Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already." In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him.
Filming
The Blues Brothers (film)
The Blues Brothers (film) | Filming
More than $17.5 million $17.5 million. $27.5 million $27.5 million.
how much did the blues brothers movie cost to make
user
On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Origins
The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Introduction
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already." In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Filming
The Belic brothers shot the film with two Hi8 camcorders and edited it themselves. They were allowed to edit the film during nighttime at a professional editing facility. It took them three and a half years to finish the film after they shot it. All this time they lived on $500 a month in an apartment above an auto repair shop. Christopher Nolan, a longtime friend of the brothers, is credited for his "editorial assistance".
Genghis Blues | Production
Along the way, the brothers are targeted by a "mystery woman" (Carrie Fisher) and chased by the Illinois State Police, a country and western band called the Good Ol' Boys, and "Illinois Nazis". The film grossed $57 million domestically in its theatrical release, making it the 10th highest-grossing movie of 1980, and grossed an additional $58 million in foreign release. It is the second-highest grossing film based on a "Saturday Night Live" sketch and ninth-highest grossing musical film.
The Blues Brothers | "The Blues Brothers"
The film grossed a little over $14 million in box office sales in North America.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Box office
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of the film lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget. Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left "SNL" at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the commercial and critical failure of "1941" at the end of the year.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Post-production
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars. For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Bluesmobile
One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, he surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately "The Blues Brothers" got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Post-production
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police. Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of "Saturday Night Live", "Animal House", and the Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Introduction
When the film was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. It was first released on VHS and Betamax from MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983. A Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released the same year. It was re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a 2-Pack VHS box set with "Animal House". The film's original length was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Home media
"The Blues Brothers" opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after "The Empire Strikes Back") and 10th for the entire year. Over the years, it has retained a following through television and home video. The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box offices for a total of $115,229,890. By genre, it is the ninth-highest grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between "Wayne's World" and "Wayne's World 2", among films adapted from "Saturday Night Live" sketches. Director John Landis claimed "The Blues Brothers" was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Box office
It also featured the screen debuts of John Belushi, Karen Allen and Kevin Bacon. In 1980, Landis co-wrote and directed "The Blues Brothers", a comedy starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. It featured musical numbers by R&B and soul legends James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker. It was, at the time, one of the most expensive films ever made, costing almost $30 million (for comparison, Steven Spielberg's contemporary film "1941" cost $35 million). It is speculated that Spielberg and Landis engaged in a rivalry, the goal of which was to make the more expensive film.
John Landis | 1978–1981
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from "The Blues Brothers" recurring musical sketch on the NBC variety series "Saturday Night Live". The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed. The film's screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Introduction
The film was released in March 2001 and grossed almost $30 million at the box office, which quintupled the movie's production cost of $6 million. The movie was nominated for NAACP Image Awards and Black Reel Awards. The film was shot at various locations in Los Angeles, Orlando, Florida and Miami Beach, Florida.
The Brothers (2001 film) | Introduction
The 1998 sequel, "Blues Brothers 2000", had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Sequel
The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, Aykroyd's girlfriend at the time, said most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Filming
In a March 2011 interview with "Ain't it Cool News", Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release, it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Home media
The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary called "The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers". Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Animal House" Collector's Edition DVD the same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th-anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version. The film was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th-anniversary DVD.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Home media
In 1980, The Blues Brothers, directed by John Landis, was released. It featured epic car chases involving the Bluesmobile and musical performances by Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker. The story is set in and around Chicago, Illinois. It is a tale of redemption for the paroled convict Jake Blues and his brother Elwood, who after a visit to Sister Mary Stigmata (Kathleen Freeman), otherwise known as "The Penguin" at the Catholic orphanage where they grew up, choose to take on a "mission from God" and reform their old blues band in order to raise funds to save the orphanage.
The Blues Brothers | "The Blues Brothers"
While not all members appeared in the original film, the full band included:
The Blues Brothers | Original lineup
"Time" magazine's Richard Corliss wrote, ""The Blues Brothers" is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic". Janet Maslin of "The New York Times" criticized the film for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing", mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which saxophonist Lou Marini's head is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, "Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers", Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating “Everybody has his opinion”, and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Critical reception
"The Blues Brothers" received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 84% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 7.08/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "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." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on "Total Film" magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time" and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies". Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
The Blues Brothers (film) | Critical reception
Although the film was well received during its previews, it was derided by critics upon release and underperformed at the box office. In 2009, in an interview with WGN America, Jane Seymour stated that, "It was just a little movie... "The Blues Brothers" came out the same week and it was a $4 million budget, so Universal didn't really support it. There was also an actors' strike, so Chris [Reeve] and I weren't allowed to publicize it. And they barely put it out because I don't think anyone really believed in it."
