The Dude will abide at this year’s Lebowski Fest, which includes a Q&A with Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, and T Bone Burnett
THE BIG LEBOWSKI (Joel & Ethan Coen, 1998)
Monday, August 15, 300 New York, Chelsea Piers, $30, 8:00
Tuesday, August 16, Hammerstein Ballroom, 311 West 34th St. between Eighth & Ninth Aves., $52-$74, 8:00
www.lebowskifest.com
One of the ultimate cult classics and the best bowling movie ever, the Coen brothers’ The Big Lebowski has built up such a following since its 1998 release that fans now gather every year for Lebowski Fest, where they honor all things Dude. This time around they’ll be partying even harder, celebrating the August 16 release of the limited-edition Blu-Ray at a pair of special events. On August 15, Achievers can go bowling at Chelsea Piers and take part in costume and trivia contests. The next night, the movie will be screened at the Hammerstein Ballroom, followed by a Q&A with stars Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, and Julianne Moore and music impresario T Bone Burnett, as well as other festivities. As far as the film itself goes, if you’ve never seen it, well, this would be a fine time to finally catch this intricately weaved gem. Bridges is awesome as the Dude, a laid-back cool cat who gets sucked into a noirish plot of jealousy, murder, money, mistaken identity, and messy carpets. Moore is excellent as free spirit Maude, Tara Reid struts her stuff as Bunny, and Peter Stormare, Flea, and Torsten Voges are a riot as a trio of nihilists. Also on hand are Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Huddleston, Aimee Mann, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, David Thewlis, Sam Elliott, Ben Gazzara, Jon Polito, and other crazy characters, but the film really belongs to the Dude and his fellow bowlers Jesus Quintana (John Turturro, who is so dirty he is completely cut out of the television version), Donny (Buscemi), and Walter (Goodman), who refuses to roll on Shabbos. And through it all, one thing always holds true: The Dude abides. (August 16 also marks the release of Bridges’s latest CD, which he will be signing August 18 at 6:30 at the B&N at 555 Fifth and 46th St.; please note that he will not be signing anything else, including Blu-Ray copies of The Big Lebowski.)