Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi inThe Big Lebowski(1998).Photo: Mondadori Portfolio via Getty
Twenty-five years later,The Big Lebowskiis still really tying the room together.
The Coen-brothers-directed crime-comedy film celebrates its silver anniversary on Monday, a little over the week after two of its stars,Jeff BridgesandSam Elliott, reunited at the 2023SAG Awards.
The Big Lebowskifollows the misadventures of Bridges' slacker character as he is mistaken for a man who owes money to kingpin Jackie Treehorn (Ben Gazzara), and the hilarious fallout that ensues as the Dude just tries to live his life and mourn his ruined rug in peace.
Bridges, 73, played protagonist Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski inJoel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 cult classic, while Elliott, 78, played “The Stranger,” who serves as the movie’s narrator as he sits at the bar at the bowling alley the Dude regularly frequents with his friends.
The movie also starsJohn Goodman,Julianne Moore,Steve Buscemi,John Turturro,Philip Seymour Hoffman,Tara Reidand more.
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Back in 2018, Bridges appeared on theTodayshow alongside Goodman, 70, and Buscemi, 65, to reflect on the lasting legacy of the film.
Of whether itreally felt like two decades had passed already, “It does and it doesn’t. It’s strange,” Goodman said at the time. “There’s a whole generation now that’s growing up with this stuff, kids in college seeing it for the first time.”
TheConnersactor remembered his time with the cast and crew fondly, including the Cohen brothers. Goodman even recalled Bridges taking behind-the-scenes pictures while shooting.
“It was great, ‘cause you got this dialogue that, you’re sitting on top of the world. And the camaraderie with everyone,” he said.
RELATED VIDEO:Jeff Bridges Didn’t Smoke Any Pot While FilmingThe Big Lebowski
Although Buscemi agreed with Goodmanthat the script was hilarious, he remembered not understanding why Bridges and Goodman’s characters were so mean to his Donny.
“I loved it, I thought it was really kind of wild and weird and funny,” he said. “But I have to say, when I was reading the part of Donny, I didn’t get it. I felt bad for the guy, I felt sad. I thought, why does Walter (Goodman) bully him all the time? And thenmy favorite scene is the ashes.”
WhileThe Big Lebowskiwas a moderate hit at the time of release, the zany film is considered a cult classic nowadays, and holds a93% Audience Scoreon Rotten Tomatoes.
Ithas inspired everythingfrom a an annual festival to a store in New York City, a charity fund — and yes, evena religion called “Dudeism”(or “The Church of the Latter-Day Dude”).
Sam Elliott and Jeff Bridges at the 2023 SAG Awards.Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty
“I’m sitting with Jeff at the table and I haven’t seen Jeff in quite a time,” he said of the Feb. 26 event, which took place in Los Angeles.
In honor of its 25th anniversary,The Big Lebowskiwill be returning to theaters on April 16 and April 20. Tickets are available now onfathomevents.com.
Fans ofThe Big Lebowskican alsostream the film now— White Russian optional! — on Peacock.
source: people.com
