Product Details

• Actors: Ian McKellen, John Shrapnel
• Directors: Robert Tronson, Waris Hussein, Gareth Davies
• Format: Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: ACORN MEDIA
• DVD Release Date: July 28, 2009
• Run Time: 487 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001V7YZHK
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,118 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

As seen on PBS’s Mystery!

Four stories from the haunting British series

How do ordinary people react when confronted by extraordinary circumstances--when their mundane worlds are turned upside down by unforeseen events? How do they respond to danger, to evil, to loss? With standout performances from British acting greats like Ian McKellen (X-Men, The Lord of the Rings), John Shrapnel (Gladiator), and James Bolam (New Tricks, The Beiderbecke Affair), each eerie episode probes these haunting questions while you watch from the safe distance of your own armchair.

Dying Day: A lonely man’s quest to save his life may cost him his sanity. Seen on Mystery!
The Limbo Connection: A wife vanishes without a trace, leaving her despairing husband to put together the pieces. Seen on Mystery!
Rachel in Danger: An innocent girl sets off to meet the father she never knew but falls into the hands of a terrorist.
The Victim: A wealthy industrialist embarks on a determined hunt for his kidnapped daughter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 CHILLING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS & MYSTERIES, July 18, 2009

By 

Harold Wolf "Doc" (Wells, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Armchair Thriller: Set 1 (DVD)

"ARMCHAIR THRILLER SET 1" is a set of four separate stories, each as long as full-length theater movies or more, and full of bewildering suspense. One might call them "doctor drama" as they have to do with crime and mystery while dealing with suspects with less than a normal psychological temperament. But then, in a British mystery setting, what is normal.

The series is dated to 1978 simply because that is the date when it was originally aired. It is not intended to be a period mystery set, but it is rather fun in seeing avocado green dial telephones, 70's furnishings and wallpaper, and technology such as reel-to-reel tape recordings, and a 33rpm record music center.

Other than the occasional hair style, each suspense/mystery is as contemporary enjoyable as any 21st century production. Acorn Media deserves a pat on the back for making this set available to a new generation and continent.

Episode details:
...1...DYING DAY...100 minutes. A loner named Skipling ends up with a cassette tape left by another train commuter. He listens and hears a plan by someone to kill himself on Feb. 28. Skipling fails to get anyone, including the police, to believe him. Everyone feels he needs a psychologist, not a bodyguard. Is he a crank? Is he deranged? Is he in danger? February 28th answers all questions.
...2...THE LIMBO CONNECTION...152 minutes. Hard-drinking husband, Mark, wakes up to find out his wife, Clare, has had an accident, food poisoning, and treatment at a private clinic. She disappears. Police suspect Mark. Mark must find her and clear himself.
...3...RACHEL IN DANGER...93 minutes. Innocent 10-year-old Rachel, who talks like an educated 25-year-old, and who has not seen her dad for 8 years, is met at the rail station by an impostor. It's the man who killed Rachel's dad. Rachel's phony "father" & "stepmother", find Rachel an opportunity and a problem. Their main focus, as terrorists, is the Royal Garden Party at the palace.
...4...THE VICTIM...142 minutes. An industrialist's child, Sue, is abducted. Although Vincent could afford the ransom, he decides to lead his own private search to find the kidnappers, leaving the police out of the loop. Vincent's relentless drive, latest technology, and specialists are put into high hear once the ransom payment is refused.

Each feature deals with criminals with a psychological make-up that makes them dangerous, hard to predict, and/or elusive. Thus: unpredictable "ARMCHAIR THRILLERs" that have a mind bending twist, and a bit of a surprise faceted ending.

More than one scene actually made me flinch. My wife's reaction was an occasional grasp of my arm. This DVD set lives up to it's title: "ARMCHAIR THRILLER."

As good as MURDER MOST ENGLISH, another recommended DVD set. See my review. Thanks for reading this. TA!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Little Mysteries, August 10, 2009

By 

The Saint "Simon Templar" (ST. LOUIS, MO USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Armchair Thriller: Set 1 (DVD)

These are very well written mysteries. They are guaranteed to keep you watching. Each story is broken down in 24 minute parts and each time I told myself I would only watch 1 part, I found myself unable to wait for the next part. Very well acted and fast paced enough to keep you interested. Highly recommended.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enthusiastically recommended to the attention of mystery buffs, July 16, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Armchair Thriller: Set 1 (DVD)

It's no secret that British television produces some of the finest mystery/suspense entertainment in the world. Case in point -- "Armchair Thriller", originally aired in the United States as part of the PBS 'Mystery!' television series. Showcasing four mystery stories ('Dying Day'; 'The Limbo Connection'; 'Rachel in Danger'; and 'The Victim'), "Armchair Thriller" offers truly flawless productions and has a total running time of 487 minutes. Replete with memorable characters, set designs, and BBC's usual high standards of performances, "Armchair Thriller" truly lives up to its title and is enthusiastically recommended to the attention of mystery buffs, and will make very welcome and popular addition to community library DVD collections.