Drillbit Taylor (2008)

Director: Steven Brill

[Will smoke pot for money.]

"Is that my pinky?"

No score soundtrack released.

Clip: DVD menu (film theme) 400Kb
Clip: End credits (Drillbit's theme) 1.29Mb
Clip: The sword-throw 162Kb

THE FILM

Drillbit Taylor is the story of an ex-serviceman bum fleecing 3 kids in return for his services as protection from the school bully. Works the formula just fine for the target age range as the bully is nasty and the bum's heart is turned to gold (through the usual 'journey') by the predicament and love of the kids. Definitely held togetehr by Own Wilson's charm. Still, not a very constructive film to watch if you're being bullied at school.

THE SCORE

Blink your ears and you will miss Christophe Beck's contribution to this project. As per usual with this type of film, many sappy moments are underscored by quiet pop and most of the action sequences are given rock or hip-hop songs. Also, somewhat atypical for the genre, there are quite a few dialogue scenes that hang without wallpaper scoring at all. However, there is a cheeky guitar-led theme for the title character (eg. at ca.0:23'21" and 1:30'15" - see DVD menu clip), a chilled out (again) guitar-led theme for the film (see th End Credits clip) and there are mostly very brief cues featuring grand triumphant (e.g. 0:51'36"), noble (slightly patriotic, e.g. 1:16'25" and a few times more over the following 20 minutes), and military (e.g. 1:25'55") styles headed by strong brass. The latter are wholly anonymous and could have come from any music library (especially as they are quite low in the audio mix), but the Drillbit theme at least helps give the film an emotional - laid-back, inoffensive - which helps you warm quickly to Drillbit if naked public showering doesn't do the trick.

For a good example of the range of scoring, try 1:30'11-1:31'45" which somehow manages to incorporate the Drillbit theme, noble theme, film theme, and some understated kiddy romance music, before returning to the film theme. Shift back to where Drillbit joins the fight through to the sword-throw and you can hear Beck release the orchestral dogs (e.g see the sword-throw clip).

THE VERDICT

A minimalist, efficient job of a score for an unthreatening (so long as you try not to compare with reality) kids movie.

Degrees of Beck:

Steven Brill also directed Without a paddle.

Full music credits

Orchestrations by Kevin Kleisch
Orchestra conducted by Pete Anthony and Mike Nowak
Music recorded and mixed by Brad Haehnel
Music recorded at Sony Pictures Studios

Songs:

"Chain hang low"
Written by Jovan Campbell et al
Performed by Jibbs
Courtesy of Geffen Records

"Rip it up"
Written by Chris Cester, Nicholas Cester and Cameron Muncey
Performed by Jet
Courtesy of Atlantic

"I ain't your saviour"
Written by Gene Buerger
Performed by Bullets and Octane
Courtesy of RCA Records

"Push 'em back"
Written by Ralph J Rice II, David Darnell Brown
Performed by Young Buck
Courtesy of Interscope Records

"All along the watchtower"
Written by Bob Dylan
Performed by Adam Ho ______N.B. Diegetic use

"Satisfaction"
Written by Alessandro Benassi
Performed by Benny Benassi presents the 'Biz'
Courtesy of Ultra Records

"Balls out"
Written by James Franks, Matthew Stigliano
Performed by The Bloodhound Gang
Courtesyy of Republic / Geffen Records

"Peace of mind"
Written by Barbara Keith
Performed by The Stone Coyotes
Courtesy of Red Cat Records

"Name of the game"
Written by Ken Jordan, Scott Kirkland, Tom Morello
Performed by Crystal Method
Courtesy of Outpost Recordings / Geffen Records

"Cha cha cha"
Written by James D'Angelo et al
Performed by Jimmy Luxury and The Tommy Rome Orchestra
Courtesy of WORK / Epic records

"Let's play two"
Written by Cue Sandberg, Jesse Valenzuela
Performed by Gin Blossoms
Courtesy of Hybrid Recordings

"So gangsta"
Written by Jacques Slade, Anthony Sears
Performed by KU
Courtesy of Park Bench Entertainment

"King of the school"
Written by Seth Rogen, Jacques lade

"Something's going down tonight"
Written by Andy Cooper, Rodney Pleasant, Dustin McFarland
Performed by Ugly Duckling
Courtesy of Rykodisc

"Happy birthday to you"
Written by Mildred J Hill, Patty S Hill

"Ass like that"
Written by Mark Batson, et al
Performed by Eminem
Courtesy of Aftermath Entertainment / Interscope Records

"So deadly"
Written by Shane Jason Bunting, Michael Taylor Perretta
Performed by Swollen Members
Courtesy of Battle Axe Records

"The panic"
Written by Bernard Herrmann _______Cliched cue from Cape fear

"The right thing"
Written by Joe Magistro
Performed by Prophet Omega
courtey of Capitol Records

"Hero"
Written by Enrique M Iglesias, Paul Michael Barry, Mark Taylor
Performed by Adam Ho ______N.B. Diegetic use

"Bad ass"
Written by Jacques Slade, Lamar Van Stiver
Performed by KU
Courtesy of Park Bench Entertainment

"Moons and trees"
Written and performed by Amir Efrat
Courtesy of Amir Efrat Music

"Holla at me"
Written by Jacques Slade, Lamar Van Sciver, Frank Greenfield
Performed by KU
Courtesy of Park Bench Entertainment

"The champ"
Written by Dennis Coles, Justin Smith
Performed by Ghostface Killah
Def Jam Records

"Photograph"
Written by Rivers Cuomo
Performed by Weezer
Courtesy of Geffen Records

"Throw it at me"
Written by Tim Mosley, Randy Fitzsimmons, Timothy Clayton
Performed by Timbaland, featuring The Hives
Interscope Records

"Already free"
Written and performed by Stuart Davis
Courtesy of Majeska Media

"What doesn't kill you hurts like hell"
"Heart of the beast"
Written and performed by Lyle Workman

Music may be audible in clips from films The untouchables and Fight club