John Landis (born 3 August 1950) is an American director, screenwriter, and producer best known for a string of influential comedies and pop-culture landmarks from the late 1970s through the 1980s. He broke through with National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978), a major box-office hit that helped redefine the modern American comedy, and followed it with films that mixed broad humour with sharp genre awareness, including The Blues Brothers (1980), Trading Places (1983), and Coming to America (1988). Landis also directed An American Werewolf in London (1981), praised for blending comedy and horror and for its groundbreaking practical effects.
Beyond feature films, he has directed notable music videos and worked extensively in television and producing. His career has also been marked by serious controversy related to a fatal on-set accident during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie (1982), which led to legal proceedings and long-running industry discussion about safety standards and working conditions. Even with that shadow over his legacy, Landis remains a significant figure in American entertainment history, associated with films that became enduring touchstones for comedy and popular music on screen.
The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers was shot largely on location in and around Chicago, and the city is absolutely central to its identity.
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