It is so refreshing watching reactors that know the depth of talent in this movie and the importance of the musicians to American music history. Kudos.
Oh yeah. If I ever see black reactors of a certen age i always check it out when it comes to this movie. Not saying other people won't get the camios but the odds go significantly up
@@JoeMama410 One of the first real superstars of American music. So talented. His version of St. James Infirmary is my favorite. Also love when he highlights the Nicolas Brothers (literally stepping off the stage for them) in Jumpin Jive. Shows he can let others shine as well. And the Nicolas Brothers really shine. Worth a watch.
This is the GREATEST Blues Brothers reaction I have come across man! Subscribed JUST on the strength of this! LOVED IT!!! Fun fact: the Bluesmobile drive-by in the city was actually done at 114 mph. They had to do it twice, the first pass was done just with the car. They did a second pass with stuntmen as pedestrians to show the real speed and prove it was not just sped-up footage.
@@Logan_Zimmerman ... Agreed! I went to music college on the south side starting in fall 1979. One of my upper classmen had watched them shoot some of these scenes. We would go watch the movie, then drive all around town and of course, Lower Wacker. Damn, those were some fun times!
Holy shit, I just started this reaction.....I was already psyched and impressed that you were getting every little reference from the time period and noticing Frank Oz, and the history of Chicago......but when you recognized Cab Calloway.....this might be the greatest of all Blues Brothers reactions, the one we've all been waiting for!!!!
I have seen this move 100 times and seen 20 reactions to it and have never seen the Vaseline next to Elwood's bed and the picture of Jake and Carrie Fisher next to the flame thrower manual. Well done.
@deemo7868 she had made her first VCR purchase and came with a 4 movie package lol hers came with Blues Brothers, Pinocchio, The Sandlot & Monster Truck event 🤣 and every time I would go to the country for the summer in the 90s we watch them same movies every year 😆
@@hbk-hotboy713had the same thing in the 80's with my grandmother. We didn't have a VCR but she did and she had 4 movies too. Tom Thumb, Police Academy, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Romancing the Stone. I still know all those movies line for line from memory 😂
I saw this theatrically in 1980 right before I turned 13. It exposed me to a genre of music and incredible artist that I didn’t even know existed. This is my favorite musical ever.👍
You both just made my day. Not only have you chose the best hommage to R&B in the history of filmmaking, you knew the artists and cameo performers. This movie came out after my only brother finished his tours in Vietnam. He left home at 17 and an amateur R&B garage musician immitating James Brown to entertain his 4 sisters. He came home and wasn't the same. Sister Thirdgirl and I treated him to this movie at the drive-in in Oakland in his 1963 Checkers. He howled with laughter and knew every song and artist. Told us that John Lee Hooker was a resident of Oakland. This movie became his favorite next to It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World. We lost him last year at 71. Thank you on behalf of my beloved brother, for being so informative with this gem.❤
This movie along with the second blues Brothers is a one of a kind movie with artists that are no longer with us. Is it definitely a hidden treasure. That definitely should be appreciated. Thank you for sharing. Please take care and be safe and remember it’s all about the music. 🎤🎧🎶🎼🎵🎷🎺🎹🎸🥁
The cast!!!!!! Can you even begin to imagine who you'd need to get involved today, and how much it would cost, today?! Who is even comparable today? There are so many absolute legends in this film, the film's still hilarious, and there simply is no better soundtrack. This film is timeless.
Best Blues Brothers reaction EVER! IT's great how much FUN you had, not to mention doing a great job of spotting the amazing musicians and singers they had.
The man they talked to in the steam room was Steve Lawrence, famous for his duo singing and comedy act with Eydie Gorme in the ‘60s. They were old Vegas alums and Frank Sinatra was his mentor. Thanks for the reaction, this was a blast from the past!
In 1980, living in The Netherlands before internet, before social media, before '99 channels and nothing on' with numerous American shows and just Rolling Stone magazine and Mad magazine as a window to what went on in the USA... we had no clue who The Blues Brothers were. We had no idea they had some sketches on something called SNL. But 17 year old me and some friends did love music and knew Aretha, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker. Seeing this movie in cinema was like being in a lunatic asylum. And we went back for seconds that same week 😎 Later that year I got the 'Made in America' live album Jake and Elwood released. It didn't leave my turntable for weeks.
I have been watching this for 40 years. One of the best musicals, outrageous comedies and collection of legendary cameos ever. So much influence and history.
Watching you both laugh your ass off at my favourite childhood movie is just the best. Great music, great car chases, great laughs, and just so over the top absurd, it's just gold. Plus it also got me into blues and soul music 👌
Fun fact...the little kid who tried to steal the Strat guitar at Ray's Music Exchange was still acting and was the Limo driver ( Argyle) in the 1st Die Hard movie...De'voreaux White...
I remember the critics being absolutely brutal to this movie when it was released in theatres. Their major beefs were the expense, the excessiveness (of the car chases and wrecks) and it being a one-joke Saturday Night Live spinoff. I also remember loving it on the big screen.
