If you don’t understand immediately what the headline of this blog entry means, then obviously, you’re not a Duder.
Everybody quotes movies. But some of us quote movies more often than others, and some movies get quoted a whole hell of a lot more than others.
With us (the royal we, the editorial), it’s The Big Lebowski, which for my money might be the most quotable movie of all time — and yes that includes Pulp Fiction and anything else by Tarantino.
I remember the first time I saw The Big Lebowski. I actually saw it in the theater when it was first released. I saw it in a movie theater that had maybe 15 or 20 people in it. (It was a niche movie then. Now, it’s more of a mainstream cult film, hence conventions like Lebowski Fest.)
The first time I saw the Dude, I was amused, but also perplexed. Here was one meandering, pointless, self-indulgent mess of a movie. What was it about? Anything? Nothing? Was I crazy in trying to find any sort of through-line in the adventures of the Dude?
Why, yes, I was. The whole point of The Big Lebowski is that it meanders, is pointless, and is a self-indulgent mess. Those are not flaws. They’re virtues.
In the process, it’s one of the funniest movies ever made. The Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel, have an ear for dialog, and in The Big Lebowski they give us a head-on collision between characters with some of the zaniest (and incompatible) personalities, and who spout some of the most brilliantly inane dialog ever written.
Of course, none of this is news to the massive cadre of Dude fans out there. My discussion of the Dude in the form of a nine-year-late movie review is merely so I can identify myself among you, the Dude fans. I’ve seen the Dude maybe a dozen times and seen parts of it even more than that, so, yes, I’m a fan. And as a fan, I want to give back to the Dude anti-establishement: I figured it was finally time to carry out a Dude Mission that I’ve long been meaning to: I’m doing my part to honor Lebowski lore with the gratuitous creation of DudeQuote.com, a place of amusement intended for those who love the dialog of the Dude. (Note: If by some chance you are offended by gratuitous use of the f-word and pervasive profanity, steer clear.)
If ever a site were to simply and merely Do What It Do, it’s DudeQuote.com. Instructions: Read the Dude Quote, then click on “New Quote” to get a new Dude Quote. That’s it. It do what it do.
Or perhaps in this case, it Dude what it Dude.
If ever a movie demanded a random quote generator, it’s the Dude’s, because he’s a guy who practically lives life in random order anyway.
Now, I’m not claiming this is an original idea. There are plenty of random quote generators out there for movies, and at least a few devoted to Lebowski. But that’s okay. I may not be original, but I am thorough (I’m a good man, and thorough — there I go again; do you see why I had to make this site? Do you see what happens — argh, okay, stop). I’ve put in a lot of excerpts from the Lebowski script so that you will get more than your fill of the Dude from one site.
This site is intended for those who are in on the joke. If you’re not in on the joke, this site will mean nothing to you — even less nothing than usual. If you are such a person, I will instead use this blog entry to tell you: If you like quirky comedy based on dialog and character idiosyncrasies, go out and rent The Big Lebowski this weekend. Then, when you go to work on Monday, you can quote it along with all the other El Duderinos in your workplace that have been quoting it for years.
Jammer’s Big Lebowski rating: 
(but that’s just, like, my opinion, man)
Right on! Keep up the good work - but we’ll just go on taking it easy for you sinners.
I’ve been a lurker of your site/s for a while, and have never felt compelled to write a reply, but this article deserves serious kudos. One of my favourite films, an overlooked gem in the wake of the award-hungry Fargo.
I think I love it so much because it’s about nothing at all. Some guys meet a few people, then a main character dies, and then the credits roll. The “high concept” in this case is the quick-witted writing and the superior, heart-felt performances. This is far more entertaining and funny than popular fare like There’s Something About Mary. Maybe if Labowski had jokes about spunk it would have been a box office smash…
And remember: this is what happens when you fuck a guy in the ass.
One of my favorite movies too, packed to the brim with hilarious dialogue and wicked humor. Right on Jammer!
No love for Walter? The Dude’s awesome, but Walter was the tits.
“If you mark it an eight, you are entering a world of pain.”
Probably my third favorite Coen Bros. film after Miller’s Crossing and Barton Fink. Favorite quote: another from Walter – “Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it’s an ethos.”
Although it’s hard to take without a grain of salt any assertion of “most quotable” from anyone who doesn’t watch Firefly. ;v)
DudeQuote.com quotes more than just the Dude. It quotes all kinds of quotes from the movie, from most if not all of the characters. Of course it quotes Walter. Walter has many of the best lines. Both the “mark it an eight, you’re entering a world of pain” and “at least it’s an ethos” lines are included in the quote generator.
dude, i was only nine when i saw the big lebowski for the first time in theatres, and i hated it. then i went through puberty and now i love it. coincidence? i think not.
Dude! That’s great. I also watched it in cinema and it was really empty. It’s so cool, like most other Coen movies.
Lebowski is my favorite movie of all time. I’m jealous of everyone who saw it in the theater.
I remember the first time I saw it. I decided to rent it on a whim, because the cover was eye-catching, the title intriguing, and it was by the Fargo guys. After watching it, I returned it, immediately purchased a copy, and proceded to watch it every weekend for the next three months.
I didn’t find out about the cult following until much later. I’m glad there are so many TBL fans out there.
This is one of my favorite films…I just saw it for the first time since high school and if anything, I loved it more! Now I have to see some other Coen stuff (Fargo, that new movie comin’ out, etc.) and hope not to be disappointed.
And I know, you’ve heard this a lot…but if you like quirky characters and great dialog, dude, please check out Firefly. And do yourself a favor and watch it in order; certainly not in the order Fox broadcasted it.
Vee believe in nothingk!