Of course they did. How could they not? I've never been a cult-follower of The Blues Brothers like many others (though I do like it) but I'm glad it exists. I'm glad it's out there and so many performers who weren't connected to film got a chance to be preserved on film forever after. Besides, where else can you find Charles Napier, Carrie Fisher, Twiggy, John Candy, Paul Reubens, Steve Lawrence and Henry Gibson all playing bit player back-up in the same place at the same time? If there were ever a film whose preservation of talent on celluloid surpasses the importance of the film itself, this might be the one.
*He doesn't actually perform with them but he's there just the same.
9 comments:
Paul Reubens??? I'm a big fan of this movie, and though it's been a while I've seen it many times, and I don't remember him at all.
This isn't me saying you're wrong, by the way. This is me asking who Paul Reubens plays in BLUES BROTHERS, and I don't wnpant to look it up myself.
Pre-Pee-Wee Herman. He's the snooty waiter at Chez Paul. Very brief appearance. Right after the shoot he went to a porn theatre and jacked off.
Anyway, that part's not in the movie.
Oh, shit, that's right. How did I forget that? I didn't forget about him jacking off in a porn theater, though.
Yes...I have been known to recreate this scene at karaoke nights.
I have heard, apropos of little, that Calloway turned up expecting to do a disco version as he'd recently recorded it, and had to be talked into going with the swing thing.
Oh my God, that would have been amazingly awful.
Yes, Rod, he wanted to do the disco version for the movie! Amazing that they had to talk him into doing the original style but thank goodness they did.
Bill, unfortunately for Mr. Reubens, no one will ever forget the porn theatre adventure but just in case, I'll make the reference whenever I can.
I'm long overdue to see Blues Bros. again..I really need to give it a spin..Its such a big fave of most my friends.Saw it when it came out in theaters,then several times on cable directly after..never since.I happened to catch Pee Wee Herman on Jimmy Kimmel Live(something I don't normally watch) on Halloween night,believe it was and it was one of the most delightfully bizarre,irreverent by todays tv standards-hour of television I have seen in a long time!
The only film I would put in the same league in terms of "talent preservation on film" is 1958's ST. LOUIS BLUES, which also featured Calloway, but in a non-singing role. The performers who DID act and sing: Nat 'King' Cole, Eartha Kitt (probably her best performance IMO), Mahalia Jackson, Pearl Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald. Other musicians who play include Barney Bigard and Teddy Buckner, and 11 year old Billy Preston also has a role.
Saw bits and pieces of that years ago (in clip form) but would love to see the whole thing. Now that I've read your description of it - Wow! Sounds like an amazing pool of talent.
Post a Comment