Uncovering the meaning of the film big lebowski

The Big Lebowski

The starting scene of ‘The Big Lebowski’ (Coen Brothers, 1998) begins using a track taken over desert terrain, along with saloon-style credits and western inspired non-diegetic introduction music (Fig 1) (Sons of Pioneers- ‘Tumbling Drop Weeds’), immediately making the viewer believe that they are becoming presented with a western film. This impression is heightened when the observer hears a narrator (Samuel Elliot), sounding like he is from the west himself, probably a cowboy.

This kind of track shot continues while the atmosphere suddenly transforms to nighttime in a matter of seconds, which has a shot of a tumbleweed through the landscape. This sudden change to darkness could provide the watcher with a new feeling of anxiety because of an unanticipated drastic difference in the views. It is proper we see the extra long taken of the city of Los Angeles. Furthermore, David-Martin Smith follows the argument of Eric Mottram in Blood vessels on the Nash Ambassador (1983) as he claims that the fast change from the skyline presents the ‘image of the gun-toting, masculine individualist of the nineteentch century frontier, to the car driving individualists of the newly emergent 20th century America’. It would be encomiable to think the fact that rumours of any western film we see inside the first forty five seconds of the film can be dispelled by Los Angeles skyline. However , the continued use of the tumbleweed as well as the western narrator means we could only speculate that ‘The Big Lebowski’ is not just a western, not really remove the likelihood altogether. Also, it is key to notice that as the tumbleweed drifts across the hillside, we hear the sound of a basketball ball moving across a bowling side of the road. Thereby, this tumbleweed can be said to represent towards the observer an element which is vital to the lifestyle of ‘the Dude’ (Jeff Lebowski- Rob Bridges), basketball.

The scene progresses to another track shot with the tumbleweed rolling across the busy streets of Los Angeles. The tumbleweed after that drifts on in the middle of the road, providing the viewer one other relation to the numerous bowling part of the film which was viewed earlier, as the tumbleweed moves over the middle of two lane in the highway. This constant bowling research may also have got a further meaning, since it is plausible that it can portray ‘the dude’ himself. It can be argued that the tumbleweed is definitely his existence drifting over the city of Los Angeles, without any true purpose. This lack of goal is shown by that he is jobless, living a seemingly lacklustre lifestyle without the real prospects, but this individual seems to be quite happy with this. The Dude finds solace and tranquillity in bowling (although we never see the boy bowl inside the film). By the end of the film the boy says towards the cowboy that his life is “Y’know, attacks and channels, ups and downs”, exhibiting the audience that bowling represents his life-cycle. Happens represent when life is going well, and gutters when life is not also well. This can be evidenced in Donny’s (Steve Buscemi) last bowl, when he was previously viewed getting strikes (Fig 2) and shortly before his heart-attack he bowls a nine (Fig 3), not a strike as previously demonstrated.

The tumbleweed then is seen moving across the seaside towards the horizon. It can also be stated that this is symbolic, the use of the frontier can symbolize escapism and individuality through finding-oneself, while identity can be described as key theme to the film. The narrator touches after this during his opening narration as he comments “Sometimes, theres a guy, well, hes the man intended for his time and place. He fits proper in there. And thats the Dude”. From this, the viewer gets the impression that this persona known as ‘the dude’ personifies the West, in keeping with his desire for individuality and distancing himself in the Big Lebowski. This is proved in a afterwards scene (Fig 4) where he states for the Big Lebowski at his mansion that “I’m certainly not Mr. Lebowski, you’re Mr. Lebowski, I am just ‘the dude’, that’s whatever you call me”. Despite ‘the dude’s’ unconventional messy and lazy life-style, he definitely seems to be content with his lifestyle, and does not seem to need to emulate a similar way of living to the more successful Mr. Lebowski.

Because the field moves on to a view of well-lit supermarket aisle, there may be an instant reassertion of the idea of a more contemporary film, further removing the idea that the key theme of the film is a western. Each of our first taken of ‘the dude’ the actual observer think that this person will be the central actor for the film, specifically given the narrator’s description of a personality as ‘the dude’- which character immediately seems to in shape the brand. This is due to that ‘the dude’ is wearing a robe, t-shirt, pants and shoes, showing his lack of smart apparel, quickly signaling for the observer a lazy determine who is secure in himself great laid-back clothing. This can end up being said to reflect the city of Los Angeles, while Los Angeles alone is considered to be an awesome, relaxed city- as proven in previously through the metropolis streets. His casual walk and position also suggests his care-free persona.

