I Need Schoolin' on "The Big Lebowski"

[roo_ster]

Short version:
What's the "Big" deal?

I saw it once back in 1998 when sleep deprived and it didn't do much for me, unlike some of the other Coen bros movies.

What did I miss?



I have liked most of the Coen bros movies I have seen.  Here's a list:

1984   Blood Simple
Never saw it

1987   Raising Arizona
Hilarious comedy and managed the trick of making Nick Cage watchable.
         
1990   Miller's Crossing                  
I really enjoyed this 1920s gangster movie.

1991   Barton Fink   
Smaller movie, pretty good

1994   The Hudsucker Proxy
Never saw it.

1996   Fargo
Pretty good, not as good as some critics crowed, though.

1998   The Big Lebowski
I saw it once, when sleep-deprived and got a big "Huh?" out of it.

2000   O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Terrific move.  Best Coen movie I have seen.  Probably in the top 5 or 10 for the 2000s.

2001   The Man Who Wasn't There
Never saw it.

2003   Intolerable Cruelty
Never saw it.

2004   The Ladykillers
Mediocre and a disappointment.

2007   No Country for Old Men
Never saw it.

2008   Burn After Reading
Never saw it.

2009   A Serious Man
Never saw it.

2010   True Grit
Terrific movie.  Not a remake of the John Wayne movie and a great movie on its own.

[Devonai]

"Ve are nihilists.  Ve believe in nosink."

"Mark it zero."

"This is what happens when you **** a stranger in the ***!!!"

What's not to like?   

[Nick1911]

I had to watch it about three times before I really liked it.

Probably my favorite dialog:

Donny: Are these the Nazis, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: No, Donny, these men are nihilists, there's nothing to be afraid of.
Nihilist: Ve don't care. Ve still vant ze money, Lebowski, or ve *expletive deleted*ck you up.
Walter Sobchak: *expletive deleted*ck you. *expletive deleted*ck the three of you.
The Dude: Hey, cool it Walter.
Walter Sobchak: No, without a hostage, there is no ransom. That's what ransom is. Those are the *expletive deleted*ing rules.
Nihilist #2: His girlfriend gave up her toe!
Nihilist #3: She though we'd be getting million dollars!
Nihilist #2: Iss not fair!
Walter Sobchak: Fair! WHO'S THE *expletive deleted*ing NIHILIST HERE! WHAT ARE YOU, A BUNCH OF *expletive deleted*ing CRYBABIES?
The Dude: Hey, cool it Walter. Look, pal, there never was any money. The big Lebowski gave me an empty briefcase, so take it up with him, man.
Walter Sobchak: And, I would like my undies back.
[Stunned, the Germans confer amongst themselves again]
Donny: Are they gonna hurt us, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: No, Donny. These men are cowards.
Nihilist: Okay. So we take ze money you haf on you, und ve calls it eefen.
Walter Sobchak: *expletive deleted*ck you.

[Perd Hapley]

Lebowski would have been better with less psychedelia and NO Julianne Moore. Not their best film, but entertaining.

The Huddsucker Proxy is a must-see. It has a Raising Arizona quality to it, but I think it's probably a little better.

Burn After Reading is pretty fun.

[charby]

You also need to see "No Country for Old Men"