Customer Reviews

Hogan's Heroes: The Komplete Series, Kommandant's Kollection

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

For fans of Hogan's Heroes (1965-71), it is indeed fortunate that the program weathered the initial criticism and controversy, and went on to become a successful series for CBS for six seasons. Created by Bernard Fein and Albert Ruddy, Hogan's Heroes featured Allied prisoners conducting clandestine operations from Stalag 13, a German prisoner of war (POW) camp. In the initial season, various approaches were explored. Much was learned, and changes were made that resulted in a better and funnier program. When the writers had direction, and toned down some of the over the top wackiness, the stories became more credible, and Hogan's Heroes began to rise to new comedic heights.

The program's wonderful ensemble cast, was headed by Bob Crane as Colonel Robert Hogan, Werner Klemperer as Luftwaffe Colonel Wilhelm Klink, and John Banner as Sergeant Hans Schultz. It was often difficult for everyone to get screen time, but the core group of POW's, French corporal Louis LeBeau (Robert Clary), RAF corporal Peter Newkirk (Richard Dawson), and US sergeants Ben Kinchloe (Ivan Dixon), and Andrew Carter (Larry Hovis), soon developed into memorable characters. Leon Askin as General Burkhalter, evolved into a semi-regular, followed later by Howard Caine as Gestapo Major Hochstetter. With a large cast and guest stars frequently in the mix, Hogan's Heroes featured a rich variety of acting talent, guided by a creative team that included principal writers Richard M. Powell and Laurence Marks (MASH), and directors Gene Reynolds (MASH), Bruce Bilson, and Edward Feldman, who was also executive producer.

The 1960's was an amazing decade, full of turbulence and change. When Hogan's Heroes debuted in 1965, World War II was only twenty years in the past, and many still had deep feelings of hurt and loss. It was understandable that some found the idea of a comedy set in a POW camp, to be offensive, or in questionable taste. Others mistakenly confused POW camps, which housed military prisoners, with the extermination camps of the Holocaust. Interestingly, actors Askin, Banner, Clary, and Klemperer, were Jews who had fled Europe to escape the Nazis.

The primetime comedy lineup in 1965, was an eclectic mix from many genres that included Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, McHale's Navy, Bewitched, The Munsters, The Addams Family, Mr. Ed, Andy Griffith, and The Beverly Hillbillies. Also debuted in 1965 were That Girl, Get Smart, My Mother the Car, and I Dream of Jeannie. With TV comedy exploring so many wacky frontiers, why not a sitcom set in a stalag?

Allied prisoners digging tunnels were featured in The Great Escape (1963), a hugely popular film, based on real life events detailed in a book by Paul Brickhill. The film took certain liberties with the truth for dramatic purposes, and Hogan's Heroes similarly mixed elements of fact with fiction, and then took matters to a radically ridiculous extreme, featuring an elaborate secret underground installation and tunnel system. Early on, reality was stretched a bit too far, and things got a little too loose, such as when a plane was launched from the camp, artillery guns fired happy birthday flags, and a tank vanished inside the camp. Even a parody can be taken to extremes, and adjustments were made to find an appropriate balance between reality and fantasy. When the proper framework was established, and suitable writers found, Hogan and his men could achieve almost anything short of winning the war. The relationship between the prisoners and the Germans, evolved from being a childish game of superiority, to one with a higher level of respect.

Some aspects of life in Stalag 13 that had a basis in reality, included the scarcity of food, and the importance of the Geneva Convention and Red Cross packages. POW's typically had only their one uniform to wear. Prisoners had roll calls, faced punishment for subversive activities, and developed elaborate security and warning systems to cover their escape activities, which were typically coordinated by an escape committee. German soldiers did fear of the Russian front, and there was an `underground' system that aided Allied soldiers.

A big part of the series was the Hogan/Kink relationship, where Hogan continuously manipulated Klink by playing on his fears, ambition and vanity. Klink was usually putty in Hogan's hands, but those rare occasions when things did not go Hogan's way, were usually a very interesting times. Klink's incompetence so greatly aided the Allied cause, that it was hard to regard him as the enemy. Werner Klemperer won two Emmys for his performance In the role.

