The Secret Meaning of The Big Lebowski

[@FallopiumFilms]

check out my other film analyses kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHfPg5KPpqZ9o5I&ab_channel=FallopiumFilms

[@john_stevens]

the 9/11 check reference is to The Big Sleep. at the beginning of TBS, the date on the IOU General Sternwood shows Marlowe is 9/11/45. Nice work on your part, thanx.

[@theactualbajmahal833]

As Desert Storm began, much was made of the code words for the initial bombing of Baghdad - Shock and Awe. Shock and Awe is the phonetic equivalent of Shekhinah. Shekhinah is the divine feminine in Kabbalism who is the winged daughter of God. We first meet Maud as she "flies" over her art. Shekhinah heralding the birth of Moses The Dude dreams of Maud as Brunnhilde, another daughter of a god - this time from the Ring Cycle, especially Gotterdammerung - the Twilight of the Gods. Both of these divine females symbolize changes in the paradigm, creation and destruction.

[@coyolgringo]

"Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man."

[@adamhitze2180]

Well played sir

[@ShijinNair87]

✅️✅️✅️

[@chainsawbarbarian]

Jesus....I mean, The Dude doesn't deal with opinion.....only truth. Fake ass purple Jesus in Scarlett and Purple! Hahahaha!!

[@nickpeterson8659]

Never thought about how many commas were in that delivery, but yeah, you nailed it.

[@coyolgringo]

@@nickpeterson8659 hahaha on second thought, it should be something like: "Yeah!?... well... that's just, like, your opinion.... man!."

[@LongRest]

Biggest difference between the Dude and other men in this movies is that he doesn't pretend to be great and manly. He has no shame about his current position, that why he can overcome hardships of his situation. I think that that's why the Narrator, the manly man, has respect for the Dude. Also I think it's important to notice that his best friend admitted that he ruined something and hugged the Dude in the end - this is the biggest character growth in the movie.

[@skepsisology]

Interesting, Donnie is also like this 😂

[@londonbowcat1]

​@@skepsisologythe myth of male power

[@12thjuror]

Nah the biggest character growth is how Walter disrespects Donny throughout, telling him to “stfu, Donnie!” Then at the end he shows he really did care about his friend… 🫶👍🏼

[@Buskeeeeeeee]

He’s also the one who ended up having sex with the “red queen” in the end

[@tahnadana5435]

donnie didnt need to be anything his not either, you and this video essay are wrong sir

[@zack4president]

Think about THIS.... He dated the check for 9/11, but later in the film his landlord tells him that "tomorrow is already the 10th". This means he wrote a check for like 60 cents. And post-dated it.

[@davidhaworth7152]

69 cents

[@STho205]

In the era that was a woman move. Women wrote checks for everything. 25c packs of gum. Comedians like Seinfeld made fun of that. Men carried cash and used platinum credit cards for big purchases. The check serves so many purposes: It feminized him It shows he's a super loser It shows he's irresponsible It shows that he uses people Now the check for 9/11 in a 90s movie, the Bush and Sadam Hussein imagery...now that's just freaky.

[@rogersmith7396]

The other day the post office wanted me to write a check for a stamp. 58 cents. I could'nt do it.

[@agentorange81]

Dude , this aggression shall not stand , man

[@londonbowcat1]

​@therine6126it's about women on the couch an analysis of female psychopathology

[@chrisdunn3817]

Strictly speaking, in the dream sequence Maude is dressed as Brünhilde, daughter of Wotan [old Lebowski], who returns the golden ring [ransom] to its rightful owners, the Rhine maidens [the charity], and lover of Siegfried [the Dude]. Brünhilde was played famously by Bugs Bunny in the 1957 mini Warner Bros Merrie Melodies cartoon "What's Opera Doc".

[@stevesherman1743]

Thank you for your brilliance !

[@stevesherman1743]

Dang it ! Now I’ve got to listen to Wagner.

[@apollyon1]

Respectfully disagree with your conclusions particularly about how you have framed "weak masculinity". Each "weak" male character gets a chance to shine with their particular branch of masculinity. The Dude is a stoic master. His bumbling through the case makes him seem like a master detective from an outside perspective. He's an agent of chaos, himself at the centre. He even gets the girl. Walter appears to be a fake alpha all the way through until he has to fight nihilists and becomes a badarse. Donnie is ignored and taken for granted (even his phenomenal bowling skill is overlooked.) until he dies surrounded by his friends who love him. This is about giving these "weak" characters a chance to shine, saying hey its not all about the cowboy lead man but its not about criticising masculinity as a whole, far from it. It's showing masculinity to be a multifaceted penknife not a stereotyped machete. cool video.

[@BudFuddlacker]

Wait, The Dude got the girl? Being used for sperm is ‘getting the girl’ ?? lol, man, you must not get much

[@kingdingaling2469]

He actually nailed it .

[@fattyjaybird7505]

Big Lebowski asked it all, "what makes a man?" The same question so popular today, what is a woman... expectations vs values, ....or value

[@lewstone5430]

@Adam Moloney, agreed. This KZbinr loves to judge masculinity in some of his videos but he never fully defines it either. Convenient, since he’s avoiding a debate on the merits of what he’s saying. He seems to be using a 1950’s American male stereotype to judge the male characters, which has been out-of-date for decades for a host of reasons. Anyway, great post!

[@velocirshtr3756]

@@lewstone5430maybe that’s why the cowboy narrator made that cameo in the film with his interaction with the dude. The cowboy is a throwback and what masculinity meant in the days of old. The cowboy’s cameo and interaction with the dude was more-so the cowboy paying homage or passing the torch to the new age masculinity archetype - the dude. Maybe that’s why the cowboy was fond of him; it was the dude’s unbothered stoicism that tickled and fancied the cowboy’s mustache, sorta speak 🤭

[@crewsgiles9499]

Well, that really tied the whole film together, man.

[@AndrewLevine1]

That’s fuckin’ interesting, man. That’s fuckin’ interesting. I dig your work, man.

[@FreedomAtRisk]

New shit has come to light

[@Homeschoolsw6]

" Forget about the fucking toe! "

[@Rev.Redneck]

Taking to account this new information that has come to light. I like it dude, really ties the movie together.

[@GildaLee27]

8:27 Walter Sobchak is not a loser. He is a survivor, trying to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. He's become a rule-follower to the point of OCD perhaps but likely just the hypervigilance of PTSD. His watching his ex's dog shows not that he is a loser but that he still loves his wife that he couldn't help himself from driving away due to his impulsive violence & other PTSD symptoms. His continued Judaism is about rule-following, too, all 613 of them. Walter Sobchak is a wounded warrior, and understanding him at that subcutaneous level will help you more fully realize how men are treated by this society. Btw, he & Donny hang out w/ the Dude because he's their cannabis dealer.

