Hogan's Heroes Rip-Off
04-24-05, 12:12 PM
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Hogan's Heroes Rip-Off
Hello all. I hate to start out by ranting, but I'm here to alert anyone who may have purchased the "Hogan's Heroes complete first season" from Paramount on DVD.
It is not complete. The first episode entitled "The Informer" is edited. I know this episode backward and forwards. The scene that is cut out comes after Hogan shows the informer the entire tunnel network. Hogan then goes to Kinchloe and has him radio a submarine with some instructions. Hogan then tells Kinchloe to "Call Sydney Carter."
In the actual complete version, we see a regular home radio receiving Hogan's instructions for Sydney to get back to camp. The Sydney character was shown at the start of the episode escaping in order to let another prisoner in for processing. They referred to Sydney as "Our outside man". Sydney is shown making out with some girl as the message comes in over the regular radio telling Sydney to come back adding that "It is a far, far better thing you do than you have ever done before." Cut back to Hogan looking sheepishly embarassed as Kinchloe looks at him. apparently The "far far better"... qoute seemed corny to the both of them. This entire call is gone. we see/hear Hogan telling Kinchloe to "Call Sydney Carter"...then the scene starts to fade, cuts suddenly to black, then the next scene of General Burkhalter arriving pops back on.
This may seem trivial, but the scene appeared in the older Columbia House VHS and DVD versions. Even T.V. land didn't hack it out! But the point still is that we buy DVD "complete" seasons of our favorite programs to enjoy them...COMPLETE, y'know, uncut, unexpurgated! The customer service, so far, at Paramount claims ignorance
. I do not have ALL the episodes as commited to memory as I do the first, so now I must ask myself, "WHAT ELSE has Paramount decide to hack out of my "complete" collection. 
If we, as consumers and Fans, let this pass, who knows how else we will/are being ripped off? Check your copy and give 'em hell till they make good. On the grounds of false advertizing alone, Paramount is in the wrong! I will post a similar thread in the T.V. section, however, I thought the sheer blatantcy of Paramount's deception and/or incompetence needs to be shown and this is the new release section. "Hogan" came out on March 15th, so maybe not enough people have watched all of the episodes, or simply didn'y know of the missing scene. Why would Paramount be so greedy/incompetent? They already have a hotline to adress the mislabeling of discs #1 and #2...In my opinion, they need a hotline to make good on ALL the fraudulent discs.
Has anyone else contacted Paramount on this? Thanks for the opportunity to bring this to the attention of consumers.
The hotline # only adresses the mislabeling issue. I can't seem to find a customer service # that I can call to get straight answers (or ANY answers
). Does anyone know how to call the DVD dept at Paramount. I'm on a crusade here! 
It is not complete. The first episode entitled "The Informer" is edited. I know this episode backward and forwards. The scene that is cut out comes after Hogan shows the informer the entire tunnel network. Hogan then goes to Kinchloe and has him radio a submarine with some instructions. Hogan then tells Kinchloe to "Call Sydney Carter."
In the actual complete version, we see a regular home radio receiving Hogan's instructions for Sydney to get back to camp. The Sydney character was shown at the start of the episode escaping in order to let another prisoner in for processing. They referred to Sydney as "Our outside man". Sydney is shown making out with some girl as the message comes in over the regular radio telling Sydney to come back adding that "It is a far, far better thing you do than you have ever done before." Cut back to Hogan looking sheepishly embarassed as Kinchloe looks at him. apparently The "far far better"... qoute seemed corny to the both of them. This entire call is gone. we see/hear Hogan telling Kinchloe to "Call Sydney Carter"...then the scene starts to fade, cuts suddenly to black, then the next scene of General Burkhalter arriving pops back on.
This may seem trivial, but the scene appeared in the older Columbia House VHS and DVD versions. Even T.V. land didn't hack it out! But the point still is that we buy DVD "complete" seasons of our favorite programs to enjoy them...COMPLETE, y'know, uncut, unexpurgated! The customer service, so far, at Paramount claims ignorance
. I do not have ALL the episodes as commited to memory as I do the first, so now I must ask myself, "WHAT ELSE has Paramount decide to hack out of my "complete" collection. If we, as consumers and Fans, let this pass, who knows how else we will/are being ripped off? Check your copy and give 'em hell till they make good. On the grounds of false advertizing alone, Paramount is in the wrong! I will post a similar thread in the T.V. section, however, I thought the sheer blatantcy of Paramount's deception and/or incompetence needs to be shown and this is the new release section. "Hogan" came out on March 15th, so maybe not enough people have watched all of the episodes, or simply didn'y know of the missing scene. Why would Paramount be so greedy/incompetent?