John Banner was simply magnificent as the portly Sgt. Schultz, a man with a resolve as firm as jell-o, who could be pressured or persuaded with food, into doing almost anything. Banner was perhaps the most naturally funny of anyone, and often got many of the best lines, the classic 'I know nothing . . . nothing', being just one. Banner could take over a scene by outrageously overacting, or just by reacting in the background. It is impossible to conceive of the program, without this gentle man's singular talents.

For many in the cast, Hogan's Heroes is what they are most remembered for. Larry Hovis had a special talent as the goofball, demolition expert Carter, who did a hilarious impersonation of Hitler, and other Germans. Robert Clary as LeBeau, was often found putting his culinary skills to use. Handsome Ivan Dixon, was one of the first African Americans to be featured as a regular in a television series. The episodes where Sergeant Kinchloe was spotlighted were always excellent. Later known for hosting Family Feud, Richard Dawson was Peter Newkirk, a wisecracking hustler type, who fancied himself a ladies' man. When Dixon left the series, Kenneth Washington replaced him in the final season, as Sergeant Baker. Cynthia Lynn was Klink's secretary Helga for the first season. Sigrid Valdis took over as Hilda, for the run of the series. Valdis married Bob Crane in 1970.

Leon Askin, much like John Banner, was a comedic jewel as General Burkhalter. With an acidic voice, and a commanding presence, Askin delivered some devastating zingers, usually involving some massive putdown of Klink. With Stalag 13 and the nearby town of Hammelburg, the hub for underground operations and sabotage activities, it was natural that the Gestapo (geheim stazpolizei) took an interest in the camp. Howard Caine became a semi-regular as the sneering Gestapo Major Hochstetter. Hochstetter was a serious and dangerous threat, and dealing with him was always a challenge. The Gestapo often clashed with the Luftwaffe, adding a few more sparks to the fun.

Bernard Fox as Colonel Crittenden, Kathleen Freeman as Gertrude Linkmeyer, Arlene Martel as Tiger, Nita Talbot as Marya, Dick Wilson as Fritz Gruber, and Jon Cedar as Corporal Langenscheidt (and others) were among the best of the reoccurring guest characters, with Noam Pitlik, Victoria Carroll, and Dave Morick among the many who made multiple appearances in various roles. The program featured a list of distinguished guest stars that included John Hoyt, Gavin MacLeod, Harold J. Stone, John Dehner, Whit Bissell, Harold Gould, Alan Oppenheimer, Frank Marth, Paul Lambert, John Stephenson, Ben Wright, and Theo Marcuse. Some of the fine actresses who appeared include Antoinette Bower, Ruta Lee, Marj Dusay, Marilyn Mason, Barbara Babcock, Joyce Jameson, Lynn Peters, Jean Hale, Fay Spain, Claudine Longet, Sabrina Scharf, Mariana Hill, Leslie Parrish, Karen Steele, and Brenda Benet.

Robert Clary has written a memoir entitled `From the Holocaust to Hogan's Heroes', and Cynthia Lynn has also written a memoir 'Escape to Freedom'. Brenda Scott Royce's out of print book, `Behind the Scenes at Stalag 13' has some good information, although the episode summaries could have been much more comprehensive.

The Kommandant's Kollection is the most complete set of complete series. This new compilation appears to be a repackaging of the previously issued season sets, plus one new disc with additional bonus material. The set maybe rates a B minus, for packaging. To try and save space, the discs are separated into individual season sets, that are housed in folded cardboard sleeves. The sleeves have a light brown sepia tone, and feature some cool photos. The DVD's slide into cutout slots, and if they are not securely wedged in, the discs can fall out. When you first open the set, check to see that none of the discs have become loose in transit. The width of the outer box is only 2.5 inches, but it is slightly deeper than the most DVD boxed sets. It comes with a sliding plastic sleeve, which helps keep the season sleeves from sliding out. With care, hopefully the long term durability of the set will be good, as paper sleeves don't offer very much protection against damage.

