The Politics of the Gaze and the Aesthetics of Dictatorship: Deconstructing Amor Estranho Amor (1982)
Trapped in this world of clandestine politics and adult desires, the sheltered 12-year-old has his innocence relentlessly confronted. Over a period of 48 crucial hours, he is seduced and initiated into the world of sex by several women in the house, including a young prostitute named Tamara, played by a then-18-year-old Xuxa. The film follows Hugo's psychological journey as he witnesses political intrigue and experiences his first sexual encounters, events that will shape him forever.
In 2010, a restored digital version was screened at a small Brazilian film retrospective in Rio de Janeiro under heavy police guard. Protesters gathered outside. Inside, critics argued whether the film should be preserved or burned. This dichotomy is unique to Love, Strange Love .
The controversy has many layers. According to recent books and interviews, the young Xuxa was hesitant about participating in the film but was convinced to do so by her then-boyfriend, . Pelé was a close friend of the film's producer, Anibal Massaini Neto, and his insistence was the key to her involvement. For decades afterward, Xuxa attempted not just to stop the film from being shown but to erase its very existence, going so far as to file lawsuits against Google to prevent her name from being associated with the film in searches. Amor Estranho Amor -Love Strange Love- -1982- English
The narrative of "Love Strange Love" is structured as a flashback, a common trope in Khouri's cinema to explore memory and regret. The film opens in the present day, with an older, elegantly dressed man named Hugo being dropped off by his driver at a large, seemingly abandoned mansion. As he wanders through the dusty, opulent rooms, he is transported back in time some 45 years earlier.
Tarcísio Meira, playing a client named Dr. Osmar, barely appears compared to Fischer. He is mostly a witness to the orgy. Yet his association with the film damaged his reputation as a matinee idol. Both actors later refused to discuss the film publicly, though bootleg VHS copies (and later DVDs) circulated wildly throughout Brazil and Europe.
Amor Estranho Amor is not a film you can like. It is a film you survive. It holds up a distorted, gold-leafed mirror to its audience and asks uncomfortable questions: When does art become exploitation? Can a film be both beautifully made and morally repugnant? Is it possible to separate the politics of the artist from the artifact? The Politics of the Gaze and the Aesthetics
By the end of the night, young Hugo has become a man. The flashback ends. The adult Hugo arrives at the now-decayed mansion, walks through the ruins, and smiles. The implication: this traumatic/pleasurable experience forged his adult personality.
"Amor Estranho Amor" is a thought-provoking and visually stunning film that explores the complexities of love, power, and social class in Brazil. Through its complex characters and themes, the movie provides a nuanced commentary on the country's social hierarchies and traditional values. As a significant work in Brazilian cinema, "Amor Estranho Amor" continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers and audiences alike.
as young Hugo: A child actor who had previously worked with Khouri on Eros, the God of Love . In 2010, a restored digital version was screened
The film heavily leans into Freudian themes regarding the boy's relationship with his mother and her surrogates.
Amor Estranho Amor (Love Strange Love) is a 1982 Brazilian drama directed by Walter Hugo Khouri. The film is best known internationally for its controversial history and for featuring a young Xuxa Meneghel. 🎭 Core Plot Summary The story is told through the eyes of an adult man named