Dude-the Obscure-movies that seem like they werent real. Or -is Half a House just a Cahn game (1 Viewer)

[Louis Letizia]

Looking through a recent volume of an Academy Awards book that lists every nominee for each year-I came across-from 1976- a nominee for Best Song (by Sammy Cahn no less) for a film called Half a House. Was this movie ever shown anywhere? I never remember it at theaters or on tv -let alone video. Its obviously real.
Anyone ever see this? What other obscurities come to mind?

 

[Bob Cashill]

The Best Song category tends to yield oddities. THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY and YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE have Oscars thanks to it. And I suspect a lot of foreign language nominees have fallen into obscurity.

 

[JohnMor]

Well, neither Thank God It's Friday or You Light Up My Life would really qualify as obsure films. They both had massive advertising and excessive soundtrack radio play during their releases. I have never heard of Half A House. Louis, you might want to get another Oscar book, as the nominated song ("A World That Never Was") wasn't written by Sammy Cahn, but Paul Francis Webster and Sammy Fain of "Secret Love" and "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" fame. It is interesting how many forgotten (or never known!) films have gotten an Oscar nod in some category or another.

 

[Louis Letizia]

Well, neither Thank God It's Friday or You Light Up My Life would really qualify as obsure films.  They both had massive advertising and excessive soundtrack radio play during their releases.  I have never heard of Half A House.  Louis, you might want to get another Oscar book, as the nominated song ("A World That Never Was") wasn't written by Sammy Cahn, but Paul Francis Webster and Sammy Fain of "Secret Love" and  "Love is a many Splendored Thing" fame.  It is interesting how many forgotten (or never known!) films have gotten an Oscar nod in soem category or another. 

Thanks for the correction. Unfortunately id like to blame the book...but it was my hastiness. Gets me every time.
Unlike other obscure movies that eventually matrrialize ( HOUSE OF GOD on Netflix streaming...NOTHING LASTS FOREVER at festivals)...HALF A HOUSE has never reared its head.

 

[Bob Cashill]

I didn't say they were obscure, just that they're odd films to have won Oscars. But some foreign-language nominees have surely slipped through the cracks (like THE NEST, nommed 1980, barely released here in 82).

 

[JohnMor]

That's very true, Bob.