The Dukes of Hazzard
Short description
The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 action comedy adapted from the television series that ran from 1979 to 1985. In rural Hazzard County, Georgia, cousins Bo and Luke Duke run moonshine for their Uncle Jesse while staying ahead of the local authorities. When the corrupt commissioner Boss Hogg moves to take the family farm, the cousins, helped by their cousin Daisy and their orange 1969 Dodge Charger, known as the General Lee, set out to stop him. Their pursuit is complicated by Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane and his deputies, who rarely manage to catch them.
The film was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, its release falling between Club Dread and Beerfest in a run of comedies that extends through Super Troopers 3. John O'Brien wrote the screenplay, and Bill Gerber produced. Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott play Luke and Bo, with Jessica Simpson as Daisy, Willie Nelson as Uncle Jesse and Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg. M.C. Gainey plays Sheriff Coltrane. The production involved a credited cast of 35 and a crew of 165.
Made for about 50 million dollars, the film took roughly 111 million dollars worldwide, a return that outweighed its modest reception. On IMDb it holds 5.1 out of 10 from more than 81,000 votes, and on TMDB 5.6 out of 10 from over 1,300 votes. A critics' rating of 3.7 out of 10 from 170 reviews places it below both audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Paul Walker and Ashton Kutcher auditioned for the roles of the Duke brothers. Anthony Anderson could have played Boss Hogg.
- One of the cars used in the creation of some episodes of the original series was used during filming. Of course, the engine was replaced with a more powerful one.
- Dolly Parton was offered the role of the mother, but it didn't work out.
- In the competition for the role of Daisy Duke, Jessica Simpson managed to outperform prominent competitors such as Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, and Jessica Biel.
- The main part of the stunts and spectacular scenes involving stunt performers were filmed at the Agricultural Research Station in Louisiana. The station was leased by representatives of 'Warner Bros.' until the completion of work on the film.
- In 2005, shortly before the film's release, representatives of Warner Bros. received a lawsuit regarding copyright infringement. The fact is that back in 1979, producer Robert Clark sold the rights to use materials from 'Moonrunners,' which formed the basis of the series' plot.
- This film is another attempt to revive a long-forgotten franchise. A series of the same name was launched in 1979, and exactly 26 years after filming of the first episode, titled 'Bandit,' began, work on a full-length feature film began on November 8, 2004.
- Clark's lawyers' dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that the rights were sold only for television broadcasts, and the agreement did not mention a feature film intended for theatrical release. This action was aimed at delaying the film's release, but the lawsuit was ultimately unsuccessful.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
