How time has turned a timeless classic into ‘another John Landis Film’

Why I Loved This Film

When I was about 18, I loved the Blues Brothers. At the time I thought I was the most incredible dude in the world, rewatching again and again.

It was a cult film that I needed to see in the middle of Rural Devon, in England. It was an escape that I needed, as I was miles from anywhere. It is where if a cow falls over, it is considered worth writing about in the local paper.

Never Go Back As Alfred In Cinema Paradiso Said

So when I watched it again on Sky Movies 35 years after it was made, I was disappointed. It had aged into just another ’80s John Landis film. No different from his other ones that were popular in the 80s, e.g Trading Places, and Coming To America. Above Average, though unmistakably his direction. The world through his eyes. 

John Landis’ films were teenage, well, 80s teenage films anyway. This was in the era of 80s and early 90s, when VHS video libraries could bring the magic of the American cinema to the screen. We did not have streaming or anything like that. The bar for quality entertainment was much lower. We did not have NetFlix, Prime, HBO, and Disney+ etc.

Now, where do the Blues Brothers come into this?  Films have done far better things than what the Blues Brothers did since the 80s, and as a result, it does not seem as good as it did when I was 18.

Cooler People Than Jake And Elwood Blues

When we have had Guy Ritchie characters, Tarantino gangsters, just taken off the top of my head, do the understated, comedy, unflappable gangster bits that the Blues Brothers do, the flame thrower in the telephone booth it is much better rather than just ‘doing it’ in a sedated, ‘wooden’ rather than unfazed way as Ackroyd and John Belushi have been directed to do. I do appreciate that a comparison between Samuel L Jackson and the Blues Brothers actors is unfair, but you do get the point I am making.

The Caper Aspect Of The Blues Brothers was Funny

 Time has been kind to the Blues Brothers. as far as ‘caper style plot is concerned’, it beats the Fast and the Furious saga. However, there are two essential bits, the music and the avoidance of the Police, which still make it into a good film.

However, despite the superior car chase, it is still ‘just A John Landis film’ and it will forever be straitjacketed and never lovingly embraced by me again as they are tattooed to the back of my skull by overwatching them when I was in my teens.

John Lee Hooker, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles Got Cameos

Credit to the film for allowing lots of criminally neglected musicians who were essential to American Rock And Roll decent screen time, whilst they were fit and well enough to do it. Cab Calloway being my favourite though.

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