Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

The Ribald Tales of Canterbury Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 17, 2018

It’s not every day one is offered a chance to watch an adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” interpreted by famous porn queen Hyapatia Lee. But here we are, and 1985’s “The Ribald Tales of Canterbury” isn’t too concerned with literary specifics, generally taking Chaucer’s concept of episodic storytelling and transferring it to the world of adult cinema, where all drama eventually leads to the hippity-dippity. “The Ribald Tales of Canterbury” isn’t meant to turn on literary scholars, but Lee, joined by director Bud Lee, cooks up an engaging odyssey into the playful manufacturing of saucy fiction, explored through various scenarios of seduction and confession.

A village court gathers for their nightly meal, but the Hostess (Hyapatia Lee) is searching for something different to spice up the week’s entertainment. She proposes a game with interested parties, tasking players to come up with a grand story of sexual might to collect a monetary prize. As the group embarks on a journey across the land, each member of the unit shares their take on amorous behavior, stroking imaginations with narratives that detail all sorts of couplings and mild danger, energizing the trip.

“The Ribald Tales of Canterbury” doesn’t dig too deep for motivation, offering only the Hostess and her special game of dramatic invention, tasking her fellow villagers to come up with something worthy of repetition and titillation, adding a sack of money to the pot to help lubricate entries. The majority of “The Ribald Tales of Canterbury” examines these various performances, spotlighting individual offerings. There’s the tale of a knight who travels with a young monk who appears to be a boy, only to reveal herself in full when she requests to share a bed with her protector. There’s the saga of an older, demanding miller who offers shelter for two customers, only to find them pairing up to take on his wife and daughter. The Hostess even gets in on the game, detailing the plight of a gypsy woman who wants to attract male attention, eventually receiving help from a sorcerer who gifts the lonely woman a special violin to help attract a lover (or two).

The Ribald Tales of Canterbury Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation has quite a lot to work with here, as "The Ribald Tales of Canterbury" is a costume drama, delivering varied clothing to survey, giving clothing textures and specific decoration. Interiors are also defined to satisfaction, taking in the expanse of the dining hall and numerous rooms, though softness does remain, varying in intensity. Detail is also strong with skin particulars, preserving the graphic elements of sex scenes. Distances are periodically dimensional. Colors also benefit from ornate outfits, contributing royal greens and reds, while peasant browns and grays are communicative. Greenery is most compelling, showcasing open lands with uneven grass coverage and some forest visits. Delineation is acceptable, preserving evening activities. Source is in strong shape, with only mild speckling.

The Ribald Tales of Canterbury Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't a pristine listening experience, with age and technical limitations grounding the range of the track. It's functional, with adequate dialogue exchanges that periodically muddy up when group interactions take over the moment. Intelligibility is far from ruined. Scoring selections are acceptable but never remarkable, presenting a basic period sound for the feature, with mild instrumentation.

The Ribald Tales of Canterbury Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

The Ribald Tales of Canterbury Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Production achievements are somewhat impressive for this type of film, finding costuming varied, while locations are appealing, especially when the gang gets on their horses and crosses the countryside. There are actual sets to help support the illusion as well, giving "The Ribald Tale of Canterbury" some visual heft. Performances are emphatic and sex scenes are standard, but there's some real screen energy to enjoy, giving the cast a chance to play with something other than the California norm of the era, though dank synth remains to help score the bedroom gymnastics. "The Ribald Tale of Canterbury" is an entertaining movie, and its constantly evolving storytelling helps to keep things engaging, giving viewers a fresh view every 15 minutes as gameplay intensifies and scenarios explore all types of fantasies.