Saturday Night Live: The Best of John Belushi

Director

Kenneth Bowser

John Belushi could say more with an eyebrow than most performers can with their entire body. Yet he wasn't a minimalist. Far from it, he could go over the top in a way that's never been surpassed. Spanning 1975-1979, this collection includes his bemused Beethoven, who speaks through his fingers rather than his mouth--until he morphs into Ray Charles. On the opposite side of the spectrum, there's "Samurai Delicatessen," in which his Toshiro Mifune-styled chef grunts and slices with abandon, or those "Weekend Update" commentaries, where he implodes at the end of a deranged tirade. Then there's his nimble-footed "Joliet" Jake Blues and the poignant "Don't Look Back in Anger," in which an aged Belushi visits the graves of his cast mates. In these skits, spoofs, and musical performances, he's joined by the likes of Buck Henry, Elliot Gould, and, naturally, the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players. --Kathleen C. Fennessy