Most Brazilian films from the pornochanchada era (a Brazilian sex-comedy genre) never received international dubs. Amor Estranho Amor was different. Investors saw potential for an art-house/grindhouse crossover in the United States and Europe. Thus, the cut was produced.
Because of this, the version became even more valuable. It preserved the uncensored, original runtime without the Portuguese subtitles that modern Brazilian censors might flag. amor estranho amor love strange love 1982 english exclusive
The primary source of the film's enduring notoriety stems from the casting of Xuxa Meneghel, who plays Tamara, one of the young women working at the estate. At the time of filming in 1981, Xuxa was an 18-year-old fashion model embarking on her early acting career. Most Brazilian films from the pornochanchada era (a
While the film's distribution was prohibited in Brazil for decades, it found a life internationally. DVD Releases: A DVD version was released in the United States in 2005 English Subs: Most international versions are in the original Portuguese English subtitles Availability: Thus, the cut was produced
But the hunt is fraught with controversy. This is not just a love story; it is a film that derailed a child star’s career, blurred the lines between art and exploitation, and remains banned in several territories decades after its release.
For Xuxa fans, it is a horrifying curiosity. For cinephiles, it is a lost piece of Brazilian queer-adjacent cinema (the film also features a melancholic homosexual subplot between two male clients). For historians, it is a document of the dictatorship's cultural terror.