The Blues Brothers (Extended Cut)

[St_Eddie]

This book is pretty good for anyone interested in the grim details of The Twilight Zone Movie accident and trial. Landis certainly should have been imprisoned for something.

It's got to be a damn sight less nauseating then the book written by the pilot of the helicopter.  I saw a video of him promoting the book on YouTube years ago and it was shameful.  He was clearly just trying to make a quick buck; promising all the gory details.  Giving out a link to his site where the book could be ordered from and all that jazz.  I'd link to the offending video but alas (or... gladly?), it seems to have been scrubbed from the Internet.

EDIT: I've found a shorter version of what appears to be the same video here but curiously the book plug is absent.  It's possible that my memory is playing tricks on me but I could have sworn that he directed people to his site at the end of the video which I originally saw and hawked his own book.  Then again, I can find no reference to this supposed book online, so I'm probably just getting things mixed up.  Rewatching the video now it's the interviewer who seems more unseemly, but then again Dorcey Wingo (the pilot) seems to be friends with the interviewer.

[St_Eddie]

Nope, I shouldn't have doubted my own recollection.  I fucking knew that video had been edited...



"Autobiography of a Maverick"... fuckin' 'ell.

He may be a maverick but by God, he gets deadly results, dammit!

Here's a review of the book.

[TheMonk]

Nope, I shouldn't have doubted my own recollection.  I fucking knew that video had been edited...

Captain Methane? Is this the same fella?.

Also I just rewatched that footage. Bloody grim.
Did he do the Thriller video just after that then?

[St_Eddie]

Did he do the Thriller video just after that then?

Indeed.  Landis' involvement in the production of Twilight Zone: The Movie came to an end in July 1982 and he commenced shooting the Thriller music video in October 1983.

[Dex Sawash]

Reminds me I keep meaning to check out Combat, the WW2 drama Morrow starred in throughout the 60s, I hear it's not bad.

Combat was a pre-cable US afternoon syndcation staple in 70s/early 80s. Younger idioter me liked it but like ToS, anyone new in first minutes of an ep was obviously going to die.

[TheMonk]

Indeed.  Landis' involvement in the production of Twilight Zone: The Movie came to an end in July 1982 and he commenced shooting the Thriller music video in October 1983.

Michael Jackson, what a guy.

[kalowski]

Christ. Although I was kind of aware of this I'd always assumed it was a terrible and unfortunate accident. Now I've read it...
What a pair of cunt: Landis and Folsey Jr

Landis opted not to seek a special waiver, either because he did not think that he would get permission for such a late hour or because he knew that he would not get approval to have young children in a scene with a large number of explosives.

Associate producer George Folsey Jr. told the children's parents not to tell any firefighters on the set that the children were part of the scene, and hid them from a fire safety officer who also worked as a welfare worker

[QDRPHNC]

You can't make a Twilight Zone: The Movie without murdering a few kids.

[Replies From View]

it's worth it for a film of that calibre

[notjosh]

It's better than being killed on the set of Delta Force II or Braddock: Missing in Action III.
https://deadline.com/2014/04/helicopter-crash-deaths-hollywood-safety-history-709487/

That's right, nine people killed by helicopters on the set of shit Chuck Norris films alone. I suppose that is just the price we pay for having someone of Chuck Norris' talent grace our planet.


Anyway, did you all know that the kid who tries to nick Ray Charles' guitar is none other than everyone's favourite limo driver, Argyle? Guess all it took was a few stern words from a rhythm and blues legend to put him on the straight and narrow.

[Replies From View]

Everyone's most agile gargoyle, "Argyle".

[Endicott]

I keep coming into this thread for more Blues Brothers chat but it's all death death death.

Stupidest thing about Landis in that podcast that was linked to is that he prefers the Extended Cut. I mean, he made it so he would do, but really it adds nothing.

The beginning of that podcast reminded me about when I first saw The Blues Brothers. In a filthy student common room with about 10 other people on video in about 1983, or 84. Stevie had somehow blagged a video recorder rental deal from Radio Rentals and someone came in with the film from the local rental store and said we all had to watch it. Good times.

[Shit Good Nose]

Stupidest thing about Landis in that podcast that was linked to is that he prefers the Extended Cut.

He's changed his tune again then - despite singing the extended cut's praises when it was first released (and stopping just short of calling it a "director's cut"), he said in later interviews about it that he actually preferred the theatrical cut after all because it was a case of "never state what you can imply" (the extended cut being the stating).

I suppose directors are allowed to change their mind as they get older/have guilt of dead kids behind them.


