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DVD Description
Starring Robert Wagner and David McCallum
This classic series deals with Allied prisoners of war imprisoned at the supposedly escape-proof Colditz Castle during World War II, and their many attempts to escape captivity, as well as the relationships formed between the various nationalities and their German captors. One memorable episode portrays the attempts of a prisoner, Wing Commander Marsh (Michael Bryant), to get out of Colditz by feigning insanity. He succeeds, but is pushed to the limits of his sanity in the process…
The Colditz - Complete Collection Box Set contains:
- 5 Limited Edition Art Cards
- A Collector Booklet Special
Special Features
- An Interview with Author Major P.R.Reid
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
90 of 94 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Like most people who have seen this series I am so pleased to see it finally get an official release. Like many I have been stuck with poor copies made from multiple generation VHS recordings that it will be a joy to see it in reasonable quality. I do hope it has been cleaned up a bit and that the BBC haven't cut anything (they seem to have a habit of carving up series for 'copyright reasons').
This is a fantastic series with most escapes and attempts based on real events (though all the names have been changed). The acting and scripts are fantastic with a great balance of emotions from fear and boredom to occasional hilarity. The final episodes are especially moving (even more so if you have seen the Channel 4 series "Escape from Coldtiz" Episode 3, currently available on the channel 4 on demand website, with the glider reconstruction a few years ago and seeing how well it flew with some of those prisoners involved watching ). Tweedle Dum has to be one of the real standout episodes though.
It is also interesting to see how the German guards and commandant are portrayed in a mostly positive manner. Too often drama forgets that many people on all sides of the conflict didn't really agree with what was going on but were caught up as career officers or conscription. The balance of frustrated conscripts, strict discipline, humanity and genuine admiration of the prisoners' ingenuity is very well captured.
UPDATE 15/11/10: Just got the set and watched the first episode. Quality looks pretty clean to me and very good for a 70s production. There is a sticker saying 'remastered' on the outside. Inside there is a glossy booklet and a few black and white cards. The DVDs seem to be subtitled (English only though). All in all looks good.
This is a fantastic series with most escapes and attempts based on real events (though all the names have been changed). The acting and scripts are fantastic with a great balance of emotions from fear and boredom to occasional hilarity. The final episodes are especially moving (even more so if you have seen the Channel 4 series "Escape from Coldtiz" Episode 3, currently available on the channel 4 on demand website, with the glider reconstruction a few years ago and seeing how well it flew with some of those prisoners involved watching ). Tweedle Dum has to be one of the real standout episodes though.
It is also interesting to see how the German guards and commandant are portrayed in a mostly positive manner. Too often drama forgets that many people on all sides of the conflict didn't really agree with what was going on but were caught up as career officers or conscription. The balance of frustrated conscripts, strict discipline, humanity and genuine admiration of the prisoners' ingenuity is very well captured.
UPDATE 15/11/10: Just got the set and watched the first episode. Quality looks pretty clean to me and very good for a 70s production. There is a sticker saying 'remastered' on the outside. Inside there is a glossy booklet and a few black and white cards. The DVDs seem to be subtitled (English only though). All in all looks good.
45 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I have been waiting for this for many many years. I was so obsessed with this when i was a child in the 1970's that i tried to dig a tunnel from my parents garden shed under a wall & escape into a neighbours garden! I took me days & was never completed but gave me a very small insite into the effort needed for such a feat. Even if the guards on duty were my parents..
Well i am now in my 40's & have been to Colditz castle for real. It is a truly stunning place sitting high above the small weaving town. That now famous view of the battlements is just as powerfull as i thought it would be.
This series was a real landmark for the BBC & it's viewers. It was a starkly accurate portrail of life within the POW camp. They even had Major PR Reid, a survivor of the castle, on board as technical adviser.
Well done BBC for getting round to releasing this, albeit 30 years to late
Well i am now in my 40's & have been to Colditz castle for real. It is a truly stunning place sitting high above the small weaving town. That now famous view of the battlements is just as powerfull as i thought it would be.
This series was a real landmark for the BBC & it's viewers. It was a starkly accurate portrail of life within the POW camp. They even had Major PR Reid, a survivor of the castle, on board as technical adviser.
Well done BBC for getting round to releasing this, albeit 30 years to late
60 of 63 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
At last, after years of waiting, this fantastic series from the early 1970s is now available. It's very well written with historical accuracy (from the same stable as that other great series, Secret Army). Character driven, with fine acting from many well known actors of the time, including a notable and moving performance from Michael Bryant, as Wing Commander George Marsh, who feigns (or is it real?) insanity in episode 10 'Tweedledum'. They just don't make 'em like this anymore. Highly recommended.
