Category: The Blues Brothers

I selected The Blues Brothers because of my love for soul and rhythm and blues music.  I grew up listening to “Soul Town” and classic R&B music. The Blue’s Brother’s soundtrack is rich with classic soul music and features the main pioneers of soul and R&B. The movie features some of my favorite artists, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. We also get to hear James Brown, Cab Callloway, Chaka Khan, and also John Lee Hooker. Personally, their performances were the best part of the movie.  These artists arguably “steal the show,” and rightfully so. I think it is very important that these artists were represented in this film, without them and their music, this film would not exist. We often hear the music of these artists played in films, but very seldom do we get see them perform in the film. The roots of American rock n’ roll music was stolen from black culture. I think blues music is significant because it was the black artist’s “stealing” their music back. The Blues Brothers is important because it shows the same idea. The artists are being showcased because they are the origin of The Blues Brothers, and they deserve all of the credit and the spotlight. 

This film is important to me because I think it is one of the few films where these influential artists are truly showcased. We not only get to hear their songs, but we also get to see them be a part of the film. All of the artists have a plot line and truly help aid the story. The movie focuses on the two central characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, who grew up in an orphanage and had a rhythm and blues band. The movie follows them resurrecting their rhythm and blues band to save the orphanage where they grew up. In this process, we get to see great performances by legitimate R&B artists.  The musicians that play in their bands are also legitimate R&B artists, that played on my many hit rhythm and blues records. Jake and Elwood are obviously not true rhythm and blues artists and use theatrics and special effects to hold the attention of the audience in an effort to make the movie palatable to a larger audience. 

I think it is interesting to see the influence that other genres and musicians have on music. In music everyone is influenced by other people, it is not often people have “original ideas” but rather they are pulling from music or artists they have heard in the past. I think all music is connected, and all musicians are connected, and I think that is why music is able to connect people.  This film shows directly how music can connect people together, in the big musical numbers you see people of all ages, shapes, and colors. I think that is the most beautiful part of music, and I am glad it was shown in this film. 

The film The Blues Brothers has ideological underpinnings of redemption and the importance of family. The film follows Jake and Elwood Blues as they try and save the orphanage where they were raised. In Jake and Elwood’s early adult years they stole and broke many laws, ultimately resulting in one of them going to prison for three years. After the prison sentence the brothers are reunited and find that their orphanage will be shut down if they don’t raise money in time. The brother’s first hear this news from a nun they call, “The Penguin.” It is obvious that the nun harbors love for the two brothers, and believes that even after all of their wrong doings they can find redemption and help save the orphanage. The brothers are quick to offer help and money. After talking to The Penguin, the duo goes and talks to their friend Curtis who resides in the basement of the orphanage. Curtis is the one that introduced them to blue music and helped teach them how to perform. Without the orphanage Curtis will have nowhere to live. 

The brothers have love for the orphanage, The Penguin, and Curtis because they are their family. They helped raised them and taught them everything that they know. The brothers do everything and anything in their power to reunite their band to raise money to help save their family. The brothers could very easily go and steal the money and retreat to their old ways, but they are also on the path to redemption and respect the wishes of The Penguin and the church. Throughout the movie we hear the brother’s repeat the line “we are on a mission from God.” The orphanage is directly related to the church and that once again shows their devotion to family and redemption. Even when their own lives are one the line, and they are being chased to their demise, their main focus is the orphanage. The love and importance the brothers hold for their family results in them being successful and saving the orphanage. They are able to redeem themselves and be unselfish. 

Another ideological underpinning that could be seen in The Blues Brothers is the idea of returning to your “roots.” We see the brothers go straight back to the orphanage after being reunited. That is where they grew up, where it all started, and they immediately return. This can directly corollate with the city of Chicago where the movie was film. Chicago is a blues town and it is where a lot of famous blues musicians got their start. It is the city where Blues music started, it is the root of blues music. The film and cinematography did a great job in showcasing the city of Chicago because of how important it is to blues music. In the movie we can see how much respect the brothers have for the musicians they meet and the different people that help them on their journey. They understand the importance of their beginnings and the people that started it all.             On the ideological continuum the film would fall in the middle leaning towards the left. The film falls more in the middle because it is a light-hearted comedy and there is not that much of a deeper meaning. It is simply a movie about family, and redeeming yourself. When analyzing the ideology, we can see that the film deals with the conflict of democratic vs. hierarchical. In the movie we see the brother’s running from the police and the authorities. Another important part of the movie is that the brothers are trying to save the orphanage from the government. The government is trying to take the orphanage away but the brothers are trying to save it with their donation. The movie also shares the importance of bringing all people together through music. 

