Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.
Practical Effects
Real cars destroyed. Real mall demolished. No CGI, just commitment.
Costume
Black suits, skinny ties, fedoras. Accidentally the most influential fit in cinema.
Director
John Landis
John Belushi
'Joliet' Jake Blues
Dan Aykroyd
Elwood Blues
James Brown
Cleophus James
Cab Calloway
Curtis
Ray Charles
Ray
Aretha Franklin
Mrs. Murphy
Steve Cropper
Steve 'The Colonel' Cropper
Donald 'Duck' Dunn
Donald 'Duck' Dunn
Murphy Dunne
Murphy 'Murph' Dunne
Willie Hall
Willie 'Too Big' Hall
Tom Malone
"Bones" Malone
Lou Marini
'Blue Lou' Marini
Alan Rubin
Mr. Fabulous
Carrie Fisher
Mystery Woman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Belushi's drug habit was so severe during filming that Aykroyd had a 'cocaine budget' line item in production costs. Landis later called it 'the most expensive movie ever made per gram.'
The film revived interest in blues and R&B among white audiences, but critics note it centered white performers while Black legends played supporting 'authenticity' roles—a tension the movie never examines.
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Reactions from the web
James Brown's character asking "Do you see the light?" followed by the telephone booth explosion is one of the funniest trailer edits I have ever seen.
@VectraQS 60
Happy 45th Anniversary to this legendary film 😎
@STILLDeliveryServiceFan06 10
you're doing the lords work
@xXChamplooXx 14
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