“The Dude abides… I don’t know about you, but I take comfort in that. It’s good knowin’ he’s out there, the Dude, takin’ er easy for all us sinners.”

- The Stranger,
The Big Lebowski

This line – from what has become, if not one of the most beloved, then certainly one of the most quotable cult movies of the past few decades – nicely sums up the film’s protagonist and his outlook on life.  The Dude’s Zen-like affability has (gradually) endeared the Coen Brothers’ 1998 comedy to countless stoners, bowlers, and average Joe’s everywhere.  But it’s also the film’s plethora of genius dialogue and quotable phrases that’s shown an uncanny power to unite; a randomly overheard “Shut the fuck up, Donny” and the strange camaraderie that ensued was ultimately what gave birth to the fan-fueled party known as Lebowski Fest.

Lebowski Fest – or the celebration of all things Lebowski (if you’re not into the whole brevity thing) – spans two Kahlua-soaked days of bowling, drinking White Russians, live music and of course, watching The Big Lebowski.  Its modest seeds were sown back in 2002 when a complete stranger overheard the fest’s eventual founders dropping lines from Donnie, Walter, and the Dude, and shot right back with quotes of his own.  It was clear there were other Lebowski die-hards out there, so the two original “founding dudes” set about creating the ultimate Lebowski gathering.  The inaugural LF was in Louisville, KY, and about 150 people turned out.  But subsequent fests have been held in New York, LA, Chicago, Vegas, Austin, Seattle, London and Edinburgh and attendance has been 1,000+.  And on September 11th and 12th, the fun descends upon Minneapolis.  Dios mio, man!

Sure, it might seem a tad silly that a grown man’s bucket list contains bowling in a bathrobe, drinking alcoholic milkshakes, and standing around quoting lines from a movie – but that’s just like… your opinion, man.  Because while the film is couched in a slacker haze of doobie smoke and f-bombs, the actual story is an intricate homage to the hard-boiled noirs of Raymond Chandler, brilliantly written with well-formed characters and incredibly rewarding comedic moments throughout.  It’s one movie I can pop in or catch on TV at any point in the film, and be thoroughly entertained till the credits roll.

The party begins on Friday with live music by the kick-ass blues-gospel-punk duo Black Diamond Heavies and a Lebowski screening at First Avenue, and culminates on Saturday with bowling, trivia, and costume contests at Memory Lanes.  I encourage all of my fellow Lebowski fans – “Achievers” is the handle we self-apply – to come down and partake in the madness.  Although the Coen brothers are quoted as having given neither their blessing nor their curse to the Fest and its proceedings, it should be interesting to see what the organizers have cooked up for the MN filmmakers’ hometown crowd.  Fuck it, dude… let’s go bowling.

Tags: bowling, Caucasians, Dude, First Avenue, fucking Eagles, Kahlua, Lebowski Fest, Logjammin', Memory Lanes, Minneapolis, Nihilism, Rug, The Big Lebowski, Walter, White Russians

This post was written by Paul Clark, Wednesday, August 12th, 2009 at 2:47 pm and is filed under Diversionary Tactics, Events, Film Festivals, Links. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.