[@sarahlevine2397]

I dont think the creator of the video would disagree with you on that. And I don't think he believes Walter is a loser. I think he is just trying to show that Walter is the epitome of what authority and masculinity would describe as a loser. Which is also a nod probably to how when many people return from war, society chews them up and throws them out, belittling their PTSD and trying to force them to assimilate back into society. I think you and Fallopium Films are both correct.

[@duderama6750]

That's some deep insight.

[@JEEDUHCHRI]

“You weren’t even in Vietnam Walter!” -TD

[@kyledonnelly8069]

As a man, I gotta admit, the moment I stopped giving a crap about masculinity and this illusion of control, was the moment I found inner peace Most of my life I've seen insecure, excuse making, bumbling men, all whom were supposedly masculine. Usually the most argumentative, ignorant and cowardly men I know are these types. Men who just own themselves. I knew a teacher who was an artist. Big round man, wouldn't hurt a fly, great listener. Women adored him, he wasnt especially good looking, he wasn't even that charming. He was just very warm, honest, real and had no fear. He didn't care if he was manly, often he was a scaredy cat, but he was a good man. Hes been an inspiration to me, hes living proof that masculinity is a bullshit ideal. Integrity, self respect and self acceptance, that's the real shit.

[@kylesmith6141]

The issue isn't one way of life over the other, but that you chose one path and demonize the other. I'm not going to claim to be macho, chad, alpha, etc. However, I am not going to shit all over people just for choosing a different way of life. This day and age has bred the world's biggest hypocrites. If I substitute what you said for a race then that's racism. Why do you have to bring that stereotypical energy to a post where you are trying to be positive? You found what works for you, bravo.

[@kyledonnelly8069]

@@kylesmith6141 dude lol I'm sorry but my way is positive to me and maybe to people who agree but it's ultimately just a comment. That I made in a comment section. Should I apologise for my opinion? I don't know what I wrote that affected you in such a negative way. I've tried reading it with a race instead of a gender behaviour. I cant figure out a way to make my statement racist lol I'm trying I knew a big round jew, wouldn't hurt a fly. Ive seen many bumbling men all of whom were black. He was a scaredy cat, typical Asian.

[@Evanderj]

The mischaracterization of masculinity is the problem. You can’t be insecure, cowardly, bumbling, and making excuses while being masculine. Real masculinity is mutually exclusive to all of that.

[@kyledonnelly8069]

@@Evanderj as a man, I feel the choice is yours. I think seperating behaviours into camps is a bit silly. Life is more complex than that. Ultimately he wasn't masculine, he was honest and real. Thats more attractive to me at least but identity is complex enough that someone can choose to align with more typically masculine traits and find comfort in that. I say as long you don't hurt others and your happy, have at it.

[@Metalgear222]

I think you just had the wrong notion on what masculinity was to begin with. The man you're referring to, with the detail you've provided, could be called "Grounded." Grounded is a masculine state. You can choose to throw away duality, but nature won't buy into that logic. Everything in nature is a balance of feminine and masculine. Learning how to integrate your main and have the other as a close secondary is where the actual peace of mind lies.

[@wrenside]

Maude is dressed as a Valkyrie, a Norse female figure (often described as children of Odin/Wotan) who guided warriors killed in battle to the afterlife. Valkyries are dressed as warriors and their job reflects their dealings with brave and noble fighters, a far cry from the dude and the other men that populate the film.

[@zootsoot2006]

It's about America and its place in the world. The Dude represents the average American who just wants to get on with his life, cut off from any drama in the outside world. The Big Lebowski represents the corporate interests who drag the average American into conflicts that don't involve him, that fundamentally mean nothing, i.e. the nihilists.

[@rogersmith7396]

Plus she lays him.

[@TogetherinParis]

@@rogersmith7396 I think they had a lot of time on their hands and filled it up with cheap allusions because one of them was pretty twisted and vulgar.

[@lewstone5430]

@wrenside maybe, like this KZbinr, you missed the fact that the Dude is a noble fighter. Why? He lives in truth, he’s genuine and humble, yet stands up for what he believes (like his stand against Big Lebowski). This is the opposite of the Big Lebowski, whose fake, sneaky, and superficial.

[@c.s3369]

Your right, but I think there's also venus/ishtar symbolism.

[@cmburnz]

"All The Dude ever wanted was His rug back! I'm not greedy. It really tied the room together"

[@surveyguyor8958]

another point that was kind of skipped (busy telling us something else) was Buschemi asking the dude about getting it cut off "what do you need that for?" another issue of "why do you need masculinity?"

[@HerculesRockefellerESQ]

Also, when he's asking for a lawyer - hes asking for a lawyer named William *Kunstler*, who was counsel for the Chicago Seven, mentioned elsewhere in the film as the Seattle Seven, one of the dude's mixups, like a couple other examples in the movie.

[@Torgo1969]

And Ron Kuby.

[@purumr]

How come you missed the 'dude abides' scene at the end. Dude was living the eastern philosophy of going with the flow.

[@Homeschoolsw6]

True. The Dude embodies the flow. Living in the moment. That's what " The Dude abides " means.

[@tmac8892]

The dude is upset often throughout the movie.

[@purumr]

@@tmac8892 because he was clinging to the rug, bad influence from Vietnam veteran!!

[@tmac8892]

@@purumr everyone always talks about the dude being a zen master, going with the flow. And I'm like, have you seen the film? He's always pissed off and frustrated. Walter drives him absolutely batty.

[@lukehall8151]

@@purumr it really tied the room together!

[@Koldeman]

So Maude is "the BIG Lebowski"...I thought I knew this movie inside & out but now rewatching it will be a whole new experience. Thx!

[@bolso4]

This is really great work man. The editing/pacing of the video is top notch as well.

[@earlleegrace3318]

It really ties the story together.

[@accidentalmusic2749]

That rug really tied the room together and all the Cohen brothers movies are about the dangers of greed

[@rohanprem9822]

There's even an aspect of The Electra Complex with Maude. She literally wants to have a child with the man who has the same name as that of her father, and she's competing with her step-mother, Bunny, for her father's wealth and possibly his attention.

[@mafeuk]

I´m with you on this one, dude. It always struck me that Maude had severe daddy issues that she tried to repress with her feminist art or her powerful/capable woman facade. But anyone has their own interpretation. That´s just our opinion, man.

[@inkyguy]

Good insight.

[@londonbowcat1]

​@@mafeukelectra complex ?

[@EstebanAlvarez_]

23:33 LAPIN (pronounced "lepan") means bunny in french. That's why it's written on the license plate of Bunny's car. 31:25 Maude chose the Dude because her father is also called Jeffrey Lebowski.

[@lraoux]

1. Correct (lapin=bunny, no reference to castration or anything like that). As a native French speaker, don't say "lepan", it's "la" + a nasal sound between "pen" and "pan" (you don't fully finish the 'n') 2. Could be, but remember, she said she wants her child's father not to take interest in raising him/her, which the Dude doesn't.

