The Ribald Tales Of Canterbury 1985 Classic Updated May 2026

For years, the 1985 classic languished in obscurity due to rights issues involving the original distributor, Video Gems. After the 2025 acquisition by a boutique horror/animation label, the updated version has become a midnight movie staple again.

It has influenced a generation of animators working on Primal and Smiling Friends. It proved that adult animation didn’t have to be ironic or nihilistic—it could be joyous, filthy, and literary all at once. It is the missing link between Ralph Bakshi and Hazbin Hotel. the ribald tales of canterbury 1985 classic updated

Filthy, funny, furious, and feminist.
No longer just “haha sex jokes” – but a true update of Chaucer’s social critique: class, hypocrisy, pleasure, and power, wrapped in laughter and lust. For years, the 1985 classic languished in obscurity

In the mid-1980s, the animation industry was navigating a curious crossroads. Disney was licking its wounds after The Black Cauldron, and the direct-to-video market was a lawless wasteland of cheaply made, often bizarre content. Buried in that chaotic era—sandwiched between The Care Bears Movie and The Transformers: The Movie—lies an X-rated gem that modern audiences are only now rediscovering: The Ribald Tales of Canterbury (1985 Classic Updated) . In the mid-1980s, the animation industry was navigating

For decades, this adult animated feature was passed around on grainy VHS tapes and bootleg DVDs. But thanks to a recent digital restoration and a re-release on streaming platforms, the 1985 classic updated version is shocking a new generation with its wit, its surprisingly faithful literary roots, and its unapologetically crude charm.

This is not your high school English teacher’s Canterbury Tales. This is Chaucer meets Heavy Metal, filtered through the lens of 1980s punk rock and burlesque.