In the mid-80s, the "adult comedy" genre was in a strange transition phase. Sandwiched between the gritty, low-budget era of the 70s and the glossy, high-production values of the 90s, we got 1985’s
While many segments populated the 1985 film, certain tales stand out in the memory of those who have seen it. The film took the most iconic bawdy stories from Chaucer and gave them a distinctive 80s spin.
Following the framework of the original literature, a group of noble travelers en route to Canterbury pass the time by competing to tell the most erotic and bawdy tales. the ribald tales of canterbury 1985 classic best
The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985) understood that to adapt Chaucer, one couldn't be subtle. The film embraced the medieval appetite for coarse humor, making it an authentic (if modernized) interpretation of the spirit of the tales. 1985: The "Classic Best" Context
Forget the Miller’s Tale you snoozed through in English class. This 1985 feature takes Chaucer’s frame story and drops trou entirely. A group of pilgrims—including a lecherous summoner, a lusty wife, and a monk who breaks more vows than he keeps—trade increasingly explicit stories while traveling to Canterbury. The animation is primitive, the voice acting is community-theater level, and the “plot” is just scaffolding for cartoon nudity and slapstick sex. In the mid-80s, the "adult comedy" genre was
: Directed by Bud Lee in his directorial debut and written by his wife, adult star Hyapatia Lee .
: It was one of the last major X-rated features to be shot on 35mm film before the industry shifted to video. Reviewers frequently note the impressive "Camelot-style" costumes (rented from Universal) and the use of actual outdoor locations in Northern California. Following the framework of the original literature, a
The pilgrims, aroused by the stories, pair off along the road. The film ends with a large orgy scene at a roadside grove, framed as the “Parson’s Tale” (though the Parson refuses to participate, in keeping with Chaucer’s virtuous character). Harry Bailly declares the Wife of Bath the winner.
The humor is one-note (“sex is funny”), the animation is stiff even by low-budget standards, and the pacing drags between set pieces. The 1985 release date means it missed the higher production values of later adult animated features ( Heavy Metal had already set a higher bar). Also, the voice work is genuinely painful at times—microphone static and flubbed lines left in.
The 1985 edition of "The Ribald Tales of Canterbury" has received praise for its lively translation and faithful rendering of Chaucer's original work. Reviewers have noted that the translation: