Elwood Jake The Blues Brothers,

How time has turned Elwood Jake Blues from a “timeless” classic into ‘another 80s John Landis Film’

When I was about 15, I loved the Blues Brothers. At the time, I thought I was the most incredible dude in the world, rewatching whenever I felt like watching.

Made me leave Devon on the Screen

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

So when I watched it again on NetFlix 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. 

A few bits of breast and a wonderful caper

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

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.

The Gangsters of Today are much cooler than Elwood Jake

When we consider characters like those created by Guy Ritchie, and Tarantino they are superior. Just off the top of my head—performing the understated, comedic, unflappable gangster moments like when the Blues Brothers face the flamethrower in the telephone booth. The limited acting skills of Belushi and Ackroyd are exposed as they are, or have been directed to be non flustered.

I do acknowledge that comparing Samuel L Jackson to the Blues Brothers actors is unfair, but you understand the point I am making. Samuel L Jackson, for example would have expressed emotion about there being a lot of money in the phone box, however there would have been emotion about the phone box.

Maybe I am nit picking but the Blues Brothers do have a bit of difficulty separating subdued from wooden. Apart from that the acting is fine.

 Time has been kind to the Blues Brothers. As far as the ‘caper style plot is concerned, it beats the Fast and the Furious saga, as there is not a non existence plot as there are if the F&F saga. However, there are two essential bits, the music and the avoidance of the Police, which 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.

Credit to the film for giving criminally neglected black musicians who were essential to American Rock And Roll decent screen time, whilst they were fit and well enough to do so. Cab Calloway is my favourite, though.

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