I got the 4K UHD for christmas, which contains both the extended and theatrical cuts (via seamless branching).  I've yet to watch either, but on the UHD disc they've apparently fixed the editing error that's been present on every version of the film for years, which is good.  Unfortunately I've read that there's a NEW fuck-up with the end credits music.  I don't understand why home video film and TV show releases appear to have turned into computer games - i.e. not actually properly finished.  It seems to happen all too often these days, when even on VHS it was a very rare occurrence.  Weird.

[QDRPHNC]

I got the 4K UHD for christmas, which contains both the extended and theatrical cuts (via seamless branching).  I've yet to watch either, but on the UHD disc they've apparently fixed the editing error that's been present on every version of the film for years, which is good.  Unfortunately I've read that there's a NEW fuck-up with the end credits music.  I don't understand why home video film and TV show releases appear to have turned into computer games - i.e. not actually properly finished.  It seems to happen all too often these days, when even on VHS it was a very rare occurrence.  Weird.

I have that disc too, it looks and sounds fantastic. What's this editing fuck up they fixed though?

It's amazing that Landis spawned a son who never murdered any kids, but in some way is an even bigger cunt. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[Shit Good Nose]

I have that disc too, it looks and sounds fantastic. What's this editing fuck up they fixed though?

Scroll down to the bottom for an explanation of the fixed fuck up - http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=54103  No mention of the new fuck up though.  I can't remember exactly what it is, but it's something to do with the visuals over Jailhouse Rock at the end being wrong, or a different take of Jailhouse Rock or something.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I've just read a review of the extended cut which opines that it's nice seeing Elwood without his sunglasses at the start of the film. No it is not. The brothers wearing impenetrable shades throughout the film is a good gag, it adds to the sense of them being otherworldly cartoon characters at a deadpan remove from reality.

Seeing Elwood without his shades at the start of the film also ruins the bit later on when Jake removes his to manipulate Carrie Fisher into forgiving him. When you first watch the film, it's a 'shocking' moment. Totally unexpected. They have eyes! Plus it's a set-up for a gag.

A shadesless Elwood working in a glue factory makes him look like an ordinary person, although I suppose it's quite funny that he's still wearing his black porkpie hat.

I think it also undermines the only moment of pathos in the film, when you see how awful Elwood's living conditions are. Up until that scene they've been presented as comical cool dudes, but suddenly we find out just how shit their lives actually are. An unexpected jolt of grim reality. It arrives at just the right point in the narrative, it tells you all you need to know before the knockabout mayhem continues. It doesn't really work if you've already seen Elwood as a blue collar Joe scraping by on a minimum wage.

tl;dr? Yes, I am slightly obsessed with this film.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Oh hang on, I'm talking bollocks. The factory scene actually takes place after the scene in Elwood's hovel. Therefore some of my previous post is redundant. Oh well.

I still think it slows things down and doesn't need to be there, though.

[famethrowa]

Just thinking of 2 little wonderful bits of funny:

- the neon hat bouncing around over the band members head, perfectly placed

- the bemused statues watching as the Bluesmobile falls apart.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Just thinking of 2 little wonderful bits of funny:

- the neon hat bouncing around over the band members head, perfectly placed

- the bemused statues watching as the Bluesmobile falls apart.

Landis was a great comedy director in his day. Just such a shame about all them murders he done.

Btw, like everyone else in this thread, I am perfectly capable of separating the art from the artist. I can still enjoy Landis' best work without feeling guilty. An American Werewolf in London, Trading Places and The Blues Brothers are magnificent films. The writer/director behind them is a weird, horrible person, but the work itself isn't tainted by association.

[madhair60]

Nope. You love the murders, and you're glad they happened.

[Shit Good Nose]

Btw, like everyone else in this thread, I am perfectly capable of separating the art from the artist. I can still enjoy Landis' best work without feeling guilty. An American Werewolf in London, Trading Places and The Blues Brothers are magnificent films. The writer/director behind them is a weird, horrible person, but the work itself isn't tainted by association.

The Stupids is pretty rubbish, but this little scene kills me (pun intended) every time I see it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgTSup3dUSY

That whole calm muzak interspersed with comedy violence is repeated in several of his films - obviously it's in Blues Brothers to a degree, but best exemplified by his opener to Amazon Women On the Moon with Arsenio Hall, which is an absolute masterpiece - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHSoN8t6x3M

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Nope. You love the murders, and you're glad they happened.

How dare you, I'm categorically opposed to murder.

[Replies From View]

How dare you, I'm categorically opposed to murder.

ohhhh hark at thee, cutting against the grain of the cab hivemind

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

ohhhh hark at thee, cutting against the grain of the cab hivemind

If that makes me unpopular, then so be it.