I tend to avoid blogging based on writing prompts. That’s much more suited to my daily journal. However, the prompt today is something I broke down a month or two ago on social media sites BlueSky and Orb.

My 2 favorite movies:

1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
2. The Big Lebowski

Both movies I’ve seen a minimum of 25 times. The Big Lebowski, roughly once a year since its theatrical release.

Butch and Sundance is one of very few westerns that adheres to none of the genre’s ugly themes. There’s no racism. There’s very little actual killing. It’s based on the true story of these 2 banditos, and with both the lead actors in the prime of their careers. If you’re not in the know, Butch Cassidy is played by Paul Newman. The Sundance Kid is played by Robert Redford. Easily both men are among the greatest actors of their generation. Essentially, Butch and Sundance is a ‘buddy movie.’ These are much more commonly comedies, and there are indeed humorous bits here, but also very high quality drama and action.

When I was a kid, there was this channel that played it all the time. At no point in my life have I been able to walk away from the film. If it’s on a TV, I sit down, and stay until the end. It’s just quality film, in every way.

The Big Lebowski. I was a Coen Brothers fan well before Jeff Bridges became the Dude. The Hudsucker Proxy(which, also features Paul Newman) is another of my favorite films. So, I saw The Big Lebowski in theaters in 1998. And I’ve watched it at least once a year, every year since. I was at the first fan gathering at a Louisville, KY bowling alley in 2002. It was a blast. A few years later Dudeism was officially founded. A religion based on the behavior and ideals The Dude personifies and lives by in the film. (See this site.)

The Big Lebowski is essentially a ‘buddy comedy.’ (Shocked?). Jeff Bridges actually brought most of the Dude’s wardrobe from his own home closet. Also starring John Goodman and Steve Buscemi. The rest of the cast list is also star-studded. Lots of big names in bit parts. Goodman puts on the performance of a lifetime. Easily his best film. And he routinely tells people it’s his favorite of movies he’s played in.

The Dude, is mistaken for a wealthy man(who is also named Lebowski), and terrorized early in the film. Worst of all, they ruined his rug. It really tied the room together. And through a series of events in which he has very little agency, the Dude truly just wants to be. He goes with the flow, but only because he doesn’t have much choice. This is the attitude that Dudeism’s core. It’s essentially a modernization of Taoism, minus the metaphysical. Go with the flow. Be cool. Take it easy. No matter what life throws at you. The Dude abides.

I’m not going to spoil either movie, because if you e not seen them, now is the time.

Yours, and no one else’s,

Jack Lhasa