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Taboo (2000) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2000 · 100 min · English
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Directed by
Nagisa Ôshima

During the 1970s, a man's secret relationship with someone from a different ethnic background is exposed, sending shockwaves through his community. The discovery challenges deeply ingrained social norms and forces his friends and family to examine their own prejudices. This drama explores themes of identity, acceptance, and the difficult journey toward equality in a time of significant social change.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Taboo
  6. 6 Every angle
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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Taboo Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Taboo (2000) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. The Game Begins

    Six friends, Christian, Elizabeth, Piper, Kate, Adam, and Benjamin, gather for a provocative game where they must answer personal 'yes' or 'no' questions anonymously. The atmosphere is charged as the questions delve into sensitive topics, setting the stage for ensuing chaos.

  2. New Year's Celebration

    One year later, the group reunites at Christian and Elizabeth's mansion to celebrate New Year's Eve. The evening starts pleasantly, but the mood shifts drastically when a sudden blackout plunges them into darkness.

    When
    New Year's Eve
    Where
    Christian and Elizabeth's Mansion
  3. Mysterious Package

    As the group grapples with the darkness, a mysterious package arrives containing six cards with disturbing words like 'prostitute' and 'hypocrite.' The group is shaken as the words echo the uncomfortable questions they explored the previous year.

    Where
    Christian and Elizabeth's Mansion
  4. Confrontation in the Cellar

    In the cellar, tensions rise between Adam and Elizabeth when Adam accuses her of orchestrating the sinister package's arrival. The confrontation escalates, leading to Elizabeth fleeing upstairs under the guise of being assaulted.

    Where
    Cellar of the Mansion
  5. Adam's Injury

    Christian and Elizabeth rush back to the cellar, only to find Adam gravely injured with a knife in his stomach, branded with the word 'rapist.' The shocking scene plunges the group into further panic as they realize the stakes of their past actions.

    Where
    Cellar of the Mansion
  6. Benjamin's Confession

    As the group attempts to regain composure, Piper drunkenly brings up a scandal involving Christian's father, which escalates into tensions regarding Benjamin's sexuality. He confesses that he is dating Kate to appease his family and protect his inheritance.

    Where
    Living Room
  7. The Discovery of Benjamin

    While seeking privacy, Elizabeth and Christian stumble upon Benjamin’s lifeless body submerged in the bathtub, electrocuted, with the card labeled 'homosexual' ominously beside him. This discovery adds a new layer of horror to the already fraught atmosphere.

    Where
    Bathtub in the Mansion
  8. Kate's Confrontation

    In a dramatic twist, Kate confronts Elizabeth with a shotgun, accusing her and Christian of the murders. Tension escalates further as Elizabeth desperately seeks Christian amidst rising fears.

    Where
    Living Room
  9. Piper's Death

    Elizabeth finds Piper’s body, brutally strangled with a dog collar and labeled 'infidel.' The gruesome nature of her death adds to the growing sense of dread among the remaining friends.

    Where
    Living Room
  10. Betrayal Unfolds

    In a shocking moment, Christian betrays Kate by shooting her, eliminating her from the equation as he takes charge of the chaos. He proceeds to conceal the bodies, intensifying the madness in the house.

    Where
    Living Room
  11. Christian's Revelation

    In a grim confrontation, Christian coerces Elizabeth into confessing her role in the manipulative game. He chillingly reveals that he is the true killer, justifying his actions as protective measures against her exposure.

    Where
    Living Room
  12. The Dark Revelation

    Christian fabricates the scene to force Elizabeth into acknowledging her past desires, revealing that his motives were rooted in protecting their dark familial secret. Tension mounts as they race against time.

    Where
    Living Room
  13. The Final Confrontation

    Elizabeth desperately tries to seduce Christian, revealing that she is his sister from a secret affair. Their shocking bond leads to a sinister plan to eliminate the remaining friends, setting the stage for a deadly climax.

    Where
    Living Room
  14. The Murder Spree

    Christian's wrath unfolds as he systematically eliminates the remaining friends: Benjamin is shot, Adam executed, Piper bludgeoned, and Kate meets a gruesome end. The living room is transformed into a scene of horror as each death contributes to the chaos.

