"The Shadow of Your Smile" has proven itself to be an enduring standard. The film, "The Sandpiper," is almost universally considered to be dreck, and not even enjoyable on a camp level.
How about "Unchained Melody" from the film Unchained... (music by Alex North, lyrics by Hy Zaret).
As to whether the film was a turkey or not I have no way of knowing. It does seem to have a been a low-budget enterprise, but has anyone on here ever actually seen it??
Whitney Houston had a monster hit with Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" from The Bodyguard. The song still plays on pop radio to this day.
The film was a big box office hit but still got terrible reviews as I recall.
You may not know this but that song was originally written for the Dolly Parton - Burt Reynolds movie The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas back in the seventies. So I guess that the song does belong in the category of enduring songs from turkey films.
Btw didn't " Unchained" become a song after the film was released?
Playing the role of “Bill Howard” in the 1955 film UNCHAINED was singer Todd Duncan, who had portrayed “Porgy” in the original Broadway production of "Porgy and Bess." Duncan sang a hymn and the film's title song, “Unchained Melody” (music by Alex North, lyrics by Hy Zaret), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song but lost to “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing.” "Unchained Melody" was selected as the number one top song of 1955 through a compilation of all music popularity contests.
In 1955 alone, three recordings of the song were recorded in the rhythm and blues style by Roy Hamilton on the Columbia label, Al Hibbler on Decca, and Leroy Lovett on Atlantic label, respectively. It was also recorded by Liberace, who performed it on his television show, and Les Baxter and his orchestra. It remained a standard through the years and its popularity revived when it was featured in the 1990 Paramount release GHOST, which was directed by Jerry Zucker and starred Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. That film featured another popular version of the song as performed by The Righteous Brothers.
The 1985 film VISION QUEST was pretty much unknown/ignored by the world at large, but the hit song Crazy For You* by Madonna has gone on to become a modern day pop classic.
*the film was actually retitled Crazy For You in many countries to incorporate/recognise the popularity of the song.
Btw didn't " Unchained" become a song after the film was released?
Playing the role of “Bill Howard” in the 1955 film UNCHAINED was singer Todd Duncan, who had portrayed “Porgy” in the original Broadway production of "Porgy and Bess." Duncan sang a hymn and the film's title song, “Unchained Melody” (music by Alex North, lyrics by Hy Zaret), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song but lost to “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing.” "Unchained Melody" was selected as the number one top song of 1955 through a compilation of all music popularity contests.
In 1955 alone, three recordings of the song were recorded in the rhythm and blues style by Roy Hamilton on the Columbia label, Al Hibbler on Decca, and Leroy Lovett on Atlantic label, respectively. It was also recorded by Liberace, who performed it on his television show, and Les Baxter and his orchestra. It remained a standard through the years and its popularity revived when it was featured in the 1990 Paramount release GHOST, which was directed by Jerry Zucker and starred Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. That film featured another popular version of the song as performed by The Righteous Brothers.
I watched "Unchained" years ago -- it is a small budget prison drama with a semi-documentary feel. It is based on a true story about a reforming prison superintendent who gives his prisoners lots of freedom with encouragement to express their feelings to avoid anger and violent outbursts. The famous football player, Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch, portrays an especially hard to reach violent perpetrator for whom this incarceration-experiment represents a "last chance". Hirsch is certainly handsome as all get out -- but lacks somewhat in the charisma department. The film is by no means a disaster but has dated quite a bit. It is one of those "honest" films from the 1950's that seems somewhat tame now.
If you do a Google search for the film you will find a link to the full movie online. It used to be on YouTube, but I couldn't find it there at present.
Tender is the Night Joy in the Morning A Walk in the Spring Rain The Wishing Star from TARAS BULBA The Willow from THE VIPS Listen to the Sea from ICE STATION ZEBRA The Singing Wind ("Reconciliation Theme") from THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN
I wonder if Alex North knew how many singers would sing his song when he first composed it? Hopefully, he got some kind of pay for its repeated usage. Below is a youtube on the origin and history of Unchained Melody. I think the Righteous Brothers' version is the best known. I like Roy Hamilton's voice. What Vito and the Salutations did with it sounds criminal! Still, I was surprised to see how many famous people have sung this song. It does have a gorgeous melody.
