John Belushi is one of the legends of the world of American comedy. A figure who has contributed a great deal to lay the foundations of the modern landscape, influencing the generation that followed him, participating in the birth of one of the most important stages ever for the sector and giving life to timeless masterpieces of the genre. His story should be known by everyone (or at least all the fans of this world) and now it is finally possible to do it in easier and more complete way.
John Belushi, a biography difficult to reconstruct
Thanks to the tragic conclusion, linked to problems of addiction to alcohol and drugs, it is easy to bring the life of the great comedian back to a decadent rock star tale. This is in fact the image that can emerge from reading the biography edited by Bob woodward, a journalist famous for covering the Watergate scandal. A work that right from the title Whoever touches dies - The short delusional life of John Belushi makes clear the narrative approach.
However, this image of the comedian (still predominant, even in Italy) has often been challenged by those who knew him well. Starting with his wife Judith Belushi Pisano, which over time has done everything to tell the life of man in a more complete way.
A desire strongly felt also by Publisher's silhouette, a publishing house dedicated to the history of comedy. In order to do justice to the story of John Belushi, he has created, with the collaboration of Judith herself, a unique editorial project. This is the definitive biography of the great comedian, built around the books written by the widow, entitled Samurai Widow (however, never arrived in Italy before) e B.
A work that deepens the life of this legend, to be able to better understand who he really was both as a man and as an artist. All embellished with a very rich photographic insert, with photos from Judith Belushi's private archive. A unique opportunity to watch beyond traditional storytelling and understand more about the figure of John Belushi.
"The most truthful portrait of John Belushi"
To open the volume there are three prefaces. The first is from John Landis, who directed Belushi on The Blues Brothers and Animal House. The second is the friend and companion of many adventures Dan Aykroyd. The third is of Carlo Amatetti, editor of the volume, which explains the reasons why this new edition was necessary, why it was important to bring Samurai Widow (never published before) to Italy and provides some details on how the union of the two works was achieved.
The structure of the volume is decidedly particular, precisely because of his such complex development. The result is a great patchwork that tells this character so important to countless different points of view, exploring in depth the different facets. The story of his wife is accompanied by those of Landis, Aykroyd, Carrie Fisher and many others who knew and loved him. All to provide "finally, the most truthful portrait of John Belushi".
But why this figure was so important for the history of comedy? How did it leave its mark on this world? Let's briefly retrace his life to understand him better.
It all started in Chicago ...
The future great comedian was born from a couple of Albanian origin in the city of Chicago in 1949. Belushi will remain forever attached to this place, although he will soon move with his family a Wheaton, where he will meet future life partner Judith. Above all, however, Chicago will remain linked to the actor. There are many stories in the book of how the city was hospitable (too much at times) with him when he returned years later to shoot The Blues Brothers.
During his high school years he discovered and cultivated various passions: music, football and acting, especially comedy. He discovers his taste for parody, for imitation and in the college years decides to enter the world of theater. He returns to Chicago where he joins a summer theater company and founds a comedy trio called West Compass Players with two childhood friends.
Together with them he manages to enter the comic improvisation group The Second City. Here his personality asserts itself more and more, becoming a key member of the company and finally convincing him that he has found his own way.
The next step was the collaboration with the National lampoon, the famous project by Douglas Kenney and Henry Beard. He joined the team with the Lemmings show thanks to his already famous imitation of Joe Cocker, to then take part in the radio show National Lampoon’s Radio Hour. Here he made his first acquaintance with some key figures for the show that would completely revolutionize American comedy.
Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!
John Belushi was one of the members of that incredible group of comedians he gave birth, under the leadership of Lorne Michaels, on Saturday Night Live. An exceptional program that alternated sketches of all kinds, made live on television. It will become a big hit and one of the founding pillars of modern American comedy, creating or giving notoriety to other shows, films and above all key personalities of this world. And part of the credit goes to Belushi.
The cast of 1975 was certainly not lacking in big names, from Gilda Radner a Chevy chase, Up to Dan Aykroyd himself, already a great friend of John, and many others would soon be added. Ours, however, stood out as one of the most representative and captivating figures. Thanks to his talent for parody and imitations, he created lots of characters for the show, become immortal.
His imitation of Joe Cocker definitely exploded on the SNL stage, especially when he performed right next to the real singer. Equally famous became the character of Jake ‘Joliet’ Blues, which will get even bigger between musical performances around America and the movie, and that of Samurai Futaba. Perhaps more than others, these masks highlight the exceptional talent of John Belushi, capable of making people laugh even with his presence alone.
It was also thanks to the great success of his characters that the Saturday Night Live became a pillar of American comedy at the time. John Belushi's fame it grew out of all proportion and after five years on the show, it was time for his career to take another leap forward.
John Belushi comes to the big screen
Very quietly the doors of the cinema opened for the comedian. There had already been some experience in the past, but it was in 1978 that his real debut on the big screen took place, with a full-fledged film seminal. It is Animal House, film development of that National Lampoon with which Belushi collaborated years earlier.
It was an incredible economic success, but above all he left a indelible mark in the history of comedy. Even today, the fundamental influence of this film is felt in shows and films focused on the world of college (and beyond). Belushi plays here Bluto, a character who will cut out some of the most memorable moments of the film, becoming even more known to the general public.
And then we come to John Belushi's other big blockbuster, The Blues Brothers. A project that on the one hand could count on the popularity of the characters, it is true, but on the other it was very risky. Dan Aykroyd was his first attempt at a film script and above all the film practically never showed the flight of its main stars (almost) always hidden from hat and dark glasses. Not the best commercial choice.
Despite this, the success was once again exceptional and launched John Belushi's career to the stars. The doors opened for so many new opportunities, starting with a film Dan was working on, a comedy about a group of scientists called to face an army of ghosts ... An ascent abruptly interrupted by the death by John Belushi, which took place on March 5, 1982.
John Belushi's immense legacy
It's really hard to overestimate John Belushi's contribution to the history of American comedy. On the one hand this is closely intertwined with the Saturday Night Live. The comedian played a key role in his birth and in his becoming bigger and bigger and more important. From a certain point of view therefore, it's thanks to him that stars are born who owe a lot to the SNL, like Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Will Forte, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader and many others.
But it's not just Saturday Night Live that Belushi has influenced the generations that followed him. Characters like John 'Bluto' Blutarsky they made history, giving life to a model replicated countless times in subsequent cinematography.
And again, it is undeniable that they can be found again direct influences of the comic style of John Belushi, so physical and overwhelming in so many modern figures. Much has been said about how much it inspired Jack Black, but there are so many other actors who have a more or less substantial debt towards the Samurai.
And regardless of everything, his films, his sketches, his characters they are still fresh today and capable of conquering (and making people laugh out loud). Plunging back into John Belushi's life isn't just a golden opportunity to get to know one fundamental figure of the modern history of comedy, but also to discover many hidden pearls of his career. All thanks to the incredible talent of this exceptional man.
Discount
John Belushi. The definitive biography: 1
- Belushi Pisano, Judith (Author)