Somewhere in Time (film) | Reception
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This caused friction between Landis and Universal later in the production, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with – or add performances by – younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name. Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene).
The Blues Brothers (film) | Casting
Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical comedy film that is a sequel to the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers", written and produced by John Landis and Dan Aykroyd. Directed by Landis, the film stars Aykroyd and John Goodman, with cameo appearances by various musicians. The film is dedicated to John Belushi, Cab Calloway, and John Candy, cast members from the original film who had died prior to the sequel's production, as well as Junior Wells, who died one month before it was released.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Introduction
It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Dan Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country. The popularity of the film has also spread overseas. The film was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Cult-film status
The film received mixed reviews, averaging a 46% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes based on 46 reviews, and a critical consensus that reads "Braving onward without the late John Belushi, "Blues Brothers 2000" gets the band back together with a spirited soundtrack, but a mission that's far less divine". It earned a D score from Entertainment Weekly. Roger Ebert gave the film 2 stars, saying, "The film is lame comedy surrounded by high-energy blues (and some pop, rock and country music)." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B-" on an A+ to F scale.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Critical reception
"The Blues Brothers" has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th-anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in "Blues Brothers 2000". The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "". In August 2005, a 25th-anniversary celebration for "The Blues Brothers" was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Cult-film status
A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film. According to Landis in the 1998 documentary "The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers", filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithful to the original big-band version.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Soundtrack
The film earned an estimated $9,050,000 in North American rentals in 1973.
Lady Sings the Blues (film) | Box office
"The James Brothers of Missouri" was budgeted at $164,986 although the final negative cost was $164,757 (a $229, or 0.1%, under spend). It was filmed between 6 July and 27 July 1949. The serial's production number was 1705.
The James Brothers of Missouri | Production
The Blues Brothers is a book written by Crawdaddy! reporter Miami Mitch (Glazer) and published in 1980. The novel was based on the original version of "The Blues Brothers" screenplay written by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis. However, the original script that was used for the basis of the novel evolved so dramatically into what was used in the film that the two works only scantly resemble each other. The book contains eight glossy pages of black-and-white stills from the film, two per page. Scene breaks are marked by two pairs of sunglasses. This title is currently out of print.
The Blues Brothers (novel) | Introduction
Meanwhile, the last two band members, Matt "Guitar" Murphy and "Blue Lou" Marini, who now work in a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of Murphy's wife and restaurant owner, Aretha Franklin. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, "as usual", takes an IOU.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Plot
With Landis again directing, the sequel to "The Blues Brothers" was made in 1998. It fared considerably worse than its predecessor with fans and critics, though it is more ambitious in terms of musical performances by the band and has a more extensive roster of guest artists than the first film. The story picks up 18 years later with Elwood being released from prison, and learning that his brother has died. He is once again prevailed upon to save some orphans, and with a 10-year-old boy named Buster Blues (J. Evan Bonifant) in tow, Elwood again sets about the task of reuniting his band.
The Blues Brothers | "Blues Brothers 2000"
"Blues Brothers 2000" made it into the Guinness Book of Records for the biggest car pile-up, a record previously held by the original film. 63 cars were used in the scene after Elwood says to the band, "Don't look back." Inevitably, everyone looks back and sees the massive pile-up. Portions of this scene were filmed in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The movie held the record for Most Cars Destroyed in the course of production for nine years at 104, one more than was wrecked in "The Blues Brothers", until "" surpassed it in 2009 with 112 cars destroyed.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Production
"Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story", said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator. Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Filming
Brothers Blue (Italian: "Blu Gang - E vissero per sempre felici e ammazzati") is a 1973 Italian spaghetti western film directed by Luigi Bazzoni. For this film Tony Renis won the Nastro d'Argento for Best Score.
Brothers Blue | Introduction
Many of these films were produced by Paramount Pictures. The films based on "The Blues Brothers" were produced by Universal Studios, which merged with NBC in 2004 to form NBC Universal (Universal also has a joint venture with Paramount for international distribution of the two studios' films).
