Overview
They’re not going to catch us,” Dan Aykroyd, as Elwood Blues, tells his brother Jake, played by John Belushi. “We’re on a mission from God.” So opens the musical action comedy The Blues Brothers, which hit theaters on June 20, 1980. Their scripted mission was to save a local Chicago orphanage.
But Aykroyd, who conceived and wrote much of the film, had a greater mission: to honor the then-seemingly forgotten tradition of rhythm and blues, some of whose greatest artists—Aretha Franklin, James Brown, John Lee Hooker, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles—made the film as unforgettable as its wild car chases. Much delayed and vastly over budget, The Blues Brothers opened to outraged reviews; however, in the years since, it has become a classic.
The saga behind The Blues Brothers, as Daniel de Visé reveals, is epic, encompassing the colorful childhoods of Belushi and Aykroyd; the comedic revolution sparked by Harvard’s Lampoon and Chicago’s Second City; the birth and anecdote-rich, drug-filled early years of Saturday Night Live, where the Blues Brothers were born as an act amidst turmoil and rivalry; and, of course, the indelible behind-the-scenes narrative of how the film was made, scene by memorable scene.
Based on original research and dozens of interviews probing the memories of principals from director John Landis and producer Bob Weiss to Aykroyd himself, The Blues Brothers illuminates an American masterpiece while vividly portraying the creative geniuses behind modern comedy.
Review
This is the true story of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, the talented duo of The Blues Brothers
I grew up in this era. I just thought I knew stuff. I didn’t know half the stuff going on. This book is so well researched and includes so much! I loved all the memories and names this author threw into the mix.
I really never knew all the information about SNL and the making of Animal House. Such great talents in improv and creativity! And such a waste and sadness lose part of this duo to drugs! The drug use is astounding! I do not see how John Belushi continued as long as he did.
The narrator, Johnny Heller, is FANTASTIC! I have listened to him on a few other audiobooks and he is someone I remember. Very cool sounding voice!
Need a good biography that brings back memories….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.
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