_Tabu_ is an exotic film that, with documentary-style touches, recaptures distinctive elements from F. W. Murnau's previous works and elevates them to a new level. At the same time, it represents the culmination of Murnau's filmography. To undertake this ambitious project, Murnau, who was far from Hollywood, teamed up with documentary director Robert J. Flaherty (best known for making the first documentary: _Nanook of the North_), who was in a similar situation. They quickly hit it off and began planning and writing a film set in French Polynesia. However, as soon as they began collaborating, disagreements arose: Flaherty, who wanted to maintain his focus as a film reporter, sought an impartial representation of indigenous life, while Murnau aimed to bring an artistic approach to the exotic. This led Flaherty to abandon the project, leaving the German director in charge of a pioneering approach that would become one of the greatest works of silent cinema.

Despite its distinctive locations, the techniques used in the feature film are idiosyncratic, such as the evocative way of narrating dreams, using image superimposition to create a dreamy and immersive atmosphere. This technique had been previously explored in films like _The Last Laugh_, where Murnau blends the real and the imaginary, the tangible and the ethereal. Or his particular use of cinematic language, characterized by the near-total absence of intertitles, a technique he had also explored in previous works. While it is true that _Tabu_ includes text throughout the film, these are diegetic and initially written in the original language of the characters, only to be later translated into English through a visual transition, thus preserving cultural authenticity and adding an additional layer of immersion to the narrative.

Finally, one of the most significant aspects of _Tabu_ is that Murnau was able to give his film an ending that aligned with his dramatic vision, unlike _The Last Laugh_, where the tragic ending was altered due to studio pressures. In short, it is a great work in a filmography that has left an indelible mark on the history of cinema.