The Blues Brothers
- Author Daniel De Visé
- Narrator Johnny Heller
- Publisher Orion
- Publish Date 28 March 2024
- Run Time 11 hours and 12 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Biography: general, Films, cinema.
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What to expect
'Highly entertaining' Empire
'A must read' Independent
'Remarkable' Judy Belushi Pisano
'This book is on a mission from God' DBC Pierre
The Blues Brothers hit cinemas on 20th June, 1980. Today, it 's recognised as one of the most significant films of the twentieth century. Its spotlighting of some of the world's most legendary rhythm and blues artists - Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker - made the film as unforgettable as its wild car chases.
In The Blues Brothers, Daniel de Visé shares the history of this timeless movie, encompassing the colourful childhoods of Belushi and Aykroyd; the comedic revolution sparked by The Harvard Lampoon; the birth and drug-filled early years of Saturday Night Live; and of course, the indelible behind-the-scenes narrative of how the film was made.
Based on original research and dozens of interviews probing the memories of principals from director John Landis and producer Bob Weiss to Aykroyd himself, The Blues Brothers illuminates in glorious technicolour, the making of an American masterpiece and the birth of modern comedy.
'Droll and rigorous . . . bracingly thorough' The Times
'[A] diverting celebration' Irish Times
'A must read' Independent
'Remarkable' Judy Belushi Pisano
'This book is on a mission from God' DBC Pierre
The Blues Brothers hit cinemas on 20th June, 1980. Today, it 's recognised as one of the most significant films of the twentieth century. Its spotlighting of some of the world's most legendary rhythm and blues artists - Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker - made the film as unforgettable as its wild car chases.
In The Blues Brothers, Daniel de Visé shares the history of this timeless movie, encompassing the colourful childhoods of Belushi and Aykroyd; the comedic revolution sparked by The Harvard Lampoon; the birth and drug-filled early years of Saturday Night Live; and of course, the indelible behind-the-scenes narrative of how the film was made.
Based on original research and dozens of interviews probing the memories of principals from director John Landis and producer Bob Weiss to Aykroyd himself, The Blues Brothers illuminates in glorious technicolour, the making of an American masterpiece and the birth of modern comedy.
'Droll and rigorous . . . bracingly thorough' The Times
'[A] diverting celebration' Irish Times
Critics Review
Daniel de Visé has done a remarkable job of pulling together a credible telling of a complicated story. The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship...is a riveting examination of this remarkable band, its compelling characters and the music they cherish. Equally importantly, Dan seems to have managed to embrace the humor, humanity, love and tragedy that makes the story of the Blues Brothers a worthwhile tale
Here is the true story of a human sunflare. In case we forget that we're as organic as the sun, that blazes of naked spirit once rose wherever the mysteries of nature and chance threw humans together whose madness, passion, conflict and love could combust in real life - till everyone was lit and became a part of the dazzle. This is how it works. This is how we burn. This book is on a mission from God.
An award-winning journalist chronicles the story of the iconic 1980 film and the bond between its two stars . . . Exhaustively researched, highly informative . . . A complete portrait of a classic film and the zeitgeist of its era
Daniel de Visé has brought the iconic comedy friendship between Belushi and Aykroyd brilliantly to life in this thoroughly researched, beautifully written book about one of the funniest movies ever made. I loved every page
This thorough account of the Blues Brothers' origin story is as fun and riveting as the comedy classic itself. From the act's beginnings in the raucous early days of Saturday Night Live to Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi's serious love for the blues and each other, Daniel de Visé chronicles this unique chapter in film history like a virtuoso
Aykroyd and Belushi's singing, dancing, car-crashing mission from God came about because of their ferocious devotion to the blues. That same passion flows through Daniel de Visé's riveting, meticulously detailed book, in which the creation of one of Hollywood's most wonderful oddities is chronicled like never before. A worthy tribute to a raucous masterpiece - and as flavoursome as four fried chickens and a Coke
A must-read for fans of a cinema classic
An impeccably researched, clear-headed, highly entertaining book
An exhaustive, illuminating, funny, tragic and propulsive account of the Blues Brothers' ascent into pop culture immortality ... tremendous, riveting detail
Droll and rigorous . . . bracingly thorough
This is a well-researched book. Better, it's a well-told story, one that rarely loses it focus on the larger picture - the many forces that came together to create comedy by the baby boom generation for the baby boom generation - while engaging the reader in a close-up view of two very different, very funny men
Mr. de Vise's book...races along on a whoosh of marvelous details and crackling anecdotes
This absolute blast of a book ... full of incredible research and fascinating details ... One of this book's many strengths is the portrayal of the friendship and dynamic between the two stars
Enjoyably rollicking, in-depth analysis
It was a good book. Whipped through
[A] boisterous romp . . . A loving ode to a comedy classic
[De Visé] has compiled the definitive one-stop history of the Blues Brothers band, the film and a touching dual biography of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd
Dan de Visé explores in great depth the relationships and circumstances that led to the film's creation, and its sombre aftermath. . . . a definitive account of The Blues Brothers' creation
Offers a completist's account of the genesis of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi's act and the drug-fuelled comedy world and culture out of which it emerged. It's also the most detailed biography yet of the pair's quieter, brainier half, Aykroyd.