The cinematography in The Blues Brother’s is accredited to Stephen M. Katz. Katz is a cinematographer and photographer and is also known for his work on Angels Hard as They Come and Gods and Monsters. Katz used his skill to capture the not only the city of Chicago but also the craziness of the brother’s journey. Many wide shots are seen throughout the film, these shots are used to show either the city of Chicago, the large musical numbers, or the band performing on the stage. Close ups and medium shots are seen in the film. We often see the brother’s in medium shots in the Bluesmobile. The Blues Brother’s includes aspects of both formalism and realism. The location and characters seen in the film are realistic and could easily be seen in the real world. Many parts of the plot, including the large dance numbers, dramatic car chases, explosions, and impressive stunts make up the formalistic aspects of the film.  

Dominant: In this image our eye is first attracted to the brothers performing on the stage. They are in the center of the image and the light is directed on them. They are leaning forward and performing to the audience. We see Jake singing into the microphone and Elwood playing his harmonica. 

Lighting/Shading: There are many lights and shadows in this image. The stage is brightly lit, used to showcase the brothers and their band. The audience is in dim blue lighting. The light is cast up onto the brothers as they are singing on stage. The blue light was used to emphasize the audience and give more detail. 

Color Values: The main colors of this image are blue and orange. The colorful background allows for the brothers in their signature black suits and sunglasses to stand out. There is a contrast between the stage and the band and the audience. The stage is on display, so the colors are brighter and lighter in contrast to the dark blue audience. The blue velvet curtain behind the band was used to help emphasize the members and the light being cast on them. 

Subsidiary Images: After taking in the brothers on the stage, our eye pans to the large audience. We see a full house of people in the audience. There are even some people up in the balcony. Another subsidiary image is the police officer standing in the aisle way. He is holding a large gun and is looking directly at the brothers.  In the back of the house you can see more officers lined up in the aisle. On the stage, we also see part of the brother’s band, they are behind the brothers towards the back of the stage. 

Density: There is a lot of visual information packed into this image. In this image we see that the brothers were able to achieve their goals. The image shows the band that they were able to reunite, and it also shows the audience that they were able to rally. This image also gives information about the trouble that is yet to come. We see state police in the audience waiting to take the brothers away. The texture is moderate to highly detailed. 

Composition: The space is segmented and organized to have the brothers as the focal point, but the minimal lighting allows for the officer and the audience to also be noticed. The stage gets narrow as it moves towards the front allowing the brothers to get closer together, and also allows them to get closer and more intimate with the audience. The placement of the officer shows how close the brothers are from being taken away for all of the mess they have caused. 

Depth: This image is composed on three different planes. The bottom plane includes the large audience and the state police officer. The middle ground includes the brothers with the band behind them. The top plane includes more of the audience. The background and foreground of the image is the audience. This audience is commenting on the brothers in the midground. The brothers were able to convince a large amount of people to attend their concert. We can see at this point of the song they are seated and watching the brothers intently. As the scene progresses we will see the audience grow with excite and love for the band. 

Character Placement: The main characters of the image are the brothers. They are placed in the center of the image. They are placed there because this is their show, and the characters in the rest of the image are there to see them. The officer is placed closer to the camera diagonal from the brothers. This emphasizes the danger the brothers are still in and foreshadows the events to come. The audience is placed on the top and bottom of the image to emphasize the success the brothers have had. The band is placed slightly behind the brothers. The band is there to support the brothers and it illustrates how the band is there for the brothers. 

