The Blues Brothers (1980)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Dan Aykroyd (written by) &
John Landis (written by)

Release Date:

20 June 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Music

Tagline:

They'll never get caught. They're on a mission from God.

Plot:

Jake Blues, just out from prison, puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and brother Elwood were raised.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Band | Catholic | Nun | White Supremacist

Awards:

1 win

Cast

John Belushi	...	'Joliet' Jake Blues (as Jake)
Dan Aykroyd	...	Elwood Blues (as Elwood)
James Brown	...	Reverend Cleophus James
Cab Calloway	...	Curtis
Ray Charles	...	Ray
Aretha Franklin	...	Mrs. Murphy
Steve Cropper	...	Steve 'The Colonel' Cropper
Donald Dunn	...	Donald 'Duck' Dunn
Murphy Dunne	...	Murphy 'Murph' Dunne
Willie Hall	...	Willie 'Too Big' Hall
Tom Malone	...	Tom 'Bones' Malone
Lou Marini	...	'Blue Lou' Marini
Matt Murphy	...	Matt 'Guitar' Murphy
Alan Rubin	...	Alan 'Mr. Fabulous' Rubin
Carrie Fisher	...	Mystery Woman

Runtime:

133 min | USA:148 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) | Mono (optical prints)

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | South Korea:12 | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

22 W. Van Buren Street, The Loop, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

During the making of the movie, one of the actors (un-named) drove the "Blues Mobile" 100 miles West on Interstate 80, to the city of Spring Valley, Illinois. He was promptly arrested for no registration (the plate was a prop), and no valid drivers license. With a telephone call, the set director was more concerned with the return of the vehicle than with the return of his actor.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Elwood and Jake are barricading themselves into the office building, they tip two vending machines onto their sides. Jake's lands on its side, and Elwood's lands at an angle on Jakes. However, in the next shot they are both laying perfectly flat.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Prison Guard #1: Yeah, the Assistant Warden wants this one out of the block early. Wants to get it over with fast.
Prison Guard #2: Okay, let's do it.
[rattling the bars with his baton]
Prison Guard #1: Hey come on, it's time to wake up.
Prison Guard #2: Wake up. Let's go, it's time.
[striking the sleeping Jake with his baton]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Doctor Detroit (1983)

Soundtrack:

BOOM BOOM

Don't you miss comedies like this?

The Blues Brothers is definitely in my book one of the best comedies of all time. I couldn't believe my eyes that this film is not on the top 250, well, John Landis doesn't get enough credit in all. He brought us the most memorable comedies of all time: An American Werewolf in London, Trading Places, Animal House, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. He brings us The Blues Brothers, two popular characters off of Saturday Night Live who were at the height of their popularity. John puts them in Chicago(this is the best Chicago movie to watch next to Ferris Bueller by the way)and makes this into one of the greatest comedies ever. The great thing about this film is it's not gross out, it's not the obvious silly humor, it's just humor that keeps you laughing every minute. Dan and John are such a great comedic duo, they are without a doubt the most memorable duo off of SNL I would say.

Jake and Elwood go to the orphanage where they were raised and learn that it is being shut down due to insufficient funds, so they want to reunite their band and put on a show to help save the place. On a mission from God they claim, they gather up their old band members to put on the show of the decade! But along the way, Jake and Elwood get into quite a bit of trouble with the police, the Illinois Nazi party, a girlfriend of one of their band members, and a girl who just seems to keep going after them and wants them dead.

With great and endless cameos from great people like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, terrific Chicago landmarks, endless hilarious jokes, The Blues Brothers is the perfect comedy that is one of the best movies of all time. The concert scene is unforgettable and the scene that will always get me down on the floor in tears is where they go to the restaurant, John's line of "How much for your women?!" was just too priceless! You really have to see this movie, I guarantee you, you will die of laughter.

10/10