I was watching SNL the night the Blues Brothers debuted. It was the intro, Garrett Morris introduced them and when I saw it was Dan and John, was ready for a big joke. Instead, I watched their performance with my mouth hanging open. They sang “Soul Man”; the band was amazing and so were John and Dan’s vocals.The performance was followed with “Live from NY, it’s Saturday Night! Next thing I knew I was buying the album “Briefcase Full of Blues, they were touring and this awesome movie came out! GOOD times!
The song that you asked if it originated from this movie - no. The tune is the theme from "Peter Gunn", a private eye television show that ran from 1958 - 1961. It was written by Henry Mancini.
At the time, the shopping mall scene was the most expensive scene ever filmed. They found an abandoned mall and fixed it up to look like a working mall. The producers were later sued by the mall's owner because they just left it and didn't repair any of the damage. It's since been demolished. This movie broke a record at the time by destroying 104 cars. They did one better in The Blues Brothers 2000 by destroying 105. The record has since been broken many times, mostly by the Fast and Furious movies.
That was a fantastic reaction to this movie, probably the best I've seen. Great job guys! I was born in Chicago and lived in and around there through the 70's, 80's, and 90's so this is a hometown movie for me. My mom took me to see this movie almost once a week for months when it first came out, and we even had to drive past the overpass where the massive car crash happened where John Candy's car ended up in a truck. Heck, I even had the soundtrack on record and 8-track, lol. Damn I'm old...
I'm a huge fan of this movie. I've seen it (not including reactions) about 40 times. I first saw it when it came out when I was 12 years old in Harlem. You watched the extended cut. I'm a huge blues fan partly because of this movie, mostly because of my elders.
Same! As a white kid from Northern England, this film introduced me to a whole new world of music that I still love to this day. Also like you, I first saw this aged 12 and it's still one of my all time favourite films.
All of the crazy stuff that they pull off like that backward flip with the car….you have to remember…they’re on a mission from God. So they have His divine hand in all they do.
Great reaction! Thank you. Another cameo that's easy to go unnoticed is Joe Walsh playing one of the inmates at the end of the movie. (I'm not sure without seeing it again, but I think he can be seen dancing on a table at some point).
My Pop saw Cab Calloway at the Savoy in Harlem in the 30’s! What a JOY it is to see reactors who know all the great artists in this movie! All the dudes in the band were with Booker T and the MG’s from STAX. I saw them live backing Otis Redding! ❤
Candy was never an SNL cast member as he was too loyal to SCTV but him and Dan Aykroyd were friends from way back. They even drove to Hollywood together at the start of their careers so Dan tried to get him for every movie he could
This was an amazing and enjoyable reaction:) I enjoy watching reactions, and I love the Blues Brothers movie, so this isn’t the first time I’ve watched a reaction for this. This is far and away my favorite, and it’s not even close. The enjoyment, enthusiasm, and awareness of some of the history you two bring to it made it so fun to watch:) Part of it was that this was one of my father’s favorite movies, and he passed away recently. Watching it with you made me think of how he might’ve felt watching it with me, my first time watching, thirty odd years ago. Thanks for sharing, guys:):)
The shorter of the prison guards was played by my drama professor Father Gerald Walling, a really nice guy and a great acting teacher! When he found out I was born and raised in Joliet, he had some stories to tell about his few days filming at the Collins Street prison.
This movie is a must-see for any movie and music fan!! I saw this in the theatres way back when I was 14, and gotta tell ya, it was hard to stay in my deat because I wanted to dance!! Full of so many cameos and quotable lines - I can rewatch this movie a million times and never get sick of it!! Thanks for reacting to this, fellas!! ❤❤❤
Y'all have NO IDEA how long and painful long wait it's been wanting this gem to be on this channel with you two! AAAHH... closure, lol! 😂 "Is that James? Is that Aretha?!" The rest of the movie: Hold my orange whip!
A fun time no matter how many times I've seen it, such an amazing cast, so much talent and one of the best soundtracks of any movie. There is an extended cut that adds some more on to the magic of the car.
I got to drive over that SAME BRIDGE every day for like 2 years, and every time it went up, I was thinking of gunning it. And it's still there today, and it still looks the same.
Landis thought all of his shots were precious so he reinserted a lot of the opening shots to the extended edition. Most reactors are already fed up with the movie before the music kicks in. This is a top tier reaction! Good job, guys!
When the Blues Bros band was originally formed in 1978, the individual musicians were very well-known in the R&B and Rock genres already. Aykroyd and Paul Shaffer (of "Late Night With David Letterman" fame as well as the original Blues Bros keyboardist), who were both cast member on "Saturday Night Live" at the time, put a dream list of the musicians together. Neither believed they'd be able to get them all, but in '78 - opening for Steve Martin at the Hollywood Bowl - they recorded their first albulm, the live "Briefcase Full Of Blues," which went double platinum and reached #1 on the Billboard Top 200.
