high-powerera

In the present days of 1982, Hugo (Walter Foster) visits a beautiful manor, remembering his childhood. Some fifty years ago, that place was a famous brothel, visited by very important persons. His mother Anna (Vera Fischer, one of the most beautiful Brazilian actresses) works in the whorehouse, and he is raised by his grandmother. However, she sends Hugo to spend a couple of days with his mother to press Anna to increase the allowance she sends to raise her son. The blonde, beautiful and young whore Tamara (the Brazilian pop-star XUXA) has just arrived from the South of Brazil specially to serve an important politician. Anna seduces Hugo and with her, he has his first sexual intercourse that marks him forever.
This stylish movie of Walter Hugo Khouri has a beautiful photography and a nice coming of age story of lost of innocence with the first sexual experience of a boy through the memories of an old man. However, it is also very ironical that the whore who seduced Hugo is nowadays one of the most famous Brazilian pop-star. In the 80's, Xuxa became famous posing nude for male magazines (such as 'Ele & Ela' and 'Playboy'). Then, after an affair with the black soccer player Pelé, she became the host of a show for children in Manchete TV. She was very successful in her new career, and became a symbol for the children. Inclusive she has shows in some American Cable TV. Then, in accordance with the rumors and the urban legends, she would have gone to the court, bought the rights of this film and most of the copies available in the market and this movie became forbidden for Brazilians. The fact is that my VHS is very rare, and if it is true, I regret the lack of opportunity for the new generations of cinema lovers, who probably will not have the chance to watch this film. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): 'Amor Estranho Amor' ('Love Strange Love')
Note: On 08 May 2010, the Cinearte Filmes unsuccessfully tried to distribute this film. Therefore it is true that Xuxa has forbidden the distribution of 'Amor Estranho Amor' trying to hide the truth about her origins.

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This movie could be only another erotic brazilian 80's movie. But the presence of Xuxa, the famous popstar, made it a very special one. There is a rumor that when Xuxa fans found out this movie, she went to court in order to forbid it. I don't know if it is real, but I should say that the tapes disappeared..They're very rare nowadays. The scenes could make a scandal with Xuxa's reputation, but she solved it very well. She is currently in a TV Programme presenting fairy tales to young kids. Compare it to the scenes of the movie, specifically the ones she is 'acting' with kids..

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Hollywood produces hundreds of action/cartoon/fantasy films each year. Look closely and you'll see they all mimic each other. Redundency is key in Hollywood. However if you seek a thinking film, which reaches into your every day life, look to Foreign Films. Here is one called ' Amor Estranho Amor. ' Roughly translated it means, 'Love, Strange Love. ' It's the story of a man, Hugo (adult - Walter Forster) who's returning to the family home he lived in when he was a very young Brazilian preteen boy growing up amid the governmental turmoil of the 1930's. Having been evicted by his Grandmother, he is taken to live in his mother's house, a glamorous, socially exclusive, high class Bordello. While there, Hugo as a child (Marcelo Ribeiro) recalls the two days he spent with his prostitute mother and a bevy of beautiful whores. While a group of political radicals plan the over throw of the government, Hugo is treated to the eye-popping candy delights of his youthful imagination, while his mother warns him of those same pleasures. The movie is stylish, often opulent with respects to the lavish settings, the gorgeous women and most startling with the innocent beauty of the boy and his mother. However, the stagnant dialog and poor acting of the principals leaves much to be desired. Although there is much controversy over the inter-action between the young boy and the lascivious courtesans, there is nothing in the movie to be feared by any save those who lack sophistication. As for those mature enough to accept this masterful art piece for what it is, the writer/director Walter Khouri, his cast Xuxa Meneghel, Tarcisio Meira and Vera Fishcher are to be praised as they have given the world a foreign Classic. Well done. *****

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What could be more beautiful than a young boy's discovery of adult love from those who knew it best. Seeing it from an old man's eyes looking back on his childhood. Experiencing it from the childs awe and discovery of a world where beauty and sex were valued in a special way. Then, to have his mother, who loved him so very much, take him the final step into manhood.
While some may cringe at the subject matter, I believe it was treated with sensitivity and respect. Would only that my initiation into adulthood was with such love. I am thankful I have been able to pass on the wonder and amazement of discovering Love, Strange Love to some. Being the first love of another is a special gift.

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Not expecting anything deep, I enjoyed this movie as something to relax with. While there was plenty of gratuitous nudity, there was enough of a plot and interesting characters to keep me interested. My favorite scene was Xuxa's striptease.

