The Big Lebowski: 10th Anniversary Edition

For this tenth anniversary issue — and at least the third DVD in the last decade — the features offered in the "collector’s edition” of a few years ago are retained and fleshed out with another handful of featurettes and recollections on the last ten years of this most unusual, most cult-like offering in the Coen brothers’ varied oeuvre. The story of Zen-like Jeff "the Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), his right wing buddy (John Goodman) and their quest for good bowling and another White Russian has become a manifesto for many obsessive fans. That’s particularly reflected in "An Achiever’s Story,” an extended look at a new documentary about Lebowski-fest, an annual Kentucky-based fan event, where the competition for an original costume idea has become notable fierce and increasingly obscure. "The Dude Abides” features some major players commenting on the long-lasting impact of the film (during which John Turturro begs for a sequel that would prominently feature his bowling nemesis Jesus), as well as a look at the Dude’s "pins and babes dream” sequence. No one has yet sat down for a commentary track — I’d nominate the folks from Lebowski-fest for a fan-oriented chat — but Lebowski has now officially become the best-documented film of the Coens’ entire filmography. A remarkable second life for a film critically panned and commercially D.O.A. ten years ago. Plus: Jeff Bridges’s photo book, "making of,” more.