Saturday Night Live | Films
"Blues Brothers 2000" was screened out of competition at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Release
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in "National Lampoon's Animal House". At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in "Animal House", was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Origins
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on "National Lampoon's Animal House". Other songs in the film include:
The Blues Brothers (film) | Other songs in the film
During a song by the Blues Brothers (a Caribbean number called "Funky Nassau"), a character played by Paul Shaffer asks to cut in on keyboards, which Murph allows. This marks the first time in a film that the Blues Brothers play with their original keyboardist.
The Blues Brothers | "Blues Brothers 2000"
Blues vocalist and petty criminal "Joliet" Jake Blues is paroled on good behavior grounds from Joliet Correctional Center after serving three years of a five-year sentence, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered, decommissioned police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary "the Penguin" Stigmata and old friend Curtis that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. Jake offers to steal the money, but Sister Mary is offended. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has another idea: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Plot
Its cost was estimated at $80,000. The movie was acquired by Milestone Films, restored by the Pacific Film Archive at the University of California, Berkeley, and digitally reedited by Burnett.
Charles Burnett (director) | "My Brother's Wedding" (1983)
The film was originally intended to include Brother Zee Blues (Jim Belushi, brother of John Belushi). But due to an already existing television deal (Belushi had been cast in the ABC drama "Total Security"), Belushi was unable to appear and the script was altered to include Cab Blues (Joe Morton). This character was named Cabel as an homage to Cab Calloway, who died four years prior to the film's release. (His character Curtis was revealed to have died in the film along with Jake.) The Blues Brothers' original keyboardist, Paul Shaffer, had been committed to Gilda Radner's one-woman show on Broadway and was therefore unable to appear in the first film.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Casting
The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center. The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs its climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Locations
The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack) was released on June 20, 1980 as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin'" was a Top 20 "Billboard" hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, "Briefcase Full of Blues". Later that year they released a second live album, "Made in America", which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love". The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake &/or Elwood, in the film.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Soundtrack
According to Warner Bros. records, the film earned $1,243,000 in the U.S. and $583,000 elsewhere.
Navy Blues (1941 film) | Box office
Much of the film was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute", Dan Aykroyd told the "Chicago Sun-Times" in an article written to mark the film's 25th-anniversary DVD release.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Locations
The film was financed independently by Elliot Kastner. Kastner told Robert Boris he had between $2–3 million available to make a film in England and wanted to know if Boris had any projects which might be suitable. Boris pitched him the movie and Kastner paid him to develop a script. Kastner liked the script and financed the film, although he did not give Boris the funds the director requested to shoot additional films. Lowe suggested Princess Stephanie of Monaco for the role of Lady Victoria as he had a crush on her. Enquiries were made but no response was received.
Oxford Blues | Production
In producing the movie, Nagesh Kukunoor invested the money he made from his engineering career in the United States. It was made on a shoe-string budget of Rs. 1.7 million (roughly equivalent to U.S. $ 40,000) and shot in 17 days entirely in Hyderabad, India.
Hyderabad Blues | Production
The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on "Saturday Night Live". The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, "Briefcase Full of Blues", the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Origins
He recruits some new singers, Mighty Mack (John Goodman) and Cab (Joe Morton), a policeman who was Curtis' son. All the original band members are found, as well as some performers from the first film, including Aretha Franklin and James Brown. There are dozens of other guest performers, including Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, Isaac Hayes, Sam Moore, Taj Mahal and Jonny Lang, Blues Traveler, as well as an all-star supergroup led by B.B. King called the Louisiana Gator Boys. On the run from the police, Russian mafia and a racist militia, the band eventually ends up in Louisiana, where they enter a battle of the bands overseen by a voodoo practitioner named Queen Moussette (Erykah Badu).
The Blues Brothers | "Blues Brothers 2000"
Director John Landis mentioned this to Candy, who improvised the exchange.
Orange Whip | "The Blues Brothers"
Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." In his review for "The Washington Post", Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of "The Blues Brothers" with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated".
The Blues Brothers (film) | Critical reception
The director estimated this method would increase the filming schedule by only eight to ten days and production costs by only 10 to 15 percent. The budget for both films was $373,445. It is estimated that deferred costs came to nearly $500,000 but in return United Artists gave the producers Herbert and Preminger 75% of the profits, 20% of which they gave to William Holden.
