Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Dukes of Hazzard(2005)

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 08-04-2005, 09:18 AM:

I wasn't expecting a lot out of this film, just some good ol fashion hilbilly fun. Orange Dodge Chargers doing ridiculous jumps, exploding arrows, Daisy's long long long legs, and Boss Hogg trying to throw the Dukes in jail for no reason. And of course you can't forget Flash!

I got everything and then some with the Dukes of Hazzard. Its nothing more then a fun time at the theater, and lot of good laughs. A lot of car chases and car crashes. I was very pleased with the final product. I think everyone fit into there character very well, esp Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg. He was perfect for the slimy county comish.

All in all I give the Dukes of Hazzard 4 out of 5

This film is going to be carried by good word to mouth among the teens and young adults. Some of the shows purists may have a hard time with this film. But get over it already, you can go and watch the re runs on CMT or DVD if you want to relive the 80's that bad. This is set in modern times with modern jokes.

Go out and get some popcorn and enjoy the last good comedy/action movie of the summer.

And before you can ask Richard the Greco factor is about a 100. Highest Greco factor this summer aside from the topless ladies in Wedding Crashers.

[ 08-06-2005, 09:39 AM: Message edited by: Kurt Zupin ]

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 08-04-2005, 07:58 PM:

Sweet, cant wait to see it tomorrow night

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 08-05-2005, 05:06 PM:

It's crap.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-05-2005, 06:10 PM:

Whew, up until Christian posted his review I was afraid I had screened a mislabeled print of a crappy movie!

I knew just from the concept and seeing the trailers that this would be a bad movie. However I was hoping it would be "good bad", and not "bad bad". Was this supposed to be funny? Why does the car have to fly every 5 minutes? Why was this entire show flat out lame?

In all fairness I thought that all of the actors did very good with what they had to work with. Heck, even though I hate Willie Nelson and his evil satanic "music" I thought even he did a good job in the role of Uncle Jesse. Still though there's just no substance to this movie at all.

If you're going into the show purely for the Greco factor, then yeah you will probably like it. If you watch the show with your brain on pause, there's good odds you will have a good time as well. Every other scenario=crap!

2 out of 5 stars and that is ASSUMING YOU STAY FOR THE CREDITS!!! Seriously, the best part of the movie is the outtakes as the flying car stunts go wrong and they destroy cars.

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 08-06-2005, 02:18 AM:

I wrote a long diatribe as to why this film was a lot of fun. Then I realized that my target audience wouldn't give a rats ass anyway. [Eek!]

I really enjoyed the film, will see it again, and I am smart enough to know when to let go of the real world and just have some dumb fun. [beer]

That's all this film is, pure dumb fun.

I used to hate dumb films like this, but one day, I woke up (from brain surgury [Big Grin]

), and realized that our lives are way too damn short to be concerned with so much.

There are few films I truly hate, and few I truly love. This one struck a cord with me. It brough back memories of childhood that were warm, good and clean. It was one of the few times in my life when things were right, when our family gathered to watch this show. Seeing the same elements in this feature let me relive some of my best memories, and forget about all the hate that surrounded so much of my life.

So maybe I am a dumbass redneck, so what! [fu]

I loved it. I cherished it. And the other 350 people all had such a good time, people were still talking to complete strangers about the film for 15 minutes in the auditorium after it was over. [Smile]

Nothing that brings people together that doesn't involve a protest rally or a riot can be all that bad.

Or maybe I am nothing but a stupid redneck, as my family did come here from Polermo in the early 1900's. Stupid Italian Rednecks! [evil]

Ciao

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-06-2005, 03:42 AM:

...and Hollywood wonders why theatre business is down 8 to 15 percent from last year.....shit like this hitting the screens... - Monte

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 08-06-2005, 12:08 PM:

I most heartily disagree with your assessment of this film and the reason for box office downturn. For my lenghthy yet insightful reasoning, please tune in to the link below...

