The Canterbury Tales Rating: Release Date: 21 July, 1998 Retail Price: $24.99 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Hugh Griffith Laura Betti Ninetto Davoli Franco Citti Complete Cast (7 total)

The Canterbury Tales Reviews

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Maybe the worst Italian film ever
In the Middle Ages, people generally did not stroll about in brightly colored, shintzy clothes. Especially not when they went on a pilgrimage, "to seek the holy blissful martyr". Roads and streets were not paved. People stank. One cannot convey that in a film, but please pay more attention to set decoration? The standard you would like to attain in that respect was set by Terry Gilliam in "Jabberwocky": shabby poor people, dirty faces, muddy streets. Or "The Name of the Rose".

Besides, you can only follow this movie if you have read the Canterbury Tales first. Otherwise, it's incomprehensible. By the way, almost all Italian movies I re-view of late seem incomprehensible. I used to like Italian cinema, but its products do not seem to age well. The dialogues usually seem hollow and pretentious. One notable exception: "Kaos".

Chaucer's Tales Brought to Life
Writer and director Pasolini presents a selection of Chaucer's stories, most notably The Wife of Bath and The Miller's Tale. The Canterbury Tales is not without its weaknesses. The quality of the acting is variable (the dubbing doesn't help), and the editing is rough. Some stories end/start so abruptly that it takes you by surprise. However, I can forgive this film almost anything. For me, the atmosphere and feel it conveys far outweigh any faults it may have. Pasolini has recreated Chaucer's lusty medieval world with an earthy realism, exuberance, and zest for life in a way that few other directors could have managed. People who are easily shocked should beware. Pasolini has concentrated on the bawdier aspects of the tales, and added few of his own for good measure. It all combines to give The Canterbury Tales a wonderful hedonistic quality. The finale, a vivid depiction of Hell, makes for a superbly appropriate ending.

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