On a Mission From God
Yesterday marked the thirtieth anniversary of one of my all-time favorite films, The Blues Brothers. It is one of those movies people detest watching with me because I say all of the lines, like the famous sequence where Elwood tells Jake "it's 600 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses."
Evidently I am not the only one that sees the intrinsic value of the movie and it's message of redemption for the "semi-official" newspaper of the Vatican, L'Osservatore Romano ( English: The Roman Observer)published an editorial commending the message of the movie and declaring it to be a "Catholic" Movie.
Of course, the editorial has caused a lot of controversy- as a good editorial should- amongst some Catholic observers that think that the newspaper is delving too deeply into pop culture. In recent years, the newspaper also weighed in on the Beatles, commending the band for their "beautiful melodies" and for "changing pop music forever." Keep in mind that this is the same group that caused a stir when John Lennon claimed the Beatles were "bigger than Jesus."
The Blues Brothers main theme is that two brothers with a troubled criminal past try to make good on a vow to the Catholic nun who raised them that they will raise $5,000 to save the orphanage from foreclosure. The movie is set in Chicago, but with Orleans County's property tax rate, it could have been set here. The foreclosure theme was way ahead of its time as well.
In order to raise the money, the Blues Brother, Jake and Elwood, attempt to get their band back together to play a one off show. Sadly, while Jake was in jail his brother Elwood had lied to him and told him the band was still together when in fact they had all taken "straight jobs." Thus, the Blues Brother set off on a "mission from God."The movie was made before PG-13 so because of the language and some gratuitous violence it earned an R rating.
Knowing and loving the movie, I understand the editorial and its purpose. As is the case with many comedy movies, there is an underlying message that is hidden beneath the laughs, The Blues Brothers movie is no exception to that rule with its message of redemption and its ridicule of "Illinois Nazis" and tax collectors, and I know that I am not a big fan of either of those groups.
As for the newspaper and its editor, I am sure this "controversy" will sell some newspapers but more importantly, it will make some people think outside the box and that is what a good newspaper is supposed to do.
Even if The Blues Brothers is not "holy," the movie has taught me many lessons. It's ok to trade a Cadillac for a microphone, find out if the beer is free before you start the gig, and always keep your gas tank full and keep a half pack of cigarettes in the glove box, because you never know when God will send you on a mission to Chicago.
Evidently I am not the only one that sees the intrinsic value of the movie and it's message of redemption for the "semi-official" newspaper of the Vatican, L'Osservatore Romano ( English: The Roman Observer)published an editorial commending the message of the movie and declaring it to be a "Catholic" Movie.
Of course, the editorial has caused a lot of controversy- as a good editorial should- amongst some Catholic observers that think that the newspaper is delving too deeply into pop culture. In recent years, the newspaper also weighed in on the Beatles, commending the band for their "beautiful melodies" and for "changing pop music forever." Keep in mind that this is the same group that caused a stir when John Lennon claimed the Beatles were "bigger than Jesus."
The Blues Brothers main theme is that two brothers with a troubled criminal past try to make good on a vow to the Catholic nun who raised them that they will raise $5,000 to save the orphanage from foreclosure. The movie is set in Chicago, but with Orleans County's property tax rate, it could have been set here. The foreclosure theme was way ahead of its time as well.
In order to raise the money, the Blues Brother, Jake and Elwood, attempt to get their band back together to play a one off show. Sadly, while Jake was in jail his brother Elwood had lied to him and told him the band was still together when in fact they had all taken "straight jobs." Thus, the Blues Brother set off on a "mission from God."The movie was made before PG-13 so because of the language and some gratuitous violence it earned an R rating.
Knowing and loving the movie, I understand the editorial and its purpose. As is the case with many comedy movies, there is an underlying message that is hidden beneath the laughs, The Blues Brothers movie is no exception to that rule with its message of redemption and its ridicule of "Illinois Nazis" and tax collectors, and I know that I am not a big fan of either of those groups.
As for the newspaper and its editor, I am sure this "controversy" will sell some newspapers but more importantly, it will make some people think outside the box and that is what a good newspaper is supposed to do.
Even if The Blues Brothers is not "holy," the movie has taught me many lessons. It's ok to trade a Cadillac for a microphone, find out if the beer is free before you start the gig, and always keep your gas tank full and keep a half pack of cigarettes in the glove box, because you never know when God will send you on a mission to Chicago.
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