Movies - The Dukes of Hazzard

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	Movies - The Dukes of Hazzard

The Dukes of Hazzard is a movie based on the American television series, The Dukes of Hazzard. Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and released to movie theatres in the USA 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.

Box office

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 Roger Ebert gave the film one star, calling it a "lame-brained, outdated wheeze" and suggesting that Burt Reynolds' part in the film is "karma-wise...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." Ebert's partner, Richard Roeper, went even further and named it the worst film of 2005. 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." According to Entertainment Weekly, despite the critics, The Dukes of Hazzard managed to collect an incredible amount of $113.5 million world-wide.

Controversy

Ben Jones, who played Cooter Davenport in the original series, criticized the movie for its emphasis on sexual content, suggesting that the original series was more family oriented and not as sexualized. He called for a boycott of the movie "nless they clean it up before the August 5th release date"

But some have countered that the original series also contained sexual themes, primarily Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke)'s much-displayed "short shorts" (which have become so ubiquitous in American culture that skimpy blue jean cutoff shorts are now often simply called "Daisy Dukes"). In an August 5, 2005 review of the movie, a New York Daily News entertainment columnist said the movie's sex humor is "cruder" than the TV series, but that it is "nearly identical to the TV series in ... its ogling of the posterior of cousin Daisy Duke."

In an interview on the Today show on July 15, 2005, Jones acknowledged that Bach's "short shorts" "raised eyebrows." But he said the display was "harmless and innocent," compared to the film's "hoochie-coochie show."

Despite Jones' call for a boycott, the film had a very strong opening weekend, with an adjusted-dollar rank of #14 all-time for August releases. And at least one member of the original cast had positive things to say. John Schneider, who played Bo Duke, said: "I saw it. It was cute. The car stuff was great. The guys had a terrific, infectious kind of chemistry, albeit a different kind of chemistry than Tom and I had, but still it was there."

Criticism has been levelled at the film for displaying the Confederate flag, a symbol which is considered racist by some. 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.

In January 2006, the film was nominated for several 2005 Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, Worst Remake or Sequel, Worst Supporting Actor (Burt Reynolds), Worst Supporting Actress (Jessica Simpson), Worst Screen Couple (Jessica Simpson & Her "Daisy Dukes"), and Worst Director (Jay Chandrasekhar). However, it lost all of these awards.

Music

The film's soundtrack is anchored by Jessica Simpson's remake of the Nancy Sinatra hit, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'". The remake peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA. The music video features Simpson's co-star Willie Nelson on guitar.

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
Henry Jaderlund as Wayne
Kevin Heffernan as Sheev
all five Broken Lizard troupe members make an appearance.

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Movies - The Dukes of Hazzard

Box office

Controversy

Music

Credited cast

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