The Blues Brothers hit the theaters on June 20, 1980, and Chicago was never the same. Forty-five years later, the cult classic still stands as one of the most iconic love letters to the Windy City ever put on film.
Directed by John Landis and based on the Saturday Night Live sketch by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, The Blues Brothers follows Jake and Elwood Blues as they attempt to save the Catholic orphanage where they were raised—by reuniting their old blues band and raising $5,000 “on a mission from God.” What followed was a high-octane, music-filled odyssey through Chicago, blending comedy, car chases, and soul-stirring performances.
Filmed entirely on location, The Blues Brothers captured the grit and glory of late-70s Chicago. Landmarks like the South Shore Cultural Center, Wrigley Field, and the old Dixie Square Mall in Harvey became unforgettable set pieces. The production’s infamous car chase through downtown, ending with dozens of police cars piling up under the Daley Center, made movie history—and infuriated some city officials at the time.
Belushi and Aykroyd, both alumni of Chicago’s famed The Second City, brought their deep roots in improv and sketch comedy to the film. Their chemistry became the heart of the movie, grounding its wildest moments with genuine charm and rhythm.
But the soul of the movie is its soundtrack. Featuring legends like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Cab Calloway, the film bridged generations and introduced classic rhythm and blues to a new audience. For many, it was their first exposure to true soul music.
The film’s legacy lives on. Chicagoans still gather for anniversary screenings, costume contests, and tributes. Its influence on city tourism, film production, and the preservation of Chicago’s cultural identity is undeniable.
For Chicago, The Blues Brothers wasn’t just a movie—it was a moment. And 45 years later, Jake and Elwood are still wearing their suits, still driving that battered Bluesmobile, and still carrying the city’s soul with them, wherever they go.
Little-Known Facts About the Making of The Blues Brothers
- They Crashed Over 100 Cars
The film held the record for most cars destroyed in a movie at the time—103 in total. Universal had to set up a special body shop just to repair the vehicles for reshoots. - The Chicago Film Office was formed to support the making of The Blues Brothers
Chicago was not a major film production hotspot at the time. While the film pumped about $12 million into the local economy, all those car stunts scared residents enough to reach out to the local newspapers to report what they were seeing. - Aykroyd’s Original Script Was Over 300 Pages
Dan Aykroyd, not a trained screenwriter at the time, submitted a sprawling script the size of a phone book. Director John Landis had to do a major rewrite to make it shootable. - They Shut Down a Major Section of the Dan Ryan Expressway
The Illinois Department of Transportation let the filmmakers close down stretches of the expressway for filming the high-speed chase scenes—an unheard-of favor at the time. - Belushi Was Treated Like a Local Hero in Chicago
During night shoots, John Belushi would frequently disappear from set—only to be found hours later at a nearby house party or bar. Chicagoans adored him, and many let him crash on their couches mid-shoot. - Aretha Franklin Struggled With Lip-Syncing
Although her performance of “Think” is legendary, Aretha wasn’t used to singing to playback and required more takes than most other performers. - James Brown’s Sermon Was Dubbed
James Brown wasn’t used to speaking lines in rhythm with pre-recorded audio. His church scene was later dubbed over by another actor to match the timing. - The Crew Had to Rebuild the Dixie Square Mall
The abandoned mall in Harvey had fallen into disrepair, so Universal actually renovated it—just so they could film its destruction. - Paul Reubens
Actor Paul Reubens, who would become best known as Pee-wee Herman, played the waiter at Chez Paul - Steven Spielberg Has a Cameo
Spielberg plays the Cook County Assessor’s clerk at the end of the film—the guy who finally accepts the band’s tax payment.