    Where
    Living Room
  15. A Haunting Toast

    In their chilling negotiation over dinner, Elizabeth demands her share of the family wealth, culminating in Christian poisoning the wine. The film concludes with a haunting toast between the siblings, sealing their dark fate.

    Where
    Dining Room

Last updated: November 08, 2024 at 00:25

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Timeline questions answered

Taboo Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Taboo (2000): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Adam labeled "rapist" in the mysterious package?

Adam was labeled "rapist" because during the original game a year earlier, his anonymous question had been "Would you have sex with a minor?" The cards distributed during New Year's Eve were specifically chosen to expose each person's most damning admission from that previous game. Adam's question revealed a predatory inclination, which is why the word "rapist" was attached to him when the cards arrived.

Foreshadowing: The original game's questions, including Adam's, planted the seeds for the later labels.

  • adam
  • rapist
  • card
  • game
  • label
  • minor
Q2

What was Elizabeth's secret confession from the year before?

Elizabeth's confession from the original game was that she had sexual desires toward a relative. This secret is what drove much of Christian's later actions, he orchestrated the entire night to expose and punish her for this confession, while also protecting their shared dark secret.

Foreshadowing: The original game questions foreshadowed the destructive revelations to come.

  • elizabeth
  • confession
  • relative
  • incest
  • secret
  • game
Q3

Why did Christian murder all his friends?

Christian killed his friends to protect his secret relationship with Elizabeth, who turned out to be his sister from their father's secret affair. After Elizabeth revealed this relationship and their shared desire to keep it hidden, Christian decided to eliminate everyone who knew the uncomfortable truths exposed during the game. He reasoned that killing them would prevent the scandal from reaching the outside world and secure their inheritance.

Foreshadowing: Christian's quick action to shoot Kate and dispose of bodies showed his willingness to protect their secret at any cost.

  • christian
  • murder
  • friends
  • sister
  • secret
  • inheritance
Q4

How did Christian fake his friends' deaths during the first part of the evening?

Christian staged fake deaths early in the evening to create chaos and force Elizabeth into confessing her role in orchestrating the manipulative game. He killed Benjamin in the bathtub and arranged Piper's body to appear dead, then revealed to Elizabeth that everyone had been killed to manipulate her into admitting responsibility. This was a calculated psychological trap to expose her manipulations.

Foreshadowing: The rapid succession of deaths and Christian's calm demeanor during the chaos hinted at his orchestration.

  • christian
  • fake deaths
  • bodies
  • staging
  • confession
  • manipulation
Q5

What did Kate discover about Elizabeth before she died?

Kate discovered the revelation on Elizabeth's card from the original game, a confession that Elizabeth had sexual desires toward a relative. This information came to light just before Kate was killed, adding another layer to the dark secrets driving the night's events.

Foreshadowing: Kate's discovery was part of the mounting revelations about everyone's secrets.

  • kate
  • elizabeth
  • card
  • discovery
  • relative
  • secret
Q6

Why did Christian poison Elizabeth at the end?

Christian poisoned Elizabeth because despite their shared secret and plan to escape together, he could not accept her betrayal. When Elizabeth demanded her share of their father's wealth during dinner, Christian viewed this as another form of manipulation, just like her original game. Rather than let her profit from their dark family secret, he chose to kill her and himself with poisoned wine, binding them together in death as the family's motto "virtue, family, and justice" suggests.

Foreshadowing: Christian's cold calculation throughout the evening,预示了他愿意用极端手段结束一切。

  • christian
  • elizabeth
  • poison
  • wine
  • betrayal
  • death
  • inheritance
Q7

Why was Benjamin dating Kate when he's gay?

Benjamin was dating Kate to hide his true sexuality from his conservative family, who would disapprove of him being homosexual. This camouflage relationship protected his inheritance and family acceptance. When Piper probed into his sexuality during the party, he confessed the truth to the group, revealing the strain of living a double life.

Foreshadowing: Benjamin's confession about dating Kate to hide his sexuality added to the tension before his death.

