When it comes to what made the White Russian drink famous, there’s no doubt that “The Dude” abides. That’s the character Jeff Bridges made famous in the 90’s film The Big Lebowski, portraying a bowler who enjoys slugging down the drinks when he’s not embroiled in the midst of a kidnapping plot.
To help celebrate the legacy of the drink, Bridges has teamed up with Award-winning director Ivan Zacharias for a new short sponsored by Kahlua called The White Russian, which can be viewed below.
In the four-minute clip, which has ties to Kahlua’s ability to make a solid version of the drink, Bridges tells an interesting story to a bartender, explaining how, as a younger man, he came upon a prime opportunity to find a treasure buried within the desert. Of course, the trek to find said treasure isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, as trouble comes in tow, in the form of a couple of rivals in cars. And then, out of nowhere, a Cosmonaut decides to make an appearance.
The piece manages to work not only in Kahlua’s favor, but also Bridges’, as many fans consider his performance in The Big Lebowski to be one of the most iconic. “The Dude” has been a popular character for years, appearing in t-shirts and posters, as well as being the subject of the Lebowskifest, a yearly festival that brings together fans of the film. (Bridges has attended on more than one occasion, even performing with his band one year.)
Meanwhile, Kahlua benefits with a sly nod to its White Russian model, while also producing a fun little web film that pays tribute to niche cinema without going overboard – definitely an unlikely approach to marketing.
Now if we could only get more films with “The Dude.”
Source: YouTube
