Big Lebowski, The

Video:
The wave of HD-DVD releases from June 26th contained a number of my favorite cult films. "Mallrats," "Mystery Men" and "The Big Lebowski" were all part of that release. The few weeks it took for my press screeners to arrive were long and painful days. "Mallrats" and "Mystery Men" did not particularly impress with their high definition debuts, but "The Big Lebowski" looks very good and is a definite improvement over the previous standard definition releases. This isn´t to say that "The Big Lebowski" is a stunning release, but it is a very good transfer for the 1.85:1 mastered picture.

"The Big Lebowski" is a colorful film. From the crazy colors of Jesus´ outfits to the vivid outdoors at Bunny´s poolside and Donny´s final resting spot, "The Big Lebowski" and its hues benefit nicely from the jump to 1080p. Detail is also stronger than previous releases. The previously mentioned Cliffside scene and the film´s two dream sequences have a definite improvement in clarity and the individual gray hairs of the Dude´s Van Dyke can be easily counted. The age and low budget nature of the film does present a few scenes that are on the soft side, but they are never distracting. Nor are the few moments of minor film grain or slight edge enhancement that is visual in the film. Of the three films released together that I eagerly awaited, "The Big Lebowski" is certainly the best looking.

Sound:
Music, bowling pins and a crazy marmot are the only sounds aside from dialogue that pop from the speakers during "The Big Lebowski." Bob Dylan, Credence Clearwater Revival and other artists with songs contained in the soundtrack all sound warm and worthy of turning of the volume. The bowling and dream sequences are the film´s most pleasing aural moments and the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 soundtrack is best represented during these moments. Compared to the previous standard definition releases, "The Big Lebowski" is an improvement, but the limited source materials continue to keep the movie from being anything impressive on a home theater rig. Dialogue is clear, with natural timbre to the actor´s voices and is intelligible throughout the film. The rear surrounds and .1 LFE channel are forgotten anytime a bowling pin is not present, but when they are used, imaging is natural and strong across each speaker. Fans of the film will certainly be pleased with the soundtrack.

Extras:
"The Big Lewboski" is such a well-loved film, that I am still surprised a solid special edition has not yet been released. Where is the commentary tracks? Fortunately, the three supplements from the most recent release have made their way to HD-DVD. However, they are only a half hours worth of value added content. The Special Introduction (4:40) plays when the film starts up and is a mock introduction by a mock film preservation society. It is funny and worth a chuckle. It can also only be viewed when the disc starts. The Making of the Big Lebowski (24:35) is a plain Jane featurette that includes plenty of making-of moments, film clips and talking heads interviews. The Coen Brothers spend some time on the camera, but they need to consider supporting their films a little better in the changing world of digital video discs. The third and final supplement is the Photographs by Jeff Bridges (3:26). Bridges had taken a number of photographs during the making of the film and they are presented here as a black and white montage and set to music. These pictures present the best behind-the-scenes look of the bonus materials.

Closing Comments:
I love this film. I have always been a fan of the Coen Brothers and can remember scouring the world for LaserDisc editions of "Barton Fink" and "Miller´s Crossing." Now, "The Big Lebowski" and "O Brother Where Art Thou?" are my favorite two films from the quirky filmmakers. The character actors and intelligent and witty writing are what drives this film to be as popular and well loved as it is by so many people. The film did not have the biggest box office support, but cult films never do. They age well and this is one film that continues to age well. The HD-DVD is proof of that and the film now looks and sounds better than it ever has. The picture quality and sound quality are both noteworthy improvements and this picture has done better in the sound and video departments than many other recent catalog titles from Universal. The supplements are still thin, but having something is better than having nothing. This is one of those rare films I will recommend to anybody.

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