Fans may be curious about the content on the New Special Features Disc. The remembrances of Richard Dawson, and co-creator Albert J. Ruddy, are of particular interest, as sadly so many in the cast are no longer with us. Much appreciation to the late Sigrid Valdis (Patricia Crane), who graciously shared her memories and thoughts, in the previously issued sets. A brief summary of the major items on the new bonus disc follows:

The Informer - Extended pilot episode : The pilot has a lead in segment that features Fred MacMurray from My Three Sons, and an intro of the episode by Bob Denver and Alan Hale Jr. of Gilligan's Island. The original pilot ran about 26 minutes, the extended version is 33 minutes.

Clip from Hollywood Palace: The cast of Hogan's Heroes make a brief appearance with host Bing Crosby. Hogan's Heroes was produced by Crosby's production company. (5 minutes)

Richard Dawson Remembers: Probably the best of the extras, features a very humble Richard Dawson reminiscing about his life, the show, and his fellow cast members. Broken up into three segments, the total run time is about 44 minutes.

Conversation with Albert S. Ruddy: The series co-creator Ruddy, recounts how he and Bernard Fein, total novices to screenwriting, managed to get Hogan's Heroes on network television, and how CBS was sued for plagiarism by the producers of the movie Stalag 17. (12 minutes)

The Safecracker Suite: Al Ruddy explains how after being banned in Germany for many years, Hogan's Heroes was finally allowed to air there. The dialog in the episodes was altered by the Germans, to be more "appropriate" for a German audience. This is an example of an episode given this treatment. A curiosity perhaps, but probably not of great interest to many.

With a fabulous cast, and solid writing, Hogan's Heroes is a truly unique classic comedy, from that very special decade, the 1960's. For some, it may engender memories of a time when sacrifice and working together for a common cause, was not such a strange concept as it may seem today.

Having read the reviews here I chose to purchase on sale at a brick and mortar retail store. I can tell you having only gotten to see a few episodes of the series total that the show itself is hilarious and entertaining. The packaging that this set has must of been approved by someone shouting "I see nothing". Each season is in its on cardboard sleeve. The slots that hold the disc damage the discs when you take them out and put them back in. Then the slots that don't hold them, the discs are sliding all over the place which also damaging discs. I returned this to the store and ordered the sets separately. The price worked out to be about the same although I will miss the bonus disc that you only get with this collection.

Again great show horrible packaging.

I received an advance copy of this set and it's spectacular and is reason for any Hogan's fan to be excited, unless of course you already shelled out money for the earlier releases.


Packaged together for the first time, the 28-disc set includes all six seasons of the smash-hit series, as well as an arsenal full of extras including home movies, bloopers and audio commentaries. The set will also contain an entire disc of new to DVD special features, including an extended version of the pilot with rare introduction, a new cast interview with Richard Dawson and a photo montage including unseen images set to a performance of the show's theme song by Bob Crane and his band. Brand new "Kommandant Rank" graphics and packaging have been designed for this special set.

Garnering two Emmy nominations for his role, Bob Crane stars as Colonel Hogan, who together with his fellow Prisoners of War at Stalag 13 cleverly outwit their German captors. Firing off a non-stop string of one-liners from behind enemy lines, the ragtag team - including
Richard Dawson, Robert Clary and Larry Hovis - lead a relentless comic assault on their Nazi captors, conducting espionage and sabotage campaigns right under the noses of their warders. While the enemy is often gullible, easily fooled or downright incompetent, the real strength of Hogan's men are the elaborate ruses and sometimes dangerous lengths they will go to complete their mission. Werner Klemperer earned back-to-back Emmy awards for his role as the German Colonel Wilhelm Klink. Airing from 1965 through 1971, HOGAN'S HEROES garnered three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series.

