Synopses & Reviews
From box office flop to one of the most successful cult films of all time,and#160;
The Big Lebowskiand#160;has spawned a multicity festival, college-level courses, and its own religion. Fans of the Coen brothers' masterful dark comedy (collectively calling themselves and#147;Achieversand#8221;and#151;and proud we are of all of them) gather in movie theaters and bowling alleys across the county to quote along with the film, imbibe white russians, and admire the Dudeand#8217;s rug (which really tied the room together).
Fan Phenomena: The Big Lebowskiand#160;examines how this quirky movie evolved from its underwhelming debut to attract a mass following on par with that ofand#160;The Rocky Horror Picture Show.and#160;Contributors take a close look at the filmand#8217;s phenomenal impact on popular culture and language and examine the scriptand#8217;s rich philosophical implications, whether it is the nihilism within the film itself or the Dudeism that Jeff Bridgesand#8217;s God-like character and#160;has bred (the and#147;Church of the Latter-Day Dudeand#8221; has attracted more than 70,000 official adherents through its online ordination process). Covering issues concerning gender and sexuality within the film, such as Maudeand#8217;s feminist art and Jackie Treehornand#8217;s Malibu garden party, the essays here also explore the gender divides the film has created in todayand#8217;s society, such as male versus female fandom rivalry at festivals. These gatheringsand#151;part costume contest, part bowling tournament, part trivia contest, part fan meet-upand#151;have, since their debut in Louisville, KY, in 2002, sprung up all around America and have even expanded globally, and the book takes an inside look at these events and includes interviews with Lebowski festival organizers and authors of other fan books and academic treatises.
In all, these essays are an essential companion for one of the greatest films ever made, in the parlance of our times.
Review
and#8220;Adam Bertocci has done a stellar job fusing the spirit of Shakespeare with andlt;iandgt;The Big Lebowskiandlt;/iandgt;. This mashup is one for the ages.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Scott Shuffitt, cofounding Dude of LebowskiFest and coauthor of andlt;iandgt;Iand#8217;m a Lebowski, Youand#8217;re a Lebowskiandlt;/iandgt;
Review
Review
"Oh my God . . . This is so good."
--The New Republic
Review
"Classic lines and scenes now become even more epic."
--USA Today
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and#8220;Gadzooks, methinks and#8217;tis all as fine a way to waste an hour or so as I have come across in these four seasons.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Entertainment Weeklyandlt;/iandgt;
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and#8220;The mash-up that toke its time in coming.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;Iandgt;and#8212;Time Out New Yorkandlt;/Iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Proves that Shakespearean sharp-tongued eloquence is nifty even in the 21st century, if wielded correctly. The play also proved that [andlt;iandgt;The Big Lebowskiandlt;/iandgt;] was quite Shakespearean to begin with.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Inside New Yorkandlt;/iandgt;
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"It's wonderful."
--Metro (UK)
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"Should be quite the what-have-you."
--Gothamist
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"Arguably one of the most inventive pieces ever created.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;iandgt;and#8212;Broadway Worldandlt;/iandgt;
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and#8220;The greatest thing since Geoffrey Chaucer.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Cinematicalandlt;/iandgt;
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and#8220;We were totally blown away to discover . . . this Swiss f*cking watch of a genius named Adam Bertocci. . . . Verily, andlt;iandgt;Two Gentlemen of Lebowskiandlt;/iandgt; has to be read to be believed. Zounds!and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The Dudespaper andlt;/iandgt;(and#8220;A Lifestyle Magazine for the Deeply Casualand#8221;)
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and#8220;Even those of us new to the Dude have become true believers in the Knave.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;TheaterOnlineandlt;/iandgt;
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and#8220;A blast to read.and#8221; andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;GQandlt;/iandgt;
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and#8220;Oh my God . . . This is so good.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The New Republicandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Classic lines and scenes now become even more epic.and#8221; andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;USA Todayandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;It's wonderful.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#173;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Metro andlt;/iandgt;(UK)
Review
and#8220;Should be quite the what-have-you.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Gothamistandlt;/iandgt;
Synopsis
The cult-classic film The Big Lebowski--as writ in five acts by William Shakespeare.
Synopsis
What if William Shakespeare had written The Big Lebowski?
The Dude has met the Bard and he doth abide.
Join The Knave and Sir Walter on a wild tale of mistaken identity, kidnapping, bowling, and a rug that, in faith, really tied the room together in a sidesplitting Shakespearean comedy of errors and ninepins, told in five glorious acts of iambic pentameter and impeccable period prose.
Already a theatrical hit and a worldwide viral phenomenon, Two Gentlemen of Lebowski comes alive anew in this definitive and lavishly illustrated edition, featuring recently discovered historical engravings, scholarly annotations, and a revelatory afterword from the author."