[@gumbypokey]

So Maude was essentially fucking her 'father'?!....

[@FallopiumFilms]

@@lraoux Lapin is a word in English as well. It means a castrated male rabbit

[@FallopiumFilms]

No one in the movie speaks French. They speak English. And in English, Lapin means castrated rabbit.

[@obscure.reference]

coen brothers say they didn’t think through any implications of maude wanting a child with someone with her fathers name so that at least wasn’t authorial intent

[@davidbaise5137]

Yes! It’s David Huddleston! You remember him from that great speech in church during “Blazing Saddles” - “ Not only was that a genuine example of frontier gibberish….” “We fought Indians, we fought fires, we fought floods, we fought Dix…. Remember when Richard Dix came in and tried to take over the town?” And now as Labowski. Doesn’t get any better. Thanks!

[@jacobambos3885]

The Coen Brothers films can generally be distilled down to one word thematically. Fargo is greed. Oh Brother Where Art Thou? is faith. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is death. I've said for years The Big Lebowski's word is manhood.

[@rogersmith7396]

So whats "Kingpin"?

[@jacobambos3885]

@@rogersmith7396 not a Coen Brothers movie.

[@rogersmith7396]

@@jacobambos3885 Ah, Farelly Brothers. Yeah its not very good.

[@falkorornothing261]

It's been awhile since I've seen Raising Arizona but seems similar. Maybe "fatherhood". Definitely plenty of similar themes, like the protagonist driving by gas stations that aren't on this way home tempting himself. Or all the different types of stereotypical masculine men. Blood Simple is another one of my favorites. I'm curious what word you would give for that one.

[@Marge411]

Not sure if anyone else mentioned it, but William Kunstler was an American civil rights attorney. His real name and occupation fits perfectly into this film!

[@smallberries]

Exactly. He'd be exactly the guy that the Dude would want to represent him. But it's pretty funny that his name is what it is. Kinda fits also

[@HerculesRockefellerESQ]

I didn't see this before I made my comment. But he also represented the Chicago Seven, one of the dudes wordplay mixups with the Seattle seven.

[@londonbowcat1]

​@@HerculesRockefellerESQAn anatomy of female power

[@Buskeeeeeeee]

Ron Kuby was the other name he mentioned. He was the guy who worked with Kunstler on the Chicago seven trials.

[@gertywhatagash_]

Also the Nihilists say "johnson" just like Maude did. Which means they heard it from her. Which further proves she knew of and worked with them. I thought of this myself years ago. But your video helped piece it all together for me, since it's been years since last seeing it.

[@kevinderrick2787]

"MEDINA SOD" is a company in Medina Ohio (I live there). We pronounce it Meh-die-nu. Just fyi. Visited the owners in 2008, I think, before going to Lebowskifest, in Louisville, Ky. They remember being contacted by some Hollywood types, to get permission to use their name.

[@echoes1451]

Medina is also a city in Minnesota. The Coens are from MN (I live there now), and always assumed it was a simple reference to that....

[@johndixon4337]

Sod is also the british word for stupid loser; and replaces F*!K in "Sod Off".

[@inkyguy]

I agree with a lot of your insights and analysis. In fact, I found it critical to enhancing my deeper understanding and appreciation of the film. Generally, I think you have a really good thesis and that you are right on target. Here are just a few thoughts or corrections for what they are worth. • Sam Elliott never worked as the “Marlboro Man,” in any of Philip Morris’s ubiquitous advertising over the nearly 50 years they used the character. Elliott’s only association with the Marlboro Man is from portraying a character in the movie “Thank You for Smoking,” who in the movie had been a Marlboro Man and who is dying of cancer, just as five of Philip Morris’s Marlboro Men did in real life. • “Lapin” in English is pronounced _LA-pehn,_ not _la-PEEN._ The word which you are pronouncing is _lapine,_ which is the French word for a female rabbit or doe. _Lapin,_ pronounced _LA-pan,_ is the French word for a rabbit, either rabbits in general or male rabbits specifically. • In the dream sequence, Maude, with her horned helmet, armor, spear and braided hair is an obvious reference to Brunhilde, the Norse warrior god, as she would appear in a Wagnerian opera. • I’d suggest being more cautious with some of the word associations you’re identifying. It seems too much of an effort at “symbol searching,” in which one wrings meaning out of something that it does not really possess. These Freudian-like associations may be “projections,” in which case, they say more about you the commenter than anything about any inherent similarity or meaning between the words. For instance, to my ear, the character Uli Kunkel has a last name that sounds far more like “carbuncle,” than it does the vulgar term for a specific part of female anatomy. By the way, Kunzler is a brand name for a major hot dog manufacturer, so you might get better mileage with that association. The German name can mean or connote a flatterer, a derivative of Middle High German _künzen_ meaning “to flatter.” Regardless, thanks again for your thoughtful commentary. I definitely found it interesting and worth of my time - and how often can we say that about things we see on the Internet?

[@FallopiumFilms]

Excellent points. I’ll be making sure others see this one.

[@inkyguy]

@@FallopiumFilms, that’s a very kind response. Thank you very much.

[@georgeadcock2347]

Some very good points...

[@falkorornothing261]

@@FallopiumFilms thanks for making this. I'm going to check out your Kubrick ones next. Please make more of the Coen brothers 🍻

[@FallopiumFilms]

@@falkorornothing261 check out my No country for old men vid for sure

[@TTFMjock]

Bill Kunstler was the famous attorney for the Chicago 7. You’re reaching with this one; he’s famous for the same reason Ron Kuby is famous.

[@martinsorenson1055]

The September 11 date was significant in Islamic history, having to do with battles between the Christians and the Church if Islam. Maude is dressed as Brunhilde, a female warrior character from The Ring Cycle operas. Her story is about betrayal and revenge (and a lot more). Also, I find it funny that in The Dude's bowling hallucination, he is dressed as Karl Hungus (the nihilist) is dressed in the porno LogJammin - as a cable repair man.

[@thedudeabides3138]

Good catch on the Dude looking like Carl, I totally missed that. And how many times have I watched this??!!

[@burgeulfassal1523]

9-11 in islam??

[@mikehawk3472]

Neither one of them ever fixes the cable.

[@martinsorenson1055]

@@mikehawk3472 lol🤣

[@mrunlimited3]

Nailed it. I’ve seen this film 10+ times. Your analysis made me think of it in a whole new and special way. Great work dude!

[@lordofthemound3890]

At the time, the Coens and Jeff Bridges all referred to it as “Raymond Chandler-esque” with The Dude as Philip Marlowe, stoned instead of hungover, bumbling his way through a series of LA weirdo encounters.