The Moon Is Blue | Production
The sixth member, "Mr. Fabulous", turns them down as he is the maître d' at expensive restaurant "Chez Paul", but the brothers behave obnoxiously in the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an "American Socialist White People's Party"—"the Illinois Nazis"—demonstration on a bridge. It is mentioned that "The Nazis" won their court case, likely a reference to The Skokie Affair. Elwood runs them off the bridge, forcing them to jump into the East Lagoon. The commander orders a subordinate to record the car's license number.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Plot
They gained further notoriety after spawning a Hollywood comedy film in 1980, "The Blues Brothers". After Belushi's death in 1982, the Blues Brothers continued to perform with a rotation of guest singers and other band members. The band reformed in 1988 for a world tour and again in 1998 for a sequel film, "Blues Brothers 2000".
The Blues Brothers | Introduction
The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the "Saturday Night Live" band. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at "Saturday Night Live", pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and was cast in the film.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Casting
Belushi bought an amplifier and they kept some musical instruments there for anyone who wanted to jam. It was at the bar that Aykroyd and Ron Gwynne wrote and developed the story which Aykroyd turned into the draft screenplay for the "Blues Brothers" movie, better known as the "tome," because it contained so many pages. It was also at the bar that Aykroyd introduced Belushi to the blues. An interest soon became a fascination, and it was not long before the two began singing with local blues bands. Jokingly, "SNL" band leader Howard Shore suggested they call themselves "The Blues Brothers".
The Blues Brothers | Origins
The film, with an R Rating, grossed only $44,052 in the domestic box office, on a maximum/initial release of 11 theaters.
Wedding Bell Blues (film) | Release
A successful sharp shooting act is threatened when a gold-digging blues singer attempts to split them up.
His Brother's Keeper (1940 film) | Synopsis
Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles was a regular haunt for the original Blues Brothers in the early days of the band. Belushi and Aykroyd became fixtures at the recording studio, while fellow Blues Brother Steve Cropper called Cherokee his producing home. Whenever they needed a bass player, they were joined by another Blues Brother, Donald "Duck" Dunn. During this time, Cropper, along with producing partner and Cherokee owner Bruce Robb, worked on a number of music projects with the two comedians/musicians, including Belushi's favorite band, Fear, and later Aykroyd's movie "Dragnet".
Dan Aykroyd | The Blues Brothers
Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of the film's release, it held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by its own sequel.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Bluesmobile
The film opened second at the North American box office making $10.3 million USD in its opening weekend.
The Brothers (2001 film) | Box office
Michael Balcon later claimed the film earned £1,041,000 at the UK box office of which £416,000 went on the entertainment tax, £375,000 went to exhibitors and £57,000 to the distributors, meaning the makers of the film did not recover their costs from the UK release.
My Brother Jonathan | Box Office
Brothers performed poorly overseas but managed to garner around $2.4 million in the first weekend, the Gulf, Pakistan USA and UK were the top markets
Brothers (2015 film) | Overseas
The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center. In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing the one driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Locations
Made in America is the third album by The Blues Brothers. The second live album by the band, it was released in December 1980 as a followup to their hit film released that year, "The Blues Brothers". To support the film, the band embarked on a 22 dates tour in North America, culminating with seven dates at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles. Keyboardist and musical director Paul Shaffer, sax player Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, who were absent in the film and the soundtrack due to scheduling conflicts, reprised their roles as full-fledged band members. Drummer Willie Hall was let go but the band decided to retain Murphy Dunne, who had replaced Shaffer in the film, as additional keyboards player.
Made in America (The Blues Brothers album) | Introduction
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the soundtrack album of music from the 2000 American film of the same name, written, directed and produced by the Coen Brothers and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Goodman. The film is set in Mississippi during the Great Depression. The soundtrack, produced by T-Bone Burnett, uses bluegrass, country, gospel, blues, and folk music appropriate to the time period. With the exception of a few vintage tracks (such as Harry McClintock's 1928 single "Big Rock Candy Mountain"), most tracks are modern recordings. The soundtrack was reissued on August 23, 2011, with 14 new tracks that were not included in the original album, "including 12 previously unreleased cuts from music producer T-Bone Burnett's "O Brother" sessions."
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack) | Introduction
The success of this meld was due both to Shaffer's arrangements and to the musicians' talents. In "Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers", a 1998 documentary included on some DVD editions of the first "Blues Brothers" film, Cropper noted that some of his peers thought that he and the other musicians backing the Blues Brothers were selling out to Hollywood or using a gimmick to make some quick money. Cropper responded by stating that he thought Belushi was as good as (or even better than) many of the singers he had backed; he also noted that Belushi had, early in his career, briefly been a professional drummer, and had an especially keen sense of rhythm.
