The jokes are broad, relying heavily on slapstick and double entendres.
Lavish gowns, tunics, rustic wood interiors, and traditional framing.
"The Ribald Tales of Canterbury" is often mentioned in the same breath as other big-budget 35mm X-rated films that received theatrical releases—a dying breed as the home video market began to dominate. For decades, the film was relegated to grainy VHS copies, but a major turning point in its legacy arrived in 2015. The beloved boutique label —known for painstakingly restoring obscure and exploitation cinema—released a stunning double-feature Blu-ray and DVD that pairs this film with Bud Lee’s "Tasty".
As the night lengthened, more voices rose—an innkeeper’s tale of rooms rented twice over and the economy of discretion; a schoolmaster’s story about learning to laugh at human frailty; a washerwoman’s blunt parable about shame that washed off in river-suds and came back clean. Each story pulled at the next, a network of small, ribald lamps revealing the town’s intimate geography. Jokes became accusations, which became confessions, which became tenderness.
By 1987, the film had effectively disappeared from major rental shelves, relegated to the "back room" of independent video stores. So why does the still have a searchable, passionate following today?
Let us entertain the argument: Can a cartoon featuring explicit animal-fellatio references and a duel fought with erect penises instead of swords be considered "art"?
Tales of romantic and sexual conquests throughout the British countryside. Notable Cast
Reviewers from IMDb and Cinema Retro often cite the film's "unusually ornate" sets and costumes, which were considered a step above standard adult fare of the era. It features a synth-heavy score by Billie Boca and Lexi Hunter, blending a 15th-century setting with 1980s aesthetic choices like "big hair" and bold fashion.