The Big Lebowski (1998)

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Plot Summary: "Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous."

"Eight year olds, Dude." 

"What day is this?"  

"The brain is the biggest erogenous zone." 

The film was heavily influenced by the work of author Raymond Chandler, incorporating aspects of his storylines to create a certain narrative structure. Setting the film in Los Angeles was essential to achieve the effect of a modern Chandler tale.

The screenplay was written around the same time as Barton Fink, but both John Goodman and Jeff Bridges were unavailable. The Coens decided to shoot Fargo first, to massive critical acclaim.

The Dude was based on two people from the lives of the Coen brothers. Jeff "The Dude" Dowd met the Coen brothers at Sundance when he arranged for the distribution of their first film,  Blood Simple . Dowd was a member of the Seattle Seven, a regular bowler and enjoyed White Russians. Jeff Bridges modeled much of his physical mannerisms and voice after his time spent with Dowd. While some of the wardrobe used in the movie belonged to Bridges, the costumes provided by the staff were based on the clothing worn by Dowd.  
 
The second major influence for the Dude was USC film professor Peter Exline. A longtime friend of the Coen brothers, Exline would constantly mention how the new rug he bought "really tied the room together." Exline also had his car stolen by the 12-year-old son of a famous Hollywood screenwriter and met with the boy's family along with "Big" Lew Abernathy, one of the inspirations for Walter Sobchak. 

Abernathy, a former private investigator, treasure hunter, screenwriter and actor--appearing most notably in  James Cameron's  Titanic--accompanied his friend  Peter Exline to interrogate a teenager whose homework the pair had found in Exline's stolen car.  Abernathy attended USC and worked nights as a private investigator to pay his way through school. He met Exline when the latter was a studio executive at  Universal Pictures. Exline and Abernathy really encountered an aging, infirm television writer who turned out to be the father of one of the teenagers who stole Exline's car. 

Abernathy also attended a funeral for a fellow USC student who was killed in a motorcycle accident. While his ashes weren't in a coffee can, but a plastic baggie, the dead student's friends tried to scatter the ashes into the ocean and had it blow back on everyone.  During his career as a private investigator, Abernathy was summoned to the large mansion of a rich couple engaged in a marital dispute. The butler told Abernathy that the owner of the house was in the back, "in seclusion." Once Abernathy entered the room, he found a middle-aged woman hanging completely naked from a bungee cord, painting on a canvas. 

Another influence for Walter's character was famous Hollywood director  John Milius. Walter shares Milius' right-wing, militant attitude and predilection for firearms. He's a bit dangerous and not entirely housebroken.     

Pre-production: "We’ll brace the kid, should be a pushover."

Having achieved major critical success with Fargo, the Coen brothers found The Big Lebowski backed by both Working Title Films and Polygram, to the tune of $15 million. In addition to casting Bridges and Goodman, the Coen brothers wrote parts in the script with actors they had worked with previously in mind— Steve Buscemi, John Turturro and Peter Stormare.

The Coens wanted to capture a retro feel with the production design, resulting in the many old-fashioned object s littered throughout the film. The neon star motif that carries over from the bowling alley into the Dude’s dream sequences was inspired by Richard Heinrich’s modifications to the exterior of Hollywood Star Lanes, where the bowling alley scenes were shot.

Production: "What’s this day of rest shit?"

Filming took place over 11 weeks in and around the Los Angeles area. The exterior of the Dude’s bungalow was a genuine private residence in Venice, CA—while the interior was shot on a stage in West Hollywood. The Graystone Mansion, a Beverly Hills landmark that had previously been used as Wayne Manor in Batman & Robin served as the interior of the Big Lebowski’s Pasadena mansion. Jackie Treehorn, the porn magnate, is depicted as living in the Sheats Goldstein Residence, a famous example of Organic Architecture in the Hollywood Hills—not Malibu as depicted in the film.

Many of the cast members only spent a short amount of time on the production. Julianne Moore shot for two weeks, both at the beginning of the production and near the end. Sam Elliot was on-set for only two days.

Reception & Legacy: "...and proud we are of all of them."

In the years since its 1998 premiere, The Big Lebowski has become a modern cult classic. Spawning an annual festival, Lebowskifest, that’s taken place since 2002, Lebowski fans worldwide identify themselves as Achievers. Begun in Louisville, KY, Lebowskifest has expanded across the United States and attracts hundreds of fans, celebrities and personalities every year.

The film has appeared on a number of best-of lists since its release, including being ranked 8 on Entertainment Weekly’s “Funniest Movies of the Past 25 Years” list and number 10 on the Los Angeles Times’ list of the best films set in Los Angeles during the last 25 years. The Dude was ranked the seventh greatest film character of all time by Empire magazine, while Walter ranked 49 on the same list.