Genre:
Action, Comedy
Release Date:
June 16, 1980
Duration:
133 minutes
Plot:
A new day is dawning in Illinois. The sun has not yet risen and the factories are already in full operation. Next shot, barbed wire, hoisting the flag, a tall wall and armed guards. This is the Joliet prison in Illinois. Two police officers awaken a prisoner. Jake Blues will be released today. Right outside, Elwood, his brother, is waiting for him in a used car. The two of them are the Blues Brothers, the singers of a Rhythm & Blues band. Despite gaining his freedom, Jake does not seem to be in a good mood. And he has a good reason…
Jake: What’s this?
Elwood: What?
Jake: This car. This stupid car! Where’s the Cadillac? The Bluesmobile!
Elwood: I traded it.
Jake: You traded the Bluesmobile for this?
Elwood: No, for a microphone.
Jake: A microphone?
[pause]
Jake: Okay I can see that.
Blues Brothers grew up in an orphanage of the Catholic Church, and this is like their home. They learn that the orphanage is about to be shut down, because of a $5.000 debt in taxes. They meet with sister Mary and suggest to steal to gather quickly the amount, and as a result sister Mary goes on a rampage. With repented minds, they go to pray in a church. There, with James Brown in the role of the priest singing “The Old Landmark”, Jake receives divine inspiration. They will gather the much-needed money if they put the Blues Brothers Band together and do a concert! Easy? I don’t think so… nothing is as easy as it sounds!
Our impressions and movie review:
The music band Blues Brothers was formed by the comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi for the needs of the Saturday Night Live show. In 1978 they released the album Briefcase Full of Blues and in the 1980 the comedy film “The Blues Brothers”. Dan Aykroyd is not only the protagonist but he also wrote the scenario of this amazing comedy and John Belushi plays the best role in his career, which unfortunately ended early because he died of drug overdose. It is a pity 🙁
In the film you will see many famous people in small roles, like the musicians James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and John Lee Hooker. Of course musicians are also the members of the band, who play… themselves! We also see many other famous people doing cameos like Steven Spielberg, James Avery, James DuMont, Tony Farella, Mr. T and Bill Telfer. Excellent performances are given by Henry Gibson as head of Illinois Nazis and, the famous from Star Wars Carrie Fisher, playing the mystery woman who hunts Blues Brothers to kill them!
The movie has innumerous funny scenes and is just before the limits of musical films with lots of great songs from the ’50s and the ’60s. The Blues Brothers film also held the record of the film with the most destroyed vehicles! Not one, not two but 103 cars and other vehicles were destroyed during filming this movie. Today the record is held by Matrix Revolutions with 300 destroyed vehicles.
Let’s forget for a while the disasters and the cars and get back to the music. At the end of the concert the Blues Brothers do a fabulous interpretation of “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love”. In another movie scene, Ray Charles sings “Shake a Tail Feather”, Cab Calloway “Minnie the Moocher”, Aretha Franklin “Think” and John Lee Hooker “Boom Boom Boom”. And if the music and the songs are fantastic, we must note that John Landis directed the film poetically! Pop corn, good company and the tv volume loud. Let’s Rock and Roll!
Movie Quote from The Blues Brothers
Jake: How are you gonna get the band back together, Mr. Hot Rodder? Those cops have your name, your address…
Elwood: They don’t have my address. I falsified my renewal. I put down 1060 West Addison.
Jake: 1060 West Addison? That’s Wrigley Field.
Movie Quote from The Blues Brothers
Mrs. Tarantino: Are you the police?
Elwood: No, ma’am. We’re musicians.
Movie Quote from The Blues Brothers
Jake: First you traded the Cadillac in for a microphone. Then you lied to me about the band. And now you’re gonna put me right back in the joint!
Elwood: They’re not gonna catch us. We’re on a mission from God.
Movie Quote from The Blues Brothers
Elwood: It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark… and we’re wearing sunglasses.
Jake: Hit it!