Synopsis
Dive into the humor and excitement of The Big Lebowski, but with the tradition of Shakespeare in this rewrite of the cult classic into five acts of iambic pentameter, featuring illustrations, annotations, and historical engravings. What if...William Shakespeare had written The Big Lebowski?
The Dude has met the Bard--and he doth abide.
Join "The Knave" and Sir Walter on a wild tale of mistaken identity, kidnapping, bowling, and a rug that, in faith, really tied the room together--in a sidesplitting Shakespearean comedy of errors and ninepins, told in five glorious acts of iambic pentameter and impeccable period prose.
Already a theatrical hit and a worldwide viral phenomenon, Two Gentlemen of Lebowski comes alive anew in this definitive and lavishly illustrated edition, featuring recently discovered historical engravings, scholarly annotations, and a revelatory afterword from the author.
Synopsis
The cult-classic film The Big Lebowski—as writ in five acts by William Shakespeare.
Synopsis
Bertocci adapts the cult-classic film "The Big Lebowski"--as writ in five acts by William Shakespeare.
Synopsis
What ifand#8230;William Shakespeare had written andlt;Iandgt;The Big Lebowskiandlt;/Iandgt;?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The Dude has met the Bardand#8212;and he doth abide. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Join and#8220;The Knaveand#8221; and Sir Walter on a wild tale of mistaken identity, kidnapping, bowling, and a rug that, in faith, really tied the room togetherand#8212;in a sidesplitting Shakespearean comedy of errors and ninepins, told in five glorious acts of iambic pentameter and impeccable period prose. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Already a theatrical hit and a worldwide viral phenomenon, andlt;Iandgt;Two Gentlemen of Lebowski andlt;/Iandgt;comes alive anew in this definitive and lavishly illustrated edition, featuring recently discovered historical engravings, scholarly annotations, and a revelatory afterword from the author.
Synopsis
and#147;Look, let me explain something to you. I'm not Mr. Lebowski.
You're Mr. Lebowski. I'm the Dudeand#8221;
Fan Phenomena: The Big Lebowski takes a close look at the films phenomenal impact over the past century, and looks at the reasons behind the creation of Dudeism, with the and#145;Church of the Latter-Day Dudeand#8217; having attracted more than 70,000 official adherents through its online ordination process. The book looks at how the film is rich in philosophical implications, whether it is the nihilism within the film itself or the Dudeism the film has spawned. Covering issues raised concerning gender and sexuality within the film such as Maudeand#8217;s feminism and Jackie Treehornand#8217;s chauvinistic character, the book also explores the gender divides the film has created in todayand#8217;s society such as male vs female fandom rivalry at festivals. The Big Lebowski festivals have sprung up all around America and have even expanded globally, the book takes an in-side look at these events and includes interviews from Lebowski festival organisers and authors of other fan books and academic books.
About the Author
Zachary Ingle is a PhD student in film and media studies at the University of Kansas and has contributed to several Intellect books, including the World Film Locations volumes on Paris and Las Vegas, the Directory of World Cinema volumes on Sweden and Belgium, and Fan Phenomena:Star Wars.
Table of Contents
Introduction
and#160;and#160; Zachary Ingle
The Comforts and Pleasures of Repetitive Dialogue in The Big Lebowski
and#160;and#160; Jeff Jaeckle
Another Caucasian: Online Fan Response to Donny and the Stranger
and#160;and#160; Randall Clark
Fan Appreciation no.1: Interview with Will Russell: Co-founder of Lebowski Fest
and#8216;If You Will It, It Is No Dream:and#8217; Lebowski Fest and Cult Fandom
and#160;and#160; Jeremy Hehl
That Shirt Really Ties the Room Together: The Lebowski Legacy of Cultural Artefacts
and#160;and#160; Andrew Howe
Nihilistic Dudes: The Masculine Cult Figure in Fin de Siand#232;cle American Cinema
Fan Appreciation no.2: Interview with Adam Bertocci: Author of Two Gentlemen of Lebowski
The Bard, The Knave and Sir Walter: Adapting a Modern Cult Movie into a Neo-Shakespearean Stage Play
and#160;and#160; Paul Rogalus
Reimagining and Commodifying Gender, Genre and Sexuality in The Big Lebowski for Cult Fan Consumption
and#160;and#160; Sheri Chinen Biesen
The Dude Goes Digital: The Big Lebowski, New Media and Participatory Culture
and#160;and#160; Peter C. Kunze
Fan Appreciation no.3: Interview with Kim Barber: Executive Producer of The Achievers (2009)
Listening Deeply to Lebowski: One Fanand#8217;s Attempt to Draw a Musical Map Surrounding the Dude
and#160;and#160; Tom Zlabinger
Abiding Sublimely: From Eastern Philosophies to The Big Lebowski
and#160;and#160; Jz Long
Contributor Details
Image Credits