[@danielhutchinson6604]

The Johnson Reference was a Steam locomotive association, that refers to the reversing lever that is placed alongside the Boiler to accommodate its movement of the Valve machinery. The Johnson Bar is generally situated pretty close to a locomotive Engineers crotch.... Hence the Johnson Bar, being an extension of the reproductive system.....

[@Janzer_]

actually money has been called "bones" and "clams" but you weren't aware. look at old films. the dialogue back then often used slang as they couldn't/wouldn't curse

[@FallopiumFilms]

lol I was aware they money could be called that... If you can believe a dumb peasant like me. It's just an odd choice. Yes, the film pays homage to that era of film, in a way, but it also works as a sex reference.

[@pslym]

best Lebowski analysis i've yet to encounter-- kudos!

[@lraoux]

When I first saw this movie, from the very first scene, I thought the point was to paint out an image of what the coolest possible man ever would look like. I was critical (wrongly) because I thought "cool" needs by nature to be elusive, and not defined. Now that I look back, however, I am certain you are correct: the comedy's main theme is more about masculinity, (or more generally, the challenge of being a male in this world). It's interesting, as an older millennial, the movie hits slightly differently now on account of weed's been legalized; the Dude was certainly made at least 10x cooler by his reckless disregard for the law. Anyways, ever nonchalant as he smokes his joints, we observe with awe how damn cool the Dude has figured out how to become and is. He lives in this reality where a man can be secure with himself, blocking out all societal pressure. You can do it too, you just need to be really cool like him. The rug, lack of money, and Maude are all elements pushing Lebowski to step out of his reality and be a "real" man (whatever that is). One thing that needs to be acknowledged is the resemblance between the Dude and Jesus Christ. Despite being the modern "bum," he is honest, has integrity, no intentions to harm others.. He has no women or consistent source of income, yet still manages to find fulfillment. I believe the reason the title of the movie is "The Big Lebowski" is because there are 2 Lebowski's, and at the end we are left to decide which one is (or comes off as) the bigger man. From the authoritative/practical perspective, clearly the Dude's life isn't all it's cracked up to be. He has no women in his life, lacks funds to pay rent, and when "unchecked aggression" is inflicted upon him, he's basically completely powerless to do anything about it. Truth is this DOES bother him ("the Dude minds"). While he could just choose to let his rug go, he knows for the sake of his Johnson that he has to do something. The movie paints bowling as a sort of dark pleasure. Saying "F*** it" to everything in life is NOT a solution. That's why Quintana is labeled Jesus. Having chosen to make it all about bowling, this creepy 8-year old pederast is winning at the game of life. Bowling is fine if it is used to take the edge off for a little while, but obviously it benefits both the Dude and Walter to step out of the element they're living in and engage in this story with the Lebowski's. In the end, there's sort of this beautiful medium with the audience learning from the Dude about how to be secure with oneself (/how to not let the pressure get to you) and the Dude learning from his adventure how & why a man could stand to do more with his life.

[@JeffRebornNow]

I Iiked your interpretation except for the bit about the titIe. It's caIIed The Big Lebowski because the Coens took a bunch of the pIot eIements from Raymond ChandIer's The Big SIeep. When that movie was made, its star, Humphrey Bogart, was the cooIest man around.

[@goodmorningsundaymorning4533]

As a woman, I got to say the Dude is cool af. I have a friend who is exactly like him. I'd rather hang out with him then any cookie cutout of today's man-made society of what a man is. I feel sorry for men today bcuz I feel there is a war against them no matter what they choose to be. Just my opinion.

[@nova396]

@@goodmorningsundaymorning4533 That's because women often choose losers. Then get divorced when they finally see it, then are mad they have to take care of the kid by themselves. What a tragedy to be a woman in today's society.

[@heroesfan236]

The owner of the car that Walter destroys is the only actual strong male in this movie. He owns a good car. He’s made his way in this world. And he runs to conflict.

[@JohnW118]

Yes, but he also lost that same car to the losers. And he never actually fought for his car, he just used the same 'weak' tactic on the worthless automobile.

[@thedudeabides3138]

Sheriff of Malibu County : hold my beer.

[@dawb86]

@@thedudeabides3138 No. Hold my coffee mug. With your face..... 🤣

[@tommulder9420]

Lol such a nonsense toxic masculine nonsense hot take

[@kellenduggan7270]

Bill Kuntsler was the lawyer for the Chicago 7 in 1968. He is a famous liberal civil rights attorney.

[@daveharrison648]

The date on the check, 9/11/01, is mentioned. But don’t forget, the landlord reminds him that “tomorrow’s already the 10th.” The Dude post-dated the check for $0.67!

[@kathrynhockey4400]

Lovely analysis, really entertaining and interesting. Deepened my understanding of this super film. Thank you.

[@TOMTOM-nh3nl]

And a little of life, itself

[@ronaldalagia9211]

it's just about a man and his rug.

[@sonofawil]

The Queen of Hearts says “off with her head!” in “Alice in Wonderland”. BUT The Red Queen and the chessboard is from “Looking Glass”. Interestingly, in “Looking Glass”, the Red Queen is the one that might have been making it all happen. It’s never quite decided.

[@easternguy3430]

It’s not about power. Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) cultivates simple pleasures (bowling) and he solves problems rationally. Compared to the other characters he’s very well adjusted. The others (most of them anyway) are living in their self imposed nightmares.

[@acidgougewaltz]

in the scene he asks for the lawyer william kunstler because that is an actual leftist counter culture lawyer who defended the chicago seven. earlier in the movie he claims he was part of the the seattle seven. you are selectively forgetting that he also asks for the lawer ron kuby who was a partner of kunstler and similarly defended numerous leftist causes

[@FallopiumFilms]

I’ve become aware of this. The movie on the trial is good. Check it out if you haven’t seen it. The counter culture theme is definitely the primary reason the dude mentioned him. But with all the other names that sound like the c word, I feel like there might be another layer to it. But who knows

[@emsleywyatt3400]

You beat me by five days with this point.

[@heroesfan236]

Karl Hungus is the key to this whole thing.

[@philiproach2537]

@Peter Mortensen Carl Jung was no nihilist. Karl Hungus is a humble cable repairman, failed musician and porno actor, and half-hearted nihilist. I don't see any notable synchronicity here.

[@duderama6750]

@@philiproach2537 The only things you see while unconcious are dreams. Perhaps Uli dreamt the entire story while asleep in the pool?

[@stfud77]

@@duderama6750 that must've been exhausting

[@duderama6750]

@@stfud77 Maybe that's why I'm so tired all the time. Or I might just be lazy.

[@lukehall8151]

Jung's philosophy is thinly veiled worship of the human sex drive?

[@maninalift]

I enjoyed this analysis, thank you. The piece of evidence that you built up to at the end wasn't what I expected. I'm not sure whether you missed it or I missed you saying it or you didn't think it was worth mentioning because it was too obvious but, what I thought you were going to point out was: - why did Germans use the American slang "Johnson" for penis? - it is exactly the term used by Maude - suggesting the order to threaten to "cut off your Johnson" was given by her

[@glowingfatedie]

You saw the scissors art in Maude's studio though, right?

