This appeared today about a guy making a documentary about Big Lebowski festivals. Somehow this 1998 Coen brothers film, that barely recouped its budget, became a huge cult hit.I didn't like it the first time around. After Fargo the movie seemed disjointed and gratuitously odd. (Which I'm not against in general, but my expectations were high and "Lebowski" left me puzzled.) A few years ago, they ran the movie a lot on cable. Every time I surfed, there would be "Lebowski." I'd watch a little and move on. Next time I'd watch a bit more. Finally, I'd drop anchor and see it through. Then I read an article that "Lebowski" was the Coen's homage to 40s noirish detective films. Sure enough, behind the bowling pins lurked a lot of Chandleresque characters and conventions from the Sheriff of Malibu, to the crippled soldier, to deceptive females. Instead of a hard-bitten protagonist seeking justice in an unjust world, there was Dude, a lazy bum with a passion for bowling and White Russians who finally figures it all out.
Now I'm a fan, but content to be alone in my fandom, not seeking out my kind, but, like the Dude, I simply abide.
h/t: FaffandNatter
6 comments:
Like many of the Coen Brothers films, Lebowski took several viewings for me to appreciate and to enjoy... O Brother Where Art Thou gets better every time I view it...
Barton Fink continues its slow seepage into the "like" basin.
Despite the numerous internet memes this movie spawned I never have seen it. I'm interested in Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd however. Been meaning to rent it for weeks.
Never caught Sweeney Todd.
But I'm sure Mr. Netflix would be delighted to let me see his copy.
I recall being in possession of this film and being bored to tears.. But if it's full of symbolism and the like I'm sure I could give it a go some time. I just have to know what I'm looking at before hand so I'm not you know.. day dreaming.. actual dreaming.. picking toe lint..
Does this mean "The Hudsucker Proxy" was the Coens' homage to Jay Ward cartoons? There is no vast cult following (yet) for that one.
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