The Quarantine Stream: ‘Belushi’ is an Intimate, Moving Portrait of the Comedian’s Life and Demons

Posted on Thursday, January 21st, 2021 by Ethan Anderton

(Welcome to The Quarantine Stream, a new series where the /Film team shares what they’ve been watching while social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.)

The Movie: Belushi

Where You Can Stream It: Showtime

The Pitch: A feature documentary from award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler about the too-short life of John Belushi, the once-in-a-generation talent who captured the hearts and funny-bones of audiences worldwide. Told using previously unheard audiotapes, this film examines Belushi’s extraordinary life in the words of his collaborators, friends, and family, including Dan Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, Penny Marshall, Lorne Michaels, Carrie Fisher, Chevy Chase, Harold Ramis, Jane Curtin, Ivan Reitman and his high school sweetheart and later wife Judy Belushi.

Why It’s Essential Viewing: There are plenty of documentaries profiling some of the most famous names in history, science, literature, sports, cinema, television, music, and more. But it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a documentary like Belushi that focuses on a force of nature in pop culture in such an intensely intimate fashion. Instead of using the traditional talking heads in the homes of those who crossed paths with comedian John Belushi, director R.J. Cutler has pieced together an impressive array of personal photos, home videos, stylish animation, and never-before-heard audio interviews from those who knew him best. Read More »

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‘Belushi’ Trailer: The Life of Comedic Force John Belushi is Explored By Those Who Knew Him Best

Posted on Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 by Ethan Anderton

Following a deep dive into the history and legacy of The Comedy Store, Showtime has another chronicle of a comedy staple who left us far too soon.

John Belushi was a tour de force. After breaking out on Saturday Night Live and National Lampoon’s Animal House, Belushi became one of the biggest comedy stars in the world. He was the kind of guy everyone wanted to have a beer with. But while there was this wrecking ball of comedic energy on the outside, on the inside, Belushi was dealing with his own demons, and his incredible fame would only feed them with alcohol and drugs. Showtime’s new documentary Belushi will chronicle all the comedian’s highs and lows, and you can see the first trailer right now. Read More »

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John Belushi Biopic Back in the Works with Adam Pally Playing the ‘Saturday Night Live’ Legend

Posted on Monday, August 24th, 2020 by Ethan Anderton

A biopic about John Belushi has been in the works for years now. The most recent iteration had Broadway’s Beetlejuice star Alex Brightman in talks to lead the movie, and that was just this past December. But apparently that didn’t work out, because now Happy Endings star Adam Pally is in talks to take the role of the legendary Saturday Night Live cast member who would go on to steal the show in National Lampoon’s Animal House and rock the jailhouse in The Blues Brothers. Read More »

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