Collector's edition: An anti-hero worth celebrating on DVD

Go out and buy The Big Lebowski: Collector's Edition. This is one of those movies that can afford to be watched over and over again - you will always find something new at each sitting. Like many great movies, it received minimal success at the box office and was shunned by critics. I assure you that today, all of those critics are singing a different tune. Lebowski can truly be considered one of the Coen Brothers' masterpieces.

The film works on many different levels. Its main character, Lebowski, or "the Dude," or "His Dudeness," or "El Duderino" if you're not into the whole brevity thing, purple-hazes his way through a ridiculously complex mystery with his Vietnam veteran and burnout friends. While the mystery drives the plot, it allows for pounds of social commentary. The Coens tackle the ignorant despair of trickle-down economics, the embarrassment of the aging hippie, the absurdity of Los Angeles, the impact of the media, the disenfranchisement of a generation, and the pompousness of rich art. It is all done so subtly that its layers can be peeled back enjoyably upon multiple viewings.

The best scenes are when Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, and Steve Buscemi are together in the bowling alley. The dynamic between their three characters - "the Dude," Walter, and Donny - is absolutely hilarious. I would say that Goodman steals the show, but everyone's performances are top-notch. Goodman's character just gets some of the best lines. Not only are these parts hilarious, but they are beautifully shot, with camerawork that makes the lanes look like a place of post-apocalyptic beauty. The one-liners that seep are enough to keep college students packed with material for months. This is movie watching bliss.

The special features leave little to be desired. There's an old making-of segment with the Coen brothers that is also available on the original DVD release. New features include never-before-seen photographs taken by Jeff Bridges on the set. These will be a treat for any fan. There's also a new, special edition introductory segment at the beginning of the film that will have you laughing before the opening credits. The biggest loss? No commentary. Most of my anticipation was invested in being able to see what the Coens and the actors thought of each scene.

The Big Lebowski is called, by some critics, the ultimate anti-story with "the Dude" as the ultimate anti-hero. I think the film is about as good and subtle as storytelling gets, postmodernist or not. This is one of the great ones. I'm sure it will be remembered as such.