I think Paul Shaffer was originally supposed to be a part of this movie. However, he had to pull out due to a scheduling conflict. At the same time, he was also doing music for a show starring another original SNL cast member, Gilda Radner.
Chicago blues singers, especially the old-school ones, were freakin’ amazing! I was lucky enough to see Koko Taylor perform in my Milwaukee college’s student union basement for a sadly tiny bunch of fans (seriously, there was less than 100 of us!) in 1985, and she was incredible. I was dancing to the side of her band when she saw me and started to shimmy along with me.
26:47 Elwood has been parking his car next to an electrical station (which means that is the extended cut you're watching), and the vehicle weirdness you opened with is supposed to be because of Elwood parking a car next to a Power Station...the car has some 'spirit' like Frankenstein's Monster.
Love this movie to bits, such good spirit, such good feel. Best bit: 'Your women, I want to buy your women...'. On a serious note: yeah, it's one big way to feature all the artists. That's why Jon and Dan wanted to make it, according to Landis. Bassist and guitarist are the M/G's, as in: Booker T. and the M.G.'s (Green Onions). This movie just makes you fall in love with music, if you haven't already. It's beautiful!
When this was filmed, Wrigley Field had no lights. Cubbies always played day games. They finally put lights in in the late 80's, if memory serves correctly.
@charliemac64 1988, to be exact. They were originally supposed to begin construction of lights in early December 1941, but the day before that was to start, Pearl Harbor happened, so the Cubs owner at the time donated all the lighting materials to the war effort.
I first saw this film when I was 11 or 12 when it would come on tv over 40 years ago (!!!). I was already a fan of Belushi because of SNL and Animal House but this film made me want to BE Belushi- I actually entered a couple of lipsinc contests in the late 80s as Joliet Jake (along with a taller friend as Elwood). Love this film and your reaction! A pleasure to watch it again with you two!
This movie came out when I was in high school. It’s such an outrageous movie. You have to just go with it and it’s hilarious. All the big names in small rolls. The amazing Blues artists, all gone now, but captured forever by this movie. The freakin Nat-zis? How can you not love it. 😂
This is one of my favourite films, I've seen a few reactions to this movie, but I must say gentlemen that I think your reaction is the the gold standard that other reactors should aspire to.
There will never be another movie like this one. The music, the music legends, the cast, the cars, the chases, the over-the-top ridiculousness,. There are so many different things that come together to make this a truly one of a kind movie.
I went to music college in Chicago, late 70's to early 80's. My friends and I watched this movie a million times! We used to quote this movie as much as we quoted Monty Python and the Holy Grail, lol. Watching this film is always like a little piece of home to my heart!
When I saw this as a kid in the 80's, I recognized Aretha, Rev. James, J.L. Hooker, Ray C., Cab Calloway. Even the Booker T & the MGs guys. I've seen many reaction vids from peeps who have no idea who these legends are, and it hurts. TY for rekkin Cab Calloway.
Kudos to you both for knowing the great artists featured in this movie. Still a favorite of mine. Two other cameos you missed. The man in the steam room is the singer/actor Steve Lawrence who was all over my TV back in the 60's and 70s. The English girl in the car was the incredibly influential fashion model Twiggy. She was instrumental in bringing in the super skinny waif look into the fashion world.
Well.... for post Audrey Hepburn the actress who sort of changed the voluptuous full figure of a Marilyn Monroe to the thinner bod type before Twiggy..... IMO. Audrey made some iconic musicals and was beautiful also living thru terrible WW2 conditions in Europe and her body could not gain weight later in life even.
Oh, man. This is the reaction I didn't know I needed until now. Back before they started on SNL, Belushi and Aykroyd used to make extra cash delivering cars cross country. Belushi was into rock and roll and Aykroyd was into blues, so they would alternate styles while driving for hours and days at a time. I think that was where they came up with the beginnings of the idea for the Blues Brothers characters.
Back in the mid '80s, when I was coming of age and discovering music that I had never heard before, I went back to the inspirations of some of the bands, and even in some cases, the inspirations of the inspiration. Going back farther to the roots of some of these musicians and musical styles deepened the well from which I can be inspired to create my own music as a fusion of all my most inspiring musical influences.
Lot of fun watching you guys see this... I've seen this movie probably 30+ times, including when it originally came out in the movie theater. The mall car chase scene was done in a mall that was closing down, so they just had to pay for whatever merchandise they destroyed. ALSO when Jake whips the cigarette out of that woman's mouth in the red shirt, it is a reference to the music video/song "Whip It" by DEVO, when they did the same thing.
As others have said, it is great to see someone reacting to this movie that actually KNOWS the greats making cameos. So many just smile politely as John Lee Hooker, Cab Calloway and Aretha Franklin to name but a few make an appearance. Sigh. The entire soundtrack is a banger.
Yep, I'm going to watch this reaction. Reason? I want to see two brothers watching the Blues Brothers and how many legendary artists they may, or may not, recognise.
