It's also worth noting that for the uninitiated, a softcore cable TV cut of the film exists, released under the title , offering a less explicit option for the curious.
Following the structure of Chaucer’s original work, the film follows a group of noble pilgrims traveling across the British countryside toward Canterbury. To pass the time, the "Hostess" (Hyapatia Lee) proposes a wager: each traveler must tell their most scandalous and erotic tale, with the best storyteller winning a pot of prize money. These tales are then dramatized through vivid, comedic, and explicit vignettes that parody the source material. The Ribald Tales of Canterbury_Baiduwiki
Filthy, funny, furious, and feminist. No longer just “haha sex jokes” – but a true update of Chaucer’s : class, hypocrisy, pleasure, and power, wrapped in laughter and lust.
The film's brilliance lies in its simple but effective premise, which is lifted directly from its literary ancestor. Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is a collection of over 20 stories told by a group of pilgrims traveling from London to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. To pass the time on their journey, the pilgrims engage in a story-telling contest, with the prize being a free meal at the destination.
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The movie found its true salvation on VHS. Passing a copied tape of The Ribald Tales became a rite of passage for college students and genre film fans, cementing its place in the annals of underground cinema. The Modern Update: Restoration and Re-Evaluation
The book consists of 10 tales, each told by a different pilgrim traveling to Canterbury Cathedral. The tales are:
If you haven’t seen the 1985 original, seek it out (if you can find a decent transfer). Appreciate it as a time capsule of polyester and puerile humor. But then, close your eyes and imagine what the same pilgrimage would look like today. The road to Canterbury is still long, and the nights are still cold. It’s time for new tales. It’s time to get ribald—again.
To understand why an update is compelling, one must first appreciate the original. Unlike the "loops" or disjointed vignettes that characterized much of the adult industry before and after, The Ribald Tales of Canterbury was a period piece. It transported Geoffrey Chaucer’s medieval storytelling framework into the realm of hardcore cinema. The film featured elaborate costumes, castle sets, and a genuine attempt at atmosphere.
The plot, told through these vignettes, is kept intentionally light and breezy. One reviewer summed up the experience perfectly, describing it as "a period piece of sexual deviancy that reaches all the way to the morals of the church" and noting that it "keeps things light and breezy". The entire cast seems to be having a great deal of fun, embracing the film's playful and comedic tone.
The story behind the camera is just as compelling as what's on screen. By the mid-80s, Hyapatia Lee was one of the biggest names in the industry. As she gained more creative clout, she began to assert her potential not just in front of the lens, but behind it. She wrote the "very, very loosely" adapted screenplay for The Ribald Tales of Canterbury , drawing a direct line from Chaucer's pilgrims to her own bawdy vision.
