Charles Harry Bernstein, American freelance/self-employed composer. Chancellors Teaching fellow University of California at Los Angeles, 1966, Woodrow Wilson fellow, 1966.
Background
Bernstein was born in Minneapolis to mother Mildred Wolf (1910-2011) and father Charles Bernstein, Senior (????-1952). His mother was a pianist. As for his father, he "was involved in writing and producing music in his early career," according to Bernstein.
Education
Student, Juilliard School Music, 1963-1964;
Bachelor, University of California at Los Angeles, 1966;
Bachelor (Outstanding Graduate award), University of California at Los Angeles, 1966;
postgraduate, University of California at Los Angeles, 1966-1969.
Career
His credits include the score for A Nightmare on Elm Street. He has also been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards. Bernstein did his first score for the 1969 Oscar-winning documentary, Czechoslovakia 1968.
The film was unusual because it had no spoken words, only music and occasional sound effects to tell the story."
His first Hollywood score was for the United Artists film, White Lightning (1973), starring Burt Reynolds.
The film marked the first of many collaborations between Bernstein and director Joseph Sargent. Bernstein also scored the sequel to the film, Gator (1976).
Other films Bernstein scored during the 1970s include Hex (1973), That Manitoba Bolt (1973), Mr. Majestyk (1974), Trackdown (1976), A Small Town in Texas (1976), Viva Knievel! (1977), Outlaw Blues (1977) and Love at First Bite (1979).
He even wrote the dance music in the latter film.
During the 1980s, Bernstein scored the music for the horror films The Entity (1982), Cujo (1983), April Fool"s Day (1986) and Deadly Friend (1986). Bernstein also scored non-horror films such as Foolin" Around (1980). He also scored music for made-for-television movies such as Sadat (1983), Mission Evers" Boys (1997), The Long Island Incident (1998) and Out of the Ashes (2003).
Bernstein reunited with Cujo director Lewis Teague to score his films, Cante Jondo (2007) and Charlotta-TeamSpeak (2010).
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Under the recommendation of his agent, Bernstein met with Wes Craven and was hired to score his film, A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). On working with Craven: "Wes was easy to work with, he gave me a lot of freedom, but we could discuss ideas and approaches.
In many ways he was an ideal director to communicate with because he listened well and was open to all ideas." Bernstein used an electric score since the film was low budget. Bernstein did not return to score the music for the other films in the franchise, though Renny Harlin briefly talked to him about scoring the fourth film.
Use of his music
Quentin Tarantino has included Bernstein"s music from White Lightning and The Entity in the soundtracks of his films Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Inglourious Basterds (2009).
Membership
Board Governors Academy of Motion Pictures, since 1995. Board directors American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Foundation, since 1998. Member Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Executive Committee since 1978), Academy TVArts and Sciences (Emmy award 1987), Academy Recording Arts and Sciences, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Society Composers and Lyricists (board directors since 1986, vice president 1997-1999).