Scott Simon talks with Kate Holden of Cork, Ireland; Kristan McMahon of Lakewood, N.Y.; and April Cost of Erie, Colo. about “The Big Lebowski,” which they all simply expected the very first time.
(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)
HUMPHREY BOGART: (As Rick Blaine) Here’s looking at you, kid.
CLARK GABLE: (As Rhett Butler) Honestly, my dear, I do not give a damn.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
It’s time now for Motion pictures You Missed out on.
(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)
CUBA GOODING JR: (As Rod Tidwell) Show me the money.
ROBERT DE NIRO: (As Travis Bickle) You speaking to me?
ESTELLE REINER: (As Older Woman Client) I’ll have what she’s having.
OPRAH WINFREY: (As Sofia) I ain’t never believed I had to fight in my own home.
MARLON BRANDO: (As Stanley Kowalski) Stella.
SIMON: Today, hope you brought bowling shoes.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “THE BIG LEBOWSKI”)
JEFF BRIDGES: (As The Guy) The man abides.
SIMON: The Big Lebowski – 1998 stoner comedy written and directed by the Coen brothers about mistaken identity, a soiled rug, a missing out on spouse, a gang of nihilists – how can people who believe in absolutely nothing even have a gang? – and a dude who abides. We actually discovered 3 people who have never ever seen it – April Cost, a realtor in Colorado; Kristan McMahon, who runs a nonprofit in New york city; and Kate Holden, who’s pursuing a Ph.D. in Ireland – not in dude research studies, we assume. Thanks so much for being with us.
APRIL COST: Thank you for having me.
KRISTAN MCMAHON: Nice to be here.
KATE HOLDEN: Thanks. It’s a Ph.D. in theater.
SIMON: Let’s get this out of the way. Have you been avoiding the film, or did you just never see it over the years? Kristan McMahon?
MCMAHON: So I don’t think it was mindful for me. It was simply – I was in grad school at the time this came out, so I wasn’t really taking notice of films. And then I started noticing a pattern in my dating life. If I was on a date with a guy and it was among our first number of dates, and he would discuss that “The Big Lebowski” was his favorite film, and I would state, oh, I’ve never ever seen it. And then he would state, oh, my gosh, it’s the very best thing ever. Like, I’ll absolutely make a plan. We’ll get together, and we’ll watch it. And then I would never see that individual again. So at some point, it in fact became type of a funky method to weed out individuals (laughter).
SIMON: (Laughter).
HOLDEN: I had an extremely similar story to Kristan, where I kept going on dates with guys in their late 20s, early 30s, and it was the exact same – like, smoked American Spirits, used a red flannel jacket, believed Ernest Hemingway was the greatest thing considering that sliced bread. And in the exact same profile would be, oh, I love “The Huge Lebowski.” And I lied, and I said that I had seen this film since I was done having the very same conversation about how great it was. I resembled, what is the appeal? And I’m still asking that concern.
SIMON: You’ve seen it now, right?
HOLDEN: I’ve seen it now.
SIMON: And what do you think?
HOLDEN: I didn’t require to see it to find out that it had to do with bowling and abiding and a confusing double-crossed plot of film noir satisfies Western fulfills clown program fulfills absurdity. I do not think I was missing out.
SIMON: Effectively stated. April Price in Colorado, what did you think about the film?
COST: I really quite enjoyed it for what it is. You know, I believe had it been launched now, I don’t believe it would bring as much weight and such a cult following as back then. But I rather valued it for what it’s implied to be. It’s not indicated to win Oscars. It’s implied to simply take you on this wild trip. There were moments I laughed out loud and moments where I kind of rolled my eyes. But I – now that I lastly saw it, the dude abides. You understand, I understand what that indicates now – sort of, I expect.
SIMON: A great deal of us utilize the expression even without knowing. Kristan McMahon, what was your response to seeing the movie?
MCMAHON: I believe I had a really comparable response. So there were definitely parts I laughed out loud. I had no concept the majority of the people who were in that movie were really because motion picture. It was a really terrific cast.
SIMON: Oh, yeah. I indicate, let me simply include – Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Aimee Mann.
MCMAHON: Yeah. Sam Elliott.
SIMON: Sam Elliott, Jeff Bridges – Sam Elliott gets the guy abides.