The Blues Brothers | Sound
The Louisiana Gator Boys is a blues supergroup created for the film. They face The Blues Brothers in a Battle of the Bands. The band is composed of: Kathleen Freeman, Frank Oz, Steve Lawrence, Shann Johnson, and Jeff Morris appeared in cameos, all reprising their roles from "The Blues Brothers" film. Nia Peeples portrays a state police lieutenant who serves as Cabel's second-in-command, Darrell Hammond as Robertson the militia leader, John Lyons as a Russian thug, and Paul Shaffer as Marco, Queen Moussette's majordomo. The film is dedicated to John Belushi, Cab Calloway, and John Candy, cast members from the original film who had died prior to the sequel's production.
Blues Brothers 2000 | The Louisiana Gator Boys
"Blues Brothers 2000" sought to outdo the original by including a number of outrageous stunts. The new Bluesmobile was depicted as having abilities such as functioning like a submarine in deep Mississippi water, having radio-control capabilities, and jumping about 300 feet over a road construction site. The new film claimed the world record for the highest number of cars destroyed at 104, beating the record set by "The Blues Brothers". In the film's major crash scene, 63 cars were destroyed. While filming another scene, stuntman Bob Minor suffered serious head injuries and a crew member required a leg amputation after a car rolled on to him.
Bluesmobile | Chase and crash scenes
The following are some of the revelations the book makes within this continuity: All copies of the book came with a detachable poster that was a replica of the posters used to promote the band's gig at the Palace Hotel Ballroom in the film "The Blues Brothers".
Blues Brothers: Private | Introduction
For the brothers' look, Belushi borrowed John Lee Hooker's trademark Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses and soul patch.
The Blues Brothers | Band formation
The title was inspired by the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers", which starred Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
Connie McBooker | Introduction
Big City Blues is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and distributed by Warner Bros. The film is based on the play "New York Town" by Ward Morehouse and stars Joan Blondell and Eric Linden, with uncredited early appearances by Humphrey Bogart and Lyle Talbot. Original prints and copies of the motion picture are preserved in the collections of the Library of Congress, the UCLA Film and Television Archive, and in other major film repositories.
Big City Blues (1932 film) | Introduction
The film was shot in Atlanta.
Blues for Willadean | Production
However, due to contractual obligations with "SNL", he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role. Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, John Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the Chez Paul restaurant scene, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Casting
The Blues Brothers band toured to promote the film, which led to a third album (and second live album), "Made in America", recorded at the Universal Amphitheatre in 1980. The track "Who's Making Love" peaked at No 39.
John Belushi | Expansion into films
Carradine was paid $9,333.32. Eugen Schufftan was uncredited as cinematographer due to union restrictions at the time of this film. Instead, he is listed on some prints as "production designer". The art director Paul Palmentola, a veteran of low-budget films, designed the sets.
Bluebeard (1944 film) | Production
This is the first official release to feature John Goodman after his first performance with the band at the House of the Blues in Los Angeles in 1995.
Blues Brothers 2000 (soundtrack) | Introduction
Many of these films were produced by Paramount Pictures. The films based on "The Blues Brothers" were produced by Universal Studios, which merged with NBC in 2004 to form NBC Universal (Universal also has a joint venture with Paramount for international distribution of the two studios' films).
List of Saturday Night Live feature films | Introduction
In addition to the soundtrack, there are songs that appear in the film as background music that do not feature on the soundtrack. They include:
Blues Brothers 2000 (soundtrack) | Other songs in the film
Still his earnestness and the obvious regard he has for traditional jazz counts for something." Allen and his band played at the Montreal International Jazz Festival on two consecutive nights in June 2008. For many years he wanted to make a film about the origins of jazz in New Orleans. Tentatively titled "American Blues", the film would follow the different careers of Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet. Allen stated that the film would cost between $80 and $100 million and is therefore unlikely to be made.
Woody Allen | Music
Blues Brothers 2000: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the third studio album by The Blues Brothers, their twelfth release, overall. It is a soundtrack album to the 1998 film, "Blues Brothers 2000", the sequel to the 1980 film, "The Blues Brothers". In addition to tracks by the Blues Brothers Band performed with guest artists such as Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Dr. John, Lonnie Brooks, Junior Wells, Eddie Floyd and Wilson Pickett, there are songs by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Blues Traveler as well as an all-star blues supergroup, the Louisiana Gator Boys, featuring B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Charlie Musselwhite, Doctor John, Lou Rawls, Koko Taylor, Isaac Hayes, Billy Preston and other artists.
