The Blues Brothers, John Landis 1980

The Blues Brothers, John Landis 1980 

The Blues Brothers was directed by John Landis. As well as  the blues brothers he directed such films as Coming to America, Burke and Hare and Animal House with John Belushi starring in both animal house and the blues brothers. 

The blues brothers idea came from a skit on the TVs show Saturday Night Live in the US. From their John Landis and Dan Aykroyd wrote the screenplay. In the film they use Blues and jazz musical legends such as Ray Charles, Donald Dunn and Willie Hall. 

Jake and Elwood Blues, brothers and musicians believe they have been chosen, that they have been given a mission from God. In order to save the orphanage they grew up in from closing down they have to raise five thousand dollars. The only honest path is by doing one last concert. Unfortunately their band has parted ways and through often questionable means they gather their once potent rhythm and blues band. 

There are many references to religion within the Blues Brothers. There is the opening scene of the second coming of Jake Blues emerging from the tomb of Prison. The main gates open as the dawning sun streams through silhouetting the small black suited figure of Jake. Emerging from the tomb Jake's release is a evokes resurrection, returning from death to the embrace of his family. As is clearly shown Jake is on a mission from god and for filling the wishes of the Nuns and to save his people. 

There are also lists of references to was love as a theme, between Jake and his ex-wife, Matt Murphy and Mrs Murphy and also having such songs as I need you and Everyone needs someone to love. Another theme in the film is crime, Crime is featured a lot throughout the film with both the beginning and end revolving around crime, with also the brothers driving a police car represembles them as being  law enforcement. 

A lot of the budget for this film was spent on different car crashes and exploration leaving less money on production. With a real Mall being destroyed for a scene. 103 cars destroyed in the 1980 film in the main chase, 60 police cars were bought for $400 a piece. The budget for the Blues Brothers was $27 Million Dollas with the gross over $54 Million Dollars.