Archive-name: movies/blues-bros-faq
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Last-modified: 15 May 2004
Version: 2.25

    General Information

  1. Introduction to the FAQ for alt.fan.blues-brothers

    The newsgroup alt.fan.blues-brothers (AFBB) is for discussion about The Blues Brothers - the plot, the actors, the music, the band, and anything else remotely related to the movie and the Blues Brothers. It is NOT for simply reciting quotes to each other.

    This FAQ is maintained by GLen Pringle (pringle@csse.monash.edu.au) and is posted to alt.fan.blues-brothers, alt.answers and news.answers once every month. It is also available at the following locations.

    Anonymous FTP

    <URL: ftp://yoyo.its.monash.edu.au/pub/blues_bros/faq.txt>
    <URL: ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/alt.fan.blues-brothers/alt.fan.blues-brothers_FAQ>

    World Wide Web

    <URL: http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~pringle/bluesbros/faq.html>
    <URL: http://www.landfield.com/faqs/movies/blues-bros-faq/>
    <URL: http://www.faqlib.com/bluesbros/faq.html>
    <URL: http://www.ba-karlsruhe.de/faqlib/bluesbros/faq.html>
    <URL: http://www.vol.it/mirror/faqlib/bluesbros/faq.html>
    <URL: http://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/usenet/news-faqs/alt.fan.blues-brothers/alt.fan.blues-brothers_FAQ>
    <URL: http://gd.tuwien.ac.at/newfaqs/alt.fan.blues-brothers/alt.fan.blues-brothers_FAQ>

  2. What WWW/ftp sites are there?

    There are numerous sites constantly being created. This list is by no means comprehensive, however many of the main sites are here, and these have links to many other sites.

    <URL: http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~pringle/bluesbros/>
    GLen Pringle's Blues Brothers site with FAQ, album info, trivia, links...
    <URL: http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/>
    "When it's blues you want" - comprehensive Blues Brothers site, with pictures, sounds, articles, lyrics etc
    <URL: http://www.nederpoparchief.com/bluesbrothers/>
    Maarten Daam's Blues Brothers Links Archive
    <URL: http://blues.squidly.org/>
    The Ultimate Blues Brothers Web Site
    <URL: http://www.106miles.com/>
    Blues Brothers Multimedia Revue - pics R&B music articles and more
    <URL: http://www.angelfire.com/il/BluesBros/>
    Lucy Duffy's Tribute to The Blues Brothers
    <URL: http://www.moviesounds.com/blues.html>
    Blues Brothers movie sounds.
    <URL: http://bubba.org/bb>
    Brian's Blues Brothers site
    <URL: http://home.att.net/~bluesbrothers/>
    smcguire's Blues Brothers Page
    <URL: http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/fitzgerald/12/Joliet.html>
    Julie's Blues Brothers Page
    <URL: http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.slattery1/bluesbro.htm>
    Duke Blues Page
    <URL: http://www.weinschenk.de/>
    Ron's Blues Brothers Page
    <URL: http://www.movie-mistakes.com/film.php?filmid=195>
    Movie Mistakes page for The Blues Brothers
    <URL: http://us.imdb.com/M/title-exact?Blues+Brothers,+The+(1980)>
    The Internet Movie Database entry for The Blues Brothers (USA)
    <URL: http://us.imdb.com/M/title-exact?Blues+Brothers+2000+(1998)>
    The Internet Movie Database entry for Blues Brothers 2000 (USA)
    <URL: http://www.hob.com/>
    The House of Blues
    <URL: http://www.saturday-night-live.com/>
    Saturday Night Live (SNL)
    <URL: http://www.belushi.com/>
    The Ultimate John Belushi Page
    <URL: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/3948/aykroyd.html>
    Dan Aykroyd Fan Page
    <URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/2976/aykroyd.html>
    First Church of Dan Aykroyd
    <URL: http://www.lauth.de/bbrb/>
    The Blues Brothers Revival Band
    <URL: ftp://yoyo.its.monash.edu.au/pub/blues_bros/>
    Ftp site for the FAQ
    <URL: ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/music/lyrics/b/blues.brothers/>
    Ftp site with lyrics to songs performed by The Blues Brothers

  3. Where can I get pictures, sound files, lyrics?

    See the WWW sites in Question 2.

    The International Lyrics server at <URL:http://www.lyrics.ch/> has lyrics to many of the songs.

  4. Where can I get the script for the movies?

    The script for the original Blues Brothers movie can be ordered from Script City in Hollywood. It includes scenes which never made it into the final cut and only costs about $15. They can be contacted at:

    An online PDF (adobe acrobat reader needed) version can be found at http://www.scriptdude.com/frames/moviescripts/TheBluesBrothers.pdf

    If you know where the script for Blues Brothers 2000 can be found, please contact the FAQ maintainer.

