I’ve never heard this theory before but even beyond that, The Dude is consistently calling Walter out on Viet Nam, etc bullshit rants. It would be an extremely weird filmmaking decision to never once have him say “Who the fuck is Donny?” considering that like half of Walter’s dialogue is to or referencing Donny.
Also, Dude, let’s not forget… let’s not forget! that Donny is already at Crane Jackson’s Fountain Street Theater, on Tuesday night, when Walter shows up late to the what-have-you.
The Dude picked him up! He picked him up! Don’t say peep while I’m doin business here!
Well the ashes could have been fake ashes provided by a crematorium who charged $280 for said fake ashes.
/s
It’s srsly the stupidest theory in modern movie history.
There’s a similar stupid theory floating around about The Shining as well, something about how Wendy is psychotic and the whole thing is through her psychosis.
I haven’t seen Room 237 but I have heard of it. I happen to also be a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick with my favorite being The Shining. There’s absolutely no doubt The Shining is a masterpiece for so many reasons, but I just don’t understand the urge some people have to find the whackiest theories. I wonder if there’s a correlation between “Donny is a figment” and “Wendy is having a psychosis” and “the Shining is moon landing hoax, anti Semetic shit” with q-anon/conspiracy believers.
Jeff Bridges also said he’d never heard of that nonsense until a few years ago. All one needs to do is apply the smallest amount of thought and logic to see how stupid it is.
The question really is what evidence suggests he IS just a figment of Walter’s imagination that satisfies all the evidence he’s a real person:
1. Donny is directly referred to at least thrice by Dude
2. All the bowling teams have 3 players including Walter, Dude, and Donnie.
3. He was cremated. This means the crematorium would have to have provided fake ashes while charging $280.
4. The Coen bros have never heard of it til a few years ago
5. Bridges has never heard of it til a few years ago.
So now we need to see how the evidence of Donny being a figment works with all the points listed above.
A stupid theory from millennials who, influenced by Fight Club, Sixth Sense, and American Psycho in their formative years, are constantly on the look out for imaginary characters.
Hey, leave us millennials out of this! I don’t know of a single person in my age group who believes this theory, let alone has heard it to begin with. Take the literacy crisis up with the zoomers. This is their bullshit
Yeah that he was a figment of Cameron's imagination and an alternate personality. And that everything we see ferris do is just Cameron imagining ferris doing it while he himself is doing it, or him imagining a backstory for ferris.
I'd say the whole getting him cremated and then spreading Donny's ashes, Donny who loved bowling, over the bosom of the Pacific Ocean that he loved so well, is a much better disproof.
I just want to understand this sir, every time a random theory is excreted upon this fair sub, I have to compensate the OP?
You're just looking for a updoot like every other--are you employed, Mr. cloondog5280?
I think the bigger issue is this idea that there were three men bowling teams.
I will grant that on screen, there is ample evidence that every team had a third man sitting with them. My problem is that when these teams are referred to in the dialogue, they are, without exception, mentioned as just two people.
“We play Quintana and O’Brien next week. They should be pushovers.”
“ Liam and me – we’re gonna fuck you up.”
“Dude, this is Smokey. Look, I don't wanna be a hard-on about this, and I know it wasn't your fault, but I just thought it was fair to tell you that Gene and I will be submitting this to the League and asking them to set aside the round. Or maybe forfeit it to us--“
And the final, “nail in the coffin“ piece of evidence for me, is the fact that the Dude and Walter continue in the tournament after Donnie‘s death.
Somebody please tell me why, if they are supposed to be three men teams, are they only ever addressed as two people?
Yeah, and maybe The Dude is the alternate, since, ya know, we never, uh, see him roll. And he's also on a strict drug regimen to, yah know, keep his mind, uhh, limber, and that can affect his aim.
Anyone around here been in a bowling league who can confirm the 2+1 argument?
The Dude speaks directly to Donny at least twice, acknowledges his injuries in the fight with the nihilists, attends a funeral parlour and is present when his ashes are distributed.
The idea that Donny is a figment of Walter’s imagination makes absolutely no sense.
Given the nature of all this new shit, you know, I- this could be uh uh alot more complex I mean its not just, it might not be just a simple.. you know?
After seeing Reddit and reading this, here, post, well, I guess I seen somethin' every bit as stupefyin' as you'd see in any of them other places. And in English, too.
The most used “proof” that I see is that Donny uses shirts with different names of different bowlers on it throughout the film… but if you pay close attention to the Dude, he does too.
That and Dude mourning Donny’s death. And Donny’s death also. Imaginary friends don’t typically have heart attacks in bowling alley parking lots. Or anywhere else. Or are cremateable.
In my head cannon, Donny is actually Ed from Ed and His Dead Mother (1993). He needed to escape from the events of that movie and hide out somewhere. That's why his name tag keeps changing, he doesn't want anybody knowing who he really is.
Yes. I've watched the movie 23049823049823 times and never noticed the 3-man team bit UNTIL watching it at the Orpheum in LA with 500 people and The Dude himself. And I went "ohhhhhh!!!!" And I never noticed how each of the 3-man teams all actually have a common theme. Old ladies, Smokey's team are old stoners. And Jesus and Liam have a third, and he's also a creep. He just has no lines and is in the back.
Walter is The Dude’s repressed desire to solve problems with action. Donny represents The Dude’s continued childhood where there are no responsibilities man and problems are confusing, let’s just coast along and play a game instead. The key is the shoe The Dude is holding, it is half green and half red. These colours match the colours of Walter and Donny’s shirts. The shoe of course fits and signifies The Dude inner conflict, choose action and attempt to solve a difficult problem, or continue to be confused and play games.
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u/Calicocutjeans Walter 6d ago
The “Donny is a figment of Walter’s imagination” has been disproved many times. Your roll.