Movie Quote from The Blues Brothers
Police Dispatcher: Use of unnecessary violence in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers HAS been approved.
Movie Quote from The Blues Brothers
Elwood: We’re so glad to see so many of you lovely people here tonight. And we would especially like to welcome all the representatives of Illinois’s law enforcement community that have chosen to join us here in the Palace Hotel Ballroom at this time. We certainly hope you all enjoy the show. And remember, people, that no matter who you are and what you do to live, thrive and survive, there’re still some things that makes us all the same. You. Me. Them. Everybody. Everybody.
The Blues Brothers – Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CYMYYHHe90
Credits:
Writers:
Dan Aykroyd, John Landis
Director:
John Landis
Cast:
John Belushi – ‘Joliet’ Jake Blues
Dan Aykroyd – Elwood Blues
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
Henry Gibson – Head Nazi
John Candy – Burton Mercer
Kathleen Freeman – Sister Mary Stigmata (aka The Penguin)
Steve Lawrence – Maury Sline
Twiggy – Chic Lady
Frank Oz – Corrections Officer
Jeff Morris – Bob
Charles Napier – Tucker McElroy
Steven Williams – Trooper Mount
Armand Cerami – Trooper Daniel
Tom Erhart – Prison Guard
Gerald Walling SJ – Prison Guard
Walter Levine – Prison Guard
Alonzo Atkins – Choirmaster
Chaka Khan – Choir Soloist
Stephen Bishop – Charming Trooper
John Landis – Trooper La Fong
Kristi Oleson – Toys ‘R Us Saleswoman
Gary McLarty – Toys ‘R Us Customer
Joe Cuttone – Lloyd
Layne Britton – The Cheese Whiz
Toni Fleming – Mrs. Tarantino
Judith Jacklin – Cocktail Waitress
Rosie Shuster – Cocktail Waitress
Paul Reubens – Waiter
Ben Piazza – Father
Gwen Banta – Mother
Lari Taylor – Daughter #1
Cindy Fisher – Daughter #2
Elizabeth Hoy – Daughter #3
Tony M. Conde – Sommelier
Eugene J. Anthony – Gruppenfuehrer
Dean Hill – Nazi
Gary Houston – Nazi
Jack Orend – Nazi
Gene Schuldt – Nazi
Charles Mountain – Cop
John Lee Hooker – Street Slim
Walter Horton – Tampa Pete
Pinetop Perkins – Luther Jackson
Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith – Drums
Luther ‘Guitar Jr.’ Johnson – Guitar
Calvin ‘Fuzz’ Jones – Bass
Carolyn Franklin – Soul Food Chorus
Brenda Bryant Corbett – Soul Food Chorus
Margaret Branch – Soul Food Chorus
De’voreaux White – Young Guitar Thief
Sheilah Wells – Claire
Lou Perryman – Man at Bar
Stan Mazin – Drunk Dancer
Russ Bruzek – The Good Ole Boys
Blair Burrows – The Good Ole Boys
Jack Callahan – The Good Ole Boys
Gene Janson – The Good Ole Boys
Gil Pearson – The Good Ole Boys
Aaron Jais – Orphan
Lemetrius Daniels – Orphan
Jeff Cahill – Orphan
Curt Clendenin – Orphan
Steve Cruz – Orphan
Leonard Daniels – Orphan
Sean Hayden – Orphan
Babatunde Myers – Orphan
Gary Patzik – Orphan
J. Bernard Walton – Orphan
Butch Williams – Orphan
Wally Engelhardt – Gas Station Owner
Michael Klenfner – Clarion Records’ President
Ralph Foody – Police Dispatcher
Leonard R. Garner Jr. – Lobby Guard #1
Andrew Goodman – Lobby Guard #2
Eddy Donno – SWAT Team Commander
Steven Spielberg – Cook County Assessor’s Office Clerk
Joe Walsh – Prisoner
Shirley Levine – Woman on Cutting Room Floor