The Dude Abides

Cafe Society
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Yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of one of the finest movies made, namely The Big Lebowski. To celebrate, the missus and I are hosting a Cohen Brothers film festival. I have procured sufficient quantities of food, wine, spirits, and beer as well as some snacks. The generator was topped off yesterday although things have been pretty stable so we don’t anticipate any power outages. In addition to the feature film I have three other Cohen brothers movies to screen, and at the conclusion of this, my bandmates and I will make a little noise.

For my fellow dopers who have not seen this masterpiece, may I suggest you go rent it and enjoy it over a few drinks. Hereare several quotes from the movie that might whet your interest.

I thought of putting this in Cafe Society but I thought this post contained more MPSIMS, with a smattering of IMHO, and less points of discussion.

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And the other three Coen flicks you’ve chosen are?

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Make sure and have plenty of Sioux City Sarsaparilla on hand…

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Perhaps some Lebowski fans could explain what makes this movie so much better than other Cohen products. I can watch *Raising Arizona *, O Brother, Where Art Thou? or even Intolerable Cruelty on a continuous loop and never get tired of them. I should like The Big Lebowski yet I just can’t get the love. Maybe it’s Jeff Bridges. What am I missing?

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Forget it, shiftless. You’re out of your element.

:smiley:

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Perhaps I would learn to enjoy this movie if I also learned to enjoy pot. But the likelyhood of the latter is no better than the former, so… <shrug>

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I’m not a really bif Coen Brothers fan (although I loved their first, Blood Simple, and their next, Raising Arizona, but many of their others leave me flat. So I didn’t see The Big Lebowski for a long time. But, away from home with my family, I selected the film On Demand and watched it. My wife and daughter were drawn in, and now my daughter raves abiout this to her friends. I do like its engaging weirdness.

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“Raising Arizona”, “O Brother, Where Art Thou ?”, and “The Ladykillers.” I’ve enjoyed the others - “Fargo”, “True Grit”, and “No Country For Old Men” - but I wanted more humor than drama.

Sadly, not on the shelves here. We will have to make do Castle Milk Stout and Eka. If you can get over here by Saturday, pick some up and I’ll meet you at the airport.

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Because it’s funnier to talk about than to actually see. I like the Coens a lot, but The Big Lebowski falls flat. It’s actually in Wes Anderson* territory without Anderson’s ability to do something with his quirky characters.

*Yes, I know it predated most of Anderson’s films, and I’d even agree that the Coens are better overall (though not by a wide margin).

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I don’t know about you, but I take great comfort in that.

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Moved MPSIMS --> Cafe Society.

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What, no rope? That room isn’t going to tie itself together.

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First time I watched this movie I was real smoked up and had heard it was supposed to be great.

When it finished I thought “WOW…I must be really messed up because that movie seemed like it was in slow motion.”

Then when I was sober I realized what it was; boredom. Yuuuuuuuuuck.

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If you’re in Tuscaloosa, AL on March 29th, drop by The Bama Theater. :wink:
“Tuscaloosa Abides”

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The evening won’t be complete without a marmot.

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Wait. Just hold on here. Are you telling me that The Big Lebowski was released on March 6 - MY BIRTHDAY?!

How have I not know this for the last 15 years? My fucking son’s birth announcement was a takeoff on the poster (The Big LeBeckski, as if you cared).

Unrelated, but I need a toe.

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Hell, I can get you a toe by 3 o’clock this afternoon.

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I am.

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The more I watch it the more I like it.

It’s the anti-Raising Arizona.

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I saw what you did there.