MCMAHON: Yeah. So I am delighted that I took the opportunity to see it, although now I’m wondering what I will do to weed out dates.
SIMON: (Laughter) Well, we can only respond to so many concerns. What are some other standouts for all of you?
HOLDEN: Standouts for me were really the functions of women in the movie. I indicate, for me, the majority of the film is about, you know, individuals as cars for desire, right? There’s a great deal of desires in the piece, right? And I felt like I was here for Bunny. You understand, there was part of me that was like, so what if Bunny is this money-seeking, sex-crazed woman living her finest life? Why not? And then the efficiency artist, feminist character, I thought it was intriguing that the only thing she could want is to literally and figuratively develop.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “THE BIG LEBOWSKI”)
BRIDGES: (As The Dude) What is that? Yoga?
JULIANNE MOORE: (As Maude Lebowski) It increases the possibilities of conception.
BRIDGES: (As The Guy) Boosts?
MOORE: (As Maude Lebowski) Well, yes. What did you believe this is everything about? Enjoyable and video games?
HOLDEN: It wasn’t I simply want this excellent, you know, sexual experience with this individual and to bail. It’s, oh, I want your baby. And it’s like, what?
SIMON: There’s so many lines that individuals quote.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “THE BIG LEBOWSKI”)
BRIDGES: (As The Dude) Yeah, guy. It actually tied the space together.
SIMON: Do you have any lines you’ll remove from this that will win their method into your everyday conversation?
RATE: Well, I have a soft spot for Mr. Sam Elliott. He looks and reminds me very much of my father. So among my favorite lines, which is so simple, honestly, is …
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “THE BIG LEBOWSKI”)
SAM ELLIOTT: (As The Stranger) Often you consume the bar, and – much obliged – often the bar, well, it consumes you.
COST: And it’s really true.
SIMON: And Kate Holden?
HOLDEN: Like, a discussion moment that truly stuck to me was the German band at the pancake house and the outrageous orders. There’s not a brand-new mantra I’m taking away, however imagistically, it stuck to me more. And I did truly like the dream sequences. I had an appreciation for that cinematically.
SIMON: So now that you’ve seen the motion picture, is it over, or exists something you’re going to draw from the film? Kristan McMahon?
MCMAHON: So I truly like ridiculous motion pictures, and this was quite ridiculous. So I appreciate that I have viewed it. I can most likely still utilize it as a barometer due to the fact that I think I have enough of a standard from the previous dates as to the type of person who actually likes this film and whether or not that is a person I want to spend more time with and/or who wants to invest more time with me.
PRICE: For me personally – April in Colorado – it’s not Leading 10 movies of perpetuity, however I’m thankful that it’s in my repertoire now. In retrospection, I nearly want I would have seen it with my good friends back in 1998. I think I might need to see it one more time just to detect certain things I missed, possibly with a White Russian in hand – who understands? – just being in my bathrobe and really get into it.
HOLDEN: I liked it more than I believed it would. And I believe, you know, providing something a chance and leaving a bit space for surprise is worth it, because I resembled, OK, maybe there is something to this. But like April, there probably will not be, you know, rounds of appreciation. I may lastly attempt a White Russian. I may go bowling. I might rewatch it simply to see if – you understand, what I missed, due to the fact that I seem like I – you understand, am I missing something? is still a question I have about it.
SIMON: You understand, I want all of us could get together with a White Russian right now. Kate Holden, April Price, Kristan McMahon, thanks a lot for being with us.
MCMAHON: Thank you.
RATE: Thanks for having us.
HOLDEN: Thank you.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SIMPLY DROPPED IN (TO SEE WHAT CONDITION MY CONDITION WAS IN)”)
KENNY ROGERS AND THE FIRST EDITION: (Singing) Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. What condition my condition remained in.
SIMON: If there’s a motion picture you have actually missed out on, you can tell all of us about it at n.pr/ moviesyoumissed.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SIMPLY DROPPED IN (TO SEE WHAT CONDITION MY CONDITION WAS IN)”)
KENNY ROGERS AND THE FIRST EDITION: (Singing) I found my mind in a brown paper bag, but then I tripped on a cloud and fell eight miles high.
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Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/07/16/1111868444/movies-you-missed-the-big-lebowski