Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)

Elwood must reunite the old band, with a few new members, and go on another "Mission from God."

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Dan Aykroyd (film The Blues Brothers), John Landis (film The Blues Brothers)

Stars:

Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman, Walter Levine

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Walter Levine	...	Same Guard
Dan Aykroyd	...	Elwood Blues
Tom Davis	...	Prison Clerk
Frank Oz	...	Warden
Shann Johnson	...	Matara / Dancer
B.B. King	...	Malvern Gasperon
Kathleen Freeman	...	Mother Mary Stigmata
J. Evan Bonifant	...	Buster
Gloria Slade	...	Police Receptionist
Joe Morton	...	Cabel Chamberlain
Jennifer Irwin	...	Nun #1
Junior Wells	...	Junior Wells
Lonnie Brooks	...	Lonnie Brooks
Leon Pendarvis	...	Stripster Band
Steve Potts	...	Stripster Band

Storyline

Elwood, the now lone "Blues Brother" finally released from prison, is once again enlisted by Sister Mary Stigmata in her latest crusade to raise funds for a children's hospital. Once again hitting the road to re-unite the band and win the big prize at the New Orleans Battle of the Bands, Elwood is pursued cross-country by the cops, led by Cabel the Curtis' son (and Elwood's step-brother), the Russian Mafia, and a militia group. On his new "mission from God" Elwood enlists the help of a young orphan, and a strip club bartender.

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Plot Keywords:

music band | car chase | release from prison | blues music | sequel with unusual number | 

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Taglines:

The Blues Are Back

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Music | Musical

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for exotic dancing and some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

6 February 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blues Brothers - Il mito continua

Filming Locations:

Palatine, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,129,615, 8 February 1998, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$13,979,599, 22 March 1998

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$26,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "new" Bluesmobile is a 1991 Ford LTD Crown Victoria K9 unit. Bluesmobile tribute cars based on the new film, are easier to obtain than the Dodge Monaco, since the former has became a collector's item. The 1979 to 1991 Ford Panther platform cars (LTD Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis) have been in production even after the square-bodied generation ended in 1991 (the Panther platform is the final body-on-frame, rear wheel drive passenger car, which was phased out of production on September 15, 2011, a brief run of Crown Victorias were manufactured as final editions for the Middle East market). A Houston, Texas music duo, known for performing Blues Brothers tribute music, used an actual 1991 Crown Victoria former squad painted in the Bluesmobile livery. This particular Bluesmobile has been sighted in the Houston Art Car Parade until 2011 (including the previous year where Dan Aykroyd was the Grand Marshal alongside Houston Mayor Annise Parker (footage of this is seen in the documentary film Art Car: The Movie (2012)) when the music duo sold the car.

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Goofs

When the Russians are shooting up Willie's club, the neon "Willie's" sign is intact after a close up shows it getting destroyed by gunfire.

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Quotes

Buster Blues: Smells like dog shit in here.
Elwood Blues: Don't say shit kid.
Buster Blues: [Buster puts a cigarette in his mouth and prepares to light it, but Elwood throws the items out of the car window]
Elwood Blues: You don't need that shit kid.

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Crazy Credits

After "Please, Please, Please" there is an advertisement for Universal Studios Florida. Under the logo reads "Ride the Movies" which fades out to read "(Ask for Babs)" as in The Blues Brothers (1980) and Landis's Animal House.

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Connections

Featured in Nostalgia Critic: Blues Brothers 2000 (2014)

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Soundtracks

Theme From Peter Gunn
Written by Henry Mancini
Performed by The Blues Brothers Band

User Reviews

It has its points

Blues Brothers 2000 has a few points in its favor. The opening is 99% right. It only lacks a brief explanation on why the red car turns up (most likely because the manager made a phone call). Otherwise it is great, a tribute to the lost Belushi.

There are also much good music, almost as good as the original. Not least, Aretha Franklin's appearance is truly funny, especially when you have seen the original movie.

But the movie lacks the plot of the original. The original plot may have been thin, but it was enough to drive the story. This one lacks that, there is no motivation, no goal to speak of, and the result is that the ending comes as a surprise. Was that it, was that the end of the movie? Then what? But when I saw it the second time, I was prepared and enjoyed the music instead.

Another weakness is the lack of special effects. The original movie made a big thing of overdoing car chases in very funny ways. This movie rather under-does them. In the time it was made, it should have used computer graphics to do plenty more than the original. Now they smash a few cars, but little remarkable happens. In particular, there are no original ideas in the car chases.

So don't expect too much, just enjoy the music and the fun parts (they sure exist). And don't get bothered by Buster. Without him, Cab wouldn't go after Elwood, right?