Customer Reviews

The Blues Brothers: 25th Anniversary Edition

5 star:		(120)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I love The Blues Brothers. This is one of the all-time great comedies; a truly epic comedy. In it's original form, it is flawless from beginning to end. Five Stars easily.

Unfortunately, this "Special Edition" dvd includes 15+ minutes of scenes. Not under a "deleted scenes" section, which would have been appropriate and very welcome, but inserted into the movie itself. To be fair, the extra footage doesn't really hurt the music scenes. But did we really need to see Elwood at his place of employment? Did we really need to see where the Blues-mobile is stored when not being driven? None of the extra footage adds anything to the movie. In fact, it really ruins the perfect pacing of the regular cut.

I truly hope Universal sees the error of their ways and reissues this film on DVD with the original cut. They could even make the added footage viewable within the movie, through seamless branching, but for the love of Pete, give us the option!!!

Who can exist without this? Without the wonderful Blues Brothers, the set pieces by Aretha Franklin and so many many blues greats, many of whom are no longer with us?
It's a fantastic tribute film, plus a road film, plus a quest, and it even has one of the best car chases ever filmed.
You've gotta have a copy of your own.

Appealing & endearing & sweet but intentionally fanciful/unbelievable storyline. A showcase of musicians and singers, many of whom are in their prime, with many in 2012 no longer among the living. If you love music icons from the 60's and beyond, and if your sense of humour is joyful and accepting this is the perfect medium for seeing the superstars of yesteryear. Aretha Franklin is young and alive, and if anyone doesn't understand the appeal of James Brown you'll see him in his most remarkable phase, and will no longer wonder. Sam without Dave; Steve Cropper Paul Schaeffer, the Good Old Boys...really, too many to mention. In this gem of a movie you'll see something new every time, and you will watch it over and over and over. If you weren't around then, or may not have been into such things, you'll long to have been!

La version cinéma, d'une exceptionnelle qualité, fait aisément oublier l'impossibilité de regarder la version prolongée en français car celle-ci présente un défaut de synchronisation de la bande sonore. Dommage car Universal aurait signé là un sans faute. Quoi qu'il en soit ne boudez pas votre plaisir, la version originale n'a aucunement besoin qu'on étire la sauce.

The DVD I bought was junk! It skipped all the time and would stall for long periods of time, then jump ahead. I would not recommend this reseller!

Yes, its great that Universal FINALLY released this movie on DVD, but they really should have included with it a copy of the originally edited film. I love this film so much that I will have to go buy a VCR just to watch my old wore out copy of BB (my 4th copy lol) because the unedited one just screws up the whole flow and feel to the movie. The extended scenes are interesting, but this movie is NOT the blues brothers. My recommendation to you, if by some chance you havent seen it yet is to buy this film on VHS first, watch it, then get the DVD....

I purchased the Blues Brothers for Christmas.(two weeks prior) It was delivered on time and was pleased with the quality of the DVD it was not a "copy" It came with all DVD case inserts and labeled correctly. Great price.

Great seller, received item quickly and at a very reasonable price. Would not hesitate to buy again from them.

The Blues Brothers in my mind should really be considered a hip musical comedy,or am I just blowing smoke here? The entire film has almost non stop music,either that performed by on screen acts or as background filler;so what could be more musical than that? And the acts and talent behind them....it just blows the mind.
The plot in the film,like any musical,is just something to hang the songs on but the starring characters here Jake Blues(the late John Belusi) and Elwood Blues(Dan Ackroyd) give the screenplay much more depth than normal and as such raise it above the ordinary.
After being released from the Illinois State Pen(Joliet) Jake is met at the gates by brother Elwood.Jake isn't too pleased that his brother sold their old ride for a microphone and bought a used cop car instead,but they're off to see Sister Stigmata,aka the Penguin.It seems the orphanage she runs,in which both the brothers were also raised in,is about to go into foreclosure.The brothers decide to somehow raise the cash to keep it afloat.Jake gets "inspired" at a local church and they decide to put their old band together.While pursuing their "mission from God" they raise the ire of the local constabulary,they use every dirty trick to get the band members to re-form,Jake's ex girlfriend pursues them both hell bent on getting them closer to God sooner than they expected,an irate country band whose gig they took and the bar owner who they owe money to give chase and even the Illinois Nazi Party would like to shove their swastika up both their keesters.When they finally get their break and the band plays a huge concert 165 miles from Chicago,they get their money only to be followed all the way back to the County Assessors office in Chicago to pay off the orphanage debt.In the end everyone including the National Guard catches up with them.The orphanage is saved but the brothers both end up in the Pen.The movie musically fades out with the brothers doing,appropriately,"Jailhouse Rock".
This movie is a modern who's who of musical talent,the likes of which will never be seen again in one place.Just some of the personalities that perform;the legendary Hi-De-Ho man himself Cab Calloway,Ray Charles,Aretha Franklin,James Brown and Johnny Lee Hooker.Then there is the on screen band itself:Steve Cropper and Don Dunn formerly of Booker T and the MGs,Willie Hall formerly of the Bar-Kays,Matt Murphy from Howlin Wolf's band and so many others,and the rest of the horns from the Saturday Night Live Band.It is/was an amazing combination of talent and it never fails to impress.The resultant soundtrack from this movie went platinum at least three times that I know of.
Of course as we all know the entire concept for the characters came from the fertile mind of Dan Ackroyd and the wildly hailed performances of Ackroyd and Belushi on Saturday Night Live in the late 70s.This SNL sketch-to-movie has been the most successful of all the others to follow.Ackroyd's passion for the music genre itself has been the largest contributing factor in its' initial success and all that has followed;with subsequent live tours with the band and a follow up movie(not as successful as the first).
Six actors of note to watch for in the film;John Candy as one of the law enforcement officers,veteran actor Kathleen Freeman as the Penguin,a bit part with "Pee Wee Herman" Paul Reubens as a waiter,"Miss Piggy/Fozzy" voice man Frank Oz as the releasing officer in the Pen,singer Steve Lawrence as the brothers agent in the steam room and "Laugh-In" funny man Henry Gibson as the head of the Nazis.
Technically the movie has been transferred well.This is apparently the original cut of the movie when it previewed so it is nice to have the re-inserted footage back into the movie.It now clocks in at about 2 1/2 hours but surprisingly the pace is still pretty good throughout.It is presented in its' original widescreen glory and the special features include an almost hour featurette on the making of the film,the trailer and a still gallery.
All in all the Blues Brothers is a clear musical winner.Considered more of a comedy than a musical,I think this film is just so good at what it does that most don't think of this being a musical;but I believe it is just that and a darned good one too.I invite you to look at the techniques of the older "gotta sing,gotta dance" style movies and you will definitely see styles from every type poured into this one.Besides what it may or may not be there is one thing we can all agree on;the film is a foot tapping, hilarious and enjoyable 2 1/2 hour ride that aims to please,and does!

This movie has truly stood the test of time.
For the last twenty five years it has become a tradition to play the movie (at first the tape, and more recently the DVD) every year at our Christmas gathering, enjoyed by our children who became hooked in their teens and now by our grandchildren. Two of my sons turn off the sound track and recite the dialog between the musical numbers.
The action, particularly the car chases and musical numbers are unforgettable and the chemistry between Belushi and Aykroyd perfect.
To summarize: this is the best family action musical I have ever played.