27 replies to this topic

[Scott]

I've been putting this off because it makes my head hurt, but eventually my desire to finish what I started and move on won out.

In the movie, Curtis says they need to have the money to the Cook County Assessor's Office in eleven days, and certainly there does seem to be that sense of urgency at the end of the movie, but if you pay close attention there is either some days not shown or they have four days to spare.

Day 1:

• Jake is released
  
• Visit the penguin
  
• Triple Rock Baptist Church
  
• Dixie Square Mall

Day 2:

• Elwood quits his job
  
• Mrs. Tarantino
  
• Murph and the Magictones
  
• Chez Paul

Day 3:

• Nazi bridge
  
• Soul Food Café
  
• Curl up and Dye

Day 4:

• Ray's Music Exchange
  
• Howard Johnson's
  
• Nazis at Wrigley Field
  
• Bob's Country Bunker

Day 5:

• Maury Sline

Day 6:

• Air Raid Siren
  
• Palace Hotel Ballroom
  
• The chase begins

Day 7:

• The chase ends
  
• Jake and Elwood arrested

In the novelization by Miami Mitch of the earlier screenplay, the deadline is in ten days instead of eleven, and there is one extra day of events, leaving only two days spare.

Day 1 (Saturday):

• Jake is released
  
• Visit the penguin
  
• Triple Rock Baptist Church
  
• Dixie Square Mall

Day 2 (Sunday):

• Mrs. Tarantino
  
• Lucky State Pool Room (looking for Steve Cropper)
  
• Willie Hall in the ghetto
  
• Camille blows up an el-train

Day 3 (Monday):

• Elwood works a full day
  
• AFM union hall
  
• Murph and the Magictones
  
• La Belle Cuisine

Day 4 (Tuesday):

• Mercer returns
  
• Camille blows up the Bond Hotel
  
• Duck Dunn
  
• Lou Marini

Day 5 (Wednesday):

• Steve Cropper
  
• Soul Food Café
  
• Ray's Music Exchange
  
• Maury Sline
  
• Bob's Country Bunker

Day 6 (Thursday):

• Practicing
  
• Tom Malone
  
• Nazi parade
  
• Checking in with Curtis

Day 7 (Friday):

• Blowing the house up
  
• The Jovial Club
  
• The chase begins

Day 8 (Saturday):

• The chase ends
  
• Jake and Elwood arrested

The novel even gives us the days of the week that everything occurs on. Seems to fit fairly well, right? Not so fast, because we have one more source to cross-reference... Blues Brothers Private.

1980-08-20 Jake is released from Joliet Correctional Center and placed on parole.
1980-08-20 Jake and Elwood drive through Dixie Shopping Center.
1980-08-21 Elwood quits his job.
1980-08-23 Illinois Nazi Party files report of assault on and disruption of peaceful assembly occurring earlier the same day.
1980-08-23 Department of Public Works files Destruction of Public Property Report.
1980-08-24 Jake and Elwood cause a disturbance at the Chez Paul.
1980-08-29 Use of unnecessary violence in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers has been approved.
1980-08-30 Burton Mercer terminates parole for Jake Blues for not reporting to Viking House.
1980-08-30 The Palace Hotel gig.
1980-08-30 Murphy Dunne and Steve Cropper are arrested at the Palace Hotel.
1980-08-31 Bluesmobile is impounded.

The day of Jake's release according to BB Private (August 20, 1980) is actually a Wednesday. A church service on Wednesday? It's not entirely impossible, considering the popularity of Rev. Cleophus James. There's a poster in BB Private advertising a one-night-only appearance of Rev Cleophus James and the Triple Rock Church Spiritual Choir at the Rock Island Convention Center "this Saturday night". The poster has a picture from the movie, which means the picture would have been taken earlier in the week, which seems to support the Wednesday date.

It is important to note that the date of Jake's release is not consistent throughout the book, but August 20 is the only date given that is possible when everything else is taken into consideration.

Elwood quits his job the day after Jake's release, and we have his record of employment. He worked from August 11 to August 21, a total of eight working days plus one sick day: August 20, the day Jake was released.

But here's where the problems begin. The Illinois Nazi Party files an assault report on August 23, which states that the incident occurred earlier that day, but according to the movie timeline this event should have occurred on August 22.

Also on August 23, the Department of Public Works files a desruction of public property report for the big chase at the end of the movie, but it hasn't taken place yet! Clearly this date has to be ignored; the report couldn't have been filed until early September.