Dave's Completely and Totally Pointless Defensless Diatribe

Ciao

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 08-06-2005, 12:44 PM:

quote: Dave Williams
I most heartily disagree with your assessment of this film

Since when was it not ok for someone to post an opinion? Chill out, Dave.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 08-06-2005, 03:39 PM:

Dave, you seem awfully defensive about liking this movie. There's no reason to be defensive about it, just as there's no reason to be offended if other people (such as myself) had a negative reaction to the trailer (or to a screening) and therefore choose not to see the film. The trailer played like a lead balloon for me, and that's being kind. If you ask me to rate my interest in this movie based on the trailer, on a 1 to 10 scale where 10 = "I'm calling in sick at work so I can sneak to the first Dukes show on opening day", I would rate "Dukes of Hazzard" a minus 3. Give me a crisp new $20 bill and buy my ticket and concessions, and I might grudgingly set aside a couple hours to see it. [Wink]

But if "Dukes" puts other butts in the seats, including yours, then that's fine with me. [Shrug]

Posted by Andy Summers (Member # 3207) on 08-06-2005, 04:29 PM:

Brad 2 out of 5.

More like -5 it’s the pits low numbers, trash like this is the reason people like to stay at home with there home cinema.

Get the picture guys?

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 08-06-2005, 06:28 PM:

No Andy I don't get the picture!

Ok would you stop saying that this is the reason people are not going to the theater. This film has been very busy for us. There are plenty of good films out there right now and were still lower this then last, although we have come up some what sense Fantastic Four came out, which much like Dukes was just a fun movie, nothing special. JUST FUN!!! ISN'T THAT WHAT GOING TO THE MOVIES IS SUPPOSED TO BE???

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-06-2005, 08:48 PM:

Guys, while bad movies may be a chunk of the problem relating to cinema doomsday, bad presentations are just as much to blame.

Continue any discussion on these matters on this pre-existing thread.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-07-2005, 02:13 AM:

I would like to watch the Jessica Simpson scenes with the sound off, and the car chases with the sound cranked. If anyone knows of such a showing, please let me know.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 08-07-2005, 03:05 AM:

Ok Brad hated it, I knew I would like it. I was right... [Smile]

Posted by Edwin Schwing (Member # 1270) on 08-07-2005, 04:29 AM:

I am a big big fan of the tv show.

I saw the trailer and saw a big [bs]

I stuck around after inventory Thursday night to watch the " [bs]

". I wanted to see if it was any good.

It was 2 am. I threaded the movie. I took a piss. I dawlded around. (I hate trailers)

I sat down in my favorite 384 stadium house. The movie went on screen, and....

Well, my cell phone fell out of my pocket at some point. I always wondered how people could lose their cell phones so often. I did, and I didn't even know it.

I laughed, I cried, and when the movie was over, well, all I can say is 2 thumbs up and 5 stars, or 10 stars or how ever many stars you can count!

Now, there was not a whole lot of merit to this movie, but it sure entertained the HELL out of ME!

So, this being a review thread, as far a merit? not much. As far as entertaining value? I have not been entertained this much in years and years and years!

E

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-07-2005, 08:48 AM:

We may have a winner here in terms of the most widely split reviews here. Seems people love it or hate it. [Wink]

Edwin, you liked this better than Mr. and Mrs. Smith? In looking back at the movies released so far this year, that is clearly my top pic for movie entertainment on every level.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 08-07-2005, 01:42 PM:

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said, and I wasn't going to post because of that reason, but seeing this thread is so divided, I'll join...

I definitely liked it [Smile]

it was a lot of fun, I thought it was funny and I liked seeing the car "fly every 5 minutes".

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 08-07-2005, 04:53 PM:

quote: Christian Volpi
Since when was it not ok for someone to post an opinion? Chill out, Dave.

Hey, I am most chill! [Cool]

Being in a "heartily" disagreement is not by any means getting my panties in a ruffle. Ever have a hearty peice of steak? Tastes real damn good doesn't it? Doesn't mean I go dancing in the aisles punching people in the face.

Don't take my excitement for something as a sign that I am over exciteable. Too often that is the case in disagreements and misunderstandings.

In fact, the mere point that I titled the link to the other topic "Dave's Completely and Totally Pointless Defensless Diatribe" was a seemingly minor hint that perhaps even I was not taking this to terribly seriously.

I was never NOT chilled out.

quote: David Stambaugh
Dave, you seem awfully defensive about liking this movie. There's no reason to be defensive about it, just as there's no reason to be offended if other people (such as myself) had a negative reaction to the trailer (or to a screening) and therefore choose not to see the film.

