A short blurb from Acorn Media about Tales of the Unexpected Set 1:” Like his children’s books, Roald Dahl’s adult stories never fail to surprise, though they take more chilling flights of fancy. Darkly humorous and playfully macabre, each standalone episode in this acclaimed series is a brilliantly acted little gem of creepy delight. This DVD set includes all 25 episodes from the first two seasons, available uncut for the first time.”
Tales of the Unexpected started in 1978 as a British version of Alfred Hitchcock presents with a little Twilight Zone thrown in. It had a cavalcade of British and American actors in these interesting 25-minute episodes. An American version of the series tried to stay on the air in 1979 but only lasted a few episodes. These are the original British versions with the writer Roald Dahl introducing the episodes for at least the first 3 seasons. I believe that John Houseman introduced the American Syndicated episodes. If you are an Anglophile (Love of all things British) you will love these shows. Acorn Media did a wonderful job with the packaging and the interactive menus. A total of 112 episodes were produced.
VIDEO
The video quality is superb! Most of the episodes were done on videotape but they were done also on videotape for indoor and film for outdoors and a few shows that were completely done on film. Videotape episodes are sharp and clear and filmed one had little to no dirt or specks. No word that they are remastered in anyway but they are from good prints and video. All discs have a Play All feature.
Audio
Was originally recorded in Mono. Also here in mono but very clear!
Disc 1- 1. “Man from the South”-with Jose Ferrer and Pamela Stephenson
2. “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”-with Julie Harris and Richard Greene
3. “William and Mary”-with Elaine Stritch and Marius Goring
4. “Lamb To The Slaughter”-with Susan George and Brian Blessed
5. “The Landlady”
6. “Neck”-with Joan Collins, Sir John Gielgud and Peter Bowles
7. “Edward the Conqueror”-with Joseph Cotton
Disc 2- 1. “A Dip In The Pool”-with Jack Weston and Michael Troughton
2. “The Way Up To Heaven”-with Julie Harris
3. “Royal Jelly”-with Susan George and Timothy West
4. “Skin”-with Derek Jacobi and Donald Pickering
5. “Galloping Foxley”-with Sir John Mills
6. “The Hitch-Hiker”-with Rod Taylor
Disc 3- 1. “Poison”-with Judy Geeson
2. “Fat Chance”-with Miriam Margolyes and Geoffrey Bayldon
3. “Taste”-with Ron Moody
4. “My Lady Love, My Dove”-with Shane Rimmer and Elaine Stritch
5. “Georgy Porgey”-with Joan Collins
6. “Depart In Peace”-with Joseph Cotton, Maureen O’Brien and John Bennett
Disc 4-1. “The Umbrella Man”-with Sir John Mills, Michael Sheard
2. “Genesis and Catastrophe”
3. “ Mr. Botibol’s First Love”-with Jack Weston
4. “ Back For Christmas”-with Richard Johnson
5. “The Orderly World Of Mr. Appleby”
6. “The Man At The Top”-with Peter Firth and Michael Ripper
Extras
Disc 1: Production notes from the series- (Text Only)
Roald Dahl’s Biography- (Text Only)
Cast Filmographies- (Text Only)
Disc 2: Cast Filmographies- (Text Only)
Disc 3: Cast Filmographies- (Text Only)
Disc 4: Cast Filmographies- (Text Only)
Verdict
I would highly recommend buying this set! The picture and audio quality are wonderful. The extras are interesting enough with text about the show with information that was not presently known about the series.
Rating; ****!
Tales of the Unexpected started in 1978 as a British version of Alfred Hitchcock presents with a little Twilight Zone thrown in. It had a cavalcade of British and American actors in these interesting 25-minute episodes. An American version of the series tried to stay on the air in 1979 but only lasted a few episodes. These are the original British versions with the writer Roald Dahl introducing the episodes for at least the first 3 seasons. I believe that John Houseman introduced the American Syndicated episodes. If you are an Anglophile (Love of all things British) you will love these shows. Acorn Media did a wonderful job with the packaging and the interactive menus. A total of 112 episodes were produced.
VIDEO
The video quality is superb! Most of the episodes were done on videotape but they were done also on videotape for indoor and film for outdoors and a few shows that were completely done on film. Videotape episodes are sharp and clear and filmed one had little to no dirt or specks. No word that they are remastered in anyway but they are from good prints and video. All discs have a Play All feature.
Audio
Was originally recorded in Mono. Also here in mono but very clear!
Disc 1- 1. “Man from the South”-with Jose Ferrer and Pamela Stephenson
2. “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”-with Julie Harris and Richard Greene
3. “William and Mary”-with Elaine Stritch and Marius Goring
4. “Lamb To The Slaughter”-with Susan George and Brian Blessed
5. “The Landlady”
6. “Neck”-with Joan Collins, Sir John Gielgud and Peter Bowles
7. “Edward the Conqueror”-with Joseph Cotton
Disc 2- 1. “A Dip In The Pool”-with Jack Weston and Michael Troughton
2. “The Way Up To Heaven”-with Julie Harris
3. “Royal Jelly”-with Susan George and Timothy West
4. “Skin”-with Derek Jacobi and Donald Pickering
5. “Galloping Foxley”-with Sir John Mills
6. “The Hitch-Hiker”-with Rod Taylor
Disc 3- 1. “Poison”-with Judy Geeson
2. “Fat Chance”-with Miriam Margolyes and Geoffrey Bayldon
3. “Taste”-with Ron Moody
4. “My Lady Love, My Dove”-with Shane Rimmer and Elaine Stritch
5. “Georgy Porgey”-with Joan Collins
6. “Depart In Peace”-with Joseph Cotton, Maureen O’Brien and John Bennett
Disc 4-1. “The Umbrella Man”-with Sir John Mills, Michael Sheard
2. “Genesis and Catastrophe”
3. “ Mr. Botibol’s First Love”-with Jack Weston
4. “ Back For Christmas”-with Richard Johnson
5. “The Orderly World Of Mr. Appleby”
6. “The Man At The Top”-with Peter Firth and Michael Ripper
Extras
Disc 1: Production notes from the series- (Text Only)
Roald Dahl’s Biography- (Text Only)
Cast Filmographies- (Text Only)
Disc 2: Cast Filmographies- (Text Only)
Disc 3: Cast Filmographies- (Text Only)
Disc 4: Cast Filmographies- (Text Only)
Verdict
I would highly recommend buying this set! The picture and audio quality are wonderful. The extras are interesting enough with text about the show with information that was not presently known about the series.
Rating; ****!
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