They already have a hotline to adress the mislabeling of discs #1 and #2...In my opinion, they need a hotline to make good on ALL the fraudulent discs.Has anyone else contacted Paramount on this? Thanks for the opportunity to bring this to the attention of consumers.
The hotline # only adresses the mislabeling issue. I can't seem to find a customer service # that I can call to get straight answers (or ANY answers
). Does anyone know how to call the DVD dept at Paramount. I'm on a crusade here!
Last edited by Sam Dracula; 04-24-05 at 12:15 PM.
04-24-05, 02:49 PM
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My question about the set is only the 1st episode is in black & white, wasn't there more than one episode that was in black & white? i'm not sure about this but i thought there were more episodes that were in black & white.
04-24-05, 07:08 PM
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Black and White
There was only one episode in Black and White. It is the Pilot episode (the first). Are you content with an edited version? Maybe I'll sell you my tapes from T.V. land.
Maybe you'd be happy with the "complete" works of William Shakespear with only a few volumes missing.
...Or maybe a boxed set of Star Wars, y'know, the T.B.S. Superstation version. Yeah, a boxed set of Star Wars with some of the annoying battle scenes hacked off, who will notice, right?
I am stunned. Get angry, people! Get aware, get what you paid for!
BTW, I am sure the word "censored" will come up in the future as companies slice off whatever the distributor deems to be "unwholesome" or "unnecesary" (sorry for the spelling!).
I'm trying to stop this slop before it becomes so imbedded that these companie will rip us off atwill. Let's do SOMETHING about this, I say!
If anyone knows of any organizations that look out for fraud and consumer complaints, please post them here or P.M. me. I thank you in advance for any help anyone can provide. Peace and Power to the consumer!
Maybe you'd be happy with the "complete" works of William Shakespear with only a few volumes missing.
...Or maybe a boxed set of Star Wars, y'know, the T.B.S. Superstation version. Yeah, a boxed set of Star Wars with some of the annoying battle scenes hacked off, who will notice, right?
I am stunned. Get angry, people! Get aware, get what you paid for!
BTW, I am sure the word "censored" will come up in the future as companies slice off whatever the distributor deems to be "unwholesome" or "unnecesary" (sorry for the spelling!).
I'm trying to stop this slop before it becomes so imbedded that these companie will rip us off atwill. Let's do SOMETHING about this, I say!
If anyone knows of any organizations that look out for fraud and consumer complaints, please post them here or P.M. me. I thank you in advance for any help anyone can provide. Peace and Power to the consumer!
04-25-05, 01:17 AM
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Did you try any of the following numbers from the Customer Service Phone Number Thread found in the store forum? Last one says it has something to do with Star Trek but maybe they can refer you to the right department. Personally I think the protests will not get anywhere with Paramount but your welcome to keep trying.
1-323-956-8070 or 1-323-956-8830 or 1-323-956-8509
1-888-895-1355 for Star Trek: Deep Space 9 issues
1-323-956-8070 or 1-323-956-8830 or 1-323-956-8509
1-888-895-1355 for Star Trek: Deep Space 9 issues
04-25-05, 10:13 AM
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Finally!
I applaud you, Count. As long as attitudes like, "Oh well, it's just another bad release of a T.V. show, nothing new on this thread" prevail, we will continue to be ripped-off.
"oh well, it's just another forty dollars."
"oh well, just another DVD site claiming to be into the technical aspects of DVDs ie; ratios, extras, "interactive" menus, etc. only to find it to be populated by a small group of people haunting it, making smart, snide remarks."
I mean, really. Wise up. Why don't they just release syndicated version of T.V. shows, so we can really waste our money!?
I will try the numbers supplied by Laser. No toll free number...are they trying to tell us something? I have tried the hotline number they provide for the mislabeling of Hogan's Heroes, and they claim not to know any other numbers. Being that I posted here on a Sunday, I obviously couldn't contact Paramount's or CBS's offices. I will definately focus on the source. I thought that, on a site like this, one could drum up support for holding companies accountable for fraud in regards to DVD products. I see that I am wrong in that respect. Aside from Count, (the poster above) and one other site administrator, I have found these forums to be lacking, at best. These forums seem to favor quibbling over which is the best Star Wars, or making wish lists of what title they'd like to see released.
Imagine if you bought a boxed set of , say Star Wars, or Star Trek, or whatever, and you got it home only to notice about four minute cut out. You would take it right back...or would you? Are you THAT complacent?