As the camera slowly and gradually zooms in on ‘the dude’, the narrator remarks “theres a guy I wont say a hero, trigger, whats a hero? ” This displays the narrator pondering whether ‘the Dude’ is in fact a hero or not, exhibiting him to somewhat have a main character status considering the fact that he is wondering it. This would certainly catch the viewer abruptly, as he is certainly much the challenging the main character stereotype, when he is not muscular, well-dressed or well-groomed. The narrator may perhaps be prejudiced in his perspective of ‘the Dude’, in that he is adoring ‘the dude’ for keeping the spirit of individuality (closely associated with the western) alive. This reversal in the hero stereotype may just be your own reflection in the cowboy narrator, as he is definitely not necessarily seen as a hero by simply anyone else inside the film, which means this notion of ‘the dude’ being a hero must be something to because of his “casualness” (Coen Screenplay, 3). This notion of a biased notion as he ‘seems to genuinely such as the Dude and his posture in life’ (Fosl, 2012: 68) exacerbates the idea that ‘the dude’ personifies the west and their individuality.

The narrator has been described by director Joel Coen as a small an audience alternative ¦ Their as if an individual was commenting on the plan from a great all-seeing point of view”. This make use of an omniscient narrator is interesting because the viewers listens to him and relies after him for information as to what the film will be about. Through the narration, there may be essentially absolutely nothing useful to withdraw from that, as really the only information put into effect from the narrator is that the primary character is ‘the dude’, and the periodic reference to the ‘I-raqis’, concerning the Gulf of mexico War.

‘The dude’ then proceeds to open a carton of ‘half and half cream’ not only does this show the viewer his character of being relaxed and care-free given that he’s opening this before obtain, but it can be evident down the line in the film that this will be used for him to make a ‘White Russian’ beverage, a drink he has which in turn we see the primary character include nine times in the film. It can be argued that the whiteness of the tropical drink van relatively resemble a bowling flag, hence providing another reference to bowling. He then proceeds to cover this at checkout, yet using the alternatively unconventional way of writing a cheque intended for $0. 69. This close-up shot may, once again, demonstrate his poor lifestyle, given that he will not have this tiny amount of disposable income. As he is definitely writing this kind of cheque, his attention wanders towards to the television display, as we discover President George Bush speaking about the current battle state among Kuwait and Iraq in the Gulf Battle. What is key is that George Bush uses the key phrase “This out and out aggression will not stand”, a expression which ‘the dude’ recreates when he satisfies the ‘Big Lebowski’ about his rug (“this hostility will not stand, man”). With close remark to cheque (Fig 5), we can see that it is dated ‘Sept 11’. It really is key to understand that this is not a conspiracy to 9/11, but it is simply that George Bush’s speech over a ‘new universe order’ by which he announced “this out and out aggression will not stand” was given upon that date in 1991.

There are several references to the Gulf War noticed in this film. In the scene where Walter (John Goodman) loses his temper with Smokey intended for stepping above the line within a bowling match (Fig 6), Walter takings to intensely pull a gun out on Smokey. ‘The dude’s’ pacifism is emphasized here by telling Walter to “put the piece apart (referring to the pistol)”. Afterwards, ‘the dude’ reiterates Walter to “take it easy”, Walter responds by saying “Pacifism can be not take a look at our current situation get back camel-fucker in Iraq. Pacifism is not really something to cover behind”. This may not be only a reference to the Gulf War, as with the line being crossed in the soccer ball match, ‘a border have been crossed, rules have been broken, and physical violence results’ (Comer, 2005: 99). In particular, this kind of scene is also associated with the gulf of mexico war inside the theme of ‘taking a stand’. This is proved straight away, while the expression “this aggression will not stand” (as aforementioned) is reiterated by ‘the dude’ when he is meeting Mr. Lebowski about his rug that is certainly urinated about.

