Kevin Spacey stars in Bobby Darin movie

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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. actor Kevin Spacey stars as rock'n'roll hall-of-famer Bobby Darin and sings 18 classics on the movie's soundtrack.

"Beyond the Sea," which features Kate Bosworth as actress Sandra Dee, is scheduled to be released by Lions Gate Films Dec. 10 in New York and December 17 in Los Angeles.

The soundtrack is to be released Nov. 23 at all retail outlets and at rhino.com. In the 18 songs, Spacey tracks Darin's evolution from teen idol with "Splish Splash" and "Dream Lover," to nightclub sensation "Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea," to folk artist "If I Were a Carpenter" and "Simple Song of Freedom."

Spacey does not lip-sych Darin's songs, but he spent years developing his voice and studying Darin's nightclub act before the cameras rolled for the feature film.

"I began working with Roger Kellaway, who worked with Bobby as a musical director and accompanist, in 1999 long before there was a script or money to make the movie," Spacey said in a statement.

"After three years of playing at home and in clubs with Roger, he and I started working on a soundstage at Universal Studios with a big screen next to some mirrors so I could watch Bobby's performance on screen while watching my performance in the mirrors."