Who wants an orange whip? Orange whip? Orange whip? Three orange whips. (The Blues Brothers (DVD))

Member Name: adambrown400

Product:	The Blues Brothers (DVD)
Date:	29/07/09 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great music

Disadvantages: Carrie Fisher

'Use of unnecessary violence in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers has been approved.'

Jake Blues (John Belushi) is released from Joliet prison after a three year stretch. He is picked up by his brother Elwood (Dan Ayckroyd) and they go and see The Penguin; a nun who's orphanage a place where Jake and Elwood were brought up is going to closed down. Jake and Elwood believe they are on a mission from God and decide to put their old band back together and raise the money needed to save the orphanage from closure by putting on a gig. However, wanted by the law, The Good O' Boys and The Illinois Nazis they are going to have a hard time doing it!

Originally based on a Saturday Night Live skit, the band proved so popular that a film was planned. It has now become a bit of a cult film and has spawned many albums shows and a sequel. It is basically a comedy musical that easily blends action and blues music together.

Ayckroyd certainly plays second fiddle in this film to Belushi's Jake Blues. Ayckroyd really doesn't have a huge amount to say in the film, but his deadpan delivery would later become a trademark of his later performances. Belushi is excellent, just showing what a tragic loss his subsequent death was on American comedy.

The Blues Brothers also manages to cram in quite a number of high profile cameos from the likes of Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway and James Brown. Brown's appearance as the evangelist preacher is very memorable as is Calloway's performance of 'Minnie the Moocher' towards the end of the film.
I would have liked John Candy's character to have been a little longer as I'm a big fan of Candy's comedy roles. I also got a little annoyed with Carrie Fisher's estranged and demented performance as Jake jilted lover who is out to kill him.

The music is fantastic, mainly down to the Blues Brothers Band who were cleverly chosen for their musical backgrounds in Booker T and The MG's, Sam and Dave and Blood Sweat and Tears. Donald 'Duck' Dunn and Steve Cropper in particular stand out as really talented musicians.
There are many classic moments in the film that stand out for me. The part where the band step in for The Good Ol' Boys at Bob's Country Bunker and play nothing but 'Stand By Your Man' and 'Rawhide'. The part where the Illinois Nazis' car falls off the end of the freeway (bizarre, but hilarious) and the ludicrous car chase that tops the film off.

The Blues Brothers is a film everyone should see at least once. Me, I have seen it many, many times and there is still things I'm seeing for the first time in it. It is such a clever and epic film I urge everyone to go and watch it immediately.

John Belushi ... 'Joliet' Jake Blues (as Jake)

Dan Aykroyd ... Elwood Blues (as Elwood)

James Brown ... Reverend Cleophus James

Cab Calloway ... Curtis

Ray Charles ... Ray

Aretha Franklin ... Mrs. Murphy

Summary: A must see film