this is your first time purchasing Some Like It Hot on a boutique label, if features are not a deal breaker for you, then go with whichever version suits you more as the disks are the same. Either way, Some Like It Hot is absolutely worth owning and the 4K is a must-own for any serious collector who loves film and, more importantly, Billy Wilder (The Apartment).

Some Like It Hot Special Features:

• Audio commentary from 1989 featuring film scholar Howard Suber
• Program on Orry-Kelly’s costumes for the film, featuring costume designer and historian Deborah Nadoolman Landis and costume historian and archivist Larry McQueen
• Three behind-the-scenes documentaries
• Appearances by director Billy Wilder on The Dick Cavett Show from 1982
• Conversation from 2001 between actor Tony Curtis and film critic Leonard Maltin
• French television interview from 1988 with actor Jack Lemmon
• Radio interview from 1955 with actor Marilyn Monroe
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• An essay by author Sam Wasson

Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD April 8^th, 2025.

For more information, head to the official The Criterion Collection Some Like It Hot webpage.

Categories: Home Release, Recommendation

Tags: 4K UHD, Billy Gray, Billy Wilder, comedy, crime, Criterion Collection, Dave Barry, George Raft, home release, home video, I. A. L. Diamond, Jack Lemmon, Joan Shawlee, Joe E. Brown, Marilyn Monroe, MGM Studios, Michael Logan, Nehemiah Persoff, Pat O’Brien, restoration, Robert Thoeren, romance, Some Like It Hot, The Mirisch Company, Tony Curtis