Filming Locations
(A big shout out to the locations crew: Julie Chandler, Marla Cohen, Marty Fraser, Danae Walczak)
- 1623 South 51st Court, Cicero, Illinois, USA ([44:00]Mrs. Tarantino’s House)
- West Talcott Road and Cumberland Avenue, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA ([25:22]Blues Brothers run red light)
- Intersection of W. Talcott & Devon Ave, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA ([28:13]Police chase & spin out)
- 20 E. Randolph Street, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Bus Station)
- 8500 South Burley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, USA ([1:06:43]CURL UP & DYE)
- 820 West Talcott Road, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA ([25:22]Elwood Blues runs red light)
- 900 West Talcott Road, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA ([25:22]Elwood Blues runs red light)
- 1 West La Salle Drive, Chicago, Illinois, USA ([1:41:00] & [2:00:49]N41.912477, W87.629299 tunnel where the Blues Brothers escape the Palace Hotel Ballroom)
- West Talcott Road, Devon & Courtland Avenues, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA ([28:13]Blues Brothers evading the cops before entering the mall)
- 604 West Talcott Road, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA ([28:13]Blues Brothers evading the cops before entering the mall)
- 1 Broadway, Gary, Indiana, USA (Factory in opening credits)
- 3259 East 95th Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Bluesmobile car jumps over bridge)
- 1712 South Normal Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, USA ([10:22]Orphanage; exteriors)
- 2250 North Clifton Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Blues Brothers steal the loudspeaker to advertise their upcoming gig at The Palace Hotel ballroom)
- Music Court Bridge, Jackson Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Nazis made to dive off the bridge)
- Intersection of W Hubbard & N Wells Streets, River North, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Police chase continues as the Bluesmobile makes a hard left turn at Wells Street where the CTA elevated system meets; neighborhood since been redeveloped)
- 22 West Van Buren Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Jake and Elwood’s apartment)
- 300 East 47th Street, Grand Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, USA ([1:07:13]Ray’s Music Exchange)
- 1 Hegeler Lane, Danville, Illinois, USA (Factory Scenes)
- Calumet Harbor, South Deering, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Calumet River, South Deering, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Bluesmobile car jumps over bridge)
- 660 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Chez Paul Restaurant)
- Chicago Picasso Sculpture, Richard J. Daley Memorial Plaza, The Loop, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Jake and Elwood’s Landmark)
- City Hall – 121 N. LaSalle Street, The Loop, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Siege at City Hall-County Building – Steven Spielberg cameo)
- Cooks Picnic Grove, Bangs Lake, Wauconda, Illinois, USA (beach scene)
- 729 South Cumberland Avenue @ Gillick Street, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA ([25:40]Blues Brothers get pulled over; southeast corner)
- Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA (Car chase with Nazis – car hangs off bridge)
- 15101 Dixie Highway, Harvey, Illinois, USA ([28:20]Shopping Mall Complex with infamous car chase scene. They broke my watch! Demolished)
- East 95th Street Bridge, South Deering, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Bluesmobile car jumps over bridge)
- Gary’s Mill – Illinois Route 59 & Gary’s Mill Rd., West Chicago, Illinois, USA (Gas Station)
- Griffith Park – 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA (Police car crashes through billboard)
- Intersection of Illinois Routes 12 & 176, Wauconda, Illinois, USA (police car pile-up)
- Joliet Prison – Collins Street, Joliet, Illinois, USA (Prison)
- Lower Wacker Drive, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA (other car chase)
- 807 West Maxwell Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Soul Food Restaurant – John Lee Hooker performs “Boom Boom” in the street. Block demolished c.1995 for expansion of University of Illinois – Chicago campus)
- 3801 Mannheim Road, Schiller Park, Illinois, USA ([45:58]Holiday Inn . Murph and the Magic Tones)
- North Lagoon, Jackson Park, Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- 3235 East 91st Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA ([16:48]Church scene with James Brown)
- Richard J. Daley Center – 55 W. Randolph Street, The Loop, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA (End of finale car chase – car crashes through ground floor building)
- Richard J. Daley Memorial Plaza, The Loop, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA (End of finale chase)
- South Lagoon, Jackson Park, Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- South Shore Country Club – 7059 South Shore Drive, South Shore, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Palace Hotel Ballroom – First Performance of the Blues Brothers)
- South Side, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Van Buren & LaSalle Streets, The Loop, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Waukegan, Illinois, USA
- 28W721 Roosevelt Rd., West Chicago, Illinois, USA (Motel where Twiggy waits for Elwood)
- 1060 West Addison Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA (Elwood Blues Official Address – Visit by Nazis)joliet
- 500 West 18th Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA ([10:22]Orphanage: exteriors)
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