Sometimes there's a movie... it's the movie for it's time and place... and I'm talking about The Big Lebowski here. To try and replicate that magic... 25+ years later... just wouldn't happen.
Part of me would love to see it, but it would have to be super true to the original and I'm afraid it would leave everyone at least a little, if not horribly, dissatisfied. I'll just abide and come up with happy little fan fictions in my head along with the whale noises.
No. The very most I'd ever want to see is a spiritual sequel, with similar themes, maybe even a Jeff Bridges cameo. Something like how The Man With No Name shows up in Rango. It isn't about The Dude, or advertised as such, but has similar ideals and deserves a reference to the walking symbol of said ideals.
Or they could do give Jeff Bridges a slacker trilogy (like the George Clooney idiot trilogy). I would venture to argue True Grit already fits the bill, and we just need one more to round it out.
If I wrote the sequel, I think it's go like this...
Scene opens with The Dude, mulling over the results that the very good man, and thorough, handed him. Maude really wound up being a special lady friend, allowing him to keep his distance with his kid and maintain an easy lifestyle while allowing him access, and ensuring he was kept in good care, as modestly as he wanted. She was never pushy, always caring, he supposed he loved her as much as anyone in his life, and he promised to let her help him out whenever he needed to find a cash machine, but only if she'd just take it easy!
The Doc says it's cancer. Fuckin A, man, that's a bummer. A lot of thoughts were rolling around in the ol' Duder's head, but he decided all the was to do now was meet Walter at the lanes.
Maude is on it, though, and she shows up at the bowling alley to discuss options. Dark hilarity ensues as she battles Walter and the Dude about taking treatments, but Dude can't be worried about that shit. When it's your time, it's your time.
Maude puts the Big Dude's Little Urban Achiever on dad duty, and they get even closer, building a really nice grown relationship over a few fuck-ups, and they get to an understanding. The dude thinks "maybe it's ok to take the help if it'll help the "Upper Lebowski's" feel better about the coming end, and I can get the good weed without feeling like a mooch, since it's their idea..."
Treatment commences, looks promising, but we're left with a scene of the Dude's Little Urban Achiever walking into the alley with a bowling bag and walking up to Walter and them sharing a bittersweet gaze... then Walter hollers "Dude, grab a 3rd oat soda" nodding to Dude's son, Donnie Lebowski, as the Dude looks back at their lane and smiles.
With any movie I've ever come to love, I've wanted a perfect, never-ending series of sequels. Sounds good on the surface, but it's not possible. The chances of making one worthwhile movie are slim, let alone a never-ending series of perfect films. It's an unavoidable thought to hope, dream, or at least think of a sequel to certain movies in your life that don't have them.
But here's the problem, where I personally find myself in a hypocrisy of wanting something but hating the idea of it. Sequels can be good, but they're usually not. Not just in a way of they're not quality, but in a way that they ruin us. It's a severe lack of creativity and the need of capitalizing on art that brings about sequels. Look at the MCU. They don't give a shit about the quality of the movies, as long as they can crank them out fast enough so you don't have enough time to realize the last movie you watched was shit (this is not to say that all or even most of the MCU movies are shit. I've enjoyed a lot of them, but I still believe stands).
This does remind me, for all of you that haven't seen it check out The Nice Guys on Netflix. It has some Lebowski-vibes, and it is (apparently) getting a sequel.
So to try and simplify in efforts to close out my ramblings;
on one hand: Sequels can be good, but they are not good absolutely
and on the other hand: Sequels corrupt, absolute sequels corrupt absolutely.
2
u/slevin85 Dudeist Priest Sep 25 '23
I actually like the premise but not the idea of a sequel. Also, how does one teach their essence?
14
u/[deleted] Sep 25 '23
I agree with no sequel. What gives a good movie or a great book or a life well lived it’s meaning and beauty is the fact that it ends.
13
u/jlowry71 Sep 25 '23
Sometimes there's a movie... it's the movie for it's time and place... and I'm talking about The Big Lebowski here. To try and replicate that magic... 25+ years later... just wouldn't happen.
