ppemberton

If I had to choose my favorite scene from “The Big Lebowski,” it’d be the one where John Goodman’s character, Walter, harasses a kid, holding up a sandwich bag while repeatedly demanding: “Is this your homework, Larry?”

Or wait. Scratch that. Actually, my favorite scene is the one where the nihilists throw a marmot in the Dude’s bath tub. 

Or how about the one where the Malibu sheriff throws a coffee cup at the Dude’s head?

Or, maybe, ah . . . shucks. Lost my train of thought here.

My point is that there are too many good scenes to pick just one favorite, which is part of why “The Big Lebowski” is superior to another superior movie, “Fargo.”

I’m a big fan of the Coen Brothers. They offer intriguing, yet varied plots, great dialogue and interesting observations about life (i.e., what happens when you put a body in a wood chipper).

When my wife and I first saw “The Big Lebowski” in a theater ten years ago, we knew we’d witnessed something special. For some reason, it took about five years for everyone else to catch on.

While “Fargo” is a great flick, it remains the Coen Brothers’ second best feature. Here’s why “Big Lebowski” is number one:

1. It inspired a lifestyle.

   The dude is the essence of the laid-back, care-free Californian. He doesn’t concern himself with troubles because life is good – so long as you have a Creedence tape, a bowling ball, and a J.

2. The movie is imminently quotable.

   Like any good cult movie, “Lebowski” contains scores of good lines, which fans recite endlessly. You can even get a “Dude Abides” bumper sticker.

3. The soundtrack.

   Who would think to combine Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Kenny Rogers, some weird opera song and the Gypsy Kings singing “Hotel California” on a soundtrack?

4. It made bowling cool again.

   How many dorks do you think took up bowling after this, then yelled “OVER THE LINE!” every time someone threw a ball down the lane?

5. The characters.

   From German nihilists to goofy artists to a deadbeat millionaire, the Coens thought up a pretty intriguing cast of characters, some of which were inspired by real people.

6. The actors

   Jeff Bridges is a great actor with many great movies under his belt, but now every time I see him, I can’t help but think of the Dude. Also, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and John Tuturo were perfect for their parts.

7. Lebowski Fest

   Even though some were slow to come onboard, the love has spread, which is why the movie is celebrated at Lebowski festivals throughout the country and abroad.

Welp, that about does ‘er – wraps ‘er all up. So before I ramble any further, I think I’ll just find myself an In and Out Burger and catch ya further on down the road.

Danny

WARNING, THE LINKS CONTAINED IN THIS GRUDGE MATCH MAY CONTAIN… COLOURFUL LANGUAGE AND PROBABLY SHOULDN’T BE CLICKED ON.

Of course Pat would prefer The Big Lebowski to Fargo, what broke, alcoholic stoner wouldn’t?  Lebowski is practically an autobiographical movie about Pat, who probably does write cheques for 67 cents, much like The Dude.

I am surprised that Pat failed to mention The Big Lebowski’s reference to Pismo in his sad attempt at an argument, as it’s one of the funniest points in the whole movie.

You’re not going to hear me complain that The Big Lebowski is a bad movie, because it isn’t.  It’s actually one of my favourites.  However, I do feel that in terms of pure Grudge Match power, Fargo has the edge.  It’s every bit as funny as The Big Lebowski, from the most accurate description of Steve Buscemi in the history of movies to the wonderful relationship that Jerry has with his father-in-law, to the down right hilarious way that people from that area of the country talk.

Of course, the movie isn’t just funny, it’s also really, really good.  It’s well written, and expertly performed.  The characters are all excellent, from pathetic used car salesman, Jerry (Macy), to the pregnant cop (McDormand), who appears to be the only competent member of the local police force, they all have wonderfully thought out back stories.  That’s not something you can really say to the same extent about the characters in Lebowski.

Here are my reasons that Fargo beats out Lebowski:

1. The wood chipper scene – ever wondered what the best way is to get rid of a body in the snow?  It’s not a wood chipper, that makes a mess.
2. Critical acclaim – Fargo won two Oscars (Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay), and was nominated for five more.  The Big Lebowski was not particularly well received, with one critic writing "It's hard to believe that this is the work of a team that won an Oscar last year for the original screenplay of Fargo. There's a large amount of profanity in the movie, which seems a weak attempt to paper over dialogue gaps".  Not that there’s not a large amount of profanity in Fargo, maybe the accents help to smooth it over.
3. William H. Macy – Everything this man touches turns to gold.  Well, almost everything.
4. No Tara Reid – She annoys me, and, thankfully, isn’t in Fargo, but is in The Big Lebowski.
5. It’s “based on a true story” – Except that it isn’t.
6. This is a Grudge Match – Who would win in a fight between, say, Walter and Gaear?  Walter is just a whacked out ‘Nam vet with a short temper, Gaear is a cold-blooded murderer who disposes of his victims in wood chippers, and he loves pancakes.

It’s a tough call, but Fargo wins here, if only because it’s more than simply a retelling of Pat’s life story, don’tcha know?