Blues Brothers - Review

[Takamei Edevane]

 The Blues Brothers (1980) A review by Peter Vaughan
 
Cast: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Cab Calloway
 
Director: John Landis
 
Introduction
 
The opening sequence of brooding aerial filming of a grim polluted industrial landscape is in stark contrast to the colourful, joyous, explosive mix of music, dance and insane car chases that follows for virtually the whole film which culminates in what was at the time the biggest car chase ever filmed which involved wrecking in excess of sixty vehicles. Although somewhat lacking in depth there is a simplistic but cohesive plot that acts as a vehicle for the various musicians talents.
 
Review:
 
This is an unusual hybrid genre of action, comedy and musical but manages to make an exciting, yet enjoyable film. The Blues Brothers has a blend of music, comedy and action, which many of these genres of films have failed to be successful and all together just plain awful. But The Blues Brothers have used the right recipe with the right ingredients to produce an amazing iconic milestone in the film industry.
The film may have been merely average without the inspired decision to recruit a huge cast of world class musicians including legends going back to the 1930’s and right up to when the film was made in 1980. This idea to include older artists that parents and even grandparents of cinema goers would be familiar with may have helped draw and even larger audience at the box office.
Watching the film now in 2012 viewers may spot the obvious special effects bloopers and continuity errors but the conveyor belt of world famous stars popping into view and bursting into song is hard to resist and with the largest car crash sequence in the history of film as well as lovable rogue characters is delightful.
The camerawork should also be credited. Innovation is evident throughout with notable shots such as the mall car chase with the cop car sliding on its roof and getting spun round and all this was shot by a bonnet camera focussing on the two police officers. Another notable scene that opens the film in a blaze of sunshine at dawn is where the prison gates open to the white hot incredibly bright sun silhouetting Jake’s figure to a blast of blues music as he is released to freedom. Other innovation includes shooting from underneath a steed grid walkway and filming from perpendicular and very high up inside the prison on Jake’s long walk to the prison gates which demonstrated the huge scale of the penitentiary and its buildings.
The film employs hundreds of extras throughout and apparently over [size=0pt]500[/size] were used in the final foot chase through the square. Oh and three Sherman tanks, three boats and fire engines. And mounted police, helicopters and the National Guard.
The director’s cut version of the film in my opinion does answer some questions such as how the car manages at time to have the mystical power of flight but overall reduces the tightly packed highly tuned film into something that feels just a little too ponderous and flabby.
 
Conclusion:
 
A barnstorming foot tapping rollercoaster film full of music, fun and talent. 



This is just a review I thought I might make because I got the Blues Brothers on blue-ray recently