Tabu

F.W. Murnau, 1931 with the (also great) R.J. Flaherty, go to the South Seas
Stunning to look at; immediate questions of the documentary nature; seeing people as they are
And what is unreal? What is real? Incredibly difficult to say. Some things done seem astonishing
The pure locale holds a fascination, a balance of celebration and sheer implacability
The, again, whiteness, the body, the orgy of the dancing, all are on show
Around the plot, constant cut aways to people (never solo shots) and the locale
This is also the minimalist Muranu’s de-dramatization technique; the ellipses, the underplaying, the refusal to show emotion. The single action that means so much. The stubbornly still camera
Saying that, there are some wonderful lazy pans in this picture, though no pyrotechnics
Especially noticeable is the shot of the islander with feet touching bottom of the screen (i.e. first shot), which is constantly repeated. Stands out as a beautiful framing, the at once upright and coiled body
Among the island, there is actually quite a standard, heavily editing-driven story
Murnau manages to use all his usual tactics; shadowplay, especially of the evil male, and the deluded male lead
Also the close-ups, shots of pure emotion, as the only singles in the film, the decentered framings
It’s a strange balance, the first half in particular as this fascinating look, with this story going on meanwhiles
There are endless analyses of colonialism, the myth of the ‘happy savage’, that can come out here
However that comes out, this is a at times very powerful film, with two such disparate strands to it that it truly is a fascinating piece; a metaphysicians return to nature, the cinema put into the sun and the sand