Well I don't recall saying that no one had any right to have a negative reaction and therefore chose not to see the film, or did I state that people need to see this film. I only stated that it gave me a reason to just forget about all my troubles for two hours and that felt good. So for me this was not a waste of time. As far as defensive, I even used the little picture guys [thumbsup]

to show my absolute non seriousness in my so called defensiveness.

I do admit that I was very upset that brad didn't like it. I actually had to cry myself to sleep I was so upset. I just couldn't believe that my hero and role model didn't like it. It was like my life had just been turned upside down.

I had to lash out. I hate all of you. [uhoh]

Hey it made 30 mil, costing just 56 mil. Return on investment in four weeks for the studio, and I am sure theater owners made a nickel or two. Better than a film costing 125 mil, taking in 13 mil, and getting better rewiews.

So yeah, I rate the movie rather highly, once again as some pure dumb fun, a feel good movie. Then again, there are those that purely just hate the idea of the film so whatever, anyone is entitled to hate is just as much as I loved it.

Ciao

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-07-2005, 04:57 PM:

Haven't seen it, but, inasmuch as "Beverly Hillbillies" was the #1 highest grossing movie (in Kentucky). That would make me like it a lot. It is good for my customers and--by extension--me. Why not "a good time."

Louis

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-07-2005, 05:31 PM:

quote: Dave Williams
I do admit that I was very upset that brad didn't like it. I actually had to cry myself to sleep I was so upset. I just couldn't believe that my hero and role model didn't like it. It was like my life had just been turned upside down.

Geez Dave, laying the sarcasm on there pretty thick, eh? [Big Grin]

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 08-07-2005, 05:57 PM:

A courier knocked on my door this morning and handed me an envelope from Dave Williams with a crisp $20 bill and a Regal Gift Certificate inside! Thanks Dave! [beer]

OK, that didn't happen. But, as God is my witness, and intending to be as open-minded as possible, I saw "Dukes" today.

I offer any doubters in the crowd [Wink]

the following proof that I actually saw it:

Attendance: About 12 (in their largest house with 480 seats). Rolling stock included 2 letterboxed flat ads shown in scope. All the rolling stock & trailers were very sharp, but the feature seemed soft. Maybe it's the print. Otherwise everything was ok. Not that it really matters.

I chuckled a few times, mostly at a couple throwaway lines and Willie Nelson's jokes. Otherwise I found most of it mind-numbingly dull, yet somehow not quite as bad overall as I expected. I give it 1.75 stars: Just barely bearably watchable.

There was a family of 5 sitting in the same row as me who found the movie hysterical. They were whoopin' and hollerin' and laughin' at all the the jokes and sight gags as if this was the funniest thing they'd ever seen. I'm glad they enjoyed it and I hope they tell their friends. I mean that sincerely. [Big Grin]

(I wonder if they think Seinfeld is funny? [Confused]

)

As for me, I guess I'm prolly some kind of elitist film snob. [Wink]

No hard feelings Dave. [beer]

[ 08-07-2005, 07:50 PM: Message edited by: David Stambaugh ]

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 08-07-2005, 09:47 PM:

CINEMA: Great Escape Theatres Moline 14, Moline, IL
AUDITORIUM: 8
PRESENTATION: Mystery Meat Digital
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: None [Cool]

RATING: Three stars (out of four)

WARNING: This review will ramble on about lots of things that have nothing to do with the movie. If this annoys you, just skip to the last paragraph. Okay.

Wife #1 and I were passing through the Quad Cities on the way to Justin West's Galva Autovue Drive-In and caught a matinee. We mentally prepared for the show by eating at Texas Roadhouse beforehand because we don't have one at home (actually one is under construction) and we do have Famous Dave's. Famous Dave's IS the Boar's Nest. Texas Roadhouse is just a bunch of posers.

An aside about the Galva Autovue...It was a blast. Justin sold out Screen 1 (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and did a good business on Screen 2 (Fantastic Four), even though ANOTHER drive-in had its grand opening 30 miles away in Galesburg (the Blue Moonlight Drive-In, a re-christening of the old Galesburg Drive-In), which I only found out about ten minutes ago through a news article. We STAYED in Galesburg and had no idea.

