Tabu

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Louisa E After watching Trader Horn recently, Tabu was a much better version of showing other cultures. The plot was exciting but a little slow. The ending was beautifully captured and poignant. The actors were good, and I felt like I was watching real life. Being silent helped in this case. My biggest bugbear of the movie was that the music was not from the culture portrayed. Very disappointing! The places looked lovely, and I liked the little piggy. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Alright for the time it came out but sadly lost most of it's value over time. I do like that it takes place in a time in place most movies don't go to but it is very boring at times and has a rather abrupt ending. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/08/22 Full Review william d The story is entertaining enough. What I really enjoyed, however, was its depiction of Tahitian culture. I don't know how accurate it is, but I found it fascinating. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member F.W. Murnau left this film as his final effort, dying shortly after. It is a solidly filmed presentation of the south seas. The plot involves a clash between island civilization and that of modern western society. A tale of two lovers who have been put upon by superstition and quaint religious rule. The problem is that there is no place for them to find peace. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review William L Starting in familiar territory for early film with a simplistic romance of lovers forced apart by convention, Tabu gradually feeds in more complex themes, touching on colonization from the perspective of native inhabitants, traditionalism vs. progress, and the power of perception (the haunting nature of 'Tabu' whether enforced by tangible consequences or when its effects are only imagined). Perhaps most stunning for the period is the film's tragic ending, with little hint of even bittersweet tones, instead opting for complete failure on the part of the protagonists to succeed against the forces that would drive them apart. Beautifully shot on-location, the film may not have taken advantage of the sound technology that was by this point far more than a novelty, but it remains a stunning depiction of the Polynesian setting. It's not the greatest Murnau, but establishing any film as clearly superior among the director's limited and high-quality output (which includes Nosferatu and Sunrise) is quite difficult. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/21 Full Review Audience Member Murnau's last masterpiece. A romance of exploitation, tradition, and the defiance of such. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/13/19 Full Review Read all reviews

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