Based on characters featured on Saturday Night Live, John Landis's 1980 movie has become more than a just a cult hit. It has embedded itself into the western culture, at the time reviving the career of an era of American music which both Aykroyd and Belushi believed required celebrating. Taken from Aykroyd's original screenplay, which at over 300 pages could have been likened to a telephone directory, this comedy - musical tells the story of two low life blues performers on a mission from God.
We follow Jake and Elwood from the day that Jake is released from Joliet prison. They visit the Catholic orphanage where they were raised and are informed by the fearsome nun 'The Penguin' that it is to be closed unless they can organise $5000. The Penguin will refuse to accept it if it is stolen money, so they are forced to get the band back together to raise the money.
The movie is an exhilarating journey, with near perfect comedy and musical performances from all involved. A huge list of comedians and soul and blues legends make up the amazing cast, boasting names such as Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Frankiln, Cab Calloway, John Lee Hooker, John Candy, Carrie Fisher, and with cameo's from Steven Spielberg and Landis regular the muppeteer Frank Oz.
I still have friends to this day that have never watched The Blues Brothers because they don't like musicals. And these are people that I know would love the movie if they could just get past the stigma that is the musical genre. Take out any of the musical, dance sequences and you're still left with a huge movie. Extravagant car chases, vindictive ex-girlfriend Carrie Fisher, literally trying to blow the brothers to pieces, there's the complete destruction of a building, and a shopping mall, not forgetting disgruntled Nazi's and a small army hot on the brothers tail.
That being said, I still think that the music sequences are brilliant, and could easily hold up as music videos in their own right. The fast paced editing keep pace with the energy of the songs. I especially like the scene outside Ray Charles music shop where amateurs were used to do the dance, which created a more spontaneous event as though those people had really just started dancing in the street.
The movies final act consists of one of the most famous car chases in cinema history, with the destruction of hundreds of police cars. It never fails to entertain, seeing car after car ploughing into each other, whilst the brothers, under the Lords guidance, speed on through to their goal. Only once they stop does their car disintegrates of its own accord, a joke Landis also used in Beverly Hills Cop 3.
The Blues Brothers was to be the first of many pairings of Belushi and Aykroyd. Aykroyd was already penning Ghostbusters and Spies Like Us with his friend in mind. Unfortunately, due to Belushi's untimely death, they went on to have starred in the appalling Neighbors. Saturday Night Live alumni Bill Murray and Chevy Chase went on to take the leads in the aforementioned movies, although Aykroyd did create Slimer in Ghostbusters as a homage to his friends character Bluto in Landis's Animal House.
As in all Landis films, there are the usual things to look out for. As mentioned earlier, his signature cameo from Mr Yoda, Frank Oz, here as the prison official handing Jakes belongings back, a role he mirrors in the Landis Aykroyd comedy Trading places. The phrase See You Next Wednesday also makes its appearance, here as a billboard, and also a shot that Landis loves to use, where the main characters, and also the camera, is the main focal point of hundreds of gun barrels.
The success of the Blues Brothers can be measured by its legacy. Best selling albums, an excellent stage show, a sequel - albeit a sequel we tend not to mention. 30 years old already and still as outstanding as when I first watched it.
Loading...
58 videos
Good review. The film is a curiosity. I saw it on television recently - first time I had seen it in many years from end to end. Nowadays, they would probably use CGI in almost every situation of the crashes to the falling Ford Pinto. Safety in Hollywood filmmaking has over recent years become even more important. Compared to the Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton days of very weak safety precaution, this film is almost an homage to those slapstick films.
MisterEvasion 5 months ago
@MisterEvasion - yea - i suppose it is. I have been watching some of the keaton and lloyd movies as of late actually. hard to believe that they were just comedian filmmakers. couldnt imagine Jim Carrey or Will Farrell doing anything remotely dangerous like that. Thanks for the comment - please check out my other vids if you liked this.
Hagfilms 5 months ago
Great review dude! Blues Brothers was the first ever musical I liked. ANd the first time I ever really sat down and gave it a chance I was blown away. A really fun movie with great music.
DominicRiv 7 months ago
@DominicRiv - Glad you liked the review, and the film of course. If you want to keep an eye on other reviews i have coming then please subscribe. Its mainly classic movies that i love to discuss, but sometimes the cynical Stephen Ha3kin chips in and gives us a review - haha. Thanks again sir.
Hagfilms 7 months ago
Blues Brothers is one of the greatest musicals and/or comedies that I've ever seen. Brilliant film in every regard.
JimmySteller 9 months ago
@JimmySteller - yea, certainly is. shame they didnt get to make more movies together.
Hagfilms 9 months ago