Friday 14 October 2011

The Big Lebowski

I think I've seen this film a dozen times in the last month or so, and it gets better with every viewing. I never thought that any film could challenge my love of Fandango, but it's getting close, real close.

The Big Lebowski just has so much depth, and it's very funny as well. The characters are wonderful. Jackie Treehorn. Jesus Quintana. The Stranger. And, of course, The Dude, Walter Sobchak, and "shut the fuck up" Donny.

There are so many beautiful scenes. The scattering of the ashes at the end. Jackie Treehorn's beach party. The Dude's dancing to Just Dropped In. The way Jesus Quintana laughs in his final scene. The way the black cop stares at the Dude. Maude Lebowski's eyes when the Dude tells her about the Seattle Seven.

And there are so many classic lines. 'Like an Irish monk?' / 'Three thousand years of beautiful tradition from Moses to Sandy Koufax.' / 'Or the Creedence.' / 'My art has been commended as being strongly vaginal.' / 'I did not watch my buddies die face down in the muck so ...' / 'Saturday, Donny, is Shabbos, the Jewish day of rest. That means that I don't work, I don't drive a car, I don't fucking ride in a car, I don't handle money, I don't turn on the oven, and I sure as shit don't fucking roll!'

Finally, if the Dude and Maude can get together, there's got to be hope for me and the angel, hasn't there? Or maybe real life isn't like the movies.