Variosity Vault

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 neo-noir crime comedy film written, directed, produced and co-edited by Joel and Ethan Coen, and starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, and John Turturro. It follows the life of Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler who is assaulted as a result of mistaken identity, and becomes embroiled in a kidnapping and ransom scheme focused on a millionaire who shares his name. The film is loosely inspired by the work of Raymond Chandler. Joel Coen said, "We wanted to do a Chandler kind of story—how it moves episodically and deals with the characters trying to unravel a mystery, as well as having a hopelessly complex plot that's ultimately unimportant." The score is by Carter Burwell, a longtime collaborator of the Coen brothers.