The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers is the 1980 musical comedy directed by John Landis and based on characters created for the late night comedy sketch series Saturday Night Live. The film stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd (who reprised their roles from SNL) as Jake and Elwood Blues, musician brothers who are determined to get their band back together in order to raise funds to prevent the orphanage they grew up in from being demolished. As what was customary in John Landis films of the time, there are numerous cameos from several well known directors and actors including Steven Spielberg, Carrie Fisher and Frank Oz. The film's cast also included appearances by several prominent musical performers including Ray Charles, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin. Aykroyd would return as Elwood in the 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000.

The following weapons were used in the film The Blues Brothers:

Colt MK IV Series 70

Illinois State Troopers Daniel (Armand Cerami) and Mount (Steven Williams) are armed with Colt MK IV Series 70s when they go to arrest "Joliet" Jake (John Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd).

Colt MK IV Series 70 - .45 ACP

Troopers Daniel and Mount talk to Corrections Officer Mercer (John Candy) with their Colt MK IV Series 70s in their holsters (noted by the grips) outside Elwood's apartment.

Troopers Daniel and Mount with their MK IV Series 70s drawn as Officer Mercer kicks in Elwood's door.

Trooper Daniel (Armand Cerami) aims his MK IV Series 70 at the Good Ole' Boys after crashing into them.

"Boys, you in big trouble now." Trooper Mount (Steven Williams) draws his MK IV.

Smith & Wesson Model 19

One Chicago police officer is seen with a Smith & Wesson Model 19 in his holster during the Nazi Rally.

Smith & Wesson 19 - .357 Magnum

A Chicago police officer holds back an angry crowd with his Smith & Wesson Model 19 in his holster.

Walther PPK

When the Blues Brothers and their band go to Ray's Music Exchange, Ray (Ray Charles) draws a Walther PPK and fires at a kid who is about to steal a guitar.

Walther PPK - .32 ACP

Ray (Ray Charles) draws and fires his Walther PPK at the kid trying to steal the guitar. (This was a particular funny gesture given that Ray Charles was actually blind!)

"Go on, now, git."

M1 Flamethrower

Incorrectly referred to as the "M79 Flamethrower", Jake's Ex-fiance (Carrie Fisher) uses an M1 Flamethrower to try to kill Jake and Elwood when they are in a phonebooth.

M1 Flamethrower

Jake's Ex-fiance holding her M1 Flamethrower.

Jake's Ex-fiance fires her M1 Flamethrower.

12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun

The leader of the Good Ole' Boys band Tucker McElroy (Charles Napier) uses a 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun to shoot at the Blues Brothers after their gig at Bob's Country Bunker.

12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun

The band leader Tucker McElroy loads up his Double Barreled shotgun.

McElroy aims at Jake and Elwood's car.

Winchester Model 1300

Trooper Mount carries with him a Winchester Model 1300 when they arrive at the Blues Brother's concert to arrest them. Several prison guards are seen using them at the end of the film.

Winchester Model 1300 - 12 gauge

Trooper Mount (right) holding his Winchester Model 1300 when Corrections Officer Mercer (John Candy) explains that he wants to see the Blues Brother's concert before they arrest them.

Trooper Mount, holding his Winchester Model 1300, sits with Trooper Daniel and Officer Mercer as they watch the Blues Brother's concert. You can clearly see the ejection port here.

Two of the prison guards hold Winchester Model 1300s while others hold Ithaca 37s.

The two prison guards in front hold Winchester Model 1300s during the prison riot at the end.

Remington 870

Several police officers and prison guards use Remington 870s toward the end of the film.

Remington 870 Police Magnum Riot Shotgun - 12 gauge

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A SWAT officer (center right) holding a Remington 870 as the SWAT team prepares to find and arrest the Blues Brothers during the climax.

The prison guard holds a Remington 870 during the Blues Brother's prison concert.

Browning M2

This was on the Sherman in the climax.

Ithaca 37

Several police officers and prison guards are seen with Ithaca 37s toward the end of the movie.

Ithaca 37 - 12 gauge

The State trooper on the left holds an Ithaca 37 at the Blues Brothers concert.

The State troopers in the background all hold Ithaca 37s.

The State trooper on the right holds an Ithaca 37 when trying to apprehend the Blues Brothers during the climax.

Two Chicago police officers hold Ithaca 37s when trying to apprehend the Blues Brothers during the climax.

A prison guard holds his Ithaca 37 during the Blues Brothers prison concert.

A prison guard holds his Ithaca 37 while another calls for backup when the prisoners start rioting.

