Tales of the unexpected

[Semi42]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

I’ve watched a few, there’s even one or two episodes on YouTube , the ones that stick in my head the most were the lighter episode, the John mills episode with the umbrellas and the one where a man had invented a machine that could hear the noises plants and trees made when picked or chopped down.
The theme tune was a classic and slightly eerie but it was the armchair thriller series opening titles that really creeped me out .the shadow sitting in the armchair was a thing of nightmares

[amethyst]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

There is a new channel on Freesat 147 Sky Arts I only found it by off chance last night,looked just now and an episode of Tales of the unexpected was on.Also had a look if anything worthwhile is on tonight.Noticed 2 concerts of Pink Floyd starting around 18.30

[darren]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

Ahh yes thats what i was trying to think of taxidermy.

The tea seemed to have a paralysing effect.

i watched the same episode, you may be right darren but i got the impression that she was practising taxidermy on her guests as she had stuffed the parrot and the dog?

[tex]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

I saw an episode of this today on sky arts.
The episode was a man who stayed in a hotel in bath.

The landlady give him tea which had an effect of turning him into a mannequin.

There where others in the hotel who were there at least a year and they also were mannequin like.

Quite disturbingly good.

I watched the same episode, you may be right Darren but i got the impression that she was practising taxidermy on her guests as she had stuffed the parrot and the dog?

[darren]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

I saw an episode of this today on sky arts.
The episode was a man who stayed in a hotel in bath.

The landlady give him tea which had an effect of turning him into a mannequin.

There where others in the hotel who were there at least a year and they also were mannequin like.

Quite disturbingly good.

[George 1978]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

It was a series which was Britain's answer to Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and it first went on air just before Hitchcock passed away - I am surprised that Roald Dahl got his work on there considering he will always be famous for being a children's author. It must have been an expensive series to make, to get all the star names such as Gielgud, Jacobi, Joan Collins, Alfred Marks and other thespians, and it made me think considering it was made by Anglia - of course, not surprisingly, lots of episodes were filmed in East Anglia, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, etc.

Saw The Flypaper on YouTube and it did send shivers down the spine even now - the Trisha Yates-alike schoolgirl on the bus and then ending up at that elderly lady's home really made me feel that it was almost like a 25 minute long "say no to strangers" PIF. It's also interesting that Anglia did not contribute to the Children's ITV Dramarama strand - I am certain that the production crew used on TOTU could have easily knocked up a couple of episodes for that slot, especially when one thinks of Roald Dahl's involvement with children's books.

Anglia is part of ITV PLC so it still exists in a way.

[silverbirch]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

yes... pure quality television each episode a complete story often with twist at the end
often a top actress.... Susan George... Liza Goddard etc
Roal had a shed in his garden where he used to go and write these stories

TV made by Anglia TV which prob no longer exists

A new 10 episode series would be great ....

[Moonraker]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

Remember the one where wife would polish the floor,so the husband would fall and then claim the insurance.This time the husband descovered the con and told the wife if anything would happen to him then the police had been told of the plan.The fone then rings and its for her,as she walks towards to fone she slips on the polished floor and dies! whoops!!!!

I think it was the husband who wished to claim insurance on his wife's death.

[staffslad]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

I don't know about all the series, but I remember watching some episodes at my gran's house, where I stayed on saturday nights.

[zabadak]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

And some music!

[staffslad]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

That would be Shane Rimmer. He had a long career, mostly small parts, including a number of 007 films.

[duffer]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

The chap who voiced Scott the pilot of Thunderbird 1 was in one episode.

[CrystalBall]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

The earlier ones (first two or three series) that were written by Roald Dahl were the best, e.g. 'The Landlady'. The later ones from a variety of writers were not so good. I always thought it was on Sunday night but could be wrong.

[ann22]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

Its currently being repeated on Sky Arts. My mother has been recording the episodes and I keep hearing the theme tune now and again. Does it bring back memories?

I've been recording them and watching religiously! I've even seen the early ones with Roahl Dahl introducing. Last year at a car boot sale, I found the book of short stories which are the book versions of thd first series. It was great!

[I. R. Fincham]

Re: Tales of the unexpected

There was a great one I can't remember the name of with this girl being chased by a creep, she ended up running into a farmhouse for help where all is not what it seems.

The Flypaper