What was I talking about? Oh yeah...

The Moline 14 is a block south of John Deere Rd across and up from a Lowe's and Wal-Mart on an obscure "barely residential" grade two-way street hidden in the trees. Access is minimal...Exiting is awful. There's a three-way stop (signs, not lights) with the inflow traffic off John Deere being the moving lane. That means everybody coming off John Deere NOT going to the theatre is turning left into Lowe's and Wal-Mart, and they don't have to stop, making northbound traffic back to Deere a dangerous prospect. You're thinking "They got the lot cheap." Me too.

The exterior screams "small-town build". It's primarily sand in color with red, gold, and purple accents that look nice, yet cheap. The color scheme carries inside but looks nicer, especially in the auditoriums. Auditorium 8, at about 300 seats, is perfectly salvageable. Nice decor, nice dimensions, in particular the space between the front row and the screen. Wife #1 said "I've never seen a theatre with stage space before", referring to the big empty concrete area between the screen and the first row. Redo the sound, get a quieter climate control system, good to go. Even as is, Joe Average probably isn't complaining. They should do well considering they're only one of two first-run multiplexes in a 300,000 population metro, assuming people can find them.

There were probably a dozen or two attendees. We arrived 45 minutes before the show and were the second group in the room. One of the three in the first group made three trips to the concession stand before the movie started. The third time, during the trailers, he walked back in with a big soda, an ICEE, and a popcorn, and said in full voice "I've been back there so many times the lady asked me if I had a bladder problem." That got one of the best laughs of the show from the entire room. [thumbsup]

The original version was one of the stupidest things ever to hit the air, and it knew it. But as long as they kept the General in ample supply of chase scenarios, kept the plot relatively clean, and didn't kill TOO many stunt men in the process, it was a lot of fun. The movie is equally stupid and plays the same basic format with the exception of the "relatively clean" part. It gets better as it goes, and it is ultimately a fun show. Especially the outtakes during the credits. This movie has its audience, and for them, this will be the greatest movie this year. Wife #1 would be one of those people.

Posted by Jason Whitlock (Member # 3077) on 08-07-2005, 10:59 PM:

I'm surprised the words 'Broken Lizard' didn't show up anywhere in the movie.. it's pratically Super Troopers (every state trooper along with the govenor was in Dukes minus Brian Cox) meets Me Myself and Irene(with the whole pause scene and narrator say some random statement) with the Dukes of Hazzard screenplay.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-07-2005, 11:03 PM:

Hey there's an idea. Someone take all of your rolling stock ads and splice it into the feature whenever they do the freeze frame/announcer thing. It would make it more like the real tv show! [Big Grin]

Posted by Jeremy Fuentes (Member # 2135) on 08-07-2005, 11:33 PM:

quote: Jason Whitlock
I'm surprised the words 'Broken Lizard' didn't show up anywhere in the movie..

Well it did have the scene where they were pulled over that was from Super Troopers. By the way, I really liked this movie. Hell, I've seen it twice. If you didnt like it, you are now officially less of a person to me**

** Just kidding. [Wink]

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 08-08-2005, 02:56 AM:

quote: Jason Whitlock
...Me Myself and Irene(with the whole pause scene and narrator say some random statement)

The 'pause and narration' was a feature of the 'Dukes' TV series as well.

-Aaron

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 08-08-2005, 09:56 AM:

As well as the director is Jay Chandrasekhar one of the main players in Broken Lizard.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 08-08-2005, 03:26 PM:

I liked it. Especially liked the Smokey references "sumbitch" and Burt himself of course.

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 08-08-2005, 03:52 PM:

The parts of it I saw were pretty good. This movie was perfect "entertainment food" for my middle Tennessee drive-in patrons. We had one of the biggest weekends we've ever had since we've opened the theatre.

