Vatican pays tribute to 'Blues Brothers'

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VATICAN CITY, June 18 (UPI) -- The Vatican's official newspaper marked the 30th anniversary of the comedy musical "The Blues Brothers" by declaring it a Catholic classic.

L'Osservatore Romano editor Gian Maria Vian said in the newspaper's full-page spread on the 1980 U.S. film starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Jake and Elwood Blues that there is a strong Catholic subtext in the film, which follows the fictional band members as they try to save the church-run orphanage where they were raised, The Daily Telegraph in Britain reported Friday.

"For them, this Catholic institution is their only family -- and they decide to save it at any cost," wrote Vian, who also noted the film features a shot of a framed photo of Pope John Paul II.

The newspaper's "Blues Brothers" spread also pays tribute to "the unforgettable John Belushi's sneer, which remains, three decades after the movie's release, an icon of cinematography."