HOGAN'S HEROES THE KOMPLETE SERIES, KOMMANDANT'S KOLLECTION arrives armed with a disc of new to DVD material, including:
A new interview with Richard Dawson, who played Corporal Peter Newkirk
An extended version of the pilot episode "The Informer," with a very rare network introduction
A segment from Hollywood Palace, featuring the cast of Hogan's Heroes
Audio of the HOGAN'S HEROES theme song performed by Bob Crane and his band accompanied by a special photo montage of images from the show and numerous rare behind-the-scenes photographs
Clip from CBS' 1965 Fall Preview Show, "Seven Wonderful Nights"
Two series promos
A new interview with Albert S. Ruddy, Co-Creator
Digital version of "Hokum's Heroes" parody from Mad Magazine
1968 and 1969 Emmy Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Werner Klemperer clips
German dubbed episode with alternate dialogue track, created for German broadcast television which ultimately turned HOGAN'S HEROES from a flop into a hit show in Germany, with Albert S. Ruddy introduction. English subtitles also provided.

The 28-disc set is presented in full screen format with English Restored Mono.

I bought this DVD set as a gift for my boyfriend who is a DVD-phile and loves vintage television shows that he grew up with. To begin, the show, Hogan's Heroes, was on his "wish list" so I thought I would surprise him. Sadly, the only surprise was his disappointment and his (and my) waste of time and effort tying to put together a "damage-free" set.... After three (3) attempts, he never got to see so much as one complete episode. Hence, my rating of one (1) star.... The first set arrived in a shambles...... The AMAZON.COM packing was adequate but still many of the DVD's arrived loose from their storage sleeves and were scratched. Consequently, some of the discs would not play. The loose DVDs were the result of very poorly designed packaging by the manufacturer. The set comes as a box with multiple cardboard booklets holding the DVDs. Unfortunately, the cardboard sleeves/booklets offer no protection and invite scrathes and wear to DVDs over time. The real tragedy is that even a little jostling during shipping will make the discs slip out of their cases and become scratched. The second set (to replace the first) was an unbelievable fiasco. The set arrived crushed from poor packing and almost all of the DVDs were loose and scratched. However, the strange thing we noticed was that this set arrived without its plastic "wrap-around" sleeve (with the picture of the super-imposed German Pickelhaube helmet and the WWII American Air Force Colonel's cap) that surrounds the carboard box nor did it have any cellophane wrapping. My boyfriend is of the opinion that the shipping warehouse tried to pull a "fast one" by sending a set that had already been returned.... Judging from the condition of the DVDs and missing inserts, I can't say he was wrong to think that.... The third set (and final) was a reinactment of the first two sets. This time, the set was wrapped with cello but, curiously, the plastic "wrap-around" sleeve (with the super-imposed German helmet, etc.) was missing again.... The final set also suffered from multiple loose and scratched DVDs..... This expereince was, in a word, "pathetic".... Is AMAZON.COM (or Paramount) " by recycling" returned DVDs? I don't want to say but the condition and missing packaging elements of the two replacement shipments look very suspicious.... The real root the problem is the poorly conceived packaging by the manufacturer. Anyone with the IQ of a turnip can see it is woefully inadeqaute for the safe shipping and storage of DVDs. Paramount (the manufacturer) should be ashamed.... Also, AMAZON.COM needs to take a hard look at its shipping methods. Far to many DVD sets I've ordered for myself have arrived crushed or damaged due to inadequate packing and...well....just plain stupidity....(For example, sending expensive and fragile DVD sets in padded envelopes?!?!?!?!). For those of you contemplating ordering this DVD set, consider yourselves warned.....

I currently own Hogan's Heroes SEPARATE season box sets. Picture quality is good, better than the Columbia House. Recently, I saw the box at my local Best Buy. Had to take a look. On the box, in VERY small print, they state that some content is edited. Translation.....syndicated episodes. When are they going to stop this madness? Is it bad enough they are "sweetening" this box by having a disc that is not available nowhere else but in this box, and then.......cutting episodes? I have looked for someone to write to about this but no luck. Until these problems are resolved, I'll live with my single box sets and wonder what I'm missing on the bonus disc.