A report regarding the disturbance at the Chez Paul indicates that the incident took place on August 24, which is three days later than in the movie.

On August 29, unnecessary use of violence in apprehension of the Blues Brothers has been approved, but it's more than 24 hours early. Chase doesn't begin until the late night of August 30.

The gig at the Palace Hotel Ballroom occurs on August 30. Murphy Dunne and Steve Cropper are arrested that same night. The Bluesmobile is impounded on August 31, and the story appears in the newspaper on Monday, September 1. The newspaper article claims that the chase ended early Monday morning, but that doesn't match with the impound report and would stretch the chase even longer than it already unrealistically is.

I was worried that there would be a problem with the Cook County Assessor's Office not being open on Sunday, but the web site doesn't say anything about only being open certain days of the week. Office hours are listed as 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

Sounds like we're doing pretty good? This is where I drop the bombshell. The timeline according to BB Private is 11 days, and if you remember from before the movie only shows seven days worth of footage, which means four days are somehow unaccounted for. Trying to fit those four days in the middle seems to be impossible, and moving the start or end dates is equally impossible because they are very well-established.

[Mike]

How long did that take to write? good information though!

[Scott]

A few hours. Wasn't really keeping track.

[George_Germany]

Really good Job, Scott.

I would fill in another day between "Murph and the Magic Tones" amd "Chez Paul", it's possible that they went there the night after putting the "Backbone" of the Band together.

Also, I'd suggest, there's another day between "Howard Johnson's" and "Bob's Country Bunker", since it's already dark when they get to Howard Johnson's. The Movie plays in Summer, so it's getting dark late. And I can't imagine them coming to Bob's Place, it's dark (maybe 8 p.m.), and then maybe half an hour or an hour later all the crowd of rednecks coming to this place, if they have already been at Johnson's in the dark, and then been sitting for more than three hours in the cars.

So I come to a conclusion like this:

Day 1:
Jake's release
Penguin
Triple Rock Church (maybe round 6 p.m. ?)
Cops
Dixie Square Mall
Hotel

Day 2:
Hotel destroyed
Elwood quits his Job
Mrs. Tarantino
Murph and the Magic Tones

Day 3:
Chez Paul

Day 4:
Nazi Bridge
Soul Food Cafe
Curl up and Dye

Day 5:
Rays Music Exchange
Howard Johnson's
Nazis at Wrigley Field

Day 6:
Bob's Country Bunker

Day 7:
Maury Sline

Day 8:
Curtis and the Kids
Air Raid Siren / Advertisment on the Streets
Palace Hotel Ballroom
The Chase Begins

Day 9:
Chase End
Jake and Elwood arrested

Still 2 days missing, but already better than 4...

Maybe anyone here got any Ideas, where the remaining two days could be? (Maybe between Days 2 and 3 or between 5 and 6? Just my Idea...)

Ah, yes: I'm regarding to the Movie only, cause I don't have the books (yet).

Greetings,

George

[bbcentral]

I didn't think there was any urgency about getting the tax paid on time, they had days to spare. But they were being chased by every cop in the state, I know I'd certainly be in a hurry

Great work though, one day I'll try to read it in more detail but for now I'll just assume that you know what you're talking about (let's face it, you're usually right :D)

[bluesharp]

Now that's interesting reading!!
Also dedication as well,nice one!!

[Scott]

George_Germany said:

I would fill in another day between "Murph and the Magic Tones" amd "Chez Paul", it's possible that they went there the night after putting the "Backbone" of the Band together.

Also, I'd suggest, there's another day between "Howard Johnson's" and "Bob's Country Bunker", since it's already dark when they get to Howard Johnson's. The Movie plays in Summer, so it's getting dark late. And I can't imagine them coming to Bob's Place, it's dark (maybe 8 p.m.), and then maybe half an hour or an hour later all the crowd of rednecks coming to this place, if they have already been at Johnson's in the dark, and then been sitting for more than three hours in the cars.

Never thought of the whole getting dark later because it's summer thing. Good job to you too!

Hmm... looking at the calendar, it seems like we actually need three more days (five days total). Between 2 and 3 would help with the Chez Paul incident, but would push the Nazi bridge incident too far forward. After Maury Sline there is no slack available (book us for tomorrow night), so any other slack needs to go before that.

