I'm writing this late, again, but I just heard that Robert Redford died. I'm in shock because I thought he would keep going well into his 90s. He looked boyish most of his life which just makes it even more shocking. He was someone who believed in film creating the Sundance Film festival and directing many films winning an Oscar for “Ordinary People”. I love his films he directed and produced because they were quiet films that spoke volumes but in hushed tones like “The Milagro Beanfield War”, one of my favorites. On with the music where I am choosing 3 songs, one that won the Oscar, one that was nominated and one that received 0 love. Let's see if you can choose the right way…
1. HOOKER'S HOOKER BY MARVIN HAMLISCH
Tis is a great film with a great soundtrack famous for the Scott Joplin tunes that became famous again because of this film. Marvin Hamlisch created some original works for this film and this is one of them evoking the Jazz style of that time.
2. YOU'RE SO NICE TO BE AROUND SUNG BY PAUL WILLIAMS
Has anyone seen “Smokey and the Bandit?” You see a short, freaky blond guy early in the film and, again, near the end and that hobbit looking guy with that stupid haircut is Paul Williams who wrote a ton of famous songs back in the 1970s and 80s including this song where he wrote the lyrics with John Williams writing the music. Now this song was not from Smokey but from “Cinderella Liberty” a film I still need to see.
3. THE WAY WE WERE SUNG BY BARBRA STREISAND
We should all know this iconic Streisand song that comes from the movie of the same name that costars her with the brilliant Robert Redford. This is another song written by Marvin Hamlisch that moves the film along on its romantic story about 2 people who fall in love despite their major differences.
So, who won the Oscar, who was nominated and who was jilted on both counts?
I was shocked about Robert Redford's death too! The Way We Were won and the Paul Williams song was nominated, I think. I was a huge fan of his back in the day! He did a fun take-off on "Phantom of the Opera", called Phantom of the Paradise" in 1974, that became a cult favourite. ☺
ReplyDeleteA couple different TV stations used "The Way We Were" as the music for their tributes to Redford. I thought it fitting. I'm pretty sure I saw Smokey and the Bandit back in the day. But I was a kid at the time, so my memory of the movie is pretty fuzzy.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteThe news of his passing really knocked me back too! I was fully aware he was older but whenever I hear his name I just automatically think of him in all his sun-kissed rugged blonde beauty during his peak years. His rise to fame coincided with what was really my awareness of cinema (I was eight when he really started to become famous with Barefoot in the Park) so he was a bit more of MY Movie Star along with Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand, Sally Field and that particular group of performers so the connection is a bit stronger and the impact of his loss sharper.
I'm positive "The Way We Were" won as it should have. Great song and film. No matter how popular it was I don't think Smokey was ladled with nominations, maybe film editing or something similar but I can't believe anything else. So that would leave the song from "The Sting" as the other nominee.
My vote is The Way We Were for winner. For runner-up and nada, my guess would be worthless because I know neither song, but I'll guess You're So Nice to Be Around.
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