: While the storytelling is generally engaging, some critics feel the "big budget" gimmick wears off and the 100+ minute runtime can feel repetitive or prolonged toward the end. The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985) - IMDb
A group of noblemen and women are on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. To pass the time, the Hostess (Hyapatia Lee) proposes a game: each traveler will tell the most erotic story they know, with the winner receiving a sack of money.
The film's premise is a clever and faithful nod to its source material. A group of noblemen and women are traveling from London to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. To pass the time on their long journey, they engage in a risqué game: a competition to see who can tell the most erotic tale. As the group's hostess, the charismatic Hyapatia Lee leads the way, setting the stage for a series of increasingly explicit and fantastical stories. the ribald tales of canterbury 1985 classic full
The travelers take turns sharing their stories of lust, desire, and sexual conquests. Each tale is brought to life through vivid, no-holds-barred vignettes that transport the viewer from medieval taverns to the chambers of queens. These narratives feature an unforgettable cast of characters, including "lustful wenches, queens, and other sex-driven women and men". The framing device ensures a varied and fast-paced narrative, jumping from one scandalous story to the next, keeping the tone light-hearted and the entertainment value high.
The Ribald Tales of Canterbury bypasses the theological and philosophical musings of the original pilgrimage to focus exclusively on these fabliaux. The narrative engine remains identical to the source material: a diverse group of travelers journeying to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral agree to a storytelling contest to pass the time. However, in this 1985 iteration, the Host of the Tabard Inn acts less like a literary referee and more like a ringmaster for a series of escalating sexual escapades, cuckoldry, and anti-clerical satire. : While the storytelling is generally engaging, some
: Memorable segments include a dinner table sequence involving a Miller’s wife and daughter (played by Stevie Taylor and Buffy Davis ) and a young Peter North .
In 1985, a film adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer's timeless classic, "The Canterbury Tales," was released, bringing the ribald and raunchy tales of medieval pilgrims to the big screen. Directed by John Huston and starring John Cleese, this film offers a unique interpretation of Chaucer's 14th-century masterpiece. The film's premise is a clever and faithful
The Ribald Tales of Canterbury takes the core premise of Chaucer’s original, where a group of pilgrims shares stories on their journey, and injects it with unapologetic erotica.
The film’s director of animation, whose name is lost to time (credited only as "M. Zeke"), drew heavy inspiration from classic illustrators like Aubrey Beardsley and Norman Lindsay, but filtered through the lens of 1970s underground comix (think R. Crumb, but less clever).
This segment follows two swindled students who seek revenge on a dishonest miller by seducing both his wife and his daughter in a night of chaotic, dark-room bed-hopping.