Gimmie Some Lovin

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

The Blues Brothers is by far my most coveted, eighties flick. It starts off in Chicago with Elwood Blues reuniting with his on parole brother, Jake Blues. From there, the two are on a mission from God to save the orphanage where they grew up at.

I fell in love with this movie during my high school years because I was unfazed with the present and what it had to offer. Plus, I wasn't the typical teenager. I’ll admit I was different. I got along with the teachers more so than I did other students, I liked things from the past (antiques, movies, music, actors, etc.), and I found the past more interesting than the present.

This film won my heart over in an instant, causing me to complete my first successful cosplay as Elwood Blues, to explore the eighties, and to discover something about myself. Below are the reasons why I love The Blues Brothers.

5. Elwood Blues

michaelgraham.com

LOOK AT THIS MAN. LOOK AT HIM. Tall, dark, handsome, and slender as a tooth pick. Every girl’s crazy bout a sharp dressed man and Elwood is no exception. He’s quiet, soft spoken yet very clever and resourceful. His driving skills are insane and gifted by the good grace of God, his voice is as deep as the ocean floor and gorgeous, and he’s fantastic.

4. The Music

This movie is basically a musical and with it, there are many melodic acts. These acts feature extremely famous musicians such as Ray Charles, Cab Calloway (the inspiration for Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas), James Brown, and even the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. This musical is just busting with great songs, choreography, and celebrities.

3. The Stories

Not only is the plot of this movie excellent but the behind the scenes stories are just as great. One of the more famous stories is that John Belushi (Jake Blues) disappeared from the set. No one knew where he was and so they drove around the area looking for him. Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues) went to every house in the neighborhood and asked if anyone had seen John. Finally, he reached one house and the residents said that John was at their residence. The owners led Dan inside to which he found John asleep on their couch. Other stories include them losing their sunglasses and fedoras often and Cab Calloway refusing to cooperate with the cast.

2. The Chemistry

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi were the heart and soul of this movie. Their acting throughout this movie was phenomenal, as though they were brothers in real life. What’s even greater about these actors is that they not only gelled well on set, but off set as well. They were the best of friends in real life, always helping each other out, and even writing a biography for their characters of this movie. The biography wasn't a simple paragraph either. It was a full fledged book on every single thing Jake and Elwood did in their lives, like visiting multiple brothels, growing up in the orphanage, and other events. Dan and John’s experiences and bonds helped them to create great personas not only in the movie, but in reality as well.

1. What it Taught Me

The Blues Brothers taught me something that has helped me to this day. It’s a lesson that at some point everyone, if not most people, learn in their lives and it’s that it’s okay to be different. It’s okay to not go out every Friday and party because you’re not a social butterfly. It’s all right if you want to try new things and embrace them wholeheartedly. It’s perfectly fine if you want to be someone else for a while in an attempt to understand yourself better.

If you've never seen this movie, I seriously recommend watching it. It’s a classic movie full of laughter, great acting, and wonderful music.

For those who have seen this movie, what did you enjoy the most about it? Feel free to comment and as always, feedback and followers are welcomed.