Loosely based on screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein's own youthful summers in the Catskills, the nostalgic romantic drama Dirty Dancing transcended the coming-of-age genre to become a genuine pop culture phenomenon. The smoldering chemistry between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey undoubtedly accounts for much of the film's enduring appeal. He's at his most charismatic and handsome as free-spirited dance instructor Johnny Castle, and she lights up the screen in her breakout role as Baby Houseman, the doe-eyed teenager no one puts in the corner. Kenny Ortega’s dazzling choreography—that iconic, climactic lift in particular—and a note-perfect soundtrack blending vintage R&B tunes and modern hits also helped. Along with Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ Best Original Song Oscar® winner “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” the bestselling soundtrack scored two other hit singles, Swayze’s own vocal showcase “She’s Like the Wind” and Eric Carmen's power ballad "Hungry Eyes."