A Dog’s Life

by Charles Chaplin
Music composed by Charles Chaplin in 1959, Music Arranged by Eric James and Eric Spear.
Scores restored and adapted for live performance by Timothy Brock

Synopsis

The Little Tramp finds companionship with two fellow outcasts - Scraps, a stray mongrel, and a young girl exploited as a hostess in a disreputable dive, The Green Lantern. With Scraps’ help he overcomes two thieves from whom he wins a well-filled wallet, which provides the three with a happy end together.

Technical Specifications

• Screening time: 36 minutes
• Projection speed: 18 frames per second
• Projection format: 1:1.33 Full aperture/frame
• No sound effects, mute
• 35 mm and digital formats available

Instrumentation

• 2 Flutes (II dbl. picc.)
• Oboe (dbl. e. horn)
• 2 Clarinets
• Bassoon
• 2 Horns
• 3 Trumpets
• 2 Trombones
• Tuba
• Percussion (2 players)
• Harp
• Guitar (dbl. Banjo)
• Musical Saw (ad lib.)*
• Piano (dbl. Celesta)
• Strings: 8.6.6.4.2 (min: 6.4.4.2.1)
• List of Percussion: Timpani, Snare drum, Bass drum, Wood Block, Temple Blocks, Large cymbals, Suspended cymbals, Choke cymbal, Tam-tam, Xylophone, Vibraphone
  *Musical Saw (ad lib.) can be covered by Timothy Brock if he is conducting. If not, score is cued for wah-wah trumpet (as directed by Chaplin) as well.

Reduced instrumentation for small orchestra (13 players)

Available for very small venues and/or local cultural organisations with low funding. Not available for venues seating more than 700

• Flute (dbl. picc.)
• Clarinet in B-flat
• Bassoon
• Trumpet in B-flat
• Trombone
• Percussion (one player): snare drum, bass drum, low tom-tom, choke cymb, sus. cymb, temple blks, wood blk
• Piano
• Musical Saw (ad lib.)
• Violin I
• Violin II
• Viola
• Violoncello
• Contrabass

Trailer of A Dog's Life

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Listen to the Music

List of Films

• How To Make Movies
• A Dog's Life
• Shoulder Arms
• Sunnyside
• A Day's Pleasure
• The Kid
• The Idle Class
• Pay Day
• The Pilgrim
• A Woman Of Paris
• The Gold Rush
• The Circus
• City Lights
• Modern Times
• The Great Dictator
• With A Smile