The film, The Blues Brothers directed by John Landis is known for its large musical numbers and classic soundtrack. The soundtrack has numerous R&B and soul music, and also includes some rock and jazz elements. Many famous soul musicians make appearances throughout the film and perform very powerful numbers. Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Cab Calloway, Chaka Khan, and many others are all featured in the film and add to the many diegetic songs seen within the film. In one of the opening scenes of Blues Brothers we see the godfather of soul music, James Brown. James Brown plays the role of Reverend Cleophus, where he leads the church in song. The song “The Old Landmark” is performed by the Reverend and the rest of the church. 

            The scene begins with the two brothers outside of the church deciding weather or not they should go in. From the outside of the church we can see the faint sound of an organ. As the brothers enter the church the organ grows louder and goes from non-diegetic to diegetic. The Reverend begins to talk over the organ, and he transition into song. The reverend leads the church in the song “The Old Landmark.” The song talks about preaching the word of god to the old landmark. The song is very energetic and lively, and the voices singing the sound are full and boisterous. At this portion of the film the brothers are trying to decided how they are going to save the orphanage. They are told by “the penguin” that they need to “move towards redemption.” In order for them to make this move they have to go to church. As soon as they walk into church they are immersed in music and god. The song is very sweet joyous and the people in the church share the same characteristics. 

            During this scene in the middle of the song Jake “sees the light.” The light of god shines down on Jake and inspires him to bring the band back together. This is a very important point of the movie because it propels the rest of the plot and the journey we see the brothers go on. When this “light” shines down on Jake we hear non-diegetic music of a choir singing “Hallelujah.” The music transition back into the diegetic performance by James Brown. Landis used this song in the film to move along the plot, without the song sung by the reverend and the rest of the church Jake wouldn’t have seen the light and decided to get the band back together. This song is also very important because it gives background on where the brothers grew up. The brothers grew up in the orphanage and the church. The church and the music was a large part of their life growing up, and is part of the reason why they perform. 

            This song also contributes to the overall understanding of the film. This scene is the start of the brother’s mission. The song and the light of god from the church brought Jake his idea. One of the main themes of the film is music, specifically blues music. Gospel music has a major influence on blues and R&B music. It is important to include gospel music in one of the opening numbers of the film because that’s where many of the famous performers in the film got their start. The film includes many diegetic performances that move along the plot similar to a musical. This song is the first musical number and it aids a lot to the plot.

The film The Blues Brothers can easily be classified as a musical comedy due to its light -hearted nature and many musical performances, however the movie follows the basic plot structure of an American Road Film. A road film is a movie that includes characters on a quest or journey, usually with a goal or an end result in mind. The film Easy Riderdirected by Dennis Hopper is an example of a classic road film drama. 

The Blues Brothers contains many elements similar to Easy Rider. Both movies include a duo set out on a journey together. The Blues Brothers follows two brothers Jake and Elwood, while Easy Rider follows two friends Wyatt and Billy. Both sets of men share really close bonds and are inseparable during the duration of the movies. We follow the brothers on a mission through Chicago to reunite their band, and perform a concert in hopes to raise money for the orphanage where they grew up. Wyatt and Billy are on a quest across the country to make it to the Mardi Gras Festival and then to Florida. An important part of any classic road film is the means of transportation. In The Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood spend a majority of their time in an old beaten-up police car they call the car the “Bluesmobile,” while Wyatt and Billy travel on two motorcycles. These two types of transportation are very important to the characters and speak on their personalities. 

The music in The Blues Brothers is mostly diegetic, and there are many musical performances throughout the movie. Easy Rider includes more nondiegetic and score music while the motorcyclists are traveling. Unlike a usual road film, The Blues Brothers contains many aspects of a musical. There are performances throughout the film by famous blues legends including James Brown and Aretha Franklin. These numbers help aid and develop the plot, and the songs performed have to do with what the characters are going through. There are also many times when Jake and Elwood perform in the movie. These performances and diegetic music are not seen in Hooper’s film, but the music used in Easy Rider is a key aspect of the film, and also helps aid the plot of the film. 

