So let me see here. I’m not a fond fan of films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, and others that bring pop urban culture to the forefront. Nothing against those films but they just aren’t necessarily for me because street dance competitions and the like are just amusing to me. Oh well, you can’t please everyone now can you? But then Drumline appeared on my doorstep and even though I had seen it before years ago, I decided to give it another chance to see if this film still fit in with my thought process on pop urban culture. Let me just tell you that it didn’t matter because I had forgotten just how much I love school bands and the awesome music and competitions they put on.
Devon Miles is a young aspiring drummer that could go a long way in life with the talent he possesses when the sticks are in his hands. It’s only that he doesn’t sit on a small stool and behind a set of drums. Devon came up through high school as an extravagant and fantastic drummer in the school band and is now moving on to the drumline at Atlanta A&T. He is looking forward to the halftime shows and competitions that are no longer just filler in between the fierce action on the football field or the high-paced moves on the basketball court. The only problem is that he is good and he knows he is good so that may have been alright in high school but it just won’t fly in the big college leagues.
There on a music scholarship, Devon is dealing with all the pressures of college and having to learn to realize that he isn’t top dog in the band and isn’t better then everyone else out there with him. But that doesn’t stop him from putting his foot in his mouth which sees him not only butting heads with band lead Sean and questioning the musical stylings of Dr. Aaron Lee, the bandmaster. This leads to many drum-offs between Sean and Devon but also hinders the squad from performing up to the high quality standards they are expected to and they know they can. Devon must learn to be a part of the band instead of the whole band or his first year will be a total failure.
Drumline may not seem like my type or maybe your type of film at first glance, but it is damn good no matter what your tastes may be. There is some drama and tension thanks to Devon’s “sticking it to the man” attitude and believing he is the epitome of drummers out there. Thrown into the mix is even a small love interest for Devon, but that’s the most you’re going to get in terms of anything dealing with the film casing surrounding the deeper story here and that is simply for people to get an appreciation for marching bands. There are some really great musical numbers and even better drum battles that will have you staring in amazement as your ears hear beats you never imagined possible. Some of the things you’ll witness and hear are just insane and it’s a wonder people know how to beat a drum so fast and so well.
More then anything, Drumline is to focus your attention on the music and just how big “band battles” have gotten in recent years. I went to a high school that was way too small to even think of having a band because if we did then there wouldn’t have been anyone to sit in the stands at games. Seriously, it was that small. Upon graduation, I attended LSU and got to experience the Golden Band from Tiger Land in person and it was one of the greatest things ever. Still to this day it is something I look forward to with every single LSU sporting event. And if you really want to see some good bands then witness the “Battle Of The Bands” at the annual Bayou Classic football game between Southern University and Grambling for it is awesome. I’m actually glad Drumline was released and wish more films like it would be made. My only wish is that there’d be a little bit more film stability to it since it is meant to be a movie and not just a demonstration of a marching band.
The film is shown in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen and it is a gorgeous presentation of color. The uniforms of the bands and the green of the different fields just shine through brightly and beautifully.
Drumline should only be heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound to get the full effect of the songs, drumbeats, and horns heard throughout. The focus of this film is the music and it is obvious that they put a lot of emphasis on making it sound as good as humanly possible.
Audio Commentary – The only person here for this commentary is director Charles Stone III and he gives a lot of information for the film itself and stories from during the shoot, but it’s almost as if he needed someone else there to talk to. At times he just seems desperate for a response but ends up just fading into another tidbit and seeming quite lonely.
Half-Time Heroes – This is a fun look inside the history of the marching band and discusses all those that have been instrumental in the boom of bands in schools, parades, and competitions. It also talks about how the film helped bring a good bit more attention to real marching bands. (14:02)
Anatomy Of A Drumline – Here we have a pretty basic “making of” featurette that takes a look behind the scenes of the film and also a drumline itself. Not much to be seen here. (9:28)
The Real Battle Of The Bands – Why this feature isn’t longer is beyond me because it the best extra by far. All of the intensity, excitement, and fun that goes into a real band battle is shown here and almost dissected in a way. It’s really informative and so cool but then right as things get going, it’s over. (9:01)
Deleted Scenes – Stone III is here for optional commentary on four deleted scenes that wouldn’t have really provider much if left in.
Theatrical Trailer
This is a film that really needs to be seen by everyone because it would give them a better appreciation for the marching bands of the world or even just give you two hours of some cool beats and awesome drum solos. The music is phenomenal and there is a decent enough storyline to fill in the gaps between non-musical interludes, but Drumline just have the replayability factor that makes it something you’d want to watch over and over again. The special features could have had a little more work put into them because they are overly short and don’t really provide all that much. A commentary track that fizzles out after a few minutes and only one real featurette worth checking out doesn’t make me too happy especially when this is labeled as a “special edition.” Check it out once as a rental or even catch it one of the million times it hits the television airwaves each year and then head out to a collegiate or local high school football game and enjoy the hell out of the halftime show.
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20th Century Fox presents Drumline: Special Edition. Directed by: Charles Stone III. Starring: Nick Cannon, Orlando Jones, Zoe Saldana. Written by: Shawn Schepps & Tina Gordon Chsim. Running time: 127 minutes. Rating: PG-13. Released on DVD: January 27, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
