The name Roald Dahl, for all intents and purposes, should be a household name. Well, it is in Europe but not in the states. With only a few exceptions, his work is familiar to just about everyone, yet his name still escapes our memories. This is a travesty that must be put to right. Roald Dahl was an author. (Ring a bell?) Amongst the host of books and short stories that he wrote, several have been made into popular children’s movies. (Got it now?) Will it help if I mention the titles “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, James and the Giant Peach”, or “Matilda?” (If that doesn’t do it for you, nothing will.) Roald Dahls’ body of work encompasses far more than just those three books, and a visit to his website will certainly prove that. Being that he was such a popular storyteller in Britain, it should come as no surprise that his many of his short stories were filmed as part of an anthology series known as “Tales of the Unexpected.”

The series in turn was incredibly popular and ran from 1979 to 1988, an incredible nine seasons. But, it came as a surprise to me. I have to admit to being one of the many who is familiar with the books, but didn’t recognize the name.

Once I realized who Dahl was and took a visit to his website, I was stricken with a sense of awe over all of the work he did during his distinguished career. Even now, long after his death, his legacy is being carried on in countless ways that benefit children all over the world. It was with this newfound knowledge that I decided I had to familiarize myself with more of his work.

When I was presented with the opportunity to review a DVD set that was being released of he first two seasons of “Tales of the Unexpected”, I jumped at the chance. Part of the reason had to do with Dahl’s involvement with the project, but it also had much to do with the fact that I love a good anthology series. I’ve always been a big fan of shows like “The Twilight Zone” and “Amazing Stories”, so I was curious to see Dahl’s vision of this type of series.

I am please to say that the series was everything I hoped, at least most of the time. Like any anthology series, it has its hits and misses. Some episodes are far superior to others, but very few were ever bad. Like some of the more popular series that air here in the States, “Tales of the Unexpected” boasted some of the top talent in the British acting world. Stars like Joseph Cotton, Joan Collins, and Derek Jacobi graced various episodes of the series. Even the great Michael Gambon found the time to lend his talents.

On the negative side, some of the adaptations of Dahl’s stories suffer from the same problem that many of Stephen King’s movies do, which is the simple fact that it is difficult to properly adapt the written word of a well-crafted story to the screen. This isn’t to say that the series wasn’t any good; actually the truth is quite the opposite. It’s just in the case of Dahl’s work, reading it will always be better than watching it. A good case in point is that of the very first entry, “The Man From the South.” It was one of the few stories I had read prior to seeing the series, and while it is a good episode, it couldn’t quite live up to what I imagined while reading it.

The other problem, though it is one I can get past, is that of the overall quality of the transfer. Being that the series is as old as it is, and that it was shot on both video and film, the quality is a bit scattershot. Fro the most part, everything looks fine, and it is never less than watchable. However, really nitpicky DVD owners will probably complain a bit about the various flaws in the image.

There are no extra features to speak of beyond a biography of Dahl, as well as that of some of the cast and crew. You’ll also find a few production notes, but that is pretty much it.

Aside from these few little nits, the set itself is still well worth taking a look at. The 4-disc set offers up all 25 episodes from the first two seasons. Each disc has its own keepcase, which in turn are housed in a slipcase. Most of the episodes are very good, though there are few I would call scary. I also found it a treat to have Dahl introducing each episode, often musing about events in his life that inspired the story.

Episodes:
The Man From the South
Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat
William and Mary
Lamb to the Slaughter
The Landlady
Neck
Edwards the Conqueror
A Dip in the Pool
The Way Up to Heaven
Royal Jelly
Skin
Galloping Foxley
The Hitch-Hiker
Poison
Fat Chance
Taste
My Lady Love, My Dove
Georgy Porgy
Depart in Peace
The Umbrella Man
Genesis and Catastrophe
Mr. Botibol’s First Love
Back for Christmas
The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby
The Man at the Top

Starring: John Alderton, Joan Collins, Joseph Cotton, José Ferrer, Michael Gambon, Susan George, Julie Harris, Derek Jacobi, John Mills, Elaine Stritch
Extras: Roald Dahl Biography, Production notes, Cast & Crew Biographies
Specifications: Full Frame
Studio: Acorn Media
Release Date: 9/28/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Tales of the Unexpected: Seasons 1 & 2 a B-.