[@maninalift]

@@glowingfatedie yes, but although it is clearly a thematic connection, a hint maybe, i don't think that it is in-story evidence that maude is behind the nihilists. It would be if they were carrying scissors that looked just like the picture (maybe they were and i missed it). That piece of common vocabulary however seems like a much more concrete connection.

[@GoodMrDawes]

"And you can interpret that however you Like". Beautiful. Great Thesis Man

[@thedudeabides3138]

Sub’d, Liked, love it. Brilliant essay on my favourite movie, and now a whole new lens to view it through, thank you.

[@luckyduckydrivingschool3615]

Mr. Lebowski's mansion is filled with statues and sculptures of strong female archetypes like warriors and godessess, just like the way Maude presents herself within the Dude's subconscious. I posit there is also some overt metaphors regarding automobiles in this film. The nearly identical limousines of opposite color representing opposing sides of authority within the Lebowski family, the private detective's ironically conspicuous VW beetle, the similarities between the new red Corvette that gets smashed (a trophy car), and trophy-wife Bunny's red Jaguar (which has a manual transmission that she operates easily), and most importantly fitting with your theme, the Dude's car: An important tool that gets used and abused until it's death, without ever really getting the credit or appreciation it deserves.

[@FallopiumFilms]

Yes, the sculptures, on top the same checkered floor in the dream sequence

[@kev_whatev]

Part of why Donny looks thunderstruck when he leaves one pin standing is because he bowled nothing but strikes for the whole movie up to that point. No idea why he doesn’t go back to pick up the spare though

[@mattpolman8737]

Donny is the only one on the bowling team we actually see bowl (during league play). Walter is shown rolling only once (after the failed money drop) but we do not see what he bowled. The Dude is never seen bowling in the entirety of the film. We can then assume that Donny carries this team. Perhaps he bowls a perfect game every time since we only see him bowl strikes. That said, maybe this was his third roll on the tenth frame, giving him a 299 score. One pin short of his usual perfect game. Prior to this video essay, I never noticed Donny rubbing his hands foreshadowing his heart attack later in the next scene.

[@gregorysgarrison]

I wouldn't call the 3 amigos losers. What exactly a loser or a winner is might be one of the themes of this film. The dude wins this movie. He gets the girl, solves the whodunit, and survives. The big Lebowski loses, with all his money or lack thereof.

[@Muteleight]

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it in the comments, but the George Bush/Gulf War theme probably also relates to the masculinity subtext more directly. George HW Bush was considered "unmasculine" during his presidency, with Newsweek infamously referring to him as a 'Wimp' on their cover. A lot of people at the time considered the US involvement in Iraq to be a stunt designed to make Bush look stronger in the eyes of the public. So the film takes place during a time when the office of President, a position typically associated with positive male traits, was held by someone the public deemed "Weak". So, it's another example of a male archetype being made impotent, and further reinforces the overall theme of lost masculinity throughout the film. Excellent analysis though. I'm gonna have to go through some of your other content because this was a great video :)

[@pabloapostar7275]

Daddy Bush was a floater throughout his political career. He rarely stayed in one admin position for more than a year. Video clips of when he first began campaigning for office showed he was a slogan spewer, who clearly had no affinity/passion for what he was spewing (he performed like a bad spokesmodel). Baby Bush was a slightly better spokesmodel, but still a floater, a know-nothing-do-nothing type. Daddy Bush's only active involvement in "living" appears to be when he was a world war 2 torpedo plane pilot. The knee jerk reaction he had to Saddam's invasion of Kuwait was definitely a flashback to ww2 -- when he felt alive. He still behaved like a floater and bad spokesmodel during Operations Shield and Storm though. The stupidest marketing gimmick was to market Saddam as Hitler because Daddy Bush eventually left "Hitler" in power.

[@timothymarkin4481]

I was in the Marines when Bush declared war on January 16, 1991 (which ended six weeks later), and I’ve said since that day that the only reason he did declare war was so he could show the world he wasn’t a wimp.

[@Muteleight]

@@timothymarkin4481 and the only reason W. Went back was to show the world he could finish what his father started. I remember watching the news after 9/11 and it was insane to me how abruptly they just switched from Bin Laden in Afghanistan to Saddam in Iraq like it was the same thing

[@pabloapostar7275]

@@Muteleight My impression after the fact and some actual journalism was done, was that Dick Cheney wanted to kill Saddam. So Cheney played Baby Bush and the CIA director (the WofMD con artist) like the rubes they were to get what he wanted (Baby Bush's first Treasury Sec (fired within a year?) said it was from day one people in Cabinet meetings were brainstorming justifications for killing Saddam). Dick Cheney was the Defense Secretary during Daddy Bush's Storm/Shield war: that might have been when he wanted to kill Saddam (either during or afterwards when Saddam still refused to ass-kiss Daddy Bush). The stupidest thing Baby Bush said to justify invading Iraq: "He tried to kill my daddy." WTF? By the way, when I say floater and others say wimp, I think we are describing the same behavior, especially with the characters in the film.

[@STho205]

He really didn't decide to go to war. He was told to go to war by the Red Queen....Margaret Thatcher. He was out golfing...she told him he had to do it or lose all the street cred she and Ronnie had built up. The false testimony of the Kuwait ambassadors daughter acting the part if a teen that had just escaped occupied Kuwait after seeing babies thrown into the streets to die....that was right out of the MI6 playbook. American journalists were so lazy (or complicit) they didn't catch that until a Frontline documentary in 92 when it was time to get Bush unelected.

[@Graf0982]

Damn... I really enjoyed that video. Thanks!

[@KalvinMoschkau]

Really great analysis, thank you! I've seen this movie many times and never picked up on many of the ideas you presented. This has definitely added a lot to my enjoyment of the film. As a side note, I find it hilarious to notice how much popular culture has influenced how people present themselves and their art. Couldn't help but pick up on your affects like stuttering and sarcastic/sardonic voice to make a point while at other times counter imposing with higher pitched questions and contradictions. Straight out of a Rick and Morty bit.

[@KalvinMoschkau]

​@Peter Mortensen I believe I used 'affects' correctly. See entry 3 (noun) at merriam-webster or number 3 under method 1 of your own link. It's defined as "a set of observable manifestations of an experienced emotion : the facial expressions, gestures, postures, vocal intonations, etc., that typically accompany an emotion", with reference to vocal intonations being the definition I intended it for.

[@JohnW118]

@@KalvinMoschkau and that is how I read it the first time...

[@roysnider3456]

I was a fan from the moment I saw him writing a check for 79 cents with half and half in his mustache.