Luger P08

The leader of the Illinois Nazi Party (Henry Gibson) uses a Luger P08 to shoot at the Blues Brothers during the car chase at the end.

Luger P08 9x19mm.

The Nazi leader holding his Luger P08 when chasing the Blues Brothers.

The Nazi leader's Luger P08 jams when he is trying to reload.

"Faster."

Smith & Wesson Model 10

One Illinois State trooper is armed with a Smith & Wesson Model 10 during the climax of the film when the police chase the Blues Brothers into the Cook County Accessor's office.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 - .38 Spl

The Illinois State trooper (foreground) holding his Smith & Wesson Model 10.

M16

Chicago SWAT officers and US Army soldiers use MGC M16 replicas during the climax of the movie.

MGC M16 replica

The SWAT officer holds his MGC M16 when the SWAT van pulls up.

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Two US Army soldiers in Chicago's Daley Plaza aim their MGC M16s at the Cook County Accessor's office that the Blues brother's are in.

The lead SWAT officer asks the guard if he's seen the Blues Brothers, M16 in hand.

Several US Army soldiers aim their MGC M16s at the Blues Brothers, with about a hundred others in the background. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of this shot. -note the ambiguous Army Ground Forces patch

M16 (Colt SP1)

Jake's Ex-fiance (Carrie Fisher) uses an M16 when trying to kill Jake and Elwood after their concert. It has a birdcage flashider, but no forward assist, making it a Colt SP1. Also, while they are normally seen carrying original M16s, two US Army soldiers switch from M16s to SP1s in a continuity error when they are firing through a door when searching for the Blues Brothers.

M16 (aka SP1) with 30 Round magazine - 5.56x45mm

Jake's Ex-fiance fires her SP1 at Jake and Elwood. Fisher does a good job of not flinching here.

"Well, Jake, you look just fine down there."

Jake's Ex-fiance explains to Jake all that he put her through when he left her at the altar while holding her SP1.

Jake's Ex-fiance fires her SP1 at Jake and Elwood's car as they escape.

Two US Army soldiers fire their SP1s at the door that the Blues Brothers blocked. In all other shots they use original M16s, but when they fire, they switch to SP1s in a continuity error.

Closeup of the soldiers' SP1s. The flash hider is doing nothing, probably due to the length of the blank adapter.

Remington 700

Several SWAT officer carry Remington 700 when setting up sniper positions across the street during the climax.

Remington 700 - .308 Winchester

SWAT officers crawl with their Remington 700s during the climax. Funny how they decide to crawl when they could just run or walk.

SWAT officers aim their Remington 700s during the climax.

Prop Rocket Launcher

Jake's Ex-fiance (Carrie Fisher) uses a prop rocket launcher seemingly based loosely on the M202 FLASH to try to kill Jake and Elwood when they are outside their apartment building.

Jake's Ex-fiance aims her rocket launcher.

Jake's Ex-fiance looks through her scope at Jake. That's quite the magnification.

Jake's Ex-fiance fires at Jake and Elwood.

Trivia

Weapons Manuals

When she is at her beauty salon, Jake's Ex-fiance (Carrie Fisher) has two weapon manuals on her desk: "M79 Flame-Thrower" and "Anti-Personnel Mines". It's difficult to see the other text on the manuals, but from the logos, it looks like Government files. I wonder how she got those...

Jake's Ex-fiance with her two weapon manuals on her desk. Also, notice the pictures of her and Jake on her desk. Incidentally, FM 6-121 is actually "Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Field Artillery Target Acquisition."

Use of Unnecessary Violence

This humorous line proved very controversial within the Chicago Police Department. Due to this line, the Chicago Police Department banned use of its name and insignia in films and television shows until the 2000s. Several movies, such as The Negotiator, used names like "Metro Police" because the name "Chicago Police" could not be used.

A dispatcher (Ralph Foody) tells police officers "Use of unnecessary violence in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers has been approved", a line that caused the Chicago Police Department to ban it's name and insignia from films for 20 years.

Police Car Wreckage

About 60 police cars were used in the film. Most of these cars were humorously wrecked throughout the film. Here are some shots of it.

Two Illinois State Police cars chase the Blues Brothers in a mall. The two cars are subsequently wrecked at the end of the chase.

An Illinois State Police car crashes into the Good Ole' Boys van.

Several Illinois State Police cars crash into each other as they fall down a hill.

An Illinois State Police car crashes into a semi.

Several Chicago Police cars crash after the Blues Brothers simply take a left turn.