You simply MUST watch the making-of DVD now! There is so much back-story and details that are worth knowing. It's a necessary companion to the film, in my opinion.
I watched this movie when it came out in Germany 1981, when I was 16 and man it opened a whole new world of music for me. I only knew a few black musicians back in the day, like Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Ray Charles who are in the movie, and Sammy Davis Jr. or Ella Fitzgerald. After the movie I bought albums from Cab Calloway, John Lee Hooker and so on. I became a great fan of those kind of R&B music.
Best reaction I've seen of this! 26:13 Theme from Peter Gunn (TV Show 1958-61) by Henry Mancini known for the Theme of the Pink Panther, Moon River (from Film Breakfast at Tiffany's), etc. winning 3 acadamy awards, a golden globe, at total of 26 awards and 127 nomination for major awards for his music.
Donald Duck Dunn (the guy smoking the pipe) was a session bassist for Stax and played with Booker T and the MG’s. Amongst his back catalogue are Otis Redding’s Respect and I Can’t Turn You Loose, along with Sam & Dave’s Hold On, I’m Coming…and many many more artists, including Elvis. And I’m pretty sure the pipe was practically a permanent fixture.
I saw this on the Biggest screen in London the week it opened with some British Friends! ( I was stationed in England in the USAF ) .... The Place Went Crazy!
They did shoot in the real Joliet correctional facility! Watch the Making Of, they talk about the set location! The prisoners got time off of their sentences for being on camera! The best movie of the 80s
I am REALLY enjoying your reactions, and I REALLY appriciate that you recognised Cab cAlloway. No One else did and I have watched a lot of these! I hav e to admit, I saw this the night it opened. And of course, there was no 24 hour news cycle, no MTV. I rcognised James immediately, and I KNEW I should know Aretha, but not until she started to sing. The pure joyin your faces is what I love about these. Pay attention to the Clerk they pay at the end.
"My God the Mafia's after us now! " The best non-musical cameo was former Atlantic Record Exec. Michael Klenfner. He actually did transform The Blues Brothers from an SNL skit into a legitimate touring band and a Grammy award-nominated act. 1:20:21
In an interview with Dan Aykroyd, he said he gathered all the old blues entertainers that he could find to pay homage to the great blues they had made. At the time, blues music was falling out of favor in the recording industry. The result is the fantastic movie we‘ve all enjoyed for 40+ years. You should checkout the Burt Reynolds movie „The Cannon Ball Run“ if you liked „Smokie and the Bandit“. Cheers
The music that seemed familiar was the Theme for the Peter Gunn tv show (1958-1961) and has been used hundreds of times in films, tv shows and more. It was written by Henry Mancini.
It is so refreshing watching reactors that know the depth of talent in this movie and the importance of the musicians to American music history. Kudos.
Oh yeah. If I ever see black reactors of a certen age i always check it out when it comes to this movie. Not saying other people won't get the camios but the odds go significantly up
So happy to see it. Most reactors can barely recognize Aretha. It’s always so disappointing. Great reaction!
Absolutely! White reactors have no idea who James Brown, Chaka, and even Aretha are!!
You are the first reactors I have seen who recognized Cab Calloway. I am so f__king happy!
@@davidmichaelson1092 I only knew who Cab Calloway was because of this movie, and I'm glad I learned who he is.
@@JoeMama410 One of the first real superstars of American music. So talented. His version of St. James Infirmary is my favorite. Also love when he highlights the Nicolas Brothers (literally stepping off the stage for them) in Jumpin Jive. Shows he can let others shine as well. And the Nicolas Brothers really shine. Worth a watch.
Cab Calloway was born in 1907, making him 73 when this movie came out. Amazing man.
The girl in the gold Lamé jacket at the gas station is 1970's British supermodel, Twiggy.
Such a brilliant reaction. Not only did you recognise most of the artists, but to watch you crying with laughter, made my day. Thank you.
This is the GREATEST Blues Brothers reaction I have come across man! Subscribed JUST on the strength of this! LOVED IT!!!
Fun fact: the Bluesmobile drive-by in the city was actually done at 114 mph. They had to do it twice, the first pass was done just with the car. They did a second pass with stuntmen as pedestrians to show the real speed and prove it was not just sped-up footage.
As a Chicagoan, this movie is pure Chicago of the 1970's
@@deemo7868 this is my favorite film to take place in the city of Chicago.
and suburbs
@@Logan_Zimmerman ... Agreed! I went to music college on the south side starting in fall 1979. One of my upper classmen had watched them shoot some of these scenes. We would go watch the movie, then drive all around town and of course, Lower Wacker. Damn, those were some fun times!
That is the best Blues Brother reaction yet!!! You guys did your research....
Holy shit, I just started this reaction.....I was already psyched and impressed that you were getting every little reference from the time period and noticing Frank Oz, and the history of Chicago......but when you recognized Cab Calloway.....this might be the greatest of all Blues Brothers reactions, the one we've all been waiting for!!!!
