The Big Lebowski: Audience Review

        I had an unusual experience last night while watching a movie. It was a special showing of The Big Lebowski at the Warnors in Fresno. For those unfamiliar with the Warnors, well, you HAVE to go to the next performance of anything that even peaks your interest. It is a pre-Depression classic theater whose craftsmanship and detail will never be duplicated. It’s so special just being in the building.

        They have a monthly film series call “Modern Classics” and a friend wanted to go see the movie and the Warnors. He hadn’t seen anything there in over 20 years and they have done a lot of restoration work. He is also a big fan of the movie. I’m a big fan of the Warnors and have even had the opportunity to work in the various venues and can tell you the non-public spaces are just as fascinating. Plus, I haven’t seen the movie, so I was twofold excited about going.

       

        Now, I can hear the groans from some readers at my Big Lebowski virginity. (Though, I have caught a couple scenes of it while channel surfing, but it and Kingpin have always been conflated in my mind.) I am guilty as the next person of hazing someone who has not seen a movie that I deem necessary for cultural competency. It is only through my very generous spirit that I’ve stayed friends with people who have not seen/liked Star Wars.

        So, I went wanting to SEE the movie and came across an audience that wanted to EXPERIENCE the movie. They knew were all the pratfalls and jokes took place and their laughter was just a beat ahead and slightly louder than an audience watching the movie for the first time. Like me.

        Since the slower parts of the movie were quite familiar to them, they took the opportunity to make their after movie plans, debate the best IPA, or understand why Ashley and Justin broke up. These distractions made it tough for me to get invested in the characters and soon my mind was wondering. The audience had totally taken me out of the movie.

        This was really the first time this happened to me with a movie. A crying baby/kids is the most well-known distraction, but this time it was the whole audience which suggests it was me, not them. The analogy most relatable to some is The Rocky Horror Picture Show. If you had gone to a midnight showing and expected the quiet opportunity to watch and absorb the movie, well, you were in for a surprise.

        And this is want happened to me. People who came had seen the movie numerous times and were there more for the communal experience of sharing something they love rather than to watch a movie. They wanted the experience, I had come to watch a movie.

        Most of the time, the audience experience/reaction ADDS to the event. Sports events are the perfect example. The audience behavior is so much a part of the experience that bettors will take the home into account when handicapping the games. If you are attending a play, an intense emotional scene will be magnified by the audience’s reaction. We feed off of other’s emotions.

        So, while it wasn’t the right audience to see the movie for the first time, it was a good audience. I’m not giving up on the movie. Some night at home, I’ll watch The Big Lebowski and get past second base so I can go to the next revival showing. And I’m definitely not giving up on the Modern Classics series. In May, it’s Ghostbusters and I’m the Keymaster.