[@BADDEC101]

great vid!! want to add in "bones, or clams, or what have you..." yes, is clever on its face for the reasons mentioned, though, yes, they were euphemism in use for money back in the 40's to 80's "Bones, clams, simoleons!" bones and clams were thought to have been used as currency by many cultures, where as, simoleons was a nickname for a simon (which was yet another British nickname for their own 6-pence coin).

[@caldoreo]

Love this video, you are very underrated and really deserve more recognition I'll sure watch your other videos

[@samanthamartinezamato]

I've seen every video about this film, and this is the first time I hear the Alice in wonderland theory, and it's perfectly coherent

[@chadwickpainter8212]

Maude is the one who bowls the ball that the dude is in. Watch carefully, she's upside down in the frame as the ball rolls away.

[@911TruthFighter]

On sept 11, 1991 Bush -made his speech about The New World Order, which fits with the Freemasons, what they represent.

[@papershark]

When The Dude looks the Time Magazine mirror... he see's himself like Alice... "Through the looking glass".

[@TeamGlasshole]

This is great thank you - just wanted to comment about the tool that Maude holds in her hand at the 18:48 mark, it's something we purchased for our children to slice raw veggies into wavy chip shapes - unlikely needed for a drug processing

[@psychonaut689]

ah, a tool for castration

[@Torgo1969]

To paraphrase a memorable quote from another film from a few decades ago: "The Dude may live badly, but at least he doesn't have to work or endure drama and danger to do it." Until he gets ensnared in other people's problems. Seems to me that The Dude has what one writer called "A self-sufficient ego. Nothing else matters."

[@IsraelShekelberg]

It's the Queen of Hearts who says 'Off with her head' in Alice in Wonderland. The Red Queen is on the chessboard in Through the Looking Glass. Both are domineering female figures, though.

[@douglasmacarthur8471]

Gonna be honest, was skeptical near the beginning, but you made many valid points, and to be honest, this theory makes a lot of sense. Good shit man

[@paulcalhoun751]

This is an excellent interpretation. A few suggestions: - Check out the part where Maimonides ("Rambam") gets name dropped. Given the context of the previous scene, it's relevant to your proposed central theme. - "Medina Sod" is a real company, and the shirt was picked out of a thrift store, but you're still correct. Medina was the site of one of the first massacres of Jews by Mohammad's army. Given the context-of-the-subtext of the Coen's other films, I think they're being less partisan about this than you might think. It's a deeper problem with people in general, and it's much older than any of the specific regions referenced. - The original script substituted "Gunderson" for "Knudson". It could be an attempted early reference to the north-mid-west-tough-sweet-gal Fargo protagonist that didn't quite fit what the Coens were trying to convey about Bunny and her escape. Sometimes I entertain the idea that "Knudson" is just referring to the ecological and cultural inevitability of the adventuress a la the tide from King Canute (or "Knut") and the Waves from Scandinavian mythology (i.e. the tides are as concrete and inflexible an outcome as a subset of the young people fleeing boring traditional origins for the disturbing allure of hyper-connected urban life). There is a lot more here involving gender and geopolitics and history (especially preceding ideas like secular law). You should watch A Serious Man.

[@FallopiumFilms]

Good info here! And yes I love a serious man. It’s one of my favorites of all times At some point I will make a video on it

[@edcarson3113]

@@FallopiumFilms SOD is British slang for , you know rhymes with hunt..and Medina ..well that’s a lot of snakes, which is slang for the trouser snake aka Johnston.

[@Projectdarke]

There's a small clip right after the punk incident, where they are driving back, with the windscreen gone, wind blowing in their faces, totally resigned,munching on the burgers Walther had mentioned when he lays out his plan earlier. Ofc Walther instisted on getting at least that part of his plan carried out. This movie is pure gold.

[@nebulousisgod]

I like your assessment. I think at heart it’s a buddy movie. Also the Dude has the same last name as Maude. According to a local newspaper in Akron, Ohio, the "Medina Sod" bowling shirt The Dude wears in the movie is a real 1960s bowling shirt found in a thrift store in Los Angeles. It belonged to a man named Art Myers, who was the foreman at Medina Sod in Medina, Ohio.

[@inkyguy]

Great trivia fact. Thanks for that! When analyzing books and films, one has to be careful not to overreach in your “symbol searching.” Sometimes a bowling shirt is just a bowling shirt.

[@gregragni3835]

@@inkyguy "Sometimes a bowling shirt is just a bowling shirt." Brilliant. And sometimes analysis is partially the reviewer's projection.

[@pabloapostar7275]

@@inkyguy Of all the thrift shop bowling shirts in all the towns in all the world, the Cohens choose this one.

[@doublerattlesnake]

"Life is running faster, to stay in the same place." - the red queen in through the looking glass

[@qle6]

This is the best breakdown of this movie I’ve come across. Great work, man.

[@thomasschweda5104]

This is my favorite movie and I appreciate this.

[@memdoc_1966]

Hate to break this to you but this is a theme in all the CBs movies. They are films about the existential identity crisis of men in movies and in society in an age of feminine empowerment.

[@duderama6750]

Well spotted, and it lands close to home with them.

[@frankkoshel9318]

Seems to me that Maudes deceased mom came from a wealthy family, just like how in Fargo it is Jerrys wife who comes from a rich family

[@lizc6393]

You have a really good voice for narration, clear yet soothing.

[@fluidikons]

I enjoyed much of your analysis but there is a whole other layer of symbology used that wasn't brought up. Namely all the visual references to the Masons such as the obvious checkerboard floor, the 2 pillars used in a few scenes, not to mention the gutters of the bowling lane acting as pillars of sorts whereby bowlers try maintain a balance between the two aiming for the center pin(column).(See Kabbalah tree of life for visual reference). Also album cover of the German band had a veiled "as above so below" visual reference with the two chevrons in the design. The German reference im conjunction with the Valkyrie image(courtesy of German composer Wagner) could be a German Bavarian Illuminati reference perhaps. There are probably other examples but its been a while since I've rewatched it and now I'm going to have to give it a view after seeing this. Subtext upon subtext like a layer cake. I haven't had this kind of reexamination of a film since rewatching Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind after making the connection that a lot of it boiled down to being about the pilgrim's and/or hero's journey of the father played by Richard Dreyfus.

[@londonbowcat1]

Makes me think of Alan Watt and his cutting through the matrix collection

[@martinhall932]

Gotta watch it again now

[@hardwhipbian7939]

This guy mentioned the imagery of the chessboard in the movie. It's interesting that in the game of chess, the queen is seemingly the most able of playable pieces on the board. She is capable of the most attacks and threats. Wise and not so wise enemies are always aware of her presence for they know her power is legendary. They want to trap her and capture her to inflict damage and eliminate the threat. Although there are other powerful pieces on the board, the queen is the most attractive prize for many. However, even if the queen is captured, the game is not over until the KING is in checkmate. In other words, the slacker dude still got the p_ssy in spite of the queens 'greatness'. And one more thing: The guy who split the atom contributed to the advancement of humankind and so did the guy who invited the airplane blunt.

