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. Reprising their roles from SNL are John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd 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 entertainers 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 and Chicago SWAT officers 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.
Due to the massive amount of extras for the climatic scene, the majority of the National Guard soldiers and CPD officers are seen carrying MGC M16 Replica rifles instead of actual blank-firing weapons.
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 brothers 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.Error creating thumbnail: File missingDue to the massive amount of extras for the climatic scene, the majority of the National Guard soldiers and CPD officers are seen carrying MGC M16 Replica rifles instead of actual blank-firing weapons. That's director Steven Spielberg in the tan sweater vest in the upper left.
Remington 700
Several SWAT officers carry Remington 700s when setting up sniper positions across the street during the climax.
A watercooled Browning M2 machine gun in an M3 heavy anti-aircraft mount (minus the extremely distinctive triple rear grip) is seen used by the National Guard.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingBrowning M2 Water Cooled, Flexible - .50 BMGError creating thumbnail: File missingA watercooled version of the Browning M2 machine gun is seen used by the National Guard. This version mounts a very tall AA spider sight on the cooling shroud at the muzzle end which is just about visible over the large plate: this seems to have been a combination of a splinter shield and an anti-glare feature when firing with the sun in view.
Browning M1919A4
What appears to be a Browning M1919A4 machine gun is seen mounted in the Sherman tank parked on Daley Plaza. As this tank is likely privately owned, it is quite possible this is actually a painted wood or metal rod with an M1919 barrel shroud placed over it.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingM1919A4 - .30-06Error creating thumbnail: File missingBrowning M1919A4 mounted in the Sherman tank. Note that the gun does not actually appear to have an opening in the end of the barrel: if this tank is from a museum or other private collection, it is quite possible this is actually a painted wood or metal rod with an M1919 barrel shroud placed over it.
Other
M9-7 Flamethrower
The Mystery Woman (Carrie Fisher) uses an M9-7 Flamethrower to try to kill Jake and Elwood when they are in a phone booth. In an earlier sequence where she is looking at field manuals, the one for the flamethrower scrambles the weapon's designation to "M-79."
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. The launcher only has four tubes, but five rockets appear to be launched.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Mystery Woman aims her rocket launcher.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Mystery Woman looks through her scope at Jake. (That's quite the magnification!)Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Mystery Woman fires at Jake and Elwood.Error creating thumbnail: File missingRockets are fired at the entrance. The launcher only has four tubes, but five rockets appear to be launched. At full size, light from the left tip of the rocket exhaust can be seen glinting off the wire it is hanging from, showing that this is a commercial toy rocket as in many films of this period.
Trivia
Weapons Manuals
When she is at her beauty salon, the Mystery Woman (Carrie Fisher) has two weapon manuals on her desk: "M-79 Flame Thrower" and partly obscured "Antipersonnel Mine M18A1 and M18 (Claymore)."
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." The partially obscured FM 23-23 is, however, the correct number for the M18A1 and M18 Claymore mine manual pictured. These are just printed slip covers placed on thick books: the real FM 23-23 only has 33 numbered pages.
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, causing the agency to ban the 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, even though some of these films received assistance from the department itself during filming.
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.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingTwo Illinois State Police cars chase the Blues Brothers in a mall. The two cruisers (including one driven by director John Landis) are subsequently wrecked at the end of the chase.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Illinois State Police cruiser driven by Trooper Daniel crashes into the pickup carrying the Good 'Ole Boys, causing both to flip over. Note the trail of smoke behind the car: this is from a vertically-mounted pneumatic ram that was fired to flip it.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSeveral Illinois State Police cars crash into each other as they fall down a hill.Error creating thumbnail: File missing"This is Car 55, we're in a truck!" The Illinois State Police cruiser driven by Trooper Daniel crashes into a semi.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSeveral Chicago Police cruisers crash after the Blues Brothers simply take a left turn.