  5. Isn't it online?

    There are several www sites which have transcripts. See Question 2.

  6. Where happened to the old version of this FAQ which had lots of other information in it?

    The previous version of the FAQ (which is still available - see GLen Pringle's Blues Brothers site in Question 2) had many errors in it and needed an update. Much of it is still being verified. This new FAQ contains pointers to where you can find the extra information which was in the old FAQ (such as the quote list, song lyrics etc).

    Saturday Night Live

  7. Weren't The Blues Brothers on Saturday Night Live (SNL)?

    Yes, the act originated on SNL. Take a look at the SNL WWW site in Question 2 for more information.

  8. What performances were there on SNL?

    The following acts are those that I've been told about. If you know of any additional ones (or corrections to this list), please send email to pringle@csse.monash.edu.au

    Music

  9. What albums have the Blues Brothers/Blues Brothers band released?

    The Blues Brothers: The Best of the Blues Brothers (1989)
    The Blues Brothers: A Briefcase Full of Blues
    (Atlantic #19217-2)
    The Blues Brothers: Made in America
    (Atlantic #16025-2)
    The Blues Brothers: The Original Soundtrack
    The Blues Brothers: The Definitive Collection (1989)
    (Atlantic #82428-2); double-length (20 songs, 67 minutes) Note: does not include "Rawhide!"
    The Blues Brothers: Everybody Needs the Blues Brothers
    Released through either an Italian company or a German one in Europe - a re-release of old stuff
    The Blues Brothers Band: Red, White, and Blues
    Post-Belushi, just the band with one appearance by Elwood
    Elwood Blues Revue: Land of a Thousand Dances
    1988 12"
    Elwood Blues Revue: Great Outdoors Soundtrack
    The Blues Brothers: Live In Montreux 1992
    The Blues Brothers: Blues Brothers Complete
    Blues Brothers & Friends: Live From Chicago's House Of Blues
    Blues Brothers 2000 Original Soundtrack

  10. What bootleg CDs are there?

    The Blues Brothers: Groove Me
    Import, live from their 12/31/79 show at Winterland in San Francisco.
    The Blues Brothers: Winterland
    Live in San Francisco 1992

  11. What videos are available?

    The Blues Brothers
    The original movie
    The Return of the Blues Brothers
    Features music from Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) with brothers Steve Blues (James Belushi) and Mighty Max Blues (John Goodman). More info is available at <URL:http://www.wienerworld.com/bluesbro.htm>
    Blues Brothers 2000

  12. Are the lyrics/sheet music to the songs available?

    For sheet music/charts, find a local store which carries Blues music and they should be able to help you.

    The lyrics should also be available with the sheet music.

    Books

  13. What books are there available on the Blues Brothers?

    These books are all out of print but if you're lucky you may be able to pick one of them up in a second-hand bookstore.

    "Rolling Stone Visits Saturday Night Live"
    New York : Rolling Stone Press, 1979. ISBN: 0-385-15674-x

    A compilation of Rolling Stone articles about SNL including the famous Blues Brothers piece by Timothy White. This is THE article for the very famous Annie Leibovitz RS cover photo of Jake and Elwood with blue faces (Annie Leibovitz did the nude, pregger, Demi Moore on Vanity Fair).

    Mitch, Miami. "The Blues Brothers"
    Jove, June 1980. ISBN: 0-515-05630-8

    A novel based on the screenplay by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis.
    Jacklin, Judith and Insana, Tino. "The Blues Brothers - Private"
    Perigee Books.

    Ad for this book: "Now, you can get the lowdown on The Blues Brothers. These are the records (report cards, loan applications, prison records, etc.) from the personnel file of dear Sister Mary Stigmata, the loving nun who raised them. These files (hidden from prying eyes in a cracker box and only recently unearthed by sweet Sister Mary) tell the whole story of the brothers' - and the band's - rise to notority. Get the inside 'dish' - in BLUES BROTHERS-PRIVATE." Included a poster.

    Movie

  14. What famous people appeared in the movie?

    The Internet Movie Database entries for the Blues Brothers movies (see Question 2.) has the full movie credits which includes cameos by Frank Oz, James Brown, John Lee Hooker and Steven Spielberg.

  15. Are the members of The Band real musicians?

    Yes, they are all respected musicians.

    Trivia

  16. How many cars were destroyed in the movie?

    One person has suggested 13 bluesmobiles and around 30 police cars, which were rebuilt as they were crashed. Another person has said 13 bluesmobiles and 60 "Chicago cars".