 An important aspect of a road film is the obstacles and new encounters faced by the characters on the quest. Early in the film we see Jake and Elwood run into trouble with police and cause a lot of destruction in a high-speed chase. The two continue to run from the law up until the end of the film. A common sub category in road films is crime films. Even though The Blues Brothers is a comedy it is action filled and has many aspects of a crime film. Easy Rider’s characters also run into some trouble with the law, and can also be put into this sub-category.  Jake and Elwood interact with many different people similarly to Wyatt and Billy. On the journey to find their bandmates Jake and Elwood make enemies with various different groups of people. They are chased down by these people all the way to their concert. Wyatt and Billy run into a lot of trouble and are judged heavily when making their great cross. They make many different enemies and are arrested, taunted and ultimately gunned down. 

Although both movies include aspects of comedy, Easy Rider is more subdued and includes more dramatic aspects. The Blues Brothers includes more comedy and spins the movie in a more positive direction. Jake and Elwood always seemed to get themselves out of danger and trouble, and they are also never injured. At the end of the film, we also see that they are able to complete their mission. They get the money and are able to save the orphanage. Wyatt and Billy are not as lucky. Although they make it to Mardi Gras, they are unable to make it to their final and ultimate destination. They are killed on the road. These two films show the two different ways a road film can conclude, either successfully with the mission completed or unsuccessfully without achieving the end goal. 

The film The Blues Brothers is a musical comedy directed by John Landis. The film was released in 1980 and stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as the “Blues Brothers.” The film begins with Jake Blues (John Belushi) getting released from prison after a three-year sentence. Jake is picked up by his brother Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd). Shortly after the two are reunited they head to The Roman Catholic Orphanage where they grew up. There they talk with Sister Mary Stigmata and Curtis and learn that the orphanage will be shut down if $5,000 in property taxes is not collected. The brothers than head to church to hear the sermon lead by Reverend Cleophus James (James Brown). A large musical number is performed by the Reverend and the people of the church. During this large performance Jake is touched by “the light” and realizes what they have to do to save the orphanage. Jake wants to bring the band back together and make money for the orphanage. During the ride home, Jake and Elwood discuss the band and the “mission from god”. While driving the two are pulled over. Elwood has a suspended license and the brothers get in a high-speed chase through the mall causing a great amount of destruction. 

The two brothers then begin their search for the old members of the band. They start at the Holiday Inn and find five of their band members performing, all of them agree to rejoin the band. They find the sixth member of the band working at a fancy restaurant, and after causing a scene in the restaurant they get him to rejoin as well. With two band members left to find, Jake and Elwood have a run in with the “Illinois Nazis.” The interaction ends with Elwood forcing the group into the East Lagoon. The group take the brothers’ license plate. The last two members of the band are found working at a restaurant along with the wife of the restaurant owner (Aretha Franklin). Aretha sings Think to her husband and convinces him and his friend to rejoin the band After the whole band is back together, the brothers Head to Ray’s Music Exchange where they visit Ray (Ray Charles) to buy new instruments and equipment for the band. While showing the brothers an electric piano Ray breaks out into a song. Jake, Elwood, and the rest of the newly reunited band go to Bob’s Country Bunker and get a gig. At first the crowd in the bar are unimpressed by the band and their music, but the brothers switch up their music and are able to win the crowd over. After the band leaves the band that was supposed to perform appears and are outraged at the Blues Brothers.

The brothers book the Palace Hotel Ballroom with their old agent, in hopes to put on a concert to raise the tax money. They spread the word of the concert through posters and a large speaker that they attach to the roof of their car. They drive all through Chicago and try and convince people to attend. During this time all the people the brothers have wronged hear about the concert including the police, the Nazis and the band from Bob’s Country Bunker. The brothers pull off a full house for the concert and perform two songs. They are greeted by a producer who offers them $10,000 for a recording track. The two sneak out through the back with the money to escape the police that had arrived at the concert. After a long car chase through Chicago, Jake and Elwood make it to the City Hall Building followed by state and local police and even the SWAT team. Just in time the two find the office and pay the orphanage tax bill. The two are finally arrested and taken to jail. The film concludes with the Jake and Elwood in jail performing “Jailhouse Rock” to all of the prisoners.