Composer Robert Honstein Releases Debut Film Score for THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN

With fifty minutes of original music, The Real Charlie Chaplin marks composer Robert Honstein's first foray into the world of film music. Each cue reflects the various sides of the dynamic actor-comedian and his life, from his mesmerizing on-camera antics to the tumultuous and secretive personal life. Much like the documentary narrative, the music follows his harsh childhood, through the years of stardom and scandal, to the later years of fatherhood and mystery.

The film premiered at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival, and the soundtrack was nominated for Outstanding Music Composition in the 43rd News & Documentary Emmys. Directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney, the film received documentary award nominations from the Zurich Film Festival, Hamptons International Film Festival, British Independent Film Award, with three Critics' Choice nominations. The documentary began streaming on Showtime in December 2021 and premiered in UK theaters in February 2022.

"Beautiful music from Robert Honstein and some handsome cinematography by James Blann for the cleverly deployed reenactments do a lot to drive this narrative forward."

- Dan Mecca, The Film Stage

About Robert Honstein, composer

Celebrated for his "waves of colorful sounds" (New York Times) and "smart, appealing works" (The New Yorker), Robert Honstein (b. 1980) is a New York-based composer of orchestral, chamber, vocal, and film music. Robert is a founding member of the New York-based composer collective Sleeping Giant and co-founder of Fast Forward Austin. He is Program Director of Concert Composition and Composition Faculty at NYU, Steinhardt.

His music has been performed by the Albany Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, Eighth Blackbird, Ensemble Dal Niente, Mivos Quartet, Del Sol Quartet, Argus Quartet, New Morse Code, Colin Currie, Theo Bleckmann, Doug Perkins, Michael Burritt, Karl Larson, and Ashley Bathgate, among others. Interdisciplinary collaborators include projects with photographer Chris McCaw, projection designer Hannash Wasileski, graphic designer Laura Grey, and director Daniel Fish. Choreographers that have adapted his music include Alysa Pires with the National Ballet of Canada and Alberta Ballet, Houston Ballet's Madison Russo, and Jennifer Backhaus of Backhausdance. His music has been released by New Amsterdam Records, New Focus Recordings, Soundspells Productions, Cedille Records, and Other Minds Records. His debut film score, The Real Charlie Chaplin, was nominated for a News & Documentary Emmy in Outstanding Music Composition.

Album Credits

Recorded March 2021, Oktaven Audio, Mount Vernon, NY
Tracking, Editing, & Mixing by Ryan Streber
Mastering by Ryan Streber
Design by Laura Grey
Artwork by Liam Achaibou

All music from the film The Real Charlie Chaplin
Jamey Spinney and Peter Middleton, Directors
Bridget Samuels, Music Supervisor

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