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:
When the Blues Brothers and the band go to Ray's Music Exchange, Ray (Ray Charles) pulls a Walther PPK and fires it at a kid who is about to steal a guitar.
Several Illinois State troopers are armed with the Smith & Wesson Model 10 during the climax of the film when the police chase the Blues Brothers into the Cook County Accessor's office.
One Chicago police officer is seen with a Smith & Wesson Model 19 in his holster during the Nazi Rally. These also appear to be carried by Illinois Corrections Officers.
Trooper Mount (Steven Williams) carries a High Standard FLITE KING K-1200 Riot Standard Model shotgun when they arrive at the Blues Brothers concert. Several prison guards are seen armed with the shotguns near the film's conclusion (this is more visible in the Extended Cut of the film).
Error creating thumbnail: File missingA SWAT officer (center right) holding a Remington 870 as the SWAT team prepares to find and arrest the Blues Brothers during the climax.
Ithaca 37
Several police officers and prison guards are seen with Ithaca 37s toward the end of the movie.
The Mystery Woman (Carrie Fisher), who turns out to be Jake's ex-fiance, uses an M16 in her final attempt to kill Jake and Elwood after their concert. This rifle 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.
Some of the National Guard soldiers are seen carrying MGC M16 Replica rifles. Chicago PD officers and US Army soldiers also use MGC M16 during the climax of the movie.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe MGC M16 Assault rifle: a non firing metal replica built by the Model Gun Corp of Japan and one of the most used non firing replicas of the M16 in movies and television.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe SWAT officer holds his MGC M16 when the SWAT van pulls up.Error creating thumbnail: File missingTwo 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.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe lead CPD officer asks the guard if he's seen the Blues Brothers, M16 in hand.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSeveral 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.
Remington 700
Several SWAT officer carry Remington 700s when setting up sniper positions across the street during the climax.
Incorrectly referred to as the "M79 Flamethrower", the Mystery Woman (Carrie Fisher) uses an M1 Flamethrower to try to kill Jake and Elwood when they are in a phone booth.
The Mystery Woman (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.
When she is at her beauty salon, the Mystery Woman (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...
Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Mystery Woman looks over two 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
"Use of unnecessary violence in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers has been approved." 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.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingA 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 its 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.
