Tag Archives: George Raft

Some Like It Hot gets a Criterion 4K in April

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The 1959 film “Some Like It Hot” will be released on 4K UHD Blu-ray on April 8th via The Criterion Collection. The film was directed and co-written by Billy Wilder. It starred Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O’Brien, Joe E. Brown, Nehemiah Persoff, and Joan Shawlee.

The movie has received a 4K digital restoration. The tech specs for include a Black & White 2160p video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision (or HDR10) and uncompressed PCM Mono and an alternate DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless surround sound. The 2-disc set will be a “combo pack” with the Blu-ray Disc HD counterpart included. You cannot yet find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder at Amazon or Walmart, but stay tuned for an update. You can directly preorder this 4K UHD Blu-ray from the Criterion website. The following bonus materials will be included on this release.

  • 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
  • PLUS: An essay by author Sam Wasson
  • Cover by F. Ron Miller

NOTE: This film was previously released on the 4K UHD Blu-ray format by Kino Lorber (KL Studio Classics) back in 2022. That previous release also featured Dolby Vision (or HDR10) and also contained the options of lossless Mono 2.0 or 5.1 surround sound. This upcoming 2025 Criterion 4K UHD Blu-ray release comes from a 4K digital restoration that Criterion likely oversaw.

The 1932 film Scarface gets a 4K and Blu-ray via Criterion

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The 1932 film “Scarface” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Disc on November 12th via The Criterion Collection. The film, co-directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson, starred Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley, Osgood Perkins, C. Henry Gordon, George Raft, and Boris Karloff.

The tech specs for the 4K release include a 2160p Black & White video presentation in the 1.35:1 aspect ratio with SDR (standard dynamic range) and Uncompressed PCM Mono sound. Tech specs for the Blu-ray include a 1.35:1 aspect ratio and Uncompressed PCM Mono sound. The 4K release will come as a “combo pack’ with its Blu-ray Disc counterpart included. You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray available for preorder at Amazon. It’s certainly worth noting that you can also preorder the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray directly from Criterion’s website. The bonus materials set to be included with the releases are listed below.

  • Alternate ending, from the censored version of the film
  • New conversation between author Megan Abbott and actor Bill Hader
  • New interview with film scholar Lea Jacobs on director Howard Hawks’s innovative use of sound and editing
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith
  • New cover by Mark Chiarello

1959 film Some Like It Hot comes to 4K February

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The 1959 classic film “Some Like It Hot“ is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray on February 8th, 2022 via KL Studio Classics. The film, directed, produced, and co-written by Billy Wilder, starred Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O’Brien, and Joe E. Brown. KL Studio Classics had already hinted that this film was coming [next year] in a tweet from earlier this year.

The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a Black & White 2160p video presentation in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 and Dolby Vision form of high dynamic range with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and 2.0 Mono lossless mixes — on a BD-100 disc. The release will come as a “combo pack” with the Blu-ray Disc counterpart included. You can find the 4K UHD Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon, directly via KLStudioClassics.com, or over at online retailer Deep Discount. The bonus materials set to be included on each disc of the release are detailed below.

4K UHD DISC 1:

  • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Joseph McBride, Author of Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge
  • Audio Commentary by Paul Diamond (Son of I.A.L. Diamond) and Screenwriters Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel: Featuring Interviews with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon

BLU-RAY DISC 2:

  • The Making of SOME LIKE IT HOT (25:45)
  • The Legacy of SOME LIKE IT HOT (20:22)
  • Nostalgic Look Back: Documentary (31:13)
  • Memories from the Sweet Sues: Featurette (12:03)
  • Virtual Hall of Memories (21:04)
  • Billy Wilder and Volker Schlöndorff Discuss SOME LIKE IT HOT (14:27)
  • More with Billy Wilder and Volker Schlöndorff (6:02)
  • Tribute to I.A.L. Diamond (2:01)
  • Theatrical Trailer (2:20)

Original 1932 Scarface film comes to Blu-ray

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The classic 1932 original “Scarface“ film produced by Howard Hughes is finally coming to Blu-ray Disc – as an individual release – on November 19th via Universal MOD. The film, co-directed by Howard Hawks & Richard Rosson, starred Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley, Osgood Perkins, C. Henry Gordon, George Raft, Vince Barnett, and Boris Karloff. This isn’t the first time this film has been available, as it was released (exclusively) as part of the “Scarface” 1983 4K UHD Blu-ray Limited Edition box set earlier this year. However, as mentioned, this will be the first time the film will be available on the Blu-ray format as an individual release. Speaking of which, this will be a MOD (manufacture on demand) Blu-ray title for Universal – as noted. This means that it will only be available online via Amazon and others. The tech specs for the release include 1080p HD Black & White video in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio Mono sound. You can find the Blu-ray now available for preorder over at Amazon. The bonus materials set to be included on the release are listed below.

  • Introduction by TCM Host and Film Historian Robert Osborne
  • Alternate Ending