The birth story of a surprisingly enduring musical action comedy provides the framework for a detailed and insightful examination of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd's partnership in The Blues Brothers by Daniel de Visé (King of the Blues; I Forgot to Remember, with Su Meck).
Aykroyd's and Belushi's Blues Brothers personas could be the basis for several books. Born out of Aykroyd's love for classic blues music and his desire to share it with Belushi and the world, the act appropriated the work of Black musicians yet, at the same time, artists such as James Brown credited it as helping to revive their careers. De Visé examines the phenomenon both critically and lovingly. Though hindsight tells us the film became a classic despite its initial poor reception, the detail with which de Visé conveys budget issues and difficulties caused by Belushi's substance abuse creates real suspense.
The heart of the story is the friendship between the two stars. It's clear that de Visé finds Belushi the more interesting subject and seems more inclined to think of Aykroyd as his friend and caretaker. In a book that often references Aykroyd's depth of knowledge about obscure subjects such as military hardware, and how the iconic Blues Brothers sunglasses "freed Dan from the awkward business of eye contact," it seems odd to mention only his childhood diagnosis of Tourette's and not his public acknowledgment of other neurodivergent traits. Still, fans who admire one or both of these comedians will find plenty of fascinating material in this fresh examination of success and tragedy. --Kristen Allen-Vogel, information services librarian at Dayton Metro Library