My crowd... left their trailer parks around 6:00 p.m., stopped by the check cashing store, and then headed to the drive-in. Not that there's anything wrong with that. They came hungry, and that's all that really counts. We had arranged for a restored 1969 Dodge Charger to show up both Friday and Saturday night as a promotional thing. It went over really well. Lot's of really 'short' shorts lined up to have their picture taken with the General. [thumbsup]

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 08-08-2005, 03:58 PM:

Well let's see some pics of the short shorts instead of that stupid car! [Big Grin]

Posted by Edwin Schwing (Member # 1270) on 08-09-2005, 04:53 AM:

a scanned pic of a Regal ticket at $5?

For The Dukes of Hazzard?

E

David, note your ticket, purchaseed at register 5 and you were the 5th ticket produced/purchased.

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!

$5? ?

[ 08-09-2005, 08:04 AM: Message edited by: Edwin Schwing ]

Posted by Jason Whitlock (Member # 3077) on 08-09-2005, 11:17 AM:

It looks like it's register 3.. not register 5.. if I remember correctly, Radiant puts the register # as the first 3 digits.. some random sequence, then the last 4-5 numbers are the ticket #(5th one on that register in this case)

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 08-09-2005, 11:33 AM:

They have 3 box office stations.

You know, this effing stupid movie is sticking with me for some reason, so I'm gonna generously raise my rating from 1.75 stars to, oh, how about 2.375 stars. That's borderline "Recommended". A couple people I work with were like me - They'd seen the trailer and decided this wasn't for them. Then someone dragged them out to see it over the weekend, and damn if they didn't like it. [Eek!]

One thing I like about it is they crashed real cars, not CGI cars. [Big Grin]

Also, the shotgun blasts in the opening car chase sounded real good (what was the shotgun's name? I forget).

Hey, I'm trying hard to turn lemons into lemonade here!

Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 08-09-2005, 06:50 PM:

quote: Barry Floyd
My crowd... left their trailer parks around 6:00 p.m., stopped by the check cashing store, and then headed to the drive-in.

Oh, Jesus, I just about fell outta my chair laughing at that one [Big Grin]

Posted by Edwin Schwing (Member # 1270) on 08-11-2005, 07:33 AM:

I knew I was wrong just after I posted.

Stupid Me!!!

E

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 08-12-2005, 03:53 AM:

quote: Andy Summers
Brad 2 out of 5.

More like -5 it’s the pits low numbers, trash like this is the reason people like to stay at home with there home cinema.

Andy...have you actually seen the movie? I thought it didn't open in the U.K. until the end of August.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 08-13-2005, 09:57 PM:

I was surprised that it wasn't as bad as I imagined. I thought I would puke and run screaming from the theatre, but somehow I made it through to the end only mildly bored and insulted.

My two main criticisms, have to do with the Grecko factor:

1) There were no less that 3 occasions where the filmmaker did not follow Daisy Duke's ass out of the shot. After all that poor girl did 4-months of squat-thrusts to get in to shape and had to try on over a hundred pairs of shorts.

2) Every other ass that followed by the camera, was substandard and not imaginatively costumed. I'm sure that was a contractual obligation that no ass appear in the film to upstage Jessica Simpson.

Is there anybody making moonshine today, and does the ATF care? They could have re staged it in Humbolt County, made the Dukes Marijuana growers, and had the duke boys collage students that go astray. They could have staged all the chases with a Toyota Prius, until the end when they break out a new Dodge Charger. Product placement is key. Perhaps they should have stage it so that the Dukes were Mexican Coyotes smuggling illegal aliens in to the country, I would have enjoyed seeing Selma Hyak as Daisy. And jumping washed out bridges in a Ford Econoliner full of Mexicans, would have been more exciting that pausing every stunt mid shot to have a laconic voice over. Like we needed to have the movie explained to us, while it was going on!!! [Mad]

And how old are the Duke Boys supposed to be? Jonny Knoxville is 34 and looks older than me at 43! He has better hair I'll admit. And Jessica Simpson looked like she was wearing some plasic mask. A little restraint with the makeup please.

I did have fun briefly re-imagining the film as a porno.

Ok, this movie blows chunks, but I was unconscious so I didn't leave when I should have which was right after the V for Vendetta, trailer. Natalie Portman looks bitchin' with the buzz cut.

Posted by Max Einhorn (Member # 3364) on 10-02-2005, 09:48 AM:

Plotless with humor that will make you demand a refund.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 10-09-2005, 02:37 PM:

can't wait for the sequel then, eh?