The Blues Brothers (Collector's Edition)

WEISS. THE BLUES BROTHERS REGROUP THEIR BAND, HOPING TO RAISE MONEY TO SAVE AN ORPHANAGE, AND IN THE PROCESS, THEY RUN AMOK IN CHICAGO.CONTAINS: THE STORIES BEHIND THE MAKING OF THE BLUES BROTHERS DOCUMENTARY FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH DIRECTOR JOHN LANDIS, DAN AYKROUD, THE BLUES BROTHERS BAND AND PRODUCER ROBERT K.

As Jake and Elwood struggle to reunite their old band and save the Chicago orphanage where they were raised, they wreak enough good-natured havoc to attract the entire Cook County police force. Along the way there's plenty of music to punctuate the action, including performances by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway, and James Brown that are guaranteed to knock you out. Otherwise this might have been just a bloated marathon of mayhem that quickly wears out its welcome (which is how some critics described this film and its 1998 sequel). As played with deadpan wit by Belushi and Aykroyd, the Blues Brothers are "on a mission from God," and that gives them a kind of reckless glee that keeps the movie from losing its comedic appeal. The result is a big-budget stunt-fest on a scale rarely attempted before or since, including extended car chases that result in the wanton destruction of shopping malls and more police cars than you can count. Keep an eye out for Steven Spielberg as the city clerk who stamps some crucial paperwork near the end of the film.--Jeff Shannon After building up the duo's popularity through recordings and several performances on Saturday Night Live, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd--as "legendary" Chicago blues brothers Jake and Elwood Blues--took their act to the big screen in this action-packed hit from 1980.