[@alchristensen8121]

Maude is the actual BIG Lewbowski, the one with the power.

[@Moses6868]

Thank you, this video is so great! Lebowski is my favorite movie. To the person who put this together, "I like your style, Dude."

[@FallopiumFilms]

I abide

[@ronaldfarber589]

I didn't think I could have discovered another opinion/idea and overall poignant cinematic ...ah I'm you know, etc etc rambling. Thanks for this. I enjoyed it

[@johnkent8972]

Also in the second dream sequence where Maude is dressed up as a Viking, she doesn't look *too* unlike Elmer Fud in this classic Looney Tunes episode (kzbin.info/www/bejne/inuskJqvnL2mnNU) where Elmer is there to "kill the wabbit" with his spear and magic helmet. Bugs bunny to survive has to disguise himself as a feminine woman to seduce Elmer. I'll note that she is holding a trident, in myth a weapon created by the cyclops... the one eyed monster. The Dude is dressed as a plumber (a 'masculine' job, also like Kunkle) and as far as I can tell is trying to seduce Maude.

[@Corax.S]

She's a valkyrie in this scene. Particularly she is Brunnhilde from Richard Wagner's 'Die Walkure' (The Valkyrie), who aids the two main characters, Sieglinde and Siegmund, in trying to defy the gods. Sieglinde and Siegmund are, unknown at first, twin sister and brother. They fall in love and the fact they are siblings doesn't bother them because of how strong they feel for each other. This pisses off Fricka, goddess of family values because they're not only incestuous, but adulterous because Sieglinde was married. She tells Odin to kiil Siegmund for his transgressions and Odin reluctantly agrees and demands Brunnhild manipulate the coming fight against Hundig so it will be in Hundig's favour. She instead defies a direct order from Odin and gives strength to Siegmund so he will win. Odin himself comes down and strikes down Siegmund, leading to a crushing defeat of his forces. Brunnhilde, knowing she fucked up hard, flees with Sieglinde. But Odin booms out that she will face consequences for her defiance. Sieglinde says she wishes to die with Siegmund, but Brunnhilde tells her she is with child and should live for the child's sake. Ultimately, Sieglinde escapes and Brunnhilde is held to task for her actions. Odin strips her of her divine status and turns her into a mortal woman for defying him. But she reminds Odin that, at his heart, Odin was moved by the love of Sieglinde and Siegmund and she was just acting on his _true_ desire to protect love, even if incestuous. So, Maude is dressed as a figure who defies Odin, king of the Norse gods and ultra-masculine, in the name of protecting a child who was conceived by very unlikely partners and whose conception is heavily frowned upon. Consider what FF stated in regards to Maude's choice of The Dude as the father of her child and how The Big Lebowski would react to the news that his grandchild will be the offspring of a 'bum'. I knew the reference to Brunnhilde with Maude dressed that way, but hadn't really considered its significance until now. I feel like this might be the start of a valid interpretation, but I am writing these ideas as they spring into my head and I could be WAAAYYY off course.

[@johnkent8972]

​@@Corax.S Well That interpretation definitely has more clout than mine where I thought she reminded me of Elmer Fudd trying to 'kill the wabbit' : kzbin.info/www/bejne/inuskJqvnL2mnNU but 99% of intellectual endeavors on the internet are just the loony delusions of wayward men any way. Bereft of our spears and game into the void we thrust our voices just the same.

[@Corax.S]

@@johnkent8972 It would make sense you'd be reminded of 'What's Opera, Doc?' because what Bugs and Elmer are very, VERY loosely performing is, in fact, 'Die Walkure'. I not sure why you have that view on literary/cinematic analysis, or why you brought it up, but you do you.

[@johnkent8972]

@@Corax.S I was just being tongue in cheek. I've spent the last couple of years trying to get more acquainted/knowledgeable with cinema as art and trying to be a more active viewer, so I actually really appreciated your comment.

[@Corax.S]

@@johnkent8972 Ahh, got it. Terribly sorry I didn't pick on the sarcasm there. I'm glad I could be of some help!

[@calcunningham48]

Sam Elliott's macho character does like the Dude's Style. So, there's "hope" I guess

[@jakethet3206]

Maybe, but there are two huge flaws in YOUR analysis… 1) Maude is dressed as a Viking warrior, nothing about her outfit in the dream is specifically “royal.” 2) The “Red Queen” from Alice in Wonderland has nothing to do with chess: it’s about a deck of cards, she’s “The Queen of Hearts,” NOT “The Red Queen” of chess (which is a weird analysis anyway, because chess pieces are famously typically black and white.) It’s not about chess at all!

[@gharqad]

I think you're being a bit picky. Chess boards and playing cards are both huge elements in Alice's adventures, and the chessboard reinforces rather than detracts from the identification of Maude as a Red Queen. Also, I think you're wrong about her costume: it's not that of any old Viking warrior, it's a specific warrior from myth.

[@jakethet3206]

@@gharqad Maybe I’m wrong about Viking thing, but there is still a WORLD of difference between the card games and chess. Not to mention… red is NOT a traditional color for chess… it’s the black and white queens that are facing off in chess. Using chess as a basis for analysis of the Red Queen is flawed.

[@gharqad]

@Jake The T I can see you are not willing to let go of that bone. It is clearly a thankless task to suggest a less pedantic reading. There is plenty of Alice throughout the film, including Maude as Red Queen, and to claim that in a hallucinatory dream sequence, where motifs and themes are jumbled surreally together, the presence of an Alice-style chessboard weakens her identification as Red Queen, that's just bizarrely pedantic and unimaginative. There may be a world of difference between cards and chess (you don't say!) but both are irrelevant to this movie EXCEPT as Alice references, alongside the rabbit hole, the bunny, the swimming with giant rodents, and several others. To claim that the presence of one Alice reference is a flaw in suggesting another Alice reference is SO pedantic and illogical I think I'd better wish you a good day and leave the discussion.

[@menorcaventura3442]

“Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar” Sigmund Freud “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” Rene Magritte “Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested, and the frog dies of it.” E.B. White

[@gharqad]

I really got a lot from this, so many things I'd not previously noticed. (How did I miss the scissor painting?!) Just thought I'd chip-in and suggest that in the dream sequence Maude's costume seems to be a fairly clear reference to Brunnhilde. She is not merely a powerful warrior queen, she is specifically a Germanic warrior queen, and for me this ties in with your central thesis - that she is linked to (and controlling) the German nihilists and fake kidnappers. But whereas in the Ring cycle she is tricked into marriage and causes the death of the hero, here she essentially coerces a weak male into donating his sperm, and there is no hero worth killing. Brunnhilde is daughter of the chief god, Wotan, and an incestuous love forms part of the Ring mythology, perhaps echoed in Maude's decision to conceive a child by a man who shares her father's name. In a very telling parallel to your thesis, one of Brunnhilde's first interventions in the Ring is to appear to the hero Siegmund and tell him that his father's sword, on which he is relying, has lost its magical power. If that isn't BL in microcosm, I don't know what is.

