Learning from Movies: The Blues Brothers

What can I tell you about The Blues Brothers that you don’t already know?

At the time of its release, critics almost universally panned this extended SNL skit.

It cost an estimated $27 million US (in 1980), but made less than $5 million on its opening weekend (which to be fair, it opened against The Empire Strikes Back). Yet, three years later, it more than quadrupled that budget.

Now, it’s 85% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, where 85% of respondents report liking it.

The Blues Brothers showed Hollywood that opening weekends weren’t the only measurement of success. International box office, soundtrack sales, TV showings, home video rentals, and cable television broadcasts all played parts in the profitability of films.

In fact, you could make the claim that The Blues Brothers made direct-to-video films and made-for-cable movies possible.

Humor and trivia, in loving memory of Charles Napier (4/12/36 – 10/5/11), after the break.

• Never pick your brother up from prison in an old police car.
• Trading a Cadillac for a microphone could be reasonable, depending on the circumstances.
• If it’s got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks; and it's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas, it might be the new Bluesmobile.
• You can’t lie to a nun – especially not Sister Mary Stigmata.
• There’s a fine line between lying and bullshitting.
• Music can form bonds stronger than family.
• When you need inspiration, you might consider sliding down to the Triple Rock and catching the Reverend Cleophas James. You just might see the light.
• Yes, in fact, that is Chaka Khan as one of the choir soloists.
• You can outrun one police car, but you can’t outrun your own mistakes – or police radios – so you better have alternate plans.
• No one can catch you if you’re on a mission from God.
• Wrigley Field is at 1060 West Addison.
• The police are not amused by falsified license renewals that lead them to local landmarks.
• An employee of Ray’s Music Exchange must be present before you can handle the instruments.
• The line, "They broke my watch!" occurs three times in the film, each time spoken or voiced over by a policeman on the losing end of a car chase with the Blues Brothers.
• Bob’s Country Bunker has both kinds of music – country and western.
• Exposition is stupid. Don’t tell us “This is glue. Strong stuff,” if it says “Marine Epoxy” right on the can in huge letters.
• Great music is timeless, and sometimes a silly movie can restart musical careers.
• Yes, that is Joe Walsh, of The James Gang and The Eagles who first jumps up on a table during the prison musical sequence at the end of the film.

Sometimes in your life, you’re blessed with something great. You may not know how you got it, but you know when you’ve got it. When you do, hold onto it. Fight for it with all you’re might.