Wednesday, August 20, 1980
Jake's release
Penguin
Triple Rock Church (maybe round 6 p.m. ?)
Cops
Dixie Square Mall
Hotel

Thursday, August 21, 1980
Hotel destroyed
Elwood quits his Job
Mrs. Tarantino
Murph and the Magic Tones

Friday, August 22, 1980
Chez Paul

Saturday, August 23, 1980
Nazi Bridge
Soul Food Cafe
Curl up and Dye

Sunday or Monday
Rays Music Exchange
Howard Johnson's
Nazis at Wrigley Field

Tuesday or Wednesday
Bob's Country Bunker

Friday, August 29, 1980
Maury Sline

Saturday, August 30, 1980
Curtis and the Kids
Air Raid Siren / Advertisment on the Streets
Palace Hotel Ballroom
The Chase Begins

Sunday, August 31, 1980
Chase End
Jake and Elwood arrested

[George_Germany]

Hello Scott,

good conclusion. I only disagree in one point: The gap of 2 or 3 days between Bob's Country Bunker and Maury Sline.

After the Band left at the Bunker, Elwood says: "[...] We got an appointment to see Mr. Sline tomorrow. [...]"

[Scott]

Looks like I have to hang my head in shame and watch the movie more often.

I'm starting to have even more doubts that we'll be successfu.

Wednesday, August 20, 1980
Jake's release
Penguin
Triple Rock Church (maybe round 6 p.m. ?)
Cops
Dixie Square Mall
Hotel

Thursday, August 21, 1980
Hotel destroyed
Elwood quits his Job
Mrs. Tarantino
Murph and the Magic Tones

Friday, August 22, 1980
Chez Paul

Saturday, August 23, 1980
Nazi Bridge
Soul Food Cafe
Curl up and Dye

?
Rays Music Exchange
Howard Johnson's
Nazis at Wrigley Field

Thursday, August 28, 1980
Bob's Country Bunker

Friday, August 29, 1980
Maury Sline

Saturday, August 30, 1980
Curtis and the Kids
Air Raid Siren / Advertisment on the Streets
Palace Hotel Ballroom
The Chase Begins

Sunday, August 31, 1980
Chase End
Jake and Elwood arrested

[Swingkid570]

An easy way out would be to say that the extra days were just band practice and nothing spectacular happened on those days.

But who wants the easy way out?

[dixiesquare]

i just heard this while curtis was speaking sorry if i paraphrase it . but it go's some thing like , " boys that money has to be in the cook county assessors office within 11 days " i am positive and i watched it a number of times to be sure that he says .... within ....so that can account for the missing days , it had to be there in 11 , but not necessary have to take the whole 11

[Scott]

I don't mind taking that approach either, but then either the start date is wrong or the end date. BB Private spreads it over 11 days, though as discussed above it doesn't do a very clean job of it.

[dixiesquare]

maybe you should just go from what ever day after jake is releasded till the stamp on the reciept . they did not do much in the way of trying to get the money the first day . it all started in ernest the next morning at "it's almost nine o' clock , let's go to work " thats where i would start the time line at .

i do not have a copy of any thing but the movies so i dont know how the books spread it out .

[Fulmernator]

One thing I've wondered, are we sure they went to Triple Rock the same day Curtis told them to? Granted, Elwood's introducing his apartment to Jake at the end of the night wouldn't make much sense if it wasn't the same day, but it just seemed to me there was a more of a lapse between their conversation with Curtis and their arrival at the church.

[DSPaul]

I love the fact that they drove through the mall on August 20, 1980.

August 20, 2005 was the largest crew day and the most filming done on that day for the dixie square doc film.

[Odupianist]

Quote

In the novelization by Miami Mitch of the earlier screenplay

Where can I get this novelization?

[JacobSteinAFM]

Guys, there's one other problem- when Lloyd tells Jake and Elwood about the lack of gasoline, he says "Yep, tanker truck's usually late on Thursdays..."

[Scott]

Hooray more problems.

Odupianist, you can get the novelization from Amazon or any other web site where used books are sold. Link to the book on Amazon is available in the Merchandise section of this web site.

[TakkunEG]

Quote

A church service on Wednesday?

There's always church on Wednesdays in my neck of the woods. Most churches have a service on Wed. evenings around 5 or 6pm. Other churches will have one on Wednesday morning AND Wednesday evening, sometimes all year, and sometimes only in the summer.

[meatpacker]

You will never be able to follow any of it because the book was written after the movie...

The book never accounted for the Directors cuts...lots of scenes had to be cut from the script and the final edit...