[@Masebook]

I’ve said for years that this movie holds the keys to the Matrix. White Rabbits. Jesus. Dreams. “He’s the man for his time and place.” “More important than what, is when.” It’s all there.

[@911TruthFighter]

I’m surprised you didn’t notice all the black and white squares as Freemason imagery. (Not chessboard.) Even Lebowski’s house floor is checkered.

[@MyDigitalCult]

that’s commonplace is Hollywood, nothing to do with the film, just symbolism for those in the know

[@atomictraveller]

yes, the only person who would notice "freemason imagery" must be delusional, everybody stopped worrying about the freemasons a wile ago, and see, everybody is fine. it's commonplace in hollywood. symbolism is for those in the know because anyone who knows anything is definately delusional, a casual application of epistemology easily dispenses with the "knowing things" posse who are a bunch of girls and they don't look very good either actually pretty feo.

[@djangofett4879]

I think it's about a hundred times more likely that it is representing a chessboard and not anything to do with Freemasons.

[@tobyevans2474]

Thank you for this! It answered a lot of questions and tied up loose ends for me.

[@jacquesstoop2587]

This video makes me want to clear my throat. Jk man really nice video!

[@gmar7836]

He sounds like California Governor Gavin newsome

[@roberthudson6284]

It's about the September 11 2001 pranks. Those stunts could only happen in a country where half the population was stoned on pot and the other half were wacked on heroin. It's Maude and her class that were behind the whole prank. The dude never worked it out.

[@michaeljamesmccabe]

It was interesting to see how you framed the scenes and actions to fit your opinions. The same thing could be done to fit many opinions. The film is indeed very deep and well thought out. It can be interpreted in many different ways. I always viewed it as a commentary on contentment. Finding happiness and satisfaction in one's life is very important, and can be achieved regardless of a person's situation. There are endless examples of this idea within the film. Also, I would say that it is very rare for a film to spawn a religion. The fact that this film has done that, should be a pretty big clue when considering the meaning of it. All that said, any interpretation is valid.

[@legendarycheekymonkey]

I'm an ordained Dudeist Minister of The Church of the Latter Day Dude. I think this video is probably correct and I also think you are correct. I also think there are many other hidden subtexts and themes at play and that is what makes it so special. I think most people might not even pick up on most of the themes as they watch it but maybe they do subliminally and that is why it it so beloved. It's so well made to the point it bleeds into you. Dudeism helped me to accept that I enjoy a simple lifestyle.

[@IrishTechnicalThinker]

I personally believe Donny is dead the entire movie and his ghost returned home from Vietnam with his buddy. Notice how no one attacks Donny here, in fact he's hit away off to the side and outside the melee, then they say he's been shot and Walter says there was No SHOTS, call for a medic. We got help Choppering in. This is Walter experiencing Donny slipping away again, just like in Vietnam and is fully accepting his demise, this is why Donny always looks lost or confused. Moreover also notice how the Dude never truly recognises Donny throughout the film and perhaps only acknowledges his existence in the comfort of his friend's grief. There's so much in this film and one of my favourites. Love the big lebowski and the Coen brothers. I'm making a video on the big lebowski and the hidden meaning behind the film

[@piper888]

Lots of wizard of Oz analogies as well‼️Phony🧙‍♂️ wizards. (Big Lebow)/Donnie is the mindless scarecrow. /Walter is the cowardly phony. /The dude is kind of this mechanical tin Man robot. The Pomeranian even looks like Toto. LA is like a land of munchkins (a lot of little nobodies). They're given a task to get the witches broom.. throwing out the ringer for the ringer,eventually there's no place like home like the bowling alley🎳🎳🎳🎳

[@danielhutchinson6604]

The Bowlers do seem to triumph over the Nihilists in the end, with power and Balls....

[@a.wenger3964]

I don't know if this has been said, but the fact that the Dude's drink of choice is the white russian can also be seen as diminished masculinity. Milk is for children, not men. The dude drinks what's pleasurable for him and not what's hard like straight whisky on rocks. The masculine thing to do, that is, hard thing to do, is being fazed out. Sensuality replaces self-sacrifice.

[@kathrynhockey4400]

The Hindi for milk is doodh...surely not a coincidence?

[@tasdau]

Possibly an allusion to breastfeeding too. There are a lot of art pieces in Maude's loft that depict tits.

[@a.wenger3964]

@@tasdau Yes, that's an important detail too! Women are the only ones to produce milk, so a reliance on milk for pleasure could symbolize a modern male dependence on women for happiness. But what is a man to a woman? A mere means to an end, that being a child, as the film illustrates. Milk has been also associated in the Bible with prosperity. After all, Moses was promised Isreal as the land of *milk* and honey. Just a thought though.

[@tasdau]

@@a.wenger3964 "You can milk anything with nipples"

[@a.wenger3964]

@@tasdau uhhh.. keen observation? lol!

[@jcoltrane8976]

It’s very complicated. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you’s. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man.

[@tonyclark3913]

21:25 The Red Queen. Off with his head! Ah! I should have waited for the end.

[@libbyshipman9607]

Which head?!

[@tonyclark3913]

@@libbyshipman9607 We cut off your Johnson Lebowski.

[@Flergenbergen]

Maude is not dressed as a "royal warrior." She is dressed as a Valkyrie

[@jimbeam9595]

Great insight. Yes. It’s very much a comedic take on the classic noir detective story. A traditional Los Angeles gumshoe tale. And like all those stories, the men are only in charge in their own minds. Really, it’s the femme fatale.

[@psychonaut689]

Lebowski actually wears gumshoes.

[@falkorornothing261]

@@psychonaut689there jellies. But still made me laugh. Oh, maybe you weren't talking about the dude. I don't know what gum shoes are. Haha

[@duantorruellas716]

I buy that theory , Jim beam . It's true the more masculine the male , the more in control the woman have. It also says it's hard to live up to the Cagney's and bogarts of the days of old. To keep up with the female brain we have to understand how women think. Like Ralph Cramden from the honeymooners who loves his wife but can't keep up with her because she's a woman.

[@aleclasko]

This is the best interpretation of this movie that I have ever heard of. Finally put the movie in better perspective. Of course a movie that has no meaning is actually chock full of hidden meanings. The red queen/red scissor painting connection really sealed the deal. Dead on I think.

[@jimbennett2795]

And I was yelling scissor painting before he showed it. I caught this years ago. Man I feel good right now.

[@lubrato668]

I've never noticed Walter's wedding ring