Tales of the Unexpected DVD – Richard Johnson, Anthony Valentine

Sinister and with a touch of the macabre, Tales of the Unexpected holds, at its heart, a core of black humour that makes each story both compelling and surprising, with a twist in each tale that delighted audiences throughout the country. Although Roald Dahl is best known for his children’s books, his most famous and sinister adult creation was Tales of the Unexpected. Adapting works from Dahl himself, Patricia Highsmith, Ruth Rendell and a host of other celebrated writers, this highly acclaimed series ran for an impressive nine years from its first transmission on ITV in 1979. Its iconic title sequence and haunting theme tune (from prolific TV composer Ron Grainer) ensured that Tales of the Unexpected was memorable viewing. The series attracted an astonishing array of guest stars: Oscar winners Sir John Gielgud and José Ferrer, Ian Holm, Joan Collins, Sir John Mills, Peter Bowles, Derek Jacobi, Sian Phillips, Denholm Elliott, Zoe Wanamaker, Joss Ackland and Brian Blessed are just a few of the names to feature in its illustrious cast. Sometimes gory, but always surprising, the stories all have a twist to entertain and often shock the viewer. This set contains every episode of Tales of the Unexpected, originally transmitted between 1979 and 1988.