Blues Brothers 2000 (soundtrack) | Introduction
Two singles were released, "Rubber Biscuit", which reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Soul Man", which reached number 14. In 1979, Belushi left "SNL" with Aykroyd to pursue a film career. They made three movies together, "1941" (directed by Steven Spielberg), "Neighbors" (directed by John Avildsen), and most notably "The Blues Brothers" (directed by John Landis). Released in the U.S. on June 20, 1980, "The Blues Brothers" received generally positive reviews. It earned just under $5 million in its opening weekend and went on to gross $115.2 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video.
John Belushi | Expansion into films
The film earned an estimated $2 million in rentals in North America.
Island of the Blue Dolphins | Film adaptation
The film was released twice on home media, first on VHS by Warner Brothers on September 1, 1998 and then Warner Archives released the film on made-to-order DVD in the United States as part of ""The Bowery Boys, Volume One"" on November 23, 2012.
Blues Busters | Home media
Steve Taylor pitched the film to investors for four years until two investors, one from Seattle and one from Los Angeles, agreed to sign on for $250,000 each. The day before pre-production, the Los Angeles investor backed out and the film was scratched. When Donald Miller posted on his personal blog that the film was to be cancelled, however, two readers from Tennessee announced that they would raise the remaining required funds by way of the Kickstarter website. According to Yancey Strickler, one of the founders of Kickstarter, only six films have ever raised more than $100,000 through the website as of May 2011.
Blue Like Jazz (film) | Production
On its opening weekend, the film opened #3 with $9,527,848 behind "" and "The Blind Side". Since its box office debut the film has grossed $43,318,349 worldwide.
Brothers (2009 film) | Box office
A DVD from Image Entertainment was released in 1999 and again in 2018 by Artiflix. It is available on DVD and Blu-Ray via The Sprocket Vault.
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (film) | Availability
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers flee to the flophouse where Elwood lives, miraculously escaping a rocket launcher attack by a mysterious woman. The next morning, as the police arrive at the house, the woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but somehow leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being apprehended. Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing a Holiday Inn lounge as "Murph and the Magic Tones," and quickly agree to rejoin.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Plot
Juliet Prowse manoeuvres her superbly engineered torso through two meagre dances with infectious exuberance, but she deserves a better rôle and a more mature leading man; certainly one with more genuine fire than Presley." The film opened at the Victoria Theater in New York City on November 4, 1960 grossing $31,000 in its first week. After opening in more cities in Thanksgiving week, it reached number 2 on "Variety"'s weekly national box office chart. It finished the year as the fourteenth biggest box office grossing film of the year generating $4.3 million. Despite critics being dismissive of the overall plot, the film was nominated for three awards in 1961: Best Soundtrack album Grammy, Grammy for Best Vocal Performance, Album, Male, and WGA Best Written Musical.
G.I. Blues | Reception and box office
During the 1960s, he used a nearly identical 1959 model, but it was outfitted with a rosewood fretboard. He was an avid user of thick La Bella flatwound strings, as was James Jamerson. While filming "The Blues Brothers," Dunn used a sunburst early ‘70s Fender Precision bass with a rosewood fretboard and a "tortoiseshell" pickguard. He also used a red 1966 Precision in some of the scenes; a bass stamped "Demo" on the back, which was later fitted with a late '60s Jazz Bass neck. It was a combination that was popular with other top-level players, including Carl Radle, and Billy Cox.
Donald &quot;Duck&quot; Dunn | Musical equipment
The film premiered at the AFI Film Festival on October 19, 2000. It grossed $71,868,327 worldwide off its $26 million budget.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Release
The name evoked the recently released hit film, "The Blues Brothers". During this period, many fans would show up to the HemisFair Arena dressed as the characters played by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in the film. Music used in the film was also played by the arena's loudspeaker. The group was broken up in the fall of 1982, when Olberding and Corzine were traded to the Chicago Bulls for Artis Gilmore.
Bruise Brothers (San Antonio Spurs) | Introduction
According to Warner Bros. records, the film earned $3,342,000 domestically and $1,514,000 foreign.
Rhapsody in Blue (film) | Box office
The film opened on 1,239 screens in the US and earned $7,093,325 on its opening weekend, ranking #1 at the box office. It eventually grossed $43,184,798 in the US and $8,500,000 in other markets for a total worldwide box office of $51,684,798.
Biloxi Blues (film) | Box office