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The Blues Brothers

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The Blues Brothers (1980)

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77 %
Tomatometer

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Reviews Counted: 39

Fresh: 30

Rotten:9

Average Rating: 6.7/10

Consensus: Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers.

Runtime: 4 hrs 41 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: In roles made famous by their famed SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi star as Ellwood and Jake Blues in this extremely entertaining and successful comedy. Upon Jake's release... In roles made famous by their famed SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi star as Ellwood and Jake Blues in this extremely entertaining and successful comedy. Upon Jake's release from prison, the brothers are reunited and visit the orphanage they grew up in--only to discover that it is in danger of being shut down by the county for failure to pay taxes. With a little help from James Brown as a revival preacher, the Blues Brothers are divinely inspired to raise the $5,000 that the orphanage needs to stay open. On their mission from God, they must reunite their old band and raise the money by playing various gigs around town. The wild adventures of the band include dodging evil neo-Nazis, playing in a rowdy redneck bar, and narrowly escaping the crazed Carrie Fisher as Jake's ex-fiancée, who is out to see him dead. Finally, the boys have to get to a gig at the Palace Hotel Ballroom and deliver the $5,000 to the county assessor's office--leading to one of the most wild and hysterical car-chase smash-ups in film history. John Landis has spiced this wonderful romp with fabulous rhythm-and-blues numbers from such greats as Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, and Ray Charles. [More]

Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway

Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Kathleen Freeman, Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson

Director: John Landis

Director: John Landis
Screenwriter: Dan Aykroyd, John Landis
Producer: Robert K. Weiss
Composer: Elmer Bernstein

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Jun 21, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region [unknown]
  • Full Frame - 1.33

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English
  • Subtitles: English, SDH, French, Spanish

Additional Release Material:

  • Music Highlights
  • Featurette: Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers
 
 
 
 

Reviews for The Blues Brothers

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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No review available.

comment Comment
05/02/09
Robert Levin
Critic's Notebook

A demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
08/20/08
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A cult musical comedy film with a still-growing reputation.

Full Review Source: DVDLaser | comment Comment
04/01/08
Douglas Pratt
DVDLaser

A monument to waste, noise and misplaced cool, but it does have its engagingly nutty moments.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment 1 Comment
04/01/08
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Given all the chaos, director and, with Aykroyd, cowriter, John Landis manages to keep things reasonably controlled and in a straight line.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
04/01/08
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Still sounds great, and looks as good as ever through Ray-Bans.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/08
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine

Dramatically, The Blues Brothers is a mess, but its comic energy, a cast that includes James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, and a hilarious performance by Belushi lifted this to the cult status it justly deserves.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
04/01/08
Channel 4 Film

The humor is predicated on underplaying in overscaled situations, which is sporadically funny in a Keaton-esque way but soon sputters out through sheer, uninspired repetition.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
04/01/08
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Context is crucial: This messy, self-indulgent comedy was made at the height of SNL and Muppet Show, catapulting to pop-culture icon status Belushi, Aykroyd and Candy, though best moments are those of performers like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
03/29/08
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

A dispiriting indulgence.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Time Out

I am never not amused by the Blues Brothers.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Brad Laidman
Film Threat

No review available.

comment Comment
10/09/05
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

No review available.

comment Comment
08/23/05
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Frequently over-the-top and aggressively raucous, it's one of my very favorite comedies -- and musicals.

Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com | comment Comment
08/12/05
Scott Weinberg
DVDTalk.com

No review available.

comment Comment
06/14/05
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

You've never known fun until you've watched this!

comment Comment
03/23/05
Clint Morris
Moviehole

No review available.

comment Comment
11/12/04
Nell Minow
Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
09/28/04
Mark R. Leeper
rec.arts.movies.reviews

This essentially modest movie is reported to have cost about $30 million, and what did all that money buy? Scores of car crashes. Too many extras. Overstaged dance numbers. And a hollowness that certainly didn't come cheap.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
08/30/04
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
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