The Blues Brothers (1980)

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

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Dan Aykroyd, John Landis

Stars:

John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cab Calloway

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Erhart	...	Prison Guard
Gerald Walling	...	Prison Guard (as Gerald Walling S.J.)
John Belushi	...	Joliet Jake
Walter Levine	...	Prison Guard
Frank Oz	...	Corrections Officer
Dan Aykroyd	...	Elwood
Kathleen Freeman	...	Sister Mary Stigmata
Cab Calloway	...	Curtis
Donald Dunn	...	Donald 'Duck' Dunn (as Donald 'Duck' Dunn)
Alonzo Atkins	...	Choirmaster
James Brown	...	Reverend Cleophus James
Chaka Khan	...	Choir Soloist
Southern California Community Choir	...	Choir (as James Cleveland's Southern California Community Choir)
Armand Cerami	...	Trooper Daniel
Steven Williams	...	Trooper Mount (as Steve Williams)

Storyline

After the release of Jake Blues from prison, he and brother Elwood go to visit "The Penguin", the last of the nuns who raised them in an orphanage. They learn the Archdiocese will stop supporting the school and will sell the place to the Education Authority. The only way to keep the place open is if the $5000 tax on the property is paid within 11 days. The Blues Brothers want to help, and decide to put their blues band back together and raise the money by staging a big gig. As they set off on their "mission from God" they seem to make more enemies along the way. Will they manage to come up with the money in time?

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Plot Keywords:

pig | on the run | release from prison | reckless driving | police chase | 

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Taglines:

They're Back

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Music | Musical

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Bluesmobile has a Sam & Dave 8-Track in it, and their music ("Hold On, I'm Comin'") is heard in the scenes before the mall chase sequence. Steve Cropper, one of the lead guitarists in The Blues Brothers Band, as well as bass player Donald "Duck" Dunn, were members of Booker T. & the M.G.s, the backing band for Stax Records. The band played with Sam & Dave on all of their Stax releases.

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Goofs

In a packed country bar circa 1980, only one person is smoking (the dark-haired woman in front of whom Jake cracks a whip).

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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]

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Crazy Credits

Ending credits: Stunts by "Hollywood War Babies" - "The Champ" Donut, "Kidd" Gilbert, Jumbo, Whiz Kid, "Huff 'n' Stuff, Uncle Bud, featuring "Terrible Leon."

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Alternate Versions

Some network TV prints omit the Universal globe logo at the end, and replace the Universal Studios logos with the "Ask Babs" byline at the end of the closing credits with scenes from their "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" number followed by the Universal Studios Globe Logo.

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Connections

Spoofed in ReBoot: My Two Bobs (2001)

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Soundtracks

Time Is Tight
(uncredited)
Written by Donald Dunn, Al Jackson Jr., Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper
Performed by Booker T. & the M.G.s

User Reviews

Get yourself four chickens and a coke when you watch this...

Before Harold and Kumar went to White Castle, before Eurotrip, there was the Blues Brothers. This is one wacky movie of two brothers and their band going in search of the perfect gig, and the misadventures and plain ridiculousness they encounter along the way. Two expressionless brothers, an overly dedicated police force, one psychotic former fiancé, an American Nazi group out for revenge and an infuriated country-band and bar owner later, you get an action-packed film. Throw in some epic singers, now you have an action-packed musical.

A movie with a thick taste for nonsensical destruction and deadpan delivery, Blues Brothers is a great mix of comedy and action with great vocal credit.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 June 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Return of the Blues Brothers

Filming Locations:

1623 S. 51st Court, Cicero, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,858,152, 22 June 1980

Gross USA:

$57,229,890

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$115,229,890

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min 148 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) Mono (optical prints) DTS (DTS: X)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1