The Blues Brothers (The Blues Brothers (DVD))

Member Name: polydeuces

Product:	The Blues Brothers (DVD)
Date:	10/08/08 (2 review reads)
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I have looked at the many reviews for this film and read great eulogies to this film. Alas I cannot agree. What makes people rave about this inconsequential twaddle I just cannot fathom. Seemingly granted additional mythical status by one of the stars untimely death a few years later The Blues Brothers has become a cult. Like many cults the understanding of the cult is known to only those who subscribe to its status.
I have read those who consider John Belushi to be a brilliant comic talent cruell taken from us in his prime. Hogwash, Belushi (God rest his soul) was a limited comedy actor at best who played basically the same drunken, womanising role in all his films. Apart from his later ones where he added drug addled to his repertoire. One cannot help but feel Belushi made a career being Belushi.

Belushi played Jake Blues with Dan Ackroyd as his brother Elwood. The basic premise of this film is that on Jakes release from prison he is met by his brother and off they go to seek out the mother superior who raised them. The comic depth is immediately signposted by them referring to her as the penguin. Why do they go is never really explained but it soon becomes apparent that the orphanage needs money and the brothers are enlisted to earn it. The brothers dress in identical black garb including sunglasses and drive an ex-Police car. Total sum of cool characterisation equals fat zero.
Jake subsequently sees the light after meeting James Brown who like many other top rhythm and blues stars seems to be in there to give credibility. Sadly they fail. The reformed band goes through a predictable romp of epically dull proportions straining visibly to get a funny line. A country and western show goes awry due to musical differences and ends in a fight. Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles are patronised to an obscene degree. Cab Calloway does Minnie The Moocher which I suppose is some recompense. Frankly I would rather just have watched a concert given by the cameo performers.

A rare highlight is John Candy as the policeman who chases them. Now with Candy we are talking of a talent lost to the movies. Candy can act where Belushi and Ackroyd just pose. There are also cameos from Twiggy and Carrie Fisher but this is clearly not a film for women to feature in.
The film cost a lot of money and John Landis as director seems to have wasted most of it. The potential themes of white boys in a black mans rhythm and blues world are just not explored. The comedy rarely rises above the obvious and farcical. The performances of Ackroyd and Belushi are too dull and wooden. Many other reviews point to the chemistry which exists between the 2 brothers. Well there may have been chemistry on the set but it does not make it to the screen.

The Blues Brothers looks like an end-of-pier variety show with a mish-mash of disconnected appearances and walk on parts. Many people love this film, I can actually say I loathe it.

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