29 years since the iconic musical masterpiece was released in the UK, we review an eighties classic…
You may be familiar with Jake and Elwood Blues, as this film is just as popular today as it was when it first came out in 1980. We start off with a wide establishing shot and the opening of the prison doors as Jake and Elwood are reunited after the former’s stint in prison. Spoiler alert: these brothers are not angels.
The mysterious aura they give off throughout the movie is apparent straight away with limited conversation between the two, as well as their black suit and tie ensemble with their signature hats and sunglasses. Even the shades on their own represent their curious yet intriguing personalities.
They may be criminals, but these brothers set out to be heroes as they visit the Roman Catholic Orphanage where they were raised but unfortunately discover it is due to close unless someone coughs up $5,000. So, as they repeatedly say throughout the film, they are on “a mission from God” to save the orphanage, and to do this, they decide to get their old band back together by tracking down its former members.
A true positive of this film is clearly the soulful soundtrack that makes you want to jump off the sofa and dance. The big number at the end, ‘Jailhouse Rock’, is clearly the movie’s most upbeat song because it gets everyone dancing, even the prisoners in the final scene. Not only is this ironic, but in some way, it promotes the idea that prison isn’t as dull and dim as it is shown on TV but can be happy at times – but then again, this is a musical and in every musical, everything is over-exaggerated.
Another great element of the film is the chemistry between Jake (John Belushi) and Elwood (Dan Aykroyd). It may come as a surprise that these two aren’t actually brothers, as in the film they go perfectly side by side and give an authentic performance both individually and together.
The biggest difficulty when watching The Blues Brothers is discerning its genre. Is it a musical? A comedy? An action movie? There are elements of each of these different genres throughout, and the somewhat eclectic mix occasionally makes it somewhat confusing to follow – but this confusion really highlights the enigma that is the Blues Brothers themselves.
Ultimately, this classic eighties film is worth the watch for any musical lover who also enjoys a bit of comedy and action because with this film, you get all of this in one.
By Katie Green
Feature image credit: Universal Pictures