The Forbidden Dance (1990)

Directed by

Greydon Clark

Genre

drama film, musical film, romance film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 37m

Rated

10

Rating

6.1 of 10 from 103 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

An indigenous Brazilian princess named Nisa goes to Los Angeles to stop a company from destroying her rainforest. She uses the Lambada dance to spread awareness and competes in a dance contest with a young American dancer.

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What happens

The Forbidden Dance (also known by its full promotional title The Forbidden Dance is Lambada) is a 1990 American drama film starring former Miss USA Laura Harring in her first major acting role. It was produced by Menahem Golan's 21st Century Film Corporation as a quick attempt to capitalize on the brief but intense Lambada dance craze that had swept parts of the U.S. following the release of the song "Lambada" by the French-Brazilian pop group Kaoma. The story follows Nisa, a princess of an indigenous Brazilian tribe, who travels to Los Angeles in a desperate attempt to stop a powerful corporation from destroying her homeland's rainforest. Bringing the Lambada dance with her as a symbol of her culture, Nisa becomes involved with Jason, a young American dancer. Together they try to raise awareness about the destruction of the rainforest through their dance, culminating in a high-stakes Lambada competition. The Forbidden Dance was released on the exact same day—March 16, 1990—as a rival Lambada-themed film simply titled Lambada, produced by Golan's former partner and cousin, Yoram Globus, through Cannon Films. The simultaneous releases sparked interest in their behind-the-scenes rivalry, but neither film was well-received critically or commercially. Nevertheless, The Forbidden Dance gained a cult following over time thanks to its over-the-top plot, early 90s aesthetic, and frequent television airings. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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