I have seen this move 100 times and seen 20 reactions to it and have never seen the Vaseline next to Elwood's bed and the picture of Jake and Carrie Fisher next to the flame thrower manual. Well done.
Really appreciate this one, fellas. 1 of my top comfort movies to re-watch of all time. They will never ever catch magic on film like this again.
This was my grandma favorite movie of all time 😂😂 RIP🙏🏾Granny
Grandma had good taste.
I saw this film in the theater. Now, I feel old🤣🤣🤣
@deemo7868 she had made her first VCR purchase and came with a 4 movie package lol hers came with Blues Brothers, Pinocchio, The Sandlot & Monster Truck event 🤣 and every time I would go to the country for the summer in the 90s we watch them same movies every year 😆
@@hbk-hotboy713had the same thing in the 80's with my grandmother. We didn't have a VCR but she did and she had 4 movies too.
Tom Thumb, Police Academy, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Romancing the Stone.
I still know all those movies line for line from memory 😂
I feel you:) One of my father’s favorites, and he passed away recently. It was bittersweet in the good way to see folks enjoy it so much.
I saw this theatrically in 1980 right before I turned 13. It exposed me to a genre of music and incredible artist that I didn’t even know existed. This is my favorite musical ever.👍
You both just made my day. Not only have you chose the best hommage to R&B in the history of filmmaking, you knew the artists and cameo performers. This movie came out after my only brother finished his tours in Vietnam. He left home at 17 and an amateur R&B garage musician immitating James Brown to entertain his 4 sisters. He came home and wasn't the same. Sister Thirdgirl and I treated him to this movie at the drive-in in Oakland in his 1963 Checkers. He howled with laughter and knew every song and artist. Told us that John Lee Hooker was a resident of Oakland. This movie became his favorite next to It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World. We lost him last year at 71. Thank you on behalf of my beloved brother, for being so informative with this gem.❤
This movie along with the second blues Brothers is a one of a kind movie with artists that are no longer with us. Is it definitely a hidden treasure. That definitely should be appreciated. Thank you for sharing. Please take care and be safe and remember it’s all about the music. 🎤🎧🎶🎼🎵🎷🎺🎹🎸🥁
The cast!!!!!! Can you even begin to imagine who you'd need to get involved today, and how much it would cost, today?! Who is even comparable today? There are so many absolute legends in this film, the film's still hilarious, and there simply is no better soundtrack. This film is timeless.
Best Blues Brothers reaction EVER! IT's great how much FUN you had, not to mention doing a great job of spotting the amazing musicians and singers they had.
The man they talked to in the steam room was Steve Lawrence, famous for his duo singing and comedy act with Eydie Gorme in the ‘60s. They were old Vegas alums and Frank Sinatra was his mentor.
Thanks for the reaction, this was a blast from the past!
In 1980, living in The Netherlands before internet, before social media, before '99 channels and nothing on' with numerous American shows and just Rolling Stone magazine and Mad magazine as a window to what went on in the USA... we had no clue who The Blues Brothers were. We had no idea they had some sketches on something called SNL.
But 17 year old me and some friends did love music and knew Aretha, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker.
Seeing this movie in cinema was like being in a lunatic asylum. And we went back for seconds that same week 😎
Later that year I got the 'Made in America' live album Jake and Elwood released. It didn't leave my turntable for weeks.
Born and raised and still live in Joliet. One of my fave films growing up.
I have been watching this for 40 years. One of the best musicals, outrageous comedies and collection of legendary cameos ever. So much influence and history.
Rip John belushi great comedian,singer,actor
I think there's only a handful of the cast still alive sadly. 😢
So many greats are immortalised in this masterpiece.
Watching you both laugh your ass off at my favourite childhood movie is just the best. Great music, great car chases, great laughs, and just so over the top absurd, it's just gold. Plus it also got me into blues and soul music 👌
Fun fact...the little kid who tried to steal the Strat guitar at Ray's Music Exchange was still acting and was the Limo driver ( Argyle) in the 1st Die Hard movie...De'voreaux White...
Yes 😂😂😊
I remember the critics being absolutely brutal to this movie when it was released in theatres. Their major beefs were the expense, the excessiveness (of the car chases and wrecks) and it being a one-joke Saturday Night Live spinoff. I also remember loving it on the big screen.
I was watching SNL the night the Blues Brothers debuted. It was the intro, Garrett Morris introduced them and when I saw it was Dan and John, was ready for a big joke. Instead, I watched their performance with my mouth hanging open. They sang “Soul Man”; the band was amazing and so were John and Dan’s vocals.The performance was followed with “Live from NY, it’s Saturday Night! Next thing I knew I was buying the album “Briefcase Full of Blues, they were touring and this awesome movie came out! GOOD times!
The song that you asked if it originated from this movie - no. The tune is the theme from "Peter Gunn", a private eye television show that ran from 1958 - 1961. It was written by Henry Mancini.
