The Best of the Blues Brothers (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)Well here it is, the complete story of The Blues Brothers Band. The band that played soul, rhythm and blues, and blues. With the brilliant frontmen and performers Elwood and Jake, they quickly rose to fame across the nation. This DVD stars writer Tom Davis, Dan Ackroyd, and Elwood Blues himself. This DVD boasts 14 different musical performances of the band: I'm A King Bee, I've Got Everything I Need (Almost), Can't Turn You Loose, B-Movie Box Car 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 (alternative version). This is a unique DVD with an almost Behind the Music type set up. It is one hour long, not bad for thirteen dollars. It is also unique how the viewer is given the thoughts of both Dan Ackroyd and Elwood in this DVD, and how they both reacted to the loss their respective partners. While the last ten minutes or so are an advertisement for the House of Blues, the first 50 are interesting and very good. This video is not for the somewhat fan, but a must for the true fan of the Blues Brothers Band.

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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.

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The Best of Saturday Night Live: The Best of John Belushi (1975) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was happy to get a videotape that included some of the best and funniest moments in John Belushi's brief but brilliant career as a member of the Saturday Night Live cast. However, I was disappointed in the selection of material. Whoever chose the performances evidently feels that Belushi had as much or more to offer the world as a singer than he did as a comedian. This is a mistake, I think. Belushi was adept at imitating well-known performers like Joe Cocker and Roy Orbison, but this type of "appreciative imitation" does not hold long-term viewer appeal, really. This preoccupation with Belushi's musical talents carries over in an overexposure of Belushi and Ackroyd's "Blues Brothers" act. This was amusing in its time, with its accompanying social justice subtext (e.g., "Hey, we middle-class white guys can really appreciate the unheralded music of our soulful black brothers"). But twenty years later, it sounds hackneyed and overexposed. The Blues Brothers were good amateur blues musicians, but they were, in fact, amateurs, and not worth listening to/watching repeatedly.
There are some funny Belushi skits on the tape, including his Brando imitation as "The Godfather" and one amusing "Samurai" episode. But some of the greatest Belushi classics are missing. For example, if one Samurai episode was to be included, it surely should have been "Samurai Night Fever," which featured co-star O.J. Simpson (who, whatever his crimes and human weaknesses, was a dynamite SNL host). There also should have been a good Belushi commentary that included his famous "But nooooooooo!"
At the end of the tape there is a "montage" sequence in which are included snippets of a number of very funny Belushi skits that would have been better than some of those included in this tape. Maybe there should be a "More of the Best of John Belushi" sequel. I hope so. END

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