The cast includes:-
David McCallum (Flight Lt. Simon Carter)
Michael Bryant (Wing Commander George Marsh)
Paul Chapman (Capt. George Brent)
Edward Hardwicke (Capt. Pat Grant)
Jack Hedley (Lt. Col. John Preston)
Richard Heffer (Capt. Tim Downing)
Bernard Hepton (Kommandant)
Hans Meyer (Hauptman Franz Ulmann)
Christopher Neame (Lt. Dick Player)
Peter Penry-Jones (P.O. Peter Muir)
Anthony Valentine (Major Horst Mohn)
Robert Wagner (Flight Lt. Phil Carrington)
Watch out for a young Dennis Waterman as a German Propaganda Ministry man in episode 6. Other familiar faces include Geoffrey Palmer, Michael Gough, Patrick Troughton, Peter Barkworth, Kenneth Griffith, Ronald Lacey, Ray Smith, Willie Rushton et al. The list is almost endless. A veritable Who's Who of acting talent of the time. Peter Penry-Jones is the father of Rupert Penry-Jones(Spooks).
The picture quality of the DVD is perfectly acceptable, if perhaps not quite up to modern day standards. Most studio scenes are video, with filmed inserts in the 'courtyard' etc. In fact, I find that any slight imperfections there may be actually add to the 'period' atmosphere of dark claustrophobia.
On the final disc, there is a short interview, from the early 1970s, with the late Major Pat Reid MBE MC, Colditz escaper and author of 'The Colditz Story' and 'The Latter Days', upon which the TV series was based. Major Reid was consultant to the series and Edward Hardwicke's character, Pat Grant, is based on him. The interviewer is Frank Gillard, himself a famous BBC radio war correspondent during WWII.
Sadly, Edward Hardwicke, a fine actor also well known as Doctor Watson to Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes,died on 16 May 2011.
The cast includes:-
David McCallum (Flight Lt. Simon Carter)
Michael Bryant (Wing Commander George Marsh)
Paul Chapman (Capt. George Brent)
Edward Hardwicke (Capt. Pat Grant)
Jack Hedley (Lt. Col. John Preston)
Richard Heffer (Capt. Tim Downing)
Bernard Hepton (Kommandant)
Hans Meyer (Hauptman Franz Ulmann)
Christopher Neame (Lt. Dick Player)
Peter Penry-Jones (P.O. Peter Muir)
Anthony Valentine (Major Horst Mohn)
Robert Wagner (Flight Lt. Phil Carrington)
Watch out for a young Dennis Waterman as a German Propaganda Ministry man in episode 6. Other familiar faces include Geoffrey Palmer, Michael Gough, Patrick Troughton, Peter Barkworth, Kenneth Griffith, Ronald Lacey, Ray Smith, Willie Rushton et al. The list is almost endless. A veritable Who's Who of acting talent of the time. Peter Penry-Jones is the father of Rupert Penry-Jones(Spooks).
The picture quality of the DVD is perfectly acceptable, if perhaps not quite up to modern day standards. Most studio scenes are video, with filmed inserts in the 'courtyard' etc. In fact, I find that any slight imperfections there may be actually add to the 'period' atmosphere of dark claustrophobia.
On the final disc, there is a short interview, from the early 1970s, with the late Major Pat Reid MBE MC, Colditz escaper and author of 'The Colditz Story' and 'The Latter Days', upon which the TV series was based. Major Reid was consultant to the series and Edward Hardwicke's character, Pat Grant, is based on him. The interviewer is Frank Gillard, himself a famous BBC radio war correspondent during WWII.
Sadly, Edward Hardwicke, a fine actor also well known as Doctor Watson to Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes,died on 16 May 2011.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
I love this series
I remember watching this series as a kid and have wanted to see it again for a long time. I am not disappointed. Better then I remember. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tim
Great TV Series
Having watched this series back in the 70's I had forgotten just how well made it was back then without all the technology there is today. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mithril 13
colditz
havent seen all episodes but it brings back good memories, but there are a lot of details as a kid i wasnt aware of. Nice quality and it is remastered
Published 1 month ago by Peter H. L. Clark
FIne WWII POW Film from amazon-uk
Decided to try COLDITZ after watching the much more recent ENEMY AT THE DOOR series. Was pleased by what seemed a generally even-handed take on the life of Allied prisoners in a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by L. Costa
pow
first impresion washow very well put together this box set was.the ten disc set stood up to all i had hoped for. Read more
Published 4 months ago by disco12
great present
Bought these DVDS as a Christmas present for my brother. It was well received and I am a very satisfied customer because the price was good too. A must for any Colditz fan.
Published 5 months ago by carold
Colditz
Bought for my Husband, He loved the series wanted it for his collection, smile on face on christmas morning priceless
Published 5 months ago by Michelle
Great Series
While attending University in the 1970s I would rush home to my apartment to watch each episode of Colditz. I was thrilled to be able to purchase the entire series. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Andrew T.
colditz, a MUST see
I bought this + just finished watching. This series is so amazing + addictive. The acting is just superb + doesnt seem at all dated. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mrs. F. J. Bradbury
Very good in parts, not great in others
I've long had an interest in the stories of POWs in WWII, probably triggered by the Action Man "Escape From Colditz" set I had as a child, which was created in response to this... Read more
Published 8 months ago by S. P. Long
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