Goona-goona epic
Encyclopedia
'Goona-goona epic' refers to any of several films set in the Far East or Southeast Asia which combined travelogue
and stock footage
of exotic customs and locales with universally understandable stories of romance and betrayal. Nudity and sexual situations were important to these films. In Hollywood trade magazines "goona-goona" was a descriptive word for films or photos showing women of color with bare breasts, usually in a supposed spirit of ethnographic interest, a la National Geographic.
The word goona-goona comes from the 1932 film Goona-Goona, An Authentic Melodrama of the Island of Bali by Andre Roosevelt
and Armand Denis
. Supposedly "goona-goona" is an aphrodisiac
or "love powder" made from a narcotic plant. In Indonesian, the word actually means a type of evil magic.
The word is used rarely today to mean sexually charged feelings or situations.
Travelogue
Travelogue is the second full-length studio album released by the British synthpop band The Human League, released in May 1980 before the band achieved any degree of commercial success....
and stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
of exotic customs and locales with universally understandable stories of romance and betrayal. Nudity and sexual situations were important to these films. In Hollywood trade magazines "goona-goona" was a descriptive word for films or photos showing women of color with bare breasts, usually in a supposed spirit of ethnographic interest, a la National Geographic.
The word goona-goona comes from the 1932 film Goona-Goona, An Authentic Melodrama of the Island of Bali by Andre Roosevelt
Andre Roosevelt
Andre Roosevelt was a filmmaker. He was born in Paris, France to Cornelius Roosevelt , a cousin of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who married a French actress....
and Armand Denis
Armand Denis
Armand Denis was a Belgian-born documentary film-maker. After several decades of pioneering work in filming and presenting the ethnology and wildlife of remote parts of Africa and Asia, he became best known in Britain as the director and co-presenter of natural history programmes on television in...
. Supposedly "goona-goona" is an aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac
An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...
or "love powder" made from a narcotic plant. In Indonesian, the word actually means a type of evil magic.
The word is used rarely today to mean sexually charged feelings or situations.