Walter Sobchak, Neocon

Slate ^ | Sept. 11, 2008 | David Haglund

[10Ring]

-- snip --

Watching The Big Lebowski in 2008, it becomes clear that appreciating Walter is essential to understanding what the Coen brothers are up to in this movie, which is slyer, more political, and more prescient than many of its fans have recognized. Perhaps that's because Walter, with his bellowing, Old Testament righteousness and his deeply entrenched militarism, is an American type that barely registered on the pop-culture landscape 10 years ago. He's a neocon

-- snip --

Is this eerie foreshadowing of the second Iraq war coincidental? Not entirely. The Coen brothers created a character with traits that run deep in American culture: unflinching righteousness and a tendency to violence. (He was largely based on John Milius, who wrote and directed Red Dawn, the Cold War-paranoia film that later gave its name to the military operation that captured Saddam.)

[10Ring]

The author's BDS is so virulent it is preventing him from enjoying The Big Lebowski. This is really a two-fer since you get GHWBDS and GWBDS in one article (plus a tie in to Red Dawn...that takes real talent!)

Fans of the movie know that Walter does not "#!&@ing roll on Shomer Shabbos", so he really must be a "dirty neocon". I can't wait for Part II where the author ties the elder Lebowski to Dick Cheney and Brandt to Karl Rove.

[raybbr]

It shows that these people are completely unhinged. Relating real life to movies is the epitome of immaturity. The author clearly lives in a world that does not exist.

[lowbridge]

Sheesh, who pissed on his rug?

[Dr.Deth]

This aggression by Slate will not stand.

[philled]

Maybe this article is the ringer? No, probably not- the author is just out of his element.