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The Canterbury Tales (1972)

I racconti di Canterbury (original title)
X | | Comedy, Drama, History | 30 May 1980 (USA)
The Canterbury Tales Poster
Pasolini's artistic, sometimes violent, always vividly cinematic retelling of some of Chaucer's most erotic tales.

Director:

Writers:

(screenplay), (book) (as G. Chaucer)

Stars:

, , | See full cast & crew »
Reviews

On Disc

at Amazon

1 win. See more awards »

Photos

15 photos | 37 news articles »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Sir January
Laura Betti ...
...
Perkin
...
Josephine Chaplin ...
May
Alan Webb ...
Old Man
...
J.P. Van Dyne ...
The Cook
...
The Franklin
Adrian Street ...
Fighter
O.T. ...
Chief Witch-Hunter (as OT)
Derek Deadman ...
The Pardoner (as Derek Deadmin)
...
Friar
George Bethell Datch ...
Host of the Tabard (as George B. Datch)
Dan Thomas ...
Nicholas
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

Pasolini's artistic, sometimes violent, always vividly cinematic retelling of some of Chaucer's most erotic tales.

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

pubic hair | male pubic hair | male rear nudity | male full frontal nudity | erotica | See All (96) »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | History

Certificate:

X | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

|

Language:

|

Release Date:

30 May 1980 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

The Canterbury Tales  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

,  »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

(cut) | (premiere)

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Remarkably, this is the only major cinematic take on Geoffrey Chaucer's classic tales. See more »

Goofs

Some of the women have tan-lines from bikinis. See more »

Quotes

Angel: Hey Satan! Lift up your tail and show us where you keep the friars in hell!
See more »

Connections

References The Circus (1928) See more »

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User Reviews

Best Italian film ever
28 September 1999 | by (Los Angeles) – See all my reviews

When I was going to see "Canterbury Tales", I knew Pasolini was infamous director who made crazy films, that weren't for everyone's taste.When I saw it. It was one of those movie experiences that change the way you see films. It's not that I loved this film, I don't see how I can use word "love" here. It's just that from the beginning to the end I couldn't believe my eyes. Sequence after sequence, the movie became one of the most original films I ever seen in my life. Wife having sex standing on her husband's shoulders, woman farting in the face of the young boy who loves her, drunken man, p***ing on dining people, giant ass, that defecates with demons, it's shocking, yes, but it's not the point. The point is,we believe every single thing we see on the screen. Of course, it's because Pasolini uses natural lightning, unprofessional actors, and partly because when there is fucking on the screen, it's not simulation, it's real f**king (what other film can be classified as "porn", and also have Oscar-winning costume designer in its credits?). But it's not the reason. I always admired Pasolini, because he was one of those people, who make others respect them, who have remained hip even twenty years after they are dead. And being this incredibly fascinating person, he could put part of the magic that made him the person he was into his movies.

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