Moving on, we see ‘the dude’ strolling towards his house. There are lots of aspects of this kind of which are worth note. Firstly, the night descending above the household the actual viewer consider something poor is about to take place, given that darkness is often linked to evil and peril. Furthermore, it is shown the fact that area which in turn ‘the dude’ lives in offers dirty wall surfaces, overgrown vegetation and a well used bike protruding out of any bush. This kind of symbolizes that that this neighborhood is not really well-kept and there is little care about its overall look. This is certainly suitable to ‘the dude’ upon observing his house, his car and in addition his lifestyle. However , this kind of also shows his care-free nature great ability to not ‘sweat the tiny stuff’. Moreover, it can be explained that his walk towards the house might be another reference to bowling. The design of the course that goes his house can be surprisingly similar to the bowling ball dispensers we see in the bowling alley inside the film (Fig 7), he is even carrying his bowling ball when he walks through this way.

While ‘the dude’ enters his house, briefly there is full darkness in his house, which will again gives the viewer some stress as to what may happen when the mild come back in. When the lamps do come back again on, numerous things are apparent. The lifeless colour of the door plus the walls again reflects ‘the dude’s’ ignore to the appearance of his house, keeping with the appearance of the neighbourhood since seen before. Also, we come across a basketball award which can be apparently nailed to the wall membrane, reiterating for the viewer the value of soccer ball to ‘the dude’s lifestyle.

Effectively, although the starting scene of ‘The Big Lebowski’ really does show apparent elements of becoming a western, it really is key to understand that it is not. The opening landscape clearly describes a “deadbeat” who drifts through existence, much like the tumbleweed we see in the introduction. Yet , ‘the dude’ is contempt with this kind of, as his relaxed way of life suits him as well as it may. Perception is vital, as to Mr. Lebowski (and admittedly ‘the dude’ himself) he is a “deadbeat”. However , it is obvious that the narrator views him as a leading man, given his individuality and western charm as above mentioned.

Furthermore, there are areas of this beginning scene which relate to additional genres of film- film noir undoubtedly being a key one. The smoothness of ‘the dude’ is definitely instantly shown to be extremely care-free and lazy, depicting that he have not matured which, to some extent, he can stuck before. This is important as what is often observed in film noir-gris is characters who will be plagued by their very own past. This really is evidenced by simply several personas in the film, such as Maude (Julianne Moore), who can be seen to be caught in the fluxes art activity, as demonstrated by her many unconventional art-pieces and makings of art through the entire film. Also this is evidenced through Walter, who is still holding on to the memories of the Vietnam War great ex-wife, proclaiming on several occasions that he is shomer shabbas. ‘The dude’ rejects Walter’s identification by stating he’s “fucking living in the past”. This really is ironic, because ‘the dude’s hippie personality is anchored in its personal references for the past’ (Fosl, 2012: 269). ‘The dude’ is apparently still in the flower-power movements, shown simply by his cannabis and his wish for peace in his debacle with his rug, while shown previously by his quote “this aggression will not likely stand, man”, along with his pacifism throughout the film. This estimate also indicates another regards to film noir-gris, in that lots of the films in film noir-gris are started the backdrop of war specifically World Warfare II), in ‘The Big Lebowski’ the film is set clearly inside the backdrop with the Gulf War. The Coen brothers in the have publicly stated the associations between ‘The Big Lebowski’ and the Raymond Chandler’s ‘The Big Sleep’ (1946) (Fig 8). The moment asked in regards to what extent ‘The Big Sleep’ influenced ‘The Big Lebowski’, Joel Coen stated just how he planned to do a tale similar, “how it moves episodically, and deals with the characters trying to unravel a mystery”. Due to these elements, ‘The Big Lebowski’ has become referred to as a ‘bowling noir’ (Mottram, 2000: 136), offered its non-traditional stylings pertaining to film noir.

Because the film comes full circle to another narration, the closing lien is much like the opening fréquentation, void of any genuine information or perhaps relevance. Absence of a climax however is usually encapsulated not only in the starting scene, yet across the film. The final narration is basically just the cowboy talking about the storyline and what has already been displayed, there is no grand message, epiphany or finale that comes out of it. ‘The dude’ can be as he was prior to, bowling in hope to get to the titles, before ‘the stranger’ ceases and explains how she has “rambling again” as he was at the starting scene.