The Blues Brothers: Difference between revisions

 

'''Jake''': ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v{{=}}YHa_jqxnn4o Hit it.]''}}

 

Perhaps the greatest -- and certainly the most successful -- ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' act to spin off from the show into the realm of movies. Back when [[Dan Aykroyd]] wasn't fat and [[John Belushi]] wasn't dead, they starred together in an occasional sketch-cum-musical-act featuring the two of them in dark suits and [[Cool Shades|sunglasses]] as "The Blues Brothers"; Belushi was Jake Blues, and Aykroyd was Jake's silent brother Elwood. What made the skits good? The duo were skilled at both the comedy (obviously) and the music (which was surprising). Aykroyd and Belushi spun off their own band with established musicians (members of the SNL house band as well as experienced R&B musicians) and served as the frontmen, in character as Elwood and Jake.

 

 

 

 

{{tropelist}}

* [[A-Team Firing]]: Everyone's a crap shot, except when they're not aiming ''directly'' for the Blues Brothers. Vaguely justified with Holy Protection, but mostly played for [[Rule of Funny]].

* [[Animated Adaptation]]: In 1997, 6 animated episodes were produced (with Peter Aykroyd and Jim Belushi) for the UPN network but were never aired.

* [[Backup Twin]]: Jim Belushi filled in for his late brother in a handful of live shows. Averted in the sequel, where he wasn't cast, due to scheduling and contract issues. [[What Could Have Been|It could have worked quite nicely]].

* [[Bash Brothers]]: They don't fight a lot, but when they do...

* [[Bavarian Fire Drill]]: Elwood's "puffball bacteria". John Goodman's [[Large Ham|intentional hamming it up]] and Evan Bonifant's over-the-top screaming is hilarious, but the rest of the band ''[[Crowning Moment of Funny|completely ignoring them]]'' is what sells it.

* [[Casting Gag]]: Paul Shaffer was the band's original keyboardist, but wasn't in the original film because -- in addition to his ''SNL'' commitments -- he was also working on ''Gilda Radner: Live from New York'', a one-woman stage show which starred fellow former ''SNL'' regular Gilda Radner. He finally appeared in ''2000'' as Queen Mouset's assistant, and asks Murph if he wouldn't mind letting him have a crack at the keyboard.

* [[Casual Danger Dialogue]]: While driving through the mall, Jake and Elwood remark on the variety of stores the mall has. "This place has everything."

* [[Celebrity Star]]: Many famous musicians appear in various roles to sing their hits.

* [[Chase Scene]]: Several times. The last half of the first movie is one ''giant'' [[Chase Scene]].

{{quote|''"It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters, so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what?"''}}

* [[Destructive Savior]]: Elwood and (to a lesser extent) Jake. To wit: the Blues cause what has to be several million dollars worth of damage to ''just'' the Chicago Police by wrecking all of their cars just to save an orphanage by paying a bill of $5,000.

* [[Dream Team]]: The Blues Brothers band in-universe, as well as the Louisiana Gator Boys in the second film.

* [[Drives Like Crazy]]: "''ELWOOD.''"

'''Elwood:''' ''[Perfect deadpan]'' No ma'am. We're musicians. }}

* [[Mickey Mousing]]

* [[Mistaken for Special Guest]]: The band impersonate the "Good Ol' Boys" at Bob's Country Bunker, adding to yet another long-ass list of pursuers during the climax when both the Good Ol' Boys and the bar owner realize they've been had.

* [[Motivational Lie]]: Elwood tells Jake that he's staying in touch with the band while Jake is in prison, this way Jake will have some hope to hang onto.

* [[Performance Video]]

* [[Plot Armor]]: They get at shot with rockets, caught in a collapsing building, an exploding phone booth, and shot at point-blank range with an automatic rifle and ''never get wounded''. And five seconds later [[Dirt Forcefield|their suits are clean and pressed again]].

* [[Produce Pelting]]: Although it's beer bottles instead of vegetables.

** And that's even ''after'' they please the crowd!

* [[The Power of Rock]]: The original R&B in this case.

* [[Puppy Dog Eyes]]: Jake Blues make have executed the most epic use of this trope ever.

* [[Real Men Love Jesus]]: The boys are on a Mission from God, and would like to remind you that "the Lord works in mysterious ways."

* [[Real Place Background]]: "This is definitely Lower Wacker Drive."

* [[Invisible to Gaydar]]: "I've always loved you." From a Nazi. Right before the car they're in gets smashed into the ground.

* [[Summon Backup Dancers]]: Though they were often there before.

* [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute]]: Averted by John Goodman in the sequel, who distinguishes himself from Belushi in his performance ''and'' his singing.

* [[Spin-Off]]

* [[A Wizard Did It]]: A deleted scene was intended to [[Hand Wave]] why the Bluesmobile can do so many fantastic stunts. The Brothers parked it under a bunch of power transformers, allowing it to get "charged up". Since this scene was removed (and never really explained, even in versions that include it), Landis has offered the following explanation: "It's just a magic car."

** Could possibly also be explained by Elwood simply being that much of a [[Badass Driver]].

* [[Woman Scorned]]: Taken to hilarious extremes by Jake's jilted fiancee, who's turned into a [[Pyromaniac]] in the process and tries to blow the Brothers up several times. {{spoiler|Just when it looks like Jake's about to take her back, he drops her. Again. This time, literally as well.}}

* [[Worthy Opponent]]: John Candy's character.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Music Stories]]

[[Category:Films of the 1980s]]

[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]

[[Category:Film]]

[[Category:Multiple Works Need Separate Pages]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blues Brothers, The}}