For English audiences, the film’s notoriety begins and ends with Xuxa Meneghel. At 12, she was already a model, and Khouri cast her as Tamara, one of the younger courtesans. Her infamous scene involves her coaxing the boy into a bathtub, where she washes him. The scene is suggestive—both children are naked (though genitals are never shown)—but the true shock for a Western viewer is its aesthetic: soft focus, romantic lighting, and a complete lack of moral commentary.
Whether you view it as a perverse art film or a sleazy relic, Love Strange Love is unforgettable. Once seen, its strange, haunting melody—and the image of a blonde queen dancing for a silent boy—never truly leaves you. amor estranho amor love strange love 1982 english exclusive
Amor Estranho Amor (released internationally as Love Strange Love ) remains one of the most controversial, heavily litigated, and misunderstood films in Brazilian cinema history. Directed by Walter Hugo Khouri and released in 1982, the film blends avant-garde psychological drama with eroticism. However, its artistic merits were overshadowed for decades by a fierce legal battle involving its prominent star, Xuxa Meneghel. For English audiences, the film’s notoriety begins and
For decades, Xuxa Meneghel fought legal battles to prevent the film’s distribution in Brazil to protect her image as a children’s TV host. The scene is suggestive—both children are naked (though
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As Xuxa’s star rose, her legal team fought aggressively to suppress the film to protect her kid-friendly image. For decades, she successfully maintained an injunction that blocked the movie from being distributed, broadcast, or re-released in Brazil. This legal lockdown had an unintended counter-effect: it turned the film into an ultra-rare, forbidden piece of pop-culture lore. Bootleg VHS tapes and grainy internet rips circulated widely, vastly inflating its mythical status. The legal restrictions were finally lifted in the late 2010s, allowing audiences to view the film objectively as a work of art rather than a taboo object. Artistic Merit: Walter Hugo Khouri’s Vision