At any given point some asshole might decide to pee on your rug, but what can you do? The absurdities in life are unavoidable. My best advice is to pop in a The Big Lebowski DVD and take it easy. For those who have yet to see this movie, shame on you; put the paper down immediately and run to the nearest video store. I urge the rest of you to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of this Coen Brothers masterpiece, no doubt one of the best films of our times. I hope that many of you will join me in my salute to a glorious decade of The Big Lebowski.
It took a few years before anyone began to reveal themselves as Lebowski fanatics, but these confessions pioneered a serious chain reaction, as lovers of the Dude emerged from all over. I remember my first shared Lebowski experience. I simply said, "That's fucking interesting man, that's fucking interesting," and for once, somebody knew what I was quoting. That's how the inevitable eruption begins: the recognition of a random line from the film. Over the years, Lebowski has accumulated a die-hard cult following and various festivals and conventions have spread throughout America. In no time the members have multiplied from hundreds to thousands, some claiming to want their ashes placed in a Folgers jar after death. Lebowski fans are dedicated to a degree that puts any Trekkie to shame. While I may get killed for this remark, I say fuck the Trekkies. There is now only one worthy cult, a cult in which we worship his Dudeness, or el Duderino if you're into the whole multilingual thing.
Of course we can't forget the Dude's best friend Walter, whose violent behavior and aggressive reactions keep the plot in motion. He is said to represent the ultimate Neocon, whose character helps in outlining some of the subtle political undertones in the plot. Taking place under the reign of Bush Sr. during the Gulf War, the story portrays incredible parallels to our current situation. Walter and the Dude find themselves in an environment that is random, incomprehensible, but at the same time all-too familiar. Though certainly enigmatic, the Dude is ultimately a man we relate to, and at times it seems like we're right there with him. He is truly doing his best, and really, how can we question the heroism in that? We can't help but root for the man who rejects societal conventions while maintaining such a pacifistic attitude towards life. This is a man who tolerates his friend's Vietnam rants, who helps his lady-friend conceive, who gives his last few dollars to a bunch of nihilists, and who still finds time to practice for a bowling tournament. Despite such a marvelously twisted plot, Lebowski reminds us all that life goes on, man, and sometimes we just have to forget about it. In the end the Dude just wanted his rug back, because it really tied the room together.
Before you all become consumed in student neuroses, you should take one evening off, call up a buddy and say: "Fuck it dude, let's go bowling." Make yourselves a White Russian, maybe do a J, kick back in your favorite pair of jelly sandals, and watch The Big Lebowski from start to finish. Let us pay our respects to the man whom we've relied on for a decade to take 'er easy for all of us. We know that the Dude lives on, and I take comfort in that.
2008 Woodie Awards
Be the first to comment on this story