The old Nickalodeon station used to advertise their episodes of Bewitched (the first three seasons in Black and White) by saying, "You wouldn't start reading the tale of two cities halfway thru, would you?" they reffered to networks that only showed Bewitched from the third, color season on to the end. The same applies here. "You wouldn't buy a complete season of a Television series that was actually as edited, or more so, than the syndicated version, would you?"
...oh, that's right, I guess most would.
It's o.k. to laugh at me.
Paramount/CBS and Columbia House are laughing as well.
I'm not looking for forum board infighting, I'm just fighting what they used to call, "The good fight", or at least I thought I was.
Thanks for the feedback, laser. And Good for you Count! Wait til some other company, who respects the product and it's customers, snags up the title. Peace.
"oh well, it's just another forty dollars."
"oh well, just another DVD site claiming to be into the technical aspects of DVDs ie; ratios, extras, "interactive" menus, etc. only to find it to be populated by a small group of people haunting it, making smart, snide remarks."
I mean, really. Wise up. Why don't they just release syndicated version of T.V. shows, so we can really waste our money!?
I will try the numbers supplied by Laser. No toll free number...are they trying to tell us something? I have tried the hotline number they provide for the mislabeling of Hogan's Heroes, and they claim not to know any other numbers. Being that I posted here on a Sunday, I obviously couldn't contact Paramount's or CBS's offices. I will definately focus on the source. I thought that, on a site like this, one could drum up support for holding companies accountable for fraud in regards to DVD products. I see that I am wrong in that respect. Aside from Count, (the poster above) and one other site administrator, I have found these forums to be lacking, at best. These forums seem to favor quibbling over which is the best Star Wars, or making wish lists of what title they'd like to see released.
Imagine if you bought a boxed set of , say Star Wars, or Star Trek, or whatever, and you got it home only to notice about four minute cut out. You would take it right back...or would you? Are you THAT complacent?
The old Nickalodeon station used to advertise their episodes of Bewitched (the first three seasons in Black and White) by saying, "You wouldn't start reading the tale of two cities halfway thru, would you?" they reffered to networks that only showed Bewitched from the third, color season on to the end. The same applies here. "You wouldn't buy a complete season of a Television series that was actually as edited, or more so, than the syndicated version, would you?"
...oh, that's right, I guess most would.
It's o.k. to laugh at me.
Paramount/CBS and Columbia House are laughing as well.
I'm not looking for forum board infighting, I'm just fighting what they used to call, "The good fight", or at least I thought I was.
Thanks for the feedback, laser. And Good for you Count! Wait til some other company, who respects the product and it's customers, snags up the title. Peace.
Last edited by Sam Dracula; 04-25-05 at 10:20 AM.
04-25-05, 10:27 AM
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Based on the evidence, it sounds like the longer version of the pilot was never aired.
If that's true, IMO the "unaired pilot" would qualify as an extra, as long as the "aired pilot" is included exactly as it was broadcast.
If the box set makes no claims other than to include the episodes complete *as originally broadcast* I don't see how this is a rip-off.
Certainly it would have been desirable to have it included. And it's easy to see how people's expectations might have been influenced by the previous CH releases.
But unless this set was advertised to include something that's missing, I don't see how it's a "rip-off." The standard for TV box sets is that unaired footage is bonus material.
Since pilot you're talking about is over 30 minutes long, it would have needed a 36 minute time slot to air intact in 1965, unless it ran commercial-free. There's no evidence that was the case.
RichC
If that's true, IMO the "unaired pilot" would qualify as an extra, as long as the "aired pilot" is included exactly as it was broadcast.
If the box set makes no claims other than to include the episodes complete *as originally broadcast* I don't see how this is a rip-off.
Certainly it would have been desirable to have it included. And it's easy to see how people's expectations might have been influenced by the previous CH releases.
But unless this set was advertised to include something that's missing, I don't see how it's a "rip-off." The standard for TV box sets is that unaired footage is bonus material.
Since pilot you're talking about is over 30 minutes long, it would have needed a 36 minute time slot to air intact in 1965, unless it ran commercial-free. There's no evidence that was the case.
RichC
04-25-05, 10:37 AM
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I can appreciate where you are coming from on this. I don't understand why they release edited versions of tv shows on dvd. There is no excuse for this...
04-25-05, 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Sam Dracula
...Or maybe a boxed set of Star Wars, y'know, the T.B.S. Superstation version. Yeah, a boxed set of Star Wars with some of the annoying battle scenes hacked off, who will notice, right?
I'm still waiting for the unedited Star Wars to be released......
04-25-05, 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by boc4ever
I can appreciate where you are coming from on this. I don't understand why they release edited versions of tv shows on dvd. There is no excuse for this...