The Blues Brothers Band were the house band for Saturday Night Live from 1977 - 1981, also worked with Otis Redding at Stax Records
At the time, the shopping mall scene was the most expensive scene ever filmed. They found an abandoned mall and fixed it up to look like a working mall. The producers were later sued by the mall's owner because they just left it and didn't repair any of the damage. It's since been demolished.
This movie broke a record at the time by destroying 104 cars. They did one better in The Blues Brothers 2000 by destroying 105. The record has since been broken many times, mostly by the Fast and Furious movies.
That was a fantastic reaction to this movie, probably the best I've seen. Great job guys!
I was born in Chicago and lived in and around there through the 70's, 80's, and 90's so this is a hometown movie for me. My mom took me to see this movie almost once a week for months when it first came out, and we even had to drive past the overpass where the massive car crash happened where John Candy's car ended up in a truck. Heck, I even had the soundtrack on record and 8-track, lol. Damn I'm old...
I'm a huge fan of this movie. I've seen it (not including reactions) about 40 times. I first saw it when it came out when I was 12 years old in Harlem. You watched the extended cut. I'm a huge blues fan partly because of this movie, mostly because of my elders.
Same! As a white kid from Northern England, this film introduced me to a whole new world of music that I still love to this day. Also like you, I first saw this aged 12 and it's still one of my all time favourite films.
This movie has an all-star cast of musicians.
The funniest thing about this reaction is the kid in the background picking his nose. LOL
I was getting ready pull a caddyshack and start betting on what he would do with the booger. 😅
All of the crazy stuff that they pull off like that backward flip with the car….you have to remember…they’re on a mission from God. So they have His divine hand in all they do.
Great reaction! Thank you. Another cameo that's easy to go unnoticed is Joe Walsh playing one of the inmates at the end of the movie. (I'm not sure without seeing it again, but I think he can be seen dancing on a table at some point).
My Pop saw Cab Calloway at the Savoy in Harlem in the 30’s!
What a JOY it is to see reactors who know all the great artists in this movie!
All the dudes in the band were with Booker T and the MG’s from STAX. I saw them live backing Otis Redding! ❤
Everyone who watches this does not know Cab Calloway.
You guys are my guys
Candy was never an SNL cast member as he was too loyal to SCTV but him and Dan Aykroyd were friends from way back.
They even drove to Hollywood together at the start of their careers so Dan tried to get him for every movie he could
44:45 Matt "Guitar" Murphy! Excellent reaction, guys!
The record company executive with the envelope of cash is the late Mike Klenfner, promo chief of Columbia Records. RIP.
This was the best reaction I have ever seen to this movie!😂❤
This was an amazing and enjoyable reaction:) I enjoy watching reactions, and I love the Blues Brothers movie, so this isn’t the first time I’ve watched a reaction for this.
This is far and away my favorite, and it’s not even close. The enjoyment, enthusiasm, and awareness of some of the history you two bring to it made it so fun to watch:)
Part of it was that this was one of my father’s favorite movies, and he passed away recently. Watching it with you made me think of how he might’ve felt watching it with me, my first time watching, thirty odd years ago.
Thanks for sharing, guys:):)
The shorter of the prison guards was played by my drama professor Father Gerald Walling, a really nice guy and a great acting teacher! When he found out I was born and raised in Joliet, he had some stories to tell about his few days filming at the Collins Street prison.
This movie is a must-see for any movie and music fan!! I saw this in the theatres way back when I was 14, and gotta tell ya, it was hard to stay in my deat because I wanted to dance!! Full of so many cameos and quotable lines - I can rewatch this movie a million times and never get sick of it!! Thanks for reacting to this, fellas!! ❤❤❤
Y'all have NO IDEA how long and painful long wait it's been wanting this gem to be on this channel with you two! AAAHH... closure, lol! 😂
"Is that James? Is that Aretha?!"
The rest of the movie: Hold my orange whip!
less than halfway through and its my absolute favourite of syntell's reaction
A fun time no matter how many times I've seen it, such an amazing cast, so much talent and one of the best soundtracks of any movie. There is an extended cut that adds some more on to the magic of the car.
I got to drive over that SAME BRIDGE every day for like 2 years, and every time it went up, I was thinking of gunning it. And it's still there today, and it still looks the same.
Landis thought all of his shots were precious so he reinserted a lot of the opening shots to the extended edition. Most reactors are already fed up with the movie before the music kicks in. This is a top tier reaction! Good job, guys!
When the Blues Bros band was originally formed in 1978, the individual musicians were very well-known in the R&B and Rock genres already. Aykroyd and Paul Shaffer (of "Late Night With David Letterman" fame as well as the original Blues Bros keyboardist), who were both cast member on "Saturday Night Live" at the time, put a dream list of the musicians together. Neither believed they'd be able to get them all, but in '78 - opening for Steve Martin at the Hollywood Bowl - they recorded their first albulm, the live "Briefcase Full Of Blues," which went double platinum and reached #1 on the Billboard Top 200.
