2 Dollar Productions

{Editor's Note: This is a semi-regular series of high-water mark performances that spans movies, television, books and life its ownself.}

Transcendent performances can come in all shapes and sizes, and often have nothing to do with screen time logged as John Turturro proved with his turn as a sleazy bowler and reformed pederast in "The Big Lebowski."


This was a phenomenal movie all the way around, but Turturro's performance provided a quick and perfect shot of hilarity whenever he appeared onscreen.

His love of bowling was evident from the start as viewers were treated to a shot of Turturro warming up to roll by closing his eyes and licking the ball.


It's a testament to Turturro's power that he didn't even have to utter a line before viewers knew that he was on top of his game. All it took was a quick camera shot showing the man as he erotically cleaned his bowling ball while wearing a hairnet and a purple jump-suit.

It takes real balls to wear an outfit like that.

He then proceeds to threaten Jeff Bridges, his opponent in an upcoming match, by telling him that he's going to "fuck him on Saturday" and emphasizing his point with some pelvic gyrations.

The highlight of his resume, however, is the match itself as Turturro rolls a strike while a Spanish-flavored version of "Hotel California" kicks in the background. To celebrate, a slow-mo shot finds Turturro breaking into a hilarious victory dance meant to intimidate Jeff Bridges and company.


He ends it with meaningful finger point at his teammate, who enthusiastically marks down the score.

I laugh every single time I watch this scene for the entire duration, and it highlights Turturro's brief but extremely potent gift to a great movie already teeming with bizarre characters.

But in Turturro's own words, you better "never fuck with the Jesus." Amen.

-BDS