  17. What sort of car is the Bluesmobile?

    1974 Dodge Monaco sedan.

    From the photo in the Blues Brothers Private book, the original Bluesmobile (which was traded for a microphone) was a black, four door '68 Cadillac Fleetwood. The right front fender was damaged and held on with tape. However, in the novel of the movie, it's a "battered blue '58 Cadillac with mantra-ray fins".

  18. What is the license plate for the Bluesmobile?

    BDR 529

    The original Caddy bluesmobile had a license plate of SP2 153.

  19. What sort of car was Carrie Fisher driving?

    70's Pontiac Grand Prix, no later than '77 (the design was changed after that).

  20. In prison, inmates are identified by a number, what is Jake's?

    7474505B

  21. What was the SCMODS (State, County, Municipal Offender Data System) report for Elwood?

            BLUES, ELWOOD
            ILLINOIS LICENSE : B263-1655-2187
            CURRENTLY UNDER SUSPENSION
            WARRANTS OUTSTANDING : PARKG. 116
            MOVING VIOLATIONS : 56
            ARREST DRIVER ... IMPOUND VEHICLE
    

    In Illinois, the last five digits on your driver's license include your birthday (and gender) in an encoded format. According to Elwood Blues' driver's license number, he was born on July 1, 1952.

  22. What was on Murph and the Magictones business card?

        ---------------------------------
        |Disco                     Polka|
        |            MURPH              |
        |      and the Magictones       |
        |          Call Murph           |
        |       (312) KL5-7000          |
        |            Rm. 302            |
        |Parties                Weddings|
        ---------------------------------
    

  23. What is the name of Carrie Fisher's business?

    Curl Up and Dye Beauty Salon.

    It was based upon a real salon of that name, around 2830 North Clark in Chicago.

  24. What was Carrie Fisher reading when she was sitting inside her salon?

    A military weapons manual - FM-121 M-79 Flame Thrower.

  25. What was the song playing in the elevator at the end of the movie?

    The Girl from Ipanema.

    This is an in joke which John Landis uses in many of his movies, such as in "Spies like Us" where it is made to look like a recruiters poster on a wall.

    The other in joke is the movie title "See You Next Wednesday" which is on the billboard that the cops are hiding behind and is used in other movies such as "An American Werewolf in London."

  26. Where is Lake Wazzapumani/Wasapumani, on which the Palace Hotel Ballroom is located?

    This is a fictional name - there isn't such a lake.

  27. Was there a director's cut?

    Apparently the original director's cut had 30 minutes extra footage in it, but it was scrapped for the released version. It has not been released as apparently all copies of it were destroyed.

    However, a DVD edition was released in September 1998 which has 12 minutes of additional footage found in a preview copy of the movie.

    Blues Brothers References

  28. What references are there in other movies?

    In the scene at the end of Sister Act when the sisters are performing for the pope, you can see the "Blues Brothers" standing at the rear of the church in the same pose they have in the Triple Rock Church in The Blues Brothers.

  29. What Blues Brothers references are there in Terry Pratchett's books?

    There is a reference in "Moving Pictures" (ISBN 0-552-13463-5). On page 178:

            Azhural raised his staff.
            'It's fifteen hundred miles to Ankh-Morpork,' he said.
          'We've got three hundred and sixty-three elephants, fifty
          carts of forage, the monsoon's about to break and we're
          wearing ... we're wearing ... sort of things, like glass,
          only dark ... dark glass things on our eyes ...' His
          voice trailed off. His brow furrowed, as if he'd just
          been listening to his own voice and hadn't understood
          it.
            The air seemed to glitter.
            He saw M'Bu staring at him. 
            He shrugged. 'Let's go,' he said. 
    
    These quotes are Copyright © 1990 Terry and Lyn Pratchett.

    There are two references in "Soul Music" (ISBN 0-552-14029-5). On page 36:

            ...
            'You do fried rat?' said Glod.
            'Best damn fried rat in the city,' said Gimlet.
            'OK. Give me four fried rats.'
            'And some dwarf bread,' said Imp.
            'And some coke,' said Lias patiently.
            'You mean rat heads or rat legs?'
            'No. Four fried rats.'
            'And some coke.'
            'You want ketchup on those rats?'
            'No.'
            'You _sure_?'
            'No ketchup.'
            'And some coke.'
            'And two hard-boilled eggs,' he said.
            'And some coke.'
            'And two hard-boiled eggs.'
            'And some coke.'
            ...
    

    The above exchange is also taken from a slightly similar scene in The Marx Brothers' movie "A Night At the Opera".

    On page 127:

            ...
            'We might get caught.'
            'He can't stop us. We're on a mission from Glod.'
            'Right.'
            ...
    

    These quotes are Copyright © 1994 Terry and Lyn Pratchett and are used with permission.


This is Copyright © 1996-2007 Glen Pringle (pringle@csse.monash.edu.au)