The Blues Brothers

See Larger Image	List Price: £15.99 Our Price: £5.98 Availability: Usually dispatched within 6 to 9 days Manufacturer: Universal Pictures UK Starring: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Carrie Fisher Directed By: John Landis Average Customer Rating:


Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over Binding: DVD EAN: 5050582435191 Format: PAL Label: Universal Pictures UK Manufacturer: Universal Pictures UK Number Of Items: 2 Publisher: Universal Pictures UK Region Code: 2 Release Date: 2006-06-05 Running Time: 128 Studio: Universal Pictures UK
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Editorial Reviews: 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.-- Jeff Shannon
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Jake and Elwood forever Comment: What can I say? I adore this film. This is definitely my favourite. I've watched this film at least 40 times in my whole life. I still want to watch it sometimes and when I watch it, I still enjoy it. I am not the only one watched this film numerous times. There are lots of Blues Brothers fans whole over the world. It explains how great this film is! This 25th Anniversary DVD contains 2 discs. One is the extended version, which is actually the same as other Blues Brothers DVDs, including the one in The Blues Brothers Collection. The other disc is the theatrical version. Editing is not brilliant compared to the extended version but if you are a Blues Brothers fan, it's worth getting this 25th Anniversary version. This also has some new bonus materials. Personally, I didn't enjoy "Going Rounds: A day on The Blues Brothers" very much and I didn't get the point of having the same production note on both discs. Furthermore, I thought Dan Aykroyd's introduction was pointless. However "Transposing The Music" and "Remembering John" were not too bad. It would be perfect if this had an audio commentary but I guess Universal is keeping it for 30th Anniversary version. If you simply want to watch the film, I think you should get the ordinary version unless the price is the same or cheaper. Customer Rating: Summary: Magnificent musical mayhem Comment: Made at a time when the director and one of the stars were doing their best to improve the Columbian balance of payments situation, this is a very broad comedy. You can imagine them on set, "Hey, sniff, nothing funny's happened recently, sniff, why don't we destroy a few more cars? That's always good for a laugh!" How else could they get through a record - at the time - $30 million making it? When it first came out, I looked at the wanton destruction on screen and failed to find it funny. Landis and Belushi had given us National Lampoon's Animal House two years earlier: that had intelligence and was very funny.. up until the 'let's destroy the parade' ending anyway. This was just taking that ending and spreading it out over two hours (albeit with better music) wasn't it? But seeing it again, with somewhat lower expectations, did change my view: yes, wanton destruction can be funny. And that soundtrack is fabulous. As far as the DVD extras are concerned, the Dan Ackroyd introduction is pointless, 'Transposing the Music' reminds us how unfunny Saturday Night Live was, the extra 14 minutes don't really add anything (IMDB has the details) particularly as if you exclude the longer credits it translates as just five extra minutes, and there's no commentary. On the other hand, the 'Making of' is actually interesting and the actual movie itself is - much as I didn't see it first time - a masterpiece. Customer Rating: Summary: the best film of its type, ever !! Comment: Jake (John Belushi) is just out of prison. He and his brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd), have to raise big money within 11 days. Reforming their band seems a good idea, but the rest of the band don't think so, even if they are on a 'mission from god'. Even so the brothers try, and somehow manage to make enemies with just about everybody they come into contact with, including the city police, the state police, a nun, the local nazi party, a strange girl who keeps trying to kill them, a pub owner and another band whose concert gig they steal. The chemistry between Belushi and Aykroyd is magical. The recruiting methods to regain some members of their long suffering band will really make you laugh, in fact the whole film will. Throw in some brilliant music from James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklyn etc, and you are talking a seriously good film here. The Blues Brothers band itself excels musically and provides its own laughs, none more so than when they are forced to perform some country + western songs, after highjacking another band's gig. Car chases a plenty, this film has got it all. Unmissable. Customer Rating: Summary: The only musical worth watching Comment: Now I'm not a fan of musicals really and I'm generally a heavy metal fan, but I adore this film. It has a fantastic story, brilliant acting, gobsmacking car chases and is overall amazingly good fun and a great watch. Jake and Elwood are the coolest characters because no matter what happens (including being shot at, chased by nazis and bottled by angry country and western fans) they remain as cool as ice in a freezer on Pluto. The music is fantastic and it's great to sing along to. There is an amzing amount of talent in this film, and who knew John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd could dance? Customer Rating: Summary: "We're on a mission from god" Comment: This is a classic movie. Who can resist a musical comedy starring Dan Akroyd and John Belushi? This DVD belongs in your collection alongside all the other classic comedies. This particular package is a good one. On disc 1 you get the theatrical version of the movie along with a making of bonus feature. On disc 2 you get the extended version of the movie and some bonus features. The features include an introduction to the movie by Dan Akroyd, and a few other features that you'll enjoy. I recommend that everybody buys this DVD. You'll watch it many many times. More Reviews