While I’d consider myself a pretty sizable fan of the Coen Brothers, I have to confess that I’ve never quite understood the cult that sprang up around their 1998 film, “The Big Lebowski.” Having been a huge fan of “Blood Simple,” “Raising Arizona,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “Fargo,” “Barton Fink" and even less celebrated ones like “The Hudsucker Proxy,” I remember going to “The Big Lebowski” when it came out and being somewhat underwhelmed. I mean, it didn’t suck, but compared to those other films, it just seemed like they phoned it in a bit.
In any case, invariably you or someone you know probably thinks it’s pure genius. I’m not going to argue with you, but I just don’t share that opinion.
So, imagine my confused chagrin when a shop in Greenwich Village solely dedicated to commemorating the film opened up a few years ago. I mean, why that film and not, say, “The Warriors” or “Blow-Up” or “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”? I just do not understand it.
Regardless, I kinda liked that the shop was there. I don’t believe I ever went in (nor had any reason to), but the fact that a shop with so goddamn niche a demographic could still operate here in New York City in the new millennium gave me some glimmer of hope that maybe not all the quirky, oddball funk had been syphoned out of my neighborhood.
Well, scratch that. I walked by The Little Lebowski (geddit?) today and noticed a big “FOR RENT” sign in the window.
I salute the endeavor for lasting this long!
Post-Script: I remember getting into a discussion about the Coen Brothers with Tod [A] from Cop Shoot Cop/Firewater not too long back, and even he seemed incredulous that I didn’t appreciate the film. When I continued to balk, he shot me the YouTube clip below of — admittedly — a damn funny scene.
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