Shout! Factory put out Season 1 of Mr. Ed with EIGHT syndicated episodes. They "rectified" the problem with Season 2 coming out with NO syndicated shows. How about #1? Is this a trend? Do they think we're stupid? I like to own this stuff, but I want to get what I pay for. Syndicated episodes are NOT complete, and should not be part of season or complete series box sets.

Others have written excellent reviews on the series, so I won't add to that... I would like to add a word of caution on the packaging. These disks are inserted in cutouts in a number of cardboard (think abrasive!) slip cases. When I opened my set, I noticed the disk surfaces had a lot of fine scratches, likely from the combination of the abrasive cardboard and vibrations with shipping; almost every disk suffered from these. So far, I haven't had any playback glitches, but I'm still on disk 1 (although I randomly sampled another of the worst-scuffed disks, and it played okay also). The series is a "5", but the packaging would be somewhat less.

I already own the complete series that was offered by Amazon previously, which is all the season box sets shrink wrapped together. Since I love all things Hogan I had to have this. I know some people will think I'm stupid for doing it however. The set arrived in perfect shape. It consists of a red cardboard sleeve that has all 6 seasons stacked in it. The edges of the sleeves that hold the discs form the image of the guard tower when arranged side by side in order, kind of cool I think. The sleeves are basic once you remove them. They are cardboard with images from the show, and have slots inside for the individual discs. The back flap has a list of the episodes and/or special features listed for each disc. There is one drawback on the back of the plastic cases for the discs that came in the individual season box sets it lists the name of each episode, a short description of what it is about and the original air date. The sleeves in this set just list the name of each episode, and the air date. I guess that's not a big deal, but I wish they had added that. There is a clear sleeve that slides down over the red box that has the Hogan's Heroes logo on it and the iconic image of Colonel Hogan's cap resting on top of Klink's WWI helmet, that appeared in the opening credits. The discs that come with this set are the exact same ones that came in the individual season sets, they even have the same photos on them. Then there's the Kommandant's Kollection disc. This disc has a lot of extra stuff on it that any Hogan's fan will love. There is a photo montage set to the theme song performed by Bob Crane's band. There is an episode "The Safecracker Suite" that is shown in German with English subtitles so you can see how the show is shown in Germany. There is a lengthy interview with Richard Dawson discussing the show, there is also several other extras that are really neat. I know most people who already have the complete series individually in box sets probably will not buy this, but a Hogan's Heroes fanatic like myself will love it. I'm going to save this as a "Kollector's" item and continue to use my individual sets for viewing. The only drawback I see to it is that if viewed regularly the cardboard sleeves that hold the discs may wear out, tear, or just get ragged looking, but other than that it is a great set.

I read other reviews which mentioned the poor way in which this set was packaged. I agree with them. The DVDs could have been placed in sleeves, instead of being simply slid into a cardboard pocket. I will have to invest some money into sleeves in order to keep the discs from becoming scratched.

Hogan's Heroes: The Komplete Series, Kommandant's Kollection hi! after buying this set i was impresed with the digital transfers from the grainy looking tapes/dvd i owned before the set. i wont review the show, because if your looking at this you know how great it was and is. the only item that inspired me to leave my feedback was everyones concern about the card board dvd holders scrathing the dvds. what i did to solve this was to take some paper dvd holders and cut them so they fit into the dvd holders slots.(just like the everybody loves raymond house looking set did) this way the dvds wont rub against the cardboard holder. the other thing i like about this is that it makes the dvds a little snugger in their case,and they are less likely to fall out. well, thats it for now hope this helps. jim

I read the reviews and didn't listen. I bought the set. The packaging is less than poor. The cardboard folders contain slits in which the disks are stored. This is not optimum for long term disk life. However, the icing on the cake was that some of the disks were STUCK in their slots. When I finally ended up ripping the packaging, I discovered glue on the disk. The care and quality in packaging this item is simply not there. The set is being returned.

On the other side, the picture quality is good and the stories and acting are exceptional. I cannot recommond buying the set.