The Dukes of Hazzard is a movie based on the American television sitcom, The Dukes of Hazzard. Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and released to movie theatres nationwide on August 5 2005, The Dukes of Hazzard depicts the adventures of cousins Bo, Luke, Daisy and their Uncle Jesse as they outfox crooked Hazzard County commissioner Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane.
The film was #1 at the box office its opening weekend, grossing $30.7 million on 3,785 screens — this despite being panned by most professional film critics (its Tomatometer rating at Rotten Tomatoes is an abysmal 18 percent). Roger Ebert gave the film one star, calling it a "lame-brained, outdated wheeze" and suggesting that Burt Reynolds' part in the film is "karma-wise... the second half of what "Smokey and the Bandit" was the first half of." [1] The Washington Post's Desson Thomson saw it differently: "This is one unusual case in which aiming for a middling C grade turns out to be A-plus work." [2]
Controversy
Ben Jones, who played Cooter in the original series, stated on his web site that when he read the script it had sexual content not present in the original series.[3] He called for a boycott of the movie "[u]nless they clean it up before the August 5th release date[.]" The film had a very strong opening weekend nonetheless, with an adjusted-dollar rank of #14 all-time for August releases.[4]
In an interview with Stephen Colbert on The Daily Show, Lonnie Randolph Jr., president of the South Carolina NAACP, criticized the film for displaying the Confederate flag, a symbol which he considers to be racist. The flag is a prominent part of the decoration of the "General Lee," the Dukes' signature car. The movie offers a playful rebuttal scene that voices both pro- and anti-Confederate rhetoric.
Music
The film's soundtrack is anchored by Jessica Simpson's remake of the Nancy Sinatra classic, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'". The song became a hit in the U.S., peaking at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The provocative music video includes Willie Nelson.
Credited cast
- Johnny Knoxville as Luke Duke
- Seann William Scott as Bo Duke
- Jessica Simpson as Daisy Duke
- Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg
- Willie Nelson as Uncle Jesse
- David Koechner as Cooter Davenport
- M.C. Gainey as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
- Michael Weston as Deputy Sheriff Enos Strate
- Lynda Carter as Pauline
- Kevin Heffernan as Sheev
- all five Broken Lizard troupe members make an appearance.
External links
- Official Site
- 'The Dukes of Hazzard' at IMDb
- Dukes Of Hazzard Photos
- Dukes Of Hazzard Movie News
- 'Cooter' Urges Fans to Skip 'Dukes' Movie
- Dukes of Hazzard Press Conference Photos From Toronto @ TheGATE.ca
- Drinking Game
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