THE BIG LEBOWSKI
US, 1998, 117 minutes, Colour.
Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, Peter Stormare, Flea, John Turtutto, David Thewlis, Ben Gazarra, John Polito, Sam Elliott.
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen.
The Coen Brothers have proven that they have a unique place in American cinema. They can take any genre, comic or serious, and not only do it excellently, they can twist the expectations and provide humour and an entertaining gallery of eccentrics (Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, Fargo). Which is what they do here. Taking their cue from Raymond Chandler (and a title and plot variations from The Big Sleep), they offer a portrait of modern LA, ageing hippies, ex-Vietnam vets, criminals, pornographers, sinister wealthy businessmen. Jeff Bridges is Dude, lazily living in his past, John Goodman (in a marvellously different performance) is the dominating veteran and Steve Buscemi is the compliant third member of their bowling team!
There are a lot of plot and twists and turns. At one stage, the narrator takes up a difficulty that some audiences have with the Coens, the incessant swearing, but the character replies 'what cussing?' (or expanded words to that effect). The Coens are originals and so is The Big Lebowski - including the Busby Berkeley dream sequence!) The Coen Brothers and Chandler in 90s LA.
1. The popularity of the film? Cult status? The character of The Dude? The 20th century type?
2. The Coen brothers, their style, serious, humour, homage to films, this time to Raymond Chandler and detectives, LA? The musical sequence? The importance of language, jokes? The joke about coarse language?
3. The narrative, the stranger, his introduction to The Dude, as a cool character, as a type, post-Vietnam, unemployed, his range of friends and interactions with them, going bowling, his being an optimist? The stranger meeting The Dude at the bar, the cuss words and his response? The end, the tribute to him? The opening commentary and the image of the Tumbleweed, the image and the song?
4. The Los Angeles locations, The Dude’s place, untidy and poor? The bowling alley? The streets? The Lebowski mansion? The beach and the outside sequences? The range of songs, the period?
5. The Dude, his philosophy, easy going, look, hair, clothies, language, use of drugs, not having money, his love of ideas, the discussions, with Walter, Donny trying to respond?
6. The assault, the attack on The Dude’s house, the discussions, wanting the money, finding the wrong Lebowski? His going to the other Lebowski, the man in his chair, the issue of money, companies, his trophy wife and seeing her at the pool with her boyfriend? Her being associated with the porn industry, her being abducted, the husband concern’s, wanting The Dude to find her? In reality?
7. The role of Brandt, assistant, with the touch of the obsequious, his manner with his boss, his manner with The Dude, his various appearances?
8. Walter, the Vietnam background, serious, his look, putting Donny down, helping The Dude, his range of mistakes, with the guns and tracking people, thinking the real Lebowski was faking, pulling his chair? The final plan, talking, the guns, messing up? The Dude and his exasperation?
9. Donny, taling with his friends, being put down, his sudden collapse, death, the funeral?
10. John Turturro and his cameo as Jesus, the bowling, his look and manner, associates, the clash with Walter?
11. Maude, appearing, the father’s daughter, disdain, the personality, the comments about the abduction, cash, tough, her associates and their bully tactics, relationship with Knox Harrington, his personality, talk, effete? Maude and her interest in The Dude, sex, wanting to conceive, wanting to have an absent and uninvolved father?
12. The abduction, the various financial interests, the Nihilists, the leader, demanding the money, the misinterpreting the situation, the confrontation with The Dude, fights?
13. Jackie Treehorn, wealth, the pornography industry, summoning The Dude, the threats? His sinister manner?
14. The porn industry, LA, the examples, the stars, Bunny, the money?
15. The musical interlude, lavish, The Dude flying, Maude, the Broadway musicals?
16. Bunny, the trophy wife, the abduction, and free, the revelation, the dealers?
17. The Dude and what he learned from the experience, with Lebowski, taking the carpet, with Maude, her demands, his friends?
18. The easy-going characters, LA at the end of the 20th century? The wid appeal to audiences?
