Belushi (Showtime) - General Discussion

[Spartan Girl]

Coming to Showtime November 22! Cannot wait!!!

 

[Spartan Girl]

I seriously can't stop watching this trailer. I don't know if it's the song -- "Family Friend" by The Vaccines -- or all those photos of John with his wife, but either way it makes me ridiculously emotional. This is gonna wreck me.

[Spartan Girl]

Hope I'm not the only one that watched this because it was great! I needed this after making the mistake of reading Wired and watching that abomination of a movie.

As a Belushi fan there wasn't much I didn't already know, but I did love all the audio interviews, especially from Carrie Fisher, Penny Marshall, and Harold Ramis -- may they all rest in peace. Carrie's parts were particularly insightful, especially when she talked about how John's sober year was probably a "screaming hell" for him without the aid of actual rehab and AA support he needed to actually stay clean.

The animated sequences were great, as was Bill Hader doing the voiceover for John's letters to Judy. And I'm just going to say it: the guy could write a love letter. 

But the last bit of the documentary was just gut wrenching. I like how the filmmakers just let John speak for himself by showing that last letter (sans Bill's voice) and the footage from that day at the Chateau Marmont with the Blues Brothers' rendition of "Guilty" playing. Apparently Jim Belushi's one request to the director was to leave out the part of the body being wheeled out, and that was very tasteful.

God, poor Dan Aykroyd, saying that he still carries the regret of not getting John out of LA when he had the chance. And the fact that he ran all the way to John's house to tell Judy so she wouldn't hear it on the news speaks volumes about the kind of man he is. 

And Judy is just awesome. 

While it's a shame that John couldn't get help and turn his life around, all the movies and SNL skits have always made me smile and have gotten me through this very shitty year. 

[MsTree]

3 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Hope I'm not the only one that watched this because it was great! I needed this after making the mistake of reading Wired and watching that abomination of a movie.

Recorded this and will watch tomorrow. Appreciate your review. Now I'm really looking forward to it.

[Guest]

Thought this was absolutely brilliant. It certainly didn't shy away from Belushi's worst instincts, but it didn't make his drug abuse the centerpiece of the story either. Was happy they didn't include shit about-- or even mention -- Cathy Smith. And I'm very sorry they cut loose his bodyguard/minder when they did -- he could have been a safeguard between John and Smith. But John was an adult and made adult choices. 

I'm also sorry that Judy beat herself up so much for John's addiction until she was finally able to be at peace with it. She was right to remain behind and take care of herself instead of going to California with him. 

I had forgotten what a real light he had. After all these years, it remains one of Hollywood's great losses. 

[Ashforth]

I may have to watch this. John was a gifted comedian and comedic actor, but I think my favorite work of his is Continental Divide. It has drama, romance, and yes, humor. Many were surprised by what an appealing leading man he was.

It's sad that his addiction made him miserable through much of his life. Sadder still that understanding of and treatment for addiction hasn't made many strides in all of the years since his death.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Ashforth

[Spartan Girl]

49 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

And I'm very sorry they cut loose his bodyguard/minder when they did -- he could have been a safeguard between John and Smith. But John was an adult and made adult choices. 

Well actually Smokey the bodyguard chose to leave because he thought John was in a good place by then, turning down cocaine on  his own. John didn't want him to go, but Smokey assured him he'd be fine and they could call him if they needed him. Judy did call him to get him out of LA....and he didn't make it in time. And Smokey felt guilt over it after too.

Rehabs back then were basically the psych ward; Betty Ford wasn't established until after 1982. So I understand why John didn't want to go, and why Judy couldn't bring herself to just have him committed while he was passed out. That admission was just painful.

I couldn't help noticing how Judy's voice cracked a bit at the end when she said that she still wouldn't have traded her life with him for anything. 

Anyone who hasn't seen Continental Divide definitely should. It was John's best movie, and why people just turned their noses up at it because they couldn't accept John being anything other than Bluto pisses me off to this day.

[ShadowHunter]

I watched this last night. All I did today was watch his old SNL clips. Some of the stories I knew already. The rivalry between him and Chevy and other issues working on SNL. 

The clips of him and Judy was beautiful and sad. The letters he wrote her as well hit me hard. I wish they could have had a happy ending. Judy is at peace with things which is great. Hearing what Carrie Fisher had to say was hard.  She understood about addiction as well.  I wish he could have beaten it. Smokey could not live with John the rest of his life so it seems things would have probably still ended up the way they did.

Dan Aykroyd has said some odd things as the years have gone on but I am glad he made sure he was the one to tell Judy what happened. I'm sorry he and Judy both felt such regret over it. You can't save or help some people. Sad.

I echo a few others about liking Continental Divide. It deserved a better reception from fans. Neighbors though I do think is a messy movie. I tried but never took to it.

R.I.P to John Belushi, Carrie Fisher, Harold Ramis, and Gilda Radner. Seeing pics and clips of everyone was tough. Still they all did great work and left a mark.

Edited November 27, 2020 by ShadowHunter

[Spartan Girl]

14 minutes ago, ShadowHunter said:

The clips of him and Judy was beautiful and sad. The letters he wrote her as well hit me hard. I wish they could have had a happy ending.

Ugh me too. Those photos of them were just adorable, especially the photo outtakes of them them hugging and goofing around during his sober year. As glad as I am that Judy found peace and moved on with her life, I really wish John would have recovered and the two of them would’ve had kids and grandkids right now. 

Also loved the Vineyard clip of Dan and John prancing off into the ocean together.

Did anyone catch the “Best Days” song Judy sang at the end of the credits? Apparently she wrote it herself. 

[Tachi Rocinante]

Equal parts funny, interesting, and sad.  I didn't realize the "jealousy" with regards to Chevy was that big of a deal.

To me, Belushi was never the leading man type.  He was always better as a secondary character.  Blue Brothers being the exception, but that was basically extended SNL skits/scenes sewn together, and he could riff with Aykroyd.

Neighbors was a groaner and Continental Divide was cliched and dull as dishwater (not all his fault, though).

[Robert Lynch]

Belushi would have been an interesting choice for the Bill Murray role in Ghostbusters. Though Bill dill a good job of balancing that character, I wonder how different that movie would have been if Belushi lived. I thought it was interesting that Dan mentioned writing Ghostbusters near the end of Belushi's life and mentioned the script to him.

[chediavolo]

He was a misogynist and not very nice is all I have ever read of him starting from the 70’s.  I must be misremembering because I though his wife was doing drugs all along with him and was complicit? Or was there another woman that this show glossed over? Definitely remember at the time of his death a woman was involved. 

[MissAlmond]

4 hours ago, chediavolo said:

Or was there another woman that this show glossed over?

It was another woman, not Belushi's wife, who was with him.  Her name was Cathy Smith and she died this August.  

[Spartan Girl]

Bumped this because this month marked 40 years since John’s death, and on the date just a couple of weeks ago, Judy posted this on Instagram. And now I have to go cry.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[SunnyBeBe]

I hope to watch this soon.  I’m looking for an old photo I took of John and Dan  Aykroyd with their entourage in NYC not long before his death, as they were going up to the Rainbow Room.  I was leaving.

Edited September 7, 2022 by SunnyBeBe