World Premiere screening October 14 at Pilsen drive-in;
film arrives on Showtime Sunday, November 22, 2020
Chicago, Illinois -- The World Premiere of Showtime Documentary Films’ BELUSHI, chronicling the career of comedian and actor John Belushi, will open the 56th Chicago International Film Festival on Wednesday, October 14, ahead of its premiere on Showtime Sunday, November 22, 2020.
Told using previously unheard audiotapes, award-winning filmmaker RJ Cutler’s BELUSHI examines John 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.
From his early years growing up in Wheaton, Illinois, John Belushi showed an extraordinary talent for comedy and music. It was a visit to the Second City theater in Chicago where he discovered his true calling, and from that moment John became an unstoppable and pioneering force in the comedy world. From National Lampoon’s Lemmings and Radio Hour to one of the founding cast members on Saturday Night Live, his insatiable drive kept the candle burning at both ends. John simultaneously appeared on SNL each Saturday night while filming Animal House and forming a band, The Blues Brothers. The result: By age thirty Belushi was on the #1 television show, had the #1 comedy in movie history and the #1 record album in the world. But as John’s fame grew, so did his demons, and not even Judy could save him from the drug use that would eventually take his life. This film captures the complicated and singular essence of a beloved American icon who changed culture and comedy forever.
BELUSHI will hold its World Premiere on Wednesday, October 14 as the 56th Chicago International Film Festival’s Opening Night film. The premiere screening will be screened at the ChiTown Movies drive-in theater in Pilsen, and will have virtual screenings throughout the Festival. The film will premiere on Showtime Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Central.
BELUSHI is directed by RJ Cutler, and produced by Cutler, John Battsek, Diane Becker, and Trevor Smith. The film is edited by Joe Beshenkovsky, with music by Tree Adams. Bill Couturie, Sean Daniel, Vinnie Malhotra, and Andrew Ruhemann serve as Executive Producers.
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