  • benjamin
  • kate
  • gay
  • dating
  • hiding
  • sexuality
  • inheritance
Q8

What was the purpose of the mysterious cards sent to the group?

The mysterious cards were Christian's method of exposing the group's secrets from the previous year's game. Each card contained a damning label, prostitute, infidel, homosexual, rapist, hypocrite, that corresponded to the most disturbing questions each person had answered anonymously. The cards served as both a psychological weapon and a setup for the murders, as Christian used them to justify his killing spree.

Foreshadowing: The cards' content directly mirrored the sensitive questions from the earlier game.

  • cards
  • mysterious
  • package
  • labels
  • secrets
  • game
  • exposure
Q9

Why was Adam attacked in the cellar?

Adam was attacked in the cellar because he had confronted Elizabeth, accusing her of orchestrating the mysterious package. During this confrontation, the situation escalated, and Elizabeth fled upstairs claiming assault. When Christian and Elizabeth returned to the cellar, they found Adam stabbed and branded with the "rapist" label, likely by Christian, who was using the chaos to eliminate people tied to the game's dark revelations.

Foreshadowing: Adam's accusatory question about the package set the violent events in motion.

  • adam
  • cellar
  • attacked
  • stabbed
  • elizabeth
  • accusation
Q10

Why did Christian shoot Kate when she had a shotgun?

Christian shot Kate because she had taken control of the situation, holding Elizabeth at gunpoint and accusing both Christian and Elizabeth of the murders. Christian betrayed Kate by shooting her despite her having the upper hand, demonstrating his willingness to eliminate anyone who threatened his plan or discovered too much. He then disposed of her body along with the others in the living room.

Foreshadowing: Christian's quick trigger finger revealed his true role as the night's orchestrator.

  • christian
  • kate
  • shotgun
  • shoot
  • betrayal
  • murder

Movie threads

More Movies Like Taboo, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Taboo tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Claustrophobic thrillers of moral collapse like Taboo

Taut, deceptive stories where intimate betrayals spiral into violent ends. If you liked the intense, suspenseful atmosphere of Taboo, explore more movies like it. These films share a claustrophobic setting, high-stakes deception, and a narrative that charts the bloody dissolution of relationships and morals, delivering a dark and unsettling viewing experience.

  • claustrophobic
  • suspenseful
  • sinister
  • deceptive
  • betrayal-filled
  • unsettling
  • Tone: dark, sinister, unsettling
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread often begin with a seemingly stable social unit—a family, a group of friends, or a small community—that becomes a pressure cooker for hidden lies and resentments. The plot is driven by a series of betrayals and revelations that escalate tension, forcing characters into morally reprehensible actions and culminating in a bleak, often violent, conclusion where no one emerges unscathed.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they create a powerful, cohesive vibe of psychological suffocation and inevitable disaster. They share a fast pacing that mirrors the rapid collapse of order, a dark tone devoid of humor, and a heavy emotional weight derived from watching characters destroy each other in close quarters.

Movies about dark family secrets like Taboo

Stories where shocking familial truths lead to manipulation and ruin. For viewers who appreciated the complex web of hidden identities and twisted relationships in Taboo, this section features similar movies about dark family secrets. These dramas and thrillers explore how shocking revelations can manipulate characters and lead to confession, betrayal, and a profoundly bleak outcome.

  • unsettling
  • psychological
  • manipulative
  • tragic
  • deceptive
  • sinister
  • Tone: dark, unsettling, tragic
  • Pacing: steady, with intense peaks
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a central, taboo secret that binds or breaks a family. The plot is often complex, structured around the gradual or sudden revelation of this truth, which is then used as a tool for manipulation. Characters are forced to confront a horrifying reality about their origins or relationships, leading to confession under duress, further betrayal, and a conclusion that offers no catharsis, only the burden of a corrupt legacy.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their focus on the destructive power of familial taboos. They share a complex narrative structure with twists related to identity, a consistently dark and unsettling tone, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from themes of incest and moral corruption. The experience is intellectually and emotionally demanding.

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Every angle

Taboo (2000) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Taboo in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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