Can you think of a better title than The Big Lebowski?
"The Big Lebowler"?
shareThe Big Dude
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MovieChat Forums > The Big Lebowski (1998) Discussion > Can you think of a better title than The...
My nephew said to me that he didn't watch it for the longest time because of the lame title 🤷
shareTo the folks who have thousands of frivolous comments here on moviechat: Perhaps you should spend less time trolling for attention and more time actually studying and appreciating various genres of cinema so you can have educated opinions and not let stuff fly over your heads.
The title is perfect for the movie in question. Why? Because a film noir resurgence was underway in the 90’s with films as varied as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Palmetto, and several from the Coen’s, including The Big Lebowski. The title is a play on The Big Sleep, which featured Bogart & Bacall and many of the same beats. Instead of the standard private eye character caught up in a convoluted mystery, though, it’s a weed-smoking, bowling bum, and that twist on character archetypes is part of it’s charm. And comedy.
Some of you want to remove that aspect?! Ridiculous.
The problem is the titles meaning was lost on most of the moviegoing audience, which probably hurt ticket sales overall. The film was 90th for the year in box office receipts in 1998.
Hoping that your movie will become a cult hit might not be the best business strategy for a studio, the OP does have a point.
"Duderino"
shareThis movie could have been called "The Dude." Other titles that come to mind: "Lebowski and Lebowski," "It tied the room together," "Los Angeles 1991," "Not on the rug," and "The Dude Abides."
LOG JAMMIN’
shareDuderino
shareWatched this again yesterday--4/20!--and for the first time two things occurred to me about the title:
1) It is a play on The Big Sleep (as another pointed out)
2) The other Lebowski, the rich one, could be referred to as the "big" Lebowski.
I think it's a fine title!