THE BLUES BROTHERS ... THE MUSICAL REVIEW
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"They'll never get caught. They're on a mission from God." This musical comedy features blues-style music, with performances by James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Arthea Franklin and Hooker, all nicely worked into the script, which is a characteristic of all well-written, smooth-running musicals. The script is not only a fresh, creative work of art, but also hysterically funny, with a fast-moving pace to keep the momentum going. It tells the story of Jake (Belushi) and Elwood (Aykroyd) Blues, two characters who would never be poster boys for model citizens. To say it mildly, they have the tendency to get into trouble with the law and everyone else they meet along the way. After Jake is released from prison, and picked up by Elwood, this crazy, creative comedy begins. After visiting the head nun, known as "The Penguin," (Kathleen Freeman}, at their old orphanage, they learn that the orphanage would be closing, unless the county's $5,000 tax assessment was paid within 15 days. After catching the spirit at Reverend Cleophus James' (James Brown) church, they "start their mission from God," to raise the needed money, by getting "THE BAND" back together, making plenty of enemies along the way. Favorite scenes include: Meeting with "The Penguin," Nazi water incident, The church scene, Car chase with police in the mall, The process of getting "THE BAND" back together, The western bar scene, all the musical sequences, and The grand-scale chase at the end of the movie. Kathy Freeman, as the head nun, "The Penquin," is hilarious. John Candy as the probation officer, Burton Mercer, is quite funny. There are many other stars that have delightful small roles. Look for Frank Oz, Carrie Fischer, Henry Gibson, Twiggy, Steve Lawrence, Jeff Morris, and Paul Reubens. For most people, this film offers great entertainment, that is one of it's kind! Parent Guide: Does have some potty words, and a few four letter ones as well, mostly from band members, and some of their unhappy enemies. Violence is of the cartoon quality though. No one gets hurt, despite all the gun shots and crashes. Written by: Dan Aykroyd and John Landis Produced by: Robert Wiess. Directed by: John Landis. If you enjoyed THE BLUES BROTHERS you may like "Sister Act," "Sister Act 2," "Ghostbusters,""Ghostbusters 2," "Coneheads," "Dragnet," and/or "The Commitments."

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