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:

The Most Dangerous Combination Since Nitro and Glycerine.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Music | Musical

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first line of dialogue that Jake (John Belushi) says is "Well thank-you. The day I get out of prison my own brother picks me up...in a Police car! " is a subtle homage to legendary comedy double act, Laurel & Hardy. Belushi and Dan Ackroyd were both big fans of Laurel & Hardy as children and as this film is also about a comedy duo of underdogs with a musical inclination, Ackroyd added the line into the script and Belushi deliberately said it in the style of Oliver Hardy to acknowledge the influence.

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Goofs

After playing the "Rawhide" theme, in Bob's Country Bunker, Elwood refers to it as "...an old Rowdy Yates tune...". That is incorrect. Rowdy Yates was a character played by Clint Eastwood on the "Rawhide" show. The theme on the "Rawhide" TV show was written in 1958 by the Russsian composer Dimitri Tiomkin, with lyrics written by Ned Washington, and originally recorded by Frankie Laine. The song was used as the theme music to the "Rawhide" television series that ran on CBS from 1959 to 1966.

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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

The Universal logo is missing from the beginning of the film, and in fact is not used at all. The film begins with the title card "A Universal Picture." The logo is added on the DVD release.

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Alternate Versions

With exceptions of pay-per-view networks that air the original theatrical format, most TV prints removed strong profanity usage (leaving some of the milder language intact) and brief shots of nude girl pics. Some TV airings removed Jake Blues' line "It's not my fault, I swear to God!"

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Connections

Referenced in Four Minutes (2006)

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Soundtracks

Peter Gunn Theme
(uncredited)
Written by Henry Mancini
Performed by The Blues Brothers

User Reviews

One of my Favourite Movies

1/ The music in this film is outstanding, with roles for Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway, John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles and more.... that's not really surprising.

2/ One of the finest car chases in cinematic history (The Italian Job and Smokey and the Bandit 2 are the only others that come close)

3/ John Belushi's own brand of comic genius throughout the movie

4/ Mulitiple memorable scenes and one liners

5/ Cameos from Steven Spielberg, Twiggy, Frank Oz, etc.

6/ Carrie Fisher as the psycho love interest intent on revenge.

Nuff said, watch it and love it 10/10

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