"Tales of the Unexpected" (1979) TV series 1979-1988

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Release Date:

24 March 1979 (UK)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Dramatizations of many Roald Dahl short stories.

Plot Keywords:

Anthology | Supernatural Power | Famous Opening Theme | Cult TV

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Roald Dahl

...

Himself - Introduced by (30 episodes, 1979-1981)

Also Known As:

"Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected"

Runtime:

25 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo | Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Holt, Norfolk, England, UK

Company:

Anglia Television

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV)

So bad it's quite good.

Although there are a lot of the original Roald Dahl stories in here, there are also quite a few from other writers, which are successful to varying degrees. What is apparent from the series though is it's age - I have never witnessed acting, filming, sets, hairstyles, music, and costumes to look so dated (and just plain bad!) so quickly. Indeed the series is the quintessential "Its so bad its good" - I certainly laughed at things when no humor was implied, this may explain it's cult status in some circles. When the stories work, they're very good, and the poor acting etc doesn't seem to matter too much, but all too often either nothing interesting happens or you can see the punch line coming a mile off. The most remembered parts of the series are of course the opening credits and music (mention Tales of the Unexpected to anyone in the UK and that's what they'll comment on).