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DVD The Big Lebowski - Achiever's Edition
After the tight plotting and quirky intensity of Fargo, this casually amusing follow-up from the prolifically inventive Coen (Ethan and Joel) brothers seems like a bit of a lark, and the result was a box-office disappointment. The good news is, The Big Lebowski is every bit a Coen movie, and its lazy plot is part of its laidback charm. After all, how many movies can claim as their hero a pot-bellied, pot-smoking loser named Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) who spends most of his time bowling and getting stoned? And where else could you find a hairnetted Latino bowler named Jesus (John Turturro) who sports dazzling purple footgear, or an erotic artist (Julianne Moore) whose creativity consists of covering her naked body in paint, flying through the air in a leather harness, and splatting herself against a giant canvas? Who else but the Coens would think of showing you a camera view from inside the holes of a bowling ball, or an elaborate Busby Berkely-styled musical dream sequence involving a Viking goddess and giant bowling pins? The plot--which finds Lebowski involved in a kidnapping scheme after he's mistaken for a rich guy with the same name--is almost beside the point. What counts here is a steady cascade of hilarious dialogue, great work from Coen regulars John Goodman and Steve Buscemi, and the kind of cinematic ingenuity that puts the Coens in a class all their own. Be sure to watch with snacks in hand, because The Big Lebowski might give you a giddy case of the munchies. --Jeff Shannon
Review(s): DVD The Big Lebowski - Achiever's Edition
"The Dude's Not In...."
Fresh from the Oscar success of "Fargo" it would have appeared that the Coen brothers had finally found the knack of cracking the "mainstream". Then comes this tale of kidnapping, nihilism, pornography and...bowling. In the masterful hands of the Coens these disparate elements all tie together not unlike the Dude's rug that the Asian thug soiled. In a career of excellent yet unheralded performances Jeff Bridges' account of the Dude ranks at the top. John Goodman as Dude's unhinged buddy Walter is probably the best work he's ever done. Great supporting cast. And what can you say about a film where Steve Buscemi is the sanest character? I waited for years to replace my VHS copy of this film with a proper release. I can't verify whether this "Collectors Edition" is misleading. I did like the intro by "film preservationist" Mortimer Young, though. The old VHS copy that I owned had Spanish subtitles running across the bottom. Initially I thought this was another surreal joke by the Coens but a Latino buddy of mine assured me that it wasn't.
Achiever's Edition is a ripoff
For years I've waited for _The Big Lebowski_ to get a proper DVD edition. When this Achiever's Edition was announced I was thrilled. When it arrived, I was underwhelmed. The sound and picture don't appear any better in this edition than the original DVD released 7 years ago. Also, the disc in the Achievers Edition is identical to the Collectors Edition also released at the same time. For $20, you get some lousy cardboard coasters, a chamois and some postcards.
A huge disappointment, and a major disservice to one of the best movies of the 1990s.
The Dude isn't happy with this dvd, man.
This review is of the new "collector's edition" of The Big Lebowski. The movie itself is a modern classic and is well-deserving of it's cult following. It's my personal favorite Coen Brothers film, just as it is the favorite of many other Coen Brother fans. So why, after waiting for several years, have we been ripped off with this piece of crap DVD edition?
Let's see, there's an annoying introduction by Mortimer Young that's completely unfunny, there's a lame photo gallery, and production notes. The making-of documentary is a leftover relic from the old DVD! No new documentaries, no new interviews, no commentary, not even the original trailers! And to add insult to injury, there are trailers to other movies before you can get to the DVD menu!
And in case you're wondering, the $35 "achiever's edition" contains the same lame features as this dvd, except it also includes some cheaply made coasters, a towel, and some postcards. This is so ridiculous it's not even funny. The only real improvement from the old DVD edition is the better sound & picture quality, but unless you don't already have the old edition, I recommend you not buy this awful "collector's edition." Shame on Universal for insulting The Dude's fans like this!
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