It was a mission from God. Or maybe it was just a mission from John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. Honestly, looking back at the 1980 masterpiece, it’s hard to tell where the characters end and the actors begin. When people talk about the cast of Blues Brothers movie, they usually start with the black suits and the Wayfarer sunglasses. But the real story is much weirder, louder, and more influential than a simple comedy sketch turned feature film.
Universal Pictures was terrified. They had a massive budget—one that kept ballooning as Belushi’s party habits and the production’s penchant for smashing real police cars spiraled out of control. But the gamble wasn't just on the comedy. It was on a group of legendary musicians who, at the time, were basically considered "has-beens" by the disco-obsessed music industry.
The Frontmen: Jake and Elwood
John Belushi was at the peak of his powers and the edge of his personal cliff. Playing "Joliet" Jake Blues, he brought a physical, chaotic energy that shouldn't have worked in a musical. He wasn't a professional singer in the traditional sense, but he had soul. Real soul. He obsessed over the Howard Tate and Sam & Dave records that Dan Aykroyd introduced him to.
Aykroyd was the architect. As Elwood Blues, he was the straight man, the one who actually wrote the "Bible" for the characters. He didn't just want to make a funny movie; he wanted to curate a tribute to the South Side of Chicago. You’ve probably noticed he barely blinks in the film. That was a choice. He wanted Elwood to be this stoic, harmonica-playing machine.
They weren't alone on that stage. The chemistry between them was born from late-night sessions at "The Blues Bar," a private hang-out Aykroyd rented in New York during the early SNL years. They were fans first, stars second. That’s why they insisted on a real band. No session players. No faking it.
The Real Stars: The Best Band You Ever Heard
This is where the cast of Blues Brothers movie gets legendary. Most Hollywood productions would have hired a composer and some background extras to pretend to play instruments. Not here.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn were the backbone. They were part of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. They literally created the Stax Records sound. When you hear the bassline on "Soul Man," that's Duck Dunn. When you hear the iconic guitar riffs on "Green Onions," that's Cropper. Having them in the movie gave the project an immediate, undeniable credibility.
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Then you had the horn section. Lou "Blue Lou" Marini and Alan "Mr. Fabulous" Rubin. These guys were jazz and R&B royalty. They weren't just playing for the cameras; they were playing for their lives because, at that point, the world had largely forgotten about the grit of Memphis soul.
- Matt "Guitar" Murphy: A veteran who played with Howlin' Wolf and Memphis Slim. His "domestic dispute" scene with Aretha Franklin is cinema gold.
- Willie "Too Big" Hall: The man who drummed for Isaac Hayes (yes, including the "Theme from Shaft").
- Murphy Dunne: He stepped in on keys because Paul Shaffer couldn't get out of his SNL contract.
It was a lightning-in-a-bottle assembly. These musicians weren't just "in the cast." They were the reason the movie survived its own chaotic production. They kept the rhythm when everything else was falling apart.
The Cameos That Changed Everything
If the band was the engine, the guest stars were the fuel. Director John Landis and the leads used their clout to bring in the deities of Black music.
James Brown as Reverend Cleophus James. Think about that. The Godfather of Soul, in a church, performing "Old Landmark." It wasn't just a scene; it was a spiritual awakening for the audience. Ray Charles as the owner of Ray’s Music Exchange. He played "Shake a Tail Feather" and reminded the world that he was still the genius.
And then, there’s Aretha.
Aretha Franklin hadn't had a hit in years when she joined the cast of Blues Brothers movie. Her career was in a slump. Then she walked into that diner, wearing a hairnet, and belted out "Think." It is arguably the greatest musical sequence in film history. She didn't just play a role; she reclaimed her throne. The movie didn't just use these icons; it revitalized their careers for a new generation of white kids who had never heard of the Apollo Theater.
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The Chaos Behind the Scenes
It wasn't all soulful singing and car chases. The production was a mess.
Belushi’s drug use was so rampant that a dedicated "smell-tester" was allegedly on hand to check for cocaine. There’s a famous story about Belushi wandering off into a nearby neighborhood in the middle of the night, entering a random house, and falling asleep on a stranger's couch after eating their food. The guy recognized him and just let him sleep.
The "Bluesmobile" was actually 13 different 1974 Dodge Monacos. They had a 24-hour body shop just to keep them running. When they filmed the scene where the car finally falls apart under the Richard J. Daley Center, it had to happen in one take. The mechanics spent months rigging it to collapse perfectly.
Carrie Fisher, who played the "Mystery Woman," was actually engaged to Dan Aykroyd during filming. He proposed on set after he saved her from choking on a piece of Brussels sprout using the Heimlich maneuver. You can't make this stuff up. It’s that kind of weird, high-stakes energy that makes the movie feel so alive even decades later.
Why the Critics Were Wrong
When it first came out, some critics hated it. They called it bloated. They called it an expensive vanity project for two SNL stars. They were wrong because they missed the point.
The cast of Blues Brothers movie wasn't trying to make a sophisticated comedy. They were making a love letter. It’s a movie where a massive pile-up of 103 cars is just as important as a John Lee Hooker cameo on a Maxwell Street sidewalk. It bridged the gap between the counterculture of the 70s and the commercialism of the 80s, all while keeping its shoes polished.
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John Candy as Burton Mercer and Henry Gibson as the Head Nazi provided the perfect comedic foils. They represented the "authority" that Jake and Elwood were constantly outrunning. Even the bit parts were stacked. Frank Oz (the voice of Yoda) plays the corrections officer. Steven Spielberg even makes an appearance as the Cook County Assessor at the very end.
Legacy and the Sound of Chicago
The film ended up grossing over $115 million. More importantly, it spawned a touring band that stayed together long after Belushi passed away in 1982. It created a brand.
But beyond the money, it preserved a version of Chicago that was disappearing. The Maxwell Street market scenes are a historical document now. That area has been gentrified beyond recognition, but in the film, it’s vibrant, dirty, and soulful.
The movie also did something radical for 1980: it put Black musical icons front and center without making them the butt of the joke. They were the masters. Jake and Elwood were the students. That dynamic is why the film hasn't aged poorly like so many other comedies from that era.
How to Experience the Blues Brothers Today
If you want to truly appreciate the work of the cast of Blues Brothers movie, don't just watch the film on a loop.
- Listen to the Soundtrack First: Put on "Briefcase Full of Blues." It was recorded live before the movie was even finished. It captures the raw energy of the band without the cinematic polish.
- Watch the Extended Cut: There are about 15 minutes of footage restored in later home releases that give more context to the "supernatural" elements of the Bluesmobile, like it being "recharged" by a power transformer.
- Explore the Sidemen: Look up the discography of Steve Cropper and Matt Murphy. If you like what you heard in the movie, you have decades of incredible soul and blues music to catch up on.
- Visit the Locations: If you’re ever in Chicago, go to the Old Post Office where the final chase ends. Most of the original soul food diners are gone, but the spirit of the South Side still resonates in the local blues clubs like Buddy Guy’s Legends.
The Blues Brothers wasn't just a movie. It was a successful attempt to save a genre of music from being buried by the disco ball. It worked. Because of Jake, Elwood, and the greatest backing band in history, the blues didn't just stay alive—it went platinum.
Next Steps for the Ultimate Fan: To deepen your knowledge of the film's production, seek out the documentary The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. It features extensive interviews with John Landis and Dan Aykroyd regarding the specific logistics of the car chases and the challenges of filming in 1970s Chicago. Additionally, tracking down the original Stax Records recordings of the songs covered in the film will provide a masterclass in the arrangements created by the band's musical director, Tom Malone.