I think Paul Shaffer was originally supposed to be a part of this movie. However, he had to pull out due to a scheduling conflict. At the same time, he was also doing music for a show starring another original SNL cast member, Gilda Radner.
Chicago blues singers, especially the old-school ones, were freakin’ amazing! I was lucky enough to see Koko Taylor perform in my Milwaukee college’s student union basement for a sadly tiny bunch of fans (seriously, there was less than 100 of us!) in 1985, and she was incredible. I was dancing to the side of her band when she saw me and started to shimmy along with me.
26:47 Elwood has been parking his car next to an electrical station (which means that is the extended cut you're watching), and the vehicle weirdness you opened with is supposed to be because of Elwood parking a car next to a Power Station...the car has some 'spirit' like Frankenstein's Monster.
They also survive everything without a scratch because they're on a mission from Ghaad.
And that's how you make an unforgettable movie!
Love this movie to bits, such good spirit, such good feel.
Best bit: 'Your women, I want to buy your women...'.
On a serious note: yeah, it's one big way to feature all the artists. That's why Jon and Dan wanted to make it, according to Landis.
Bassist and guitarist are the M/G's, as in: Booker T. and the M.G.'s (Green Onions).
This movie just makes you fall in love with music, if you haven't already. It's beautiful!
This was a riot. I saw this on the big screen when it came out buzzed out of my mind. This reminded me of that lol.
When this was filmed, Wrigley Field had no lights. Cubbies always played day games. They finally put lights in in the late 80's, if memory serves correctly.
@charliemac64 1988, to be exact. They were originally supposed to begin construction of lights in early December 1941, but the day before that was to start, Pearl Harbor happened, so the Cubs owner at the time donated all the lighting materials to the war effort.
@bluebear1985 I knew it was when I was in the Navy, but couldn't remember exact year. 1988 it is now that I associate it with other events.
I first saw this film when I was 11 or 12 when it would come on tv over 40 years ago (!!!). I was already a fan of Belushi because of SNL and Animal House but this film made me want to BE Belushi- I actually entered a couple of lipsinc contests in the late 80s as Joliet Jake (along with a taller friend as Elwood).
Love this film and your reaction! A pleasure to watch it again with you two!
Gonna show my age. I saw this the night it came out. What a blast!! Great reaction guys.
This movie came out when I was in high school. It’s such an outrageous movie. You have to just go with it and it’s hilarious. All the big names in small rolls. The amazing Blues artists, all gone now, but captured forever by this movie. The freakin Nat-zis? How can you not love it. 😂
This is one of my favourite films, I've seen a few reactions to this movie, but I must say gentlemen that I think your reaction is the the gold standard that other reactors should aspire to.
You guys are an awesome tandem.
And you picked an absolute banger👍🏻
There will never be another movie like this one. The music, the music legends, the cast, the cars, the chases, the over-the-top ridiculousness,.
There are so many different things that come together to make this a truly one of a kind movie.
I saw it in the movie theater at 8 years old. I barely recall but people were singing and dancing in the theater 🎭 🎉❤
I went to music college in Chicago, late 70's to early 80's. My friends and I watched this movie a million times! We used to quote this movie as much as we quoted Monty Python and the Holy Grail, lol. Watching this film is always like a little piece of home to my heart!
When I saw this as a kid in the 80's, I recognized Aretha, Rev. James, J.L. Hooker, Ray C., Cab Calloway. Even the Booker T & the MGs guys. I've seen many reaction vids from peeps who have no idea who these legends are, and it hurts. TY for rekkin Cab Calloway.
"We've got both kinds; Country AND Western". That has always been my favorite line in the movie, and it went to an extra.
One of the greatest films
Kudos to you both for knowing the great artists featured in this movie. Still a favorite of mine. Two other cameos you missed. The man in the steam room is the singer/actor Steve Lawrence who was all over my TV back in the 60's and 70s. The English girl in the car was the incredibly influential fashion model Twiggy. She was instrumental in bringing in the super skinny waif look into the fashion world.
Well.... for post Audrey Hepburn the actress who sort of changed the voluptuous full figure of a Marilyn Monroe to the thinner bod type before Twiggy..... IMO. Audrey made some iconic musicals and was beautiful also living thru terrible WW2 conditions in Europe and her body could not gain weight later in life even.
Oh, man. This is the reaction I didn't know I needed until now. Back before they started on SNL, Belushi and Aykroyd used to make extra cash delivering cars cross country. Belushi was into rock and roll and Aykroyd was into blues, so they would alternate styles while driving for hours and days at a time. I think that was where they came up with the beginnings of the idea for the Blues Brothers characters.
Great reaction, great recognising the greats. Saw it in the theatres as a kid, hooked on Blues since. Cheers from South Africa. ⚡🥃🇿🇦
Had me rolling with the "i want the knife" reference 🤣 love seeing people know the musicians in this movie
Back in the mid '80s, when I was coming of age and discovering music that I had never heard before, I went back to the inspirations of some of the bands, and even in some cases, the inspirations of the inspiration. Going back farther to the roots of some of these musicians and musical styles deepened the well from which I can be inspired to create my own music as a fusion of all my most inspiring musical influences.
