![[box cover]](../../reviewimgs/t/tabu.jpg)
Tabu
An island boy (named and played by Matahi) — who is an excellent fisherman in his tribe — finds a lei and follows the path where it came from. It reveals Reri (played by native Anne Chevalier), and Matahi falls in love. But as their romance begins, an elder named Hitu arrives on a boat with note declaring Reri a Holy Maid — therefore she must be chaste, or whoever touches her will be killed. Thus Matahi kidnaps Reri and takes her to another island where such old traditions have been rejected. Taking up a life as a pearl diver, Matahi is able to support Reri. But the two are followed by Hitu, and their forbidden love will be tested. Shot on locations in Bora-Bora, Tabu (1932) mixes F.W. Murnau's techniques, with Robert J. Flaherty's penchant for location shooting. The dynamic combination makes for what could be considered the last great silent film. Image Entertainment's DVD release of Tabu: The Millennium Collection presents the film in the original full-frame ratio (1.33:1) with monaural audio (DD 1.0). The feature is accompanied by an audio commentary from UCLA film professor Janet Bergstrom. Her comments are a bit dry but informative. She also provides commentary over the 24 minutes of outtake footage, mostly just extra dailies of the shoot (there are no "missing" scenes, per se). Also included: the theatrical trailer, a still gallery, and a short film entitled "An Essay about Reri" showing older footage of Chevalier. Keep-case.
—DSH