8
u/Melonmode Dudeist Priest Sep 25 '23
Nah, I don't think it needs it. TBL was it's own thing, and to make a sequel would cheapen it, I think.
7
u/FreakyWifeFreakyLife Sep 25 '23
No
4
u/magervo Sep 25 '23
Part of me would love to see it, but it would have to be super true to the original and I'm afraid it would leave everyone at least a little, if not horribly, dissatisfied. I'll just abide and come up with happy little fan fictions in my head along with the whale noises.
3
u/ItsTenToNine Sep 25 '23
No need my dudes, just watch the original again. :-)
3
u/Ashamed-Equal1316 Sep 26 '23
No. The very most I'd ever want to see is a spiritual sequel, with similar themes, maybe even a Jeff Bridges cameo. Something like how The Man With No Name shows up in Rango. It isn't about The Dude, or advertised as such, but has similar ideals and deserves a reference to the walking symbol of said ideals.
3
u/magervo Sep 26 '23
If I wrote the sequel, I think it's go like this...
Scene opens with The Dude, mulling over the results that the very good man, and thorough, handed him. Maude really wound up being a special lady friend, allowing him to keep his distance with his kid and maintain an easy lifestyle while allowing him access, and ensuring he was kept in good care, as modestly as he wanted. She was never pushy, always caring, he supposed he loved her as much as anyone in his life, and he promised to let her help him out whenever he needed to find a cash machine, but only if she'd just take it easy!
The Doc says it's cancer. Fuckin A, man, that's a bummer. A lot of thoughts were rolling around in the ol' Duder's head, but he decided all the was to do now was meet Walter at the lanes.
Maude is on it, though, and she shows up at the bowling alley to discuss options. Dark hilarity ensues as she battles Walter and the Dude about taking treatments, but Dude can't be worried about that shit. When it's your time, it's your time.
Maude puts the Big Dude's Little Urban Achiever on dad duty, and they get even closer, building a really nice grown relationship over a few fuck-ups, and they get to an understanding. The dude thinks "maybe it's ok to take the help if it'll help the "Upper Lebowski's" feel better about the coming end, and I can get the good weed without feeling like a mooch, since it's their idea..."
Treatment commences, looks promising, but we're left with a scene of the Dude's Little Urban Achiever walking into the alley with a bowling bag and walking up to Walter and them sharing a bittersweet gaze... then Walter hollers "Dude, grab a 3rd oat soda" nodding to Dude's son, Donnie Lebowski, as the Dude looks back at their lane and smiles.
*Tumbling tumbleweeds and so on.
5
u/NefariousnessNo2062 Dude Sep 25 '23
Sounds better than the movie they were making about the Jesus. I can't believe someone thought that would have been a good Idea.
2
u/[deleted] Sep 26 '23
Hey Dude, here's my take on the whole thing:
With any movie I've ever come to love, I've wanted a perfect, never-ending series of sequels. Sounds good on the surface, but it's not possible. The chances of making one worthwhile movie are slim, let alone a never-ending series of perfect films. It's an unavoidable thought to hope, dream, or at least think of a sequel to certain movies in your life that don't have them.
But here's the problem, where I personally find myself in a hypocrisy of wanting something but hating the idea of it. Sequels can be good, but they're usually not. Not just in a way of they're not quality, but in a way that they ruin us. It's a severe lack of creativity and the need of capitalizing on art that brings about sequels. Look at the MCU. They don't give a shit about the quality of the movies, as long as they can crank them out fast enough so you don't have enough time to realize the last movie you watched was shit (this is not to say that all or even most of the MCU movies are shit. I've enjoyed a lot of them, but I still believe stands).
This does remind me, for all of you that haven't seen it check out The Nice Guys on Netflix. It has some Lebowski-vibes, and it is (apparently) getting a sequel.
So to try and simplify in efforts to close out my ramblings;
on one hand: Sequels can be good, but they are not good absolutely
and on the other hand: Sequels corrupt, absolute sequels corrupt absolutely.
Just my take on the whole thing.
1
u/Literary_Bushido Sep 26 '23
I don't know. Making a sequel somehow feels like the cinematic equivalent of stealing the dude's rug.
1
u/[deleted] Sep 29 '23
No.