The part of the Nazi was played by Henry Gibson, a regular on Dan and Rowans, The Laugh In.
He was also "The doctor" on The Burbs with Tom Hanks, a great comedy horror spoof.
Def the best reaction to this absolute classic I've seen, and I scrub the search at least once a week for 'em. Great job, fellas! 😂😂😂
Lot of fun watching you guys see this... I've seen this movie probably 30+ times, including when it originally came out in the movie theater. The mall car chase scene was done in a mall that was closing down, so they just had to pay for whatever merchandise they destroyed. ALSO when Jake whips the cigarette out of that woman's mouth in the red shirt, it is a reference to the music video/song "Whip It" by DEVO, when they did the same thing.
As others have said, it is great to see someone reacting to this movie that actually KNOWS the greats making cameos. So many just smile politely as John Lee Hooker, Cab Calloway and Aretha Franklin to name but a few make an appearance. Sigh. The entire soundtrack is a banger.
Yep, I'm going to watch this reaction. Reason? I want to see two brothers watching the Blues Brothers and how many legendary artists they may, or may not, recognise.
I think "the penguin" did the first moonwalk.
😂still one of the most entertaining films in history. Love BB
You simply MUST watch the making-of DVD now! There is so much back-story and details that are worth knowing. It's a necessary companion to the film, in my opinion.
Heh! You guys have the most fun reaction I've ever seen. Keep up the good work.
I watched this movie when it came out in Germany 1981, when I was 16 and man it opened a whole new world of music for me. I only knew a few black musicians back in the day, like Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Ray Charles who are in the movie, and Sammy Davis Jr. or Ella Fitzgerald. After the movie I bought albums from Cab Calloway, John Lee Hooker and so on. I became a great fan of those kind of R&B music.
Best reaction I've seen of this! 26:13 Theme from Peter Gunn (TV Show 1958-61) by Henry Mancini known for the Theme of the Pink Panther, Moon River (from Film Breakfast at Tiffany's), etc. winning 3 acadamy awards, a golden globe, at total of 26 awards and 127 nomination for major awards for his music.
Donald Duck Dunn (the guy smoking the pipe) was a session bassist for Stax and played with Booker T and the MG’s. Amongst his back catalogue are Otis Redding’s Respect and I Can’t Turn You Loose, along with Sam & Dave’s Hold On, I’m Coming…and many many more artists, including Elvis. And I’m pretty sure the pipe was practically a permanent fixture.
I saw this on the Biggest screen in London the week it opened with some British Friends! ( I was stationed in England in the USAF ) .... The Place Went Crazy!
That song when driving to the hotel is from the tv show Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini.
I've now watched your whole reaction and it was wonderful! If I had ANY money I would join Patreon just so I could see your whole reaction!
They did shoot in the real Joliet correctional facility! Watch the Making Of, they talk about the set location! The prisoners got time off of their sentences for being on camera! The best movie of the 80s
This is the best reaction video I have ever seen. You guys were great
The microphone hanging from the car ceiling that Elwood is speaking into is an Astatic JT-30. I have one. Excellent harp mic.
I am REALLY enjoying your reactions, and I REALLY appriciate that you recognised Cab cAlloway. No One else did and I have watched a lot of these! I hav e to admit, I saw this the night it opened. And of course, there was no 24 hour news cycle, no MTV. I rcognised James immediately, and I KNEW I should know Aretha, but not until she started to sing. The pure joyin your faces is what I love about these. Pay attention to the Clerk they pay at the end.
"My God the Mafia's after us now! " The best non-musical cameo was former Atlantic Record Exec. Michael Klenfner. He actually did transform The Blues Brothers from an SNL skit into a legitimate touring band and a Grammy award-nominated act. 1:20:21
Congratulations! You just got a man who doesn’t know you, watch you, watch a
Movie for two hours. You were hilarious and very relatable. 👍
In an interview with Dan Aykroyd, he said he gathered all the old blues entertainers that he could find to pay homage to the great blues they had made. At the time, blues music was falling out of favor in the recording industry. The result is the fantastic movie we‘ve all enjoyed for 40+ years. You should checkout the Burt Reynolds movie „The Cannon Ball Run“ if you liked „Smokie and the Bandit“. Cheers
The music that seemed familiar was the Theme for the Peter Gunn tv show (1958-1961) and has been used hundreds of times in films, tv shows and more. It was written by Henry Mancini.
I think Landis wouldn't necessarily brag about Twilight Zone, Three people were killed.
And by the way....I loved Blues Brothers 2000!
Real film is to movie fans what vinyl is to music fans.
This was f-ing awesome, you two enjoyed the shit outta this!
I saw this as a double feature at a drive in theater in 1982 when I was 13. The other movie was Animal House!! They were my first R movies!