DVD Movie Rating for: The Blues Brothers

5 out of 5 Stars

Movie Plot of: The Blues Brothers

After the release of Jake Blues from prison, he and brother Elwood go to visit the old home where they were raised by nuns. They learn the church stopped its support and will sell the place to the education authority, and the only way to keep the place open is if the $5000 tax on the property is paid within 11 days. The brothers want to help and decide to put their blues band back together and raise the the money by staging a big gig. As they set off on their "mission from god" they seem to make more enemies along the way. Will they manage to come up with the money in time?

DVD Production Details of: The Blues Brothers

Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd

Director: John Landis

Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen

Studio: Universal Studios

DVD Release Date: August 26, 2003
DVD Features:
Production notes

Theatrical trailer(s)

Documentary "The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers" fetauring interviews with director John Landis, Dan Aykroyd, The Blues Brothers Band, and producer Robert K. Weiss plus never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage

Production photographs

Widescreen anamorphic format

DVD Easter Eggs

texts

Cast of the movie: The Blues Brothers

• John Belushi .... 'Joliet' Jake Blues
• Dan Aykroyd .... Elwood Blues
• James Brown.... Reverend Cleophus James
• Cab Calloway.... Curtis
• Ray Charles.... Ray
• Aretha Franklin.... Mrs. Murphy
• Steve Cropper.... Steve 'The Colonel' Cropper
• Donald Dunn.... Donald 'Duck' Dunn
• Murphy Dunne .... Murph
• Willie Hall .... Willie 'Too Big' Hall
• Tom Malone .... Tom 'Bones' Malone
• Lou Marini .... 'Blue Lou' Marini
• Matt Murphy.... Matt 'Guitar' Murphy
• Alan Rubin .... Mr. Fabulous
• Carrie Fisher.... Mystery Woman

Photo Gallery of the movie: The Blues Brothers

Click on one of the thumbnails to see the full size, high resolution photographs

Blues Brothers

Reviews of the movie: The Blues Brothers

After building up the duo's popularity through recordings and several performances on Saturday Night Live, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd--as "legendary" Chicago blues brothers Jake and Elwood Blues--took their act to the big screen in this action-packed hit from 1980. As Jake and Elwood struggle to reunite their old band and save the Chicago orphanage where they were raised, they wreak enough good-natured havoc to attract the entire Cook County police force. The result is a big-budget stunt-fest on a scale rarely attempted before or since, including extended car chases that result in the wanton destruction of shopping malls and more police cars than you can count. Along the way there's plenty of music to punctuate the action, including performances by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway, and James Brown that are guaranteed to knock you out. As played with deadpan wit by Belushi and Aykroyd, the Blues Brothers are "on a mission from God," and that gives them a kind of reckless glee that keeps the movie from losing its comedic appeal. Otherwise this might have been just a bloated marathon of mayhem that quickly wears out its welcome (which is how some critics described this film and its 1998 sequel). Keep an eye out for Steven Spielberg as the city clerk who stamps some crucial paperwork near the end of the film. The widescreen DVD collector's edition includes an exclusive "making of" featurette, production photos, the original theatrical trailer, and interactive menus

Rollicking good film with Belushi and Aykroyd donning soulful look as Jake and Elwood Blues, two improbable bandleaders. Great music. Superb cameos from James Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and of course, Cab Calloway. The film without the music is mess, so thank God for that music!