have admired the films of Robert Flaherty since I first saw NANOOK OF THE NORTH back during my college days in the 1970s. I later saw his sound movies MAN OF ARAN (1934), ELEPHANT BOY (1937), LOUISIANA STORY (1948), and his abortive collaborative effort with F.W. Murnau TABU (1931). I had heard of and read about MOANA (pronounced MO-ahna) but never saw it until this new Kino Classics release. Having now seen it, I was impressed by the visuals but had a hard time adjusting to daughter Monica Flaherty’s 1980 sound version of the film which is what has been released here. I have no objection to an added soundtrack of Samoan songs and dialogue as they enhance the film but the addition of everyday background sounds such as water splashing and plant gathering is distracting while the squeals of a captured wild boar are actually unpleasant.
I understand the reason behind what Monica did. It has to do with when she did it. In 1980 in order to get a silent film presented, it needed a soundtrack that made it as close to a sound film as possible. This is why she added sound effects along with the Samoan songs. She wanted not only to preserve her parents’ work but get it shown for the first time in over 50 years and in this she succeeded. However silent film restoration has come a long way since 1980 and realistic sound effects are no longer needed. Part of the appeal of silent movies is adding the sound ourselves. Appropriate music is needed to enhance the viewing experience but background sounds aren’t necessary. That’s the opinion of journalist Robert Gardner (who interviewed Frances Flaherty in the early 1950s) and it’s my opinion as well.
Despite the addition of sound effects, there is still MOANA itself and it remains a wonderful documentary of life as it once was among the islanders of Samoa. In fact despite having sequences re-staged it seems much more like real life thanks to its leisurely pace and lack of dramatic action or a traditional love story than many South Seas docudramas such as LEGONG or TABU. This lack of action may have hindered the film’s success back in the 1920s and makes it slow going for a 21st century audience used to a conventional Hollywood scenario. The look of the film is also slowed somewhat by the stretch printing necessary to add a soundtrack back in 1980. This occasionally gives the film an almost hallucinatory look but it’s in keeping with the leisurely pace. The images though are stunning, looking as if they were shot yesterday. Anyone interested in the history of the documentary or wishing to glimpse native culture from another time should see MOANA.
The Capsule Critic 