The Blues Brothers
An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic
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- 3,99 €
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- 3,99 €
Publisher Description
'Highly entertaining' Empire
'A must read' Independent
'Remarkable' Judy Belushi Pisano
'This book is on a mission from God' DBC Pierre
The Blues Brothers hit cinemas on 20th June, 1980. Today, it 's recognised as one of the most significant films of the twentieth century. Its spotlighting of some of the world's most legendary rhythm and blues artists - Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker - made the film as unforgettable as its wild car chases.
In The Blues Brothers, Daniel de Visé shares the history of this timeless movie, encompassing the colourful childhoods of Belushi and Aykroyd; the comedic revolution sparked by The Harvard Lampoon; the birth and drug-filled early years of Saturday Night Live; and of course, the indelible behind-the-scenes narrative of how the film was made.
Based on original research and dozens of interviews probing the memories of principals from director John Landis and producer Bob Weiss to Aykroyd himself, The Blues Brothers illuminates in glorious technicolour, the making of an American masterpiece and the birth of modern comedy.
'Droll and rigorous . . . bracingly thorough' The Times
'[A] diverting celebration' Irish Times
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This boisterous romp by de Visé (King of the Blues) recounts how Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi came up with the Blues Brothers and turned the Saturday Night Live characters into a beloved movie. Aykroyd introduced Belushi to the blues while the two were performing improv with Chicago's Second City troupe in the early 1970s. Belushi was a quick convert and, after he and Aykroyd joined the inaugural cast of SNL in 1975, he often made guest appearances singing with Manhattan blues acts. SNL creator Lorne Michaels caught one of Belushi's performances and suggested he repeat the shtick to warm up SNL's audience. With Aykroyd's help, the Blues Brothers were born, but Michaels remained skeptical the act was ready for television and relented only when he needed to pad out a 1978 episode that was running short. The skit became a passion for Aykroyd and Belushi and they soon got a movie greenlit. De Visé recreates the film's troubled production, which was beset by the logistical difficulties of shooting on location in Chicago and Belushi's worsening drug addiction, and offers perceptive portraits of Aykroyd and Belushi, describing the former as an "obsessive method actor" and the latter as an impassioned performer with "impeccable instincts but no real plan." The result is a loving ode to a comedy classic.
