Rubin, Alan

The Blues Brothers (Widescreen 25th Anniversary Edition)

Belushi and Aykroyd star as the Blues Brothers who are trying to reunite their rhythm and blues band in order to raise some honest money.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: R
Release Date: 17-JAN-2006
Media Type: DVD

After building up the duo's popularity through popular recordings and several performances on Saturday Night Live, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd--as "legendary" Chicago blues brothers Jake and Elwood Blues--took their act to the big screen in this action-packed hit from 1980. As Jake and Elwood struggle to reunite their old band and save the Chicago orphanage where they were raised, they wreak enough good-natured havoc to attract the entire Cook County police force. The result is a big-budget stunt-fest on a scale rarely attempted before or since, including extended car chases that result in the wanton destruction of shopping malls and more police cars than you can count. Along the way there's plenty of music to punctuate the action, including performances by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway, and James Brown that are guaranteed to knock you out. As played with deadpan wit by Belushi and Aykroyd, the Blues Brothers are "on a mission from God," and that gives them a kind of reckless glee that keeps the movie from losing its comedic appeal. Otherwise this might have been just a bloated marathon of mayhem that quickly wears out its welcome (which is how some critics described this film and its 1998 sequel). Keep an eye out for Steven Spielberg as the city clerk who stamps some crucial paperwork near the end of the film. --Jeff Shannon

The Blues Brothers (Collector's Edition)

After building up the duo's popularity through recordings and several performances on Saturday Night Live, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd--as "legendary" Chicago blues brothers Jake and Elwood Blues--took their act to the big screen in this action-packed hit from 1980. As Jake and Elwood struggle to reunite their old band and save the Chicago orphanage where they were raised, they wreak enough good-natured havoc to attract the entire Cook County police force. The result is a big-budget stunt-fest on a scale rarely attempted before or since, including extended car chases that result in the wanton destruction of shopping malls and more police cars than you can count. Along the way there's plenty of music to punctuate the action, including performances by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway, and James Brown that are guaranteed to knock you out. As played with deadpan wit by Belushi and Aykroyd, the Blues Brothers are "on a mission from God," and that gives them a kind of reckless glee that keeps the movie from losing its comedic appeal. Otherwise this might have been just a bloated marathon of mayhem that quickly wears out its welcome (which is how some critics described this film and its 1998 sequel). Keep an eye out for Steven Spielberg as the city clerk who stamps some crucial paperwork near the end of the film.--Jeff Shannon

The Best of the Blues Brothers

Dan Aykroyd and Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) take turns telling how the Blues Brothers came to be, in a restaurant interview with Tom Davis (once upon on a time teamed with Al Franken on Saturday Night Live). For those who don't know, the Blues Brother are Joliet Jake Blues (John Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd), two black-clad R & B artists who made it big with recurring appearances on Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s, and with the number-one hit "Soul Man," and of course in the hit 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers. The conceit of the restaurant interview allows Aykroyd to give some much-needed background to the origins of the act he and Belushi developed. It also serves as a lead-in to live footage, the real appeal of the video, which is an anthology of Saturday Night Live performances (including the first one where they were dressed in Killer Bees costumes), and concert footage from the 1979 U.S. tour. A must-have for Blues Brothers fans, the DVD also includes an instructional video for those who want to learn blues harmonica. --Jim Gay

Writer Tom Davis hosts a Blues Brothers retrospective that tells the whole truth about the legendary band's early days and righteous ways. The Blues Brothers were an unforgettable part of Saturday Night Live's golden era, making their musical debut in bee costumes singing "I'm a King Bee," and becoming an overnight sensation. Switching to hats and shades inspired by John Lee Hooker, they combined classic Chicago Blues with Stax-Volt R&B to create a sound all their own. Their first album, Briefcase Full of Blues, went double-platinum and led quickly to their hit movie and milestone soundtrack album. The rest is history, and it's all here in a music-filled, memory-blasting account of a band that will always be on a mission from God. The Songs: I'm a King Bee; I've Got Everything I Need (Almost); Can't Turn You Loose; B-Movie Boxcar Blues; Soul Man; Messin' with the Kid; Groove Me; Flip, Flop & Fly; I Don't Know; Hey, Bartender; Jailhouse Rock; Rubber Biscuit; Shotgun Blues; Soul Man (Alternate Version). 60 minutes.

The Best of the Blues Brothers

Dan Aykroyd and Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) take turns telling how the Blues Brothers came to be, in a restaurant interview with Tom Davis (once upon on a time teamed with Al Franken on Saturday Night Live). For those who don't know, the Blues Brother are Joliet Jake Blues (John Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd), two black-clad R & B artists who made it big with recurring appearances on Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s, and with the number-one hit "Soul Man," and of course in the hit 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers. The conceit of the restaurant interview allows Aykroyd to give some much-needed background to the origins of the act he and Belushi developed. It also serves as a lead-in to live footage, the real appeal of the video, which is an anthology of Saturday Night Live performances (including the first one where they were dressed in Killer Bees costumes), and concert footage from the 1979 U.S. tour. A must-have for Blues Brothers fans, the DVD also includes an instructional video for those who want to learn blues harmonica. --Jim Gay

National Lampoon's Animal House & Blues Brother (Two Pack)