The Blues Brothers

They're on a mission from God, of course, and that—along with a lot of action, great music, and the immortal pairing of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi—is what makes The Blues Brothers a divine comedy worthy of this 25th-anniversary DVD release. Although many have seen this madcap romp, you had to be a big fan of TV's Saturday Night Live in 1980 to appreciate just how popular Aykroyd and Belushi had become in their black suits, thin ties, and porkpie hats as Jake and Elwood Blues, the orphan brothers from Chicago, who turned into the most successful pop-culture novelty act of the '80s. Aykroyd and Belushi found the perfect alter-egos for their passionate love of Chicago Blues music, with Jake (Aykroyd) providing backup and harmonica while Elwood (Belushi) gyrated, flipped, and cartwheeled through an act that was equal parts serious blues performance and Windy City satire. Featuring a who's who of session men (including Donald "Duck" Dunn, Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, and Matt "Guitar" Murphy), and a host of R&B superstars (Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Cab Calloway, and others), all under the direction of John Landis at the peak of his box-office power, The Blues Brothers delivered just what it promised: wild excess in every respect, from the bestselling soundtrack to an epic car chase (including the demolition of an entire shopping mall) that races into the realm of absurdity. Built around a flimsy plot involving Jake and Elwood's effort to save the orphanage in which they were raised, this is the quintessential '80s comedy, packed with Hollywood cameos and bit parts (Carrie Fisher, John Candy, Steve Lawrence, Frank Oz, Twiggy, Steven Spielberg, and Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Reubens), while offering a little something for everyone. Making its second appearance on DVD, the film boasts a nice-looking anamorphic widescreen transfer, and DVD extras including an extended version (which adds 15 minutes of mostly padded out scenes), a short intro by Aykroyd, and featurettes on the Blues Brothers' stage shows and a tribute to Belushi. Recommended. (J. Shannon)[Blu-ray Review—Aug. 2, 2011—Universal, 133 min., R, $26.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1980's The Blues Brothers is presented with a fine transfer with DTS 5.1 sound. Blu-ray extras include both the theatrical and extended versions of the film, a “making-of” featurette (56 min.), a “Transposing the Music” featurette on the origins and evolution of the characters (16 min.), a “Remembering John” tribute featurette on star John Belushi (10 min.), trailers, and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a solid Blu-ray debut for an SNL fan favorite.]