Given that the first two feature films to come out of Saturday Night Live sketch characters were The Blues Brothers and Wayne’s World, both enormous successes, the next six or seven disasters (you’re okay, MacGruber) are more understandable. It was a good idea on paper.

Conversely, The Blues Brothers is flatly inexplicable on paper. They’re brothers, they sing the blues, they dress the same, they’re woefully undersupplied for their road trip to Chicago, it’s dark and they’re wearing sunglasses. It was a hit nonetheless. So much of the raucous joy of The Blues Brothers comes from the movie’s casual indifference towards making sense. It’s a picaresque, with sketch comedy set pieces strung together by some of the most riveting blues and soul performances committed to (mainstream) film. And to the everlasting dismay of Illinois Nazis, it still hits.

VIEW the full Summer Classics series, showing June 1 – August 31.

This screening is held in the Historic Duncan Auditorium. This space utilizes open seating for this event, seat selection is not required.