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This Brazilian movie somewhat resembles the soapy, exploitative Brazilian 'pornochachada' films of its era, but is a much more serious and arty (and pretentious) period film. The fairly serious plot is certainly not helped by the atrocious English dubbing of the existing VHS version, but the bigger problem is that the whole movie is even more laughably implausible than even the wildest, most out-there 'pornochadas' I've seen.
The film is told in flashback as a fifty-something man remembers a brief period during WWII where he came to visit an upscale brothel managed by his mother. As political intrigue swirls both inside and outside the brothel, the twelve-year-old protagonist is seduced by no less than three of the prostitutes. The serious historical intrigue notwithstanding, it's very hard to buy (even in Brazil)that adult women working daily in the sex trade could not resist bedding a boy whose testicles probably haven't dropped yet. Obviously, the sex scenes between the nude adult women and the partially nude adolescent boy were (and still would be) considered controversial, but I think this movie is much less guilty of exploiting the adolescent male body than it is of exploiting the adolescent male fantasies that most adult males still vividly recall. (Besides if you're really looking at the twelve-year-old actor in the presence of all these voluptuous Brazilian women, I think it says a lot more about you than it does the movie).
As other reviews have mentioned, one of the prostitutes here is played Xuxa Menghel who went on to become a pretty big celebrity singer (and kiddie TV host!) in Brazil. She may indeed be the reason this rattling skeleton in her closet does not seemingly exist in any version with its native language. Still, she is undeniably sexy whether stripping out of a ridiculous bear costume or rubbing her naked self against the barely pubescent protagonist. She and some of the other women (including 'pornochchada' regular Vanessa Alves)are really the only thing this overly serious, and at the same time, laughably ridiculous movie really has going for it.

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'Love Strange Love' tells the 24 hour Brazilian epic of a 12 year old boy abandoned by his grandmother to the mansion brothel where his mother works as a prostitute servicing politicians.
Mom locks her son in the mansion (which makes Versailles look like a shack) attic to keep him out of trouble until he leaves in the morning. Predictably this is not successful. The many prostitutes take every opportunity to try and seduce the boy. The most successful is Xuxa Meneghel. Yes Xuxa, the clothing optional blonde bombshell children's television hostess! This film is generally classified among the erotic Nazi exploitation films simply because it takes place in the 1930s. This was most likely the intention of the studio simply to fit into a category and attract an audience. However this film has as much to do with the Third Reich as 'Pearl Harbor' actually had to do with Pearl Harbor.
SPOILER WARNING!!! Although Xuxa gets the closest to deflowering the 12 year old, they are constantly interrupted by his mother whom wants him all to herself! And GETS HIM! Imagine the frustration! You're just about to get deflowered by Xuxa but your mom keeps walking in!

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I understand that this movie was made in a time where life was not running at a pace as fast as it is now; but even with this in mind it is just boring.
especially the director's obsession with blue eyes staring out of frozen faces in closeup is getting pretty annoying after some time. cut out all these 'blue eyes staring' scenes and the length would probably get down to about 1.5 hours (instead of the actual 2 hours), making it more bearable.
also most of the dialogs are just unsatisfying and simple.
not being from brasil I don't get the point about xuxa, but her beauty and nakedness (together vera fischer and with all the other nude girls) at least accounts for a few points in my rating.

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It often seems to be the case that morally unacceptable films can hide behind the term 'art'.
I'ts shocking and outrageous that a film director should require a 12 year old child actor to take part in sex scenes.If this film had been made in Britain,instead of in Brazil with it's soft laws on child abuse,there would have been criminal charges.Sex between adults and children is perverted.I'ts unnatural.
Quite who the target audience for this film is I don't know.It would appeal to paedophiles,never mind those who consider it 'art'.There is nothing 'tender' or 'romantic' about child abuse.I'm amazed that this sick film is now available,uncut, in Britain;it gives the green light to child pornographers because they can point to it and say 'hey,look!,soft child porn is acceptable,why not hard core?'
I don't usually believe in film censorship,but this film should be banned in Britain.

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This is a very rare movie, but quite a gem so if you can get your hands on a copy, don't let it go. If you were a young boy who had a confusing sexual education and early experiences, you will understand it well and be in touch with the story. The movie is boring much of the time, but occasional touching fantasy scenes keep you interested. And it is an absolute must for Xuxa fans, one of only a few of her English language performances. She plays a brothel prostitute hired for a party to entertain a wealthy diplomat. She also seduces a 13 (I assume) year old boy who is visiting his mother at the brothel. The other women there also take their shot at enticing him, mostly by flashing their nakedness. However, he shows no interest in them.

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Call me cynical, Narrow minded, whatever but this film is horrible in every sense. OK basically a twelve year old boy is sent by his grandmother to his mother who works and runs a big name bordello to press her for money. Being in this environment of course he gets a real education in the matters of sex. But at the end his final lesson is taught to him by dear old mom.
Where do I start?? Oh yea why is this film around. I was completely floored at the ending. This twelve year old is in a sex scene with a grown woman..two different times! In those scenes that child was a grope away from this being child porn. Even the implication of such things like when he wet down he stomach and you see a big smile on her face..c'mon we all know what that means is wrong. This is abuse pure and simple.
What floors me more than that is the fact that people seem to think this is OK. Saying ' Oh its art'. You can defecate in a dixe cup and someone will call it art that couldn't be motr true than here. Anyone who OK with this kind of thing..get help please. Also the whole XuXa thing. if I did this film I would try and stop it as well. She really should be ashamed of her self. the fact that she is a children's entertainer now seems real messed up.

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Vera Fischer, I'll always remember you. You were born to do this role. Only you can do this character Perfect.

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