Takes readers into the chaos of the making of the film and its aftermath. The narrative becomes even more riveting as filming of The Blues Brothers kicks off, and it's also more tragic as it shows the steady decline that ultimately led to Belushi's tragic death in 1982. Will be popular with fans of pop culture and aficionados of film and TV history, as it not only covers the creation of The Blues Brothers but also serves as a dual biography of Aykroyd and Belushi
[A] diverting celebration
Goes to phenomenal lengths to detail not just the making of the Blues Brothers film (which is a bonkers story in and of itself), but goes back to the beginning, detailing the upbringings of the two actors, their explorations into a burgeoning comedy scene, their rise at SNL, and all the blues that's fit to print.
[A] a superb social history of the 1970s in America, where political turmoil reigned, the counterculture clawed its way into the mainstream, and edgy comedians began to replace rock stars as some of the decade's most interesting commentators and figures
Daniel De Visé has done this wonderful and raucous film truly proud with a fascinating account. . . . [T]he definitive telling of the making of The Blues Brothers
A pleasure to behold. . . . As much fun as this book is, it's like watching Titanic. You're enjoying it so much that you almost forget about the tragic ending
Entertaining . . . There's lots of fun celebrity gossip in The Blues Brothers... that provide a bittersweet undertone to this memoir
With the feel of a class reunion or like paging through your high school annual, this book will very much appeal to readers who can still quote the movie or sing its songs. Start The Blues Brothers, and you'll be hooked
Authentic as well as meticulously researched... an eminently readable story of how a paper-thin spin-off from a cult TV show has endured so long. Highly recommended.
No matter what its title may say, this engaging and deeply researched book is not really about the Blues Brothers. . . . Rather, it's the story of the differing paths that the methodical, introspective Aykroyd and the slovenly, hedonistic Belushi took to 'S.N.L.' and to stardom. . . . De Visé recognizes the importance of music in Belushi and Aykroyd's offbeat partnership, and in the many projects they were part of, and the author's ear for writing about it gives his book its own irresistible hum
A lively and authoritative tribute to a comedy classic, [with] incisive biographical portraits of its two leads
Engaging. . . . As its title implies, de Visé's entertaining - if that is the right word - canter through Belushi and Aykroyd's lives and times covers a fair number of bases. Several myths are scotched along the way
If you're wondering whether the subtitle of this book oversells it a bit, as far as I'm concerned, the answer is a resounding 'No.' . . . If you're a devotee of the movie or a fan of the early Saturday Night Live, you'll enjoy this thorough, authoritative, and lively book
The Blues Brothers brings a hefty dose of humor, heart, and music in charting the life, death, and resurrection of the iconic band. Author Daniel De Vise (King of the Blues) brilliantly makes the past come alive with his well-rounded biography of Belushi, Aykroyd, and the band that defined their careers
Daniel de Vise has brought out a hugely readable and eye-opening book. It's what you don't know about The Blues Brothers that makes this such an interesting read, and it illuminates repeated viewings of the movie
Daniel de Visé takes us on the 'roller coaster' that was the filming of the movie, and also Belushi's personal life. The journalist cleverly combines the double biography of the two stars of The Blues Brothers, and the story of this 'rhythm and blues and Catholic hot pursuit
The Blues Brothers isn't just a book about a movie; it's a love letter to the power of laughter, music, and the enduring bonds of friendship. Whether you're a fan of the film or simply intrigued by the intersection of comedy and culture, this is a must-read that will leave you laughing, singing, and perhaps even shedding a tear for the unforgettable journey of Jake and Elwood Blues
Exhaustively researched, highly informative. . . . Gleaned from primary research and interviews with Aykroyd and director John Landis, among others, the narrative details the relationship between Belushi and Aykroyd, the sincerity with which they immersed themselves in the blues to live out their fantasies of fronting a great band, and how they overcame accusations of cultural appropriation to revive and amplify the careers of talents such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Cab Calloway. The book is also the definitive scene-by-scene account of a film-ambitious and over budget, panned by most critics of the day-that endures as a well-written and -directed comedy doubling as a loving homage to a uniquely American genre and its capital city. . . . A complete portrait of a classic film and the zeitgeist of its era.
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