With their quirky, arresting, comic, and intelligent movies, Ethan and Joel Coen have carved out their niche as America's preeminent independent filmmakers. Now, in a prose style that complements the Coens' filmic one, this book dissects the brothers' latest endeavor, "The Big Lebowski", to reveal how the movie goes from idea to reality, offering a discussion of the Coens' themes, atypical brand of humor, and artistic vision. 162 photos, 32 in color.