New publication from the Archives de Montreux

23 Sep 2026

The Archives de Montreux have published Montreux au rythme de la musique, the fourth volume in their Empreintes du Temps collection (in French).

The publication traces more than 150 years of the Swiss city’s musical history, from Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky to David Bowie and Queen, and from the Casino-Kursaal to Mountain Studios… and of course, to Charlie Chaplin!

Among its contributions is an article by Arnold Lozano, Director of the Chaplin Office, introducing a recent addition to the Chaplin archives: the papers of Raymond “Ray” Rasch, Chaplin’s musical associate on Limelight.

The Ray Rasch collection brings together new material relating to the film’s pre-production and production, as well as documents concerning Rasch’s own life and career. It offers a personal perspective on the making of Limelight, as well as a glimpse into Rasch’s views of Chaplin and their professional relationship.

The volume also includes an article on Mountain Studios, with recollections from Eugene Chaplin, who worked there from 1975 to 1978.

The Chaplin Office is especially grateful to the Archives de Montreux and their wonderful staff for the care they continue to give to the Chaplin archives, preserved in Montreux on behalf of our rights-holding companies, and for the generosity and collaboration they have shown over the years.

Montreux au rythme de la musique is available at Librairie Payot (Montreux), Librairie La Fontaine (Vevey), the Montreux Museum, and the Montreux Jazz Festival shop.

New book: Late Style in Film by Collin Brinkmann

01 Sep 2026

Drawing on existing literature and archival documents, and brimming with anecdotes, Late Style in Film is an in-depth study of the later works of filmmakers Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, and Charlie Chaplin by cinephile and writer Collin Brinkmann, published by Sticking Place Books.

From Monsieur Verdoux (1947) to Chaplin’s unfinished project, The Freak, Brinkmann examines the tension between the production and reception of Chaplin’s later works, as well as his artistic resilience, self-awareness and ever-keen perception of the major upheavals of the postwar era—arguably the most tumultuous period of his adult career, and a time when he had to start anew in exile.

Late Style in Film is a nuanced tribute to creative longevity, delving into the later works of Chaplin—a reminder of his defiance of norms and his refusal to let his work stop evolving.

In the words of Chaplin himself, at the age of 87: To work is to live—and I love to live.

Chaplin Under the Stars: A Dog's Life and Shoulder Arms

02 Jul 2026

On 27 June, Cineteca di Bologna’s Il Cinema Ritrovato festival celebrated two milestones in Charlie Chaplin’s career with a programme devoted to his first two First National films, A Dog’s Life and Shoulder Arms (both 1918).

The day began with a panel exploring the new 4K restorations of both films from their original A-negative versions, presented at their original silent speeds. Arnold Lozano (Chaplin Office), Dave Kehr (MoMA), and conductor and restorer Timothy Brock discussed the collaborative work behind the restorations, undertaken by MoMA in partnership with Cineteca di Bologna, under the aegis of Association Chaplin and Roy Export S.A.S. Brock also offered insight into his meticulous restoration and adaptation of Chaplin’s own 1959 orchestral scores, commissioned by Roy Export S.A.S., to accompany the newly restored films.

The discussions found their perfect culmination that evening in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore, where thousands gathered for the world premiere of the new restorations with Brock’s restored scores, performed live by Orchestra Senzaspine under his direction.

One particularly memorable moment came during A Dog’s Life, when Maestro Brock played the musical saw as part of the live performance.

The screening was introduced by Arnold Lozano and Dave Kehr.

Our thanks to photographer Lorenzo Burlando for capturing some wonderful moments from an exceptional day at Il Cinema Ritrovato. See more of his photographs of the evening on Facebook.