John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd's cult classic film 'The Blues Brothers' is the subject of a new book titled 'The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic' by Daniel De Visé [9ee6a90f]. The book explores the behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film and the rise of Belushi and Aykroyd as screen legends. It delves into the counterculture comedy revolution of the post-'60s, including 'Saturday Night Live,' The National Lampoon, and the Second City comedy troupe [9ee6a90f].
In 1980, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, two white comedians, dressed in black blazers and wearing sunglasses, portrayed the characters Jake and Elwood Blues, known as 'the Blues Brothers,' in a film that aimed to return the throne to African American stars in the music industry. The film, directed by John Landis, featured performances by African American soul artists and became a classic [600e8666]. The success of the film allowed Belushi and Aykroyd to reinvent themselves as the singers of a rhythm and blues band, record a best-selling album, and go on tour. However, shortly after their success, they went their separate ways. Belushi, known for his excessive drug consumption, died in 1982 at the age of 33 [600e8666]. The Blues Brothers film is considered a Catholic classic and has been recommended by the Vatican newspaper [600e8666].
The article highlights the excesses and challenges faced during the production of 'The Blues Brothers,' including the ballooning budget and Belushi's escalating substance abuse. It also addresses the accusations of cultural appropriation in the film and its impact on soul-music legends like Aretha Franklin and James Brown [9ee6a90f]. However, the book fails to address how Belushi's self-destructive behavior was allowed to continue unchecked [9ee6a90f]. The story of the Blues Brothers is chronicled in the book 'The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv and the Making of an American Film Classic' by Daniel de Visé [600e8666].
In a related development, aging stars like Mel Brooks, Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, and Eddie Murphy are releasing new films, risking their creative legacies [ff9a9590]. Mel Brooks is revisiting 'History of the World Part I' with a modern sequel series called 'History of the World Part 2' on Hulu, but it has not gained much attention. A sequel to 'Spaceballs' is in the works, potentially leaning into the satirical base of the Disney 'Star Wars' era. Eddie Murphy is returning to the 'Beverly Hills Cop' franchise with a Netflix original film, while Danny Glover will reprise his role in a fifth 'Lethal Weapon' film. These older stars risk embarrassing themselves and diminishing their creative legacies by revisiting their signature franchises [ff9a9590].
The article 'How The Brat Pack Article Killed The "Best Script" Emilio Estevez Said He'd Ever Gotten' by Hannah Postlethwait discusses the impact of David Blum's 'Hollywood's Brat Pack' article on Emilio Estevez and the potential collaboration between Estevez and Andrew McCarthy on the movie 'Young Men With Unlimited Capital: The Story of Woodstock' [bf175852]. The article explores how the Brat Pack label affected Estevez and McCarthy, leading Estevez to pull the plug on the movie due to the stigma surrounding the Brat Pack. The script, which Estevez considered one of the best he had read, focused on the legal troubles of Woodstock Ventures partners Joel Rosenman and John Roberts. The article highlights the missed opportunity of making the Woodstock movie in the 1980s and suggests that Estevez and McCarthy could still collaborate on the film to honor their Brat Pack legacy. The Brat Pack documentary, 'Brats,' examines the impact of the Brat Pack label on its members' careers and features interviews with Estevez, McCarthy, and other Brat Pack actors. The article also mentions Timothy Hutton's association with the Brat Pack and the significance of the Brat Pack in changing Hollywood's portrayal of teenagers and young adults [bf175852] [9ee6a90f].