There are few things I love in this world more than “The Big Lebowski.” As soon as my friends and I saw it shortly after its 1998 release, it instantly became our most quoted movie. Clearly we’re not alone. In recent years, its cult status has continued to grow.
Well I had big plans of doing my Tina Fey book review tonight or some other blog ideas I have swirling but I got waylayed by a Lebowski showing on Ovation. Now, why would I watch it on basic cable? The f word is bleeped out and we own (I’m not even kidding) about 6 copies of it but there’s just something so satisfying about coming across your favorite movie on TV, no?
So, now DadJovi and I are sitting here, laughing hysterically at our favorite movie. And it’s fun to discover new presents. For example, tonight I realized that the “very thorough” doctor is Ranjit from “How I Met Your Mother”! And it still kills me that Jacob from “Lost” is one of Jackie Treehorn’s men.
Need proof our our devotion to this movie? I offer the following examples:
- On our very first date, I made an offhand comment to DadJovi that I had lost the belt that came with the shirt I was wearing. “It really tied the outfit together,” I said — my own version of a little test. He passed and immediately quoted another Lebowski line back to me.
- For our first Valentine’s Day, I bought DadJovi this poster to hang over our bar:
I can’t begin to tell you how horrified my very liberal in-laws were and how falsely happy my conservative grandparents were when we hung this up in our house (where it still hangs today).
- For our wedding, instead of traditional party favors, we gave our guests bumper sticks with quotes from the movie that the good folks at Lebowski Fest gave me an awesome deal on.
- And last year, we indoctrinated E into the Lebowski family by taking her to Lebowski Fest Orlando (it’s our dream to someday attend the two-day Lebowski Fest held in Louisville every year). E. was a HUGE hit at the bowling party with her marmot. We taught her to say “Nice marmot” and EVERYONE wanted their picture taken with her … especially the nihilists.
He believes in nothsin
- 8-year-olds, dude
- This was almost our Christmas card … I’m not kidding
Needless to say, E. will not be watching the movie for several years, but I’m sure when she finally sees it, she’ll understand half the things her parents say to each other. I’m pretty sure there’s not a day that goes by where at least one of us doesn’t drop some Lebowski reference.
So if you’ve never seen it, give it a chance. Just relax and go with it. And I highly recommend you have all the fixins for some White Russians, aka Caucasians, because you’ll be craving one within the first five minutes!
The dude abides.
It’s definitely in my Top 5 all time favorites and I don’ t foresee it losing that status in my lifetime. I recently saw a painting at a gallery that portrayed Batman saying in a word bubble: “Damn. That rug really tied the cave together.” I laughed so hard and then did a test of awesomeness to see if Ryan (my other half) would understand it. Indeed he did. The trippy flying part is really the only part that didn’t work for me.
OK, I think I need to own that painting! That sounds amazing!
No, Lebowski will never leave my top 5 either! I just hope Tara Reid doesn’t ruin it by insisting that there will be a sequel. Thank God it’s the Coen Brothers — I don’t think they’d cave to something like that unless they really had the right script to go with it.
I used to be with you on the flying part but it’s definitely grown on me. It could be that I get to hear Kenny Rogers’ “Just Dropped In” for that whole scene!
Thanks for the comment!
The Big Lebowski is awesome, but my favorite has always been Raising Arizona. That’s probably because I’m much older than you and you were still in diapers when it came out (1987). It is also highly quotable and quote it on the blog frequently. It also gave me a lifelong love of Holly Hunter (hello Saving Grace) and makes me sad for the train wreck that Nick Cage has become. It’s not really a relationship thing for us, though, because Chad was never as into Raising Arizona as I was (and I will also watch it whenever I come across it on cable…you just have to!). For me and Chad, that relationship show thing is Star Trek Next Generation (also before your time), which we reference and quote amongst ourselves constantly. We are such nerds.
It’s funny that you bring up Raising Arizona because I was JUST saying the other day that I need to rewatch that. It’s been years …. and NO I was not still in diapers. I was in double digits (barely) by ’87! But it’s official — it’s get added to the Netflix queue today!
And you’re not nerds — just smarter than most people! And that’s a good thing!