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Dukes Movie Stimulates Box Office

 

DUKES MOVIE STIMULATES BOX OFFICE
“The Dukes of Hazzard”  drew enough attention during opening weekend to stack an estimated 30 million in the bank.  While most critics were soft on their enthusiasm, youthful audiences stood up and took notice of the film.   And despite rigid objections that arose over certain elements of the script, even the most reluctant Dukes fans are finding some appeal in the movie. 
 

Visit our Forums page for an eyeful of fan reviews and feedback!  Stay tuned to our homepage for more news, photos, and smarmy remarks! 

NEW DUKES AIM FOR BIG BLAST AT BOX OFFICE

They’re not just whistlin’ Dixie.  Warner Bros is unleashing this down-home cash collector on nearly 3800 theatres.  Even if you ain’t interested, there’s no avoiding the ads, TV specials, and media hype that’s been pitched at your head and bounced up into your undercarriage.  All in all, it’s impressive marketing. Especially since the original Dukes of Hazzard was oft treated like a rogue cousin from the wrong side of the WB family.  

Times have changed, and now WB execs are ready to yeeehaaw all the way to the bank.  Fans are expected to do their part and reach into their wallet repeatedly.  No matter what side of the fan debates anybody has been on, 01 thing is for hot-damn sure. Leadfoot lawlessness is about to be back in style.

The HazzardNet Forums will be red-hot with fan reviews, and we encourage ya’ll to fire away with your best shots about the flick!   Meanwhile, we’ll share the industry news and officious-type stuff as fast as we can get it.  If you’ve got news that’s worth sending via flaming arrow, shoot it to us through the Contact Page. 

To kick things off, below is an article from Variety, which has been edited for pertinent content.

“Dukes” Getting in Gear

Warner Bros. drives the General Lee into 3,785 theaters today.  “The Dukes of Hazzard” is the studio’s only fresh wide releaseWith plenty of room in the marketplace, a saturation release pattern and an uptick in tracking, “Dukes,” which stars Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott and Jessica Simpson, should have no trouble claiming the top spot on the box office chart.Only drama is how high it goes. Industry expectations are for “Dukes” to get past the $25 million mark, with an upper limit of $30 million.

Retreads of 1970s television titles have a pretty decent track record. “Charlie’s Angels” popped to $40.1 million when it debuted in November 2000. Sequel “Full Throttle” didn’t quite live up to expectations but still opened to $37.1 million in June 2003. And “Starsky and Hutch” opened to $28.1 million in March 2004.

Of course, all tube reduxes have not performed to expectations. Earlier this summer, “Bewitched” (taken from a slightly earlier TV era) opened to $20 million and has cumed just $60.7 million.

Tracking on PG-13-rated “Dukes” is solid across the board but strongest among people under 25 — folks who weren’t watching TV when the original skein was on the air.

Still, Warners distribution honcho, Dan Fellman, says the younger audiences are familiar with the show. “Our research shows they’ve watched it on reruns and they like our cast. We’re playing to a specific audience.”

He added that older audiences will also be drawn to the pic. “We’ve got a four-quadrant movie,” he said.

“Dukes” has found its most devoted fan base in the heartland — reruns air on Country Music Television — which has led some observers to question whether the pic will have coastal appeal.

“Everybody kids around and says it’s a Red State movie,” said Fellman, “but our screenings in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago have played just as well as elsewhere. It’s a movie that everyone will enjoy.”

Too Many Roscos

Double your pleasure! Double your fun! Well, actually, it’s more like double the trouble when Woody rolls into town. CMT just aired “Too Many Roscos”, bound to be a favorite with Rosco fans since it features twice as much of him.
An old standby of TV writers, the doppleganger episode (also see Baa Baa White Sheep, Double Dukes) ranks right up there with those other writer favorites, amnesia (My Son Bo Hogg) and getting trapped in a bank vault (Dukescam Scam – you may also substitute an elevator, meat locker, etc.) prevalent in 1980’s television.
At any rate, this episode gives James Best a chance to step out of the Rosco role for a minute and play it a little more serious. It’s obvious he relishes every minute of it. Rosco was a naive character and therefore mostly harmless. Woody, however, is Rosco all grown up and from the wrong side of the tracks. And unlike the Star Trek episode “Mirror, Mirror”, we don’t even get the benefit of a goatee to tell them apart. In the end, Rosco’s childlike demeanor and naivete is what convinces Boss he’s the real deal. 
This episode also reinforces what we already knew. Even though there’s no love lost between the Dukes and Boss and Rosco, neither side wants to see the other harmed in any way. In the end, it shows us that **Uncle Jesse News Flash** “Rosco was a human bein’!” and Hazzard wouldn’t be the same without him.
-Meadowmufn

Dukes of Hazzard Movie Premiere

Hey y’all, MaryAnne here once again for more dang news!! Good thing Boss didn’t have me working at WHOGG. I’d be costing him money with all the news broadcasts… Khee!

Well folks we’re four days away from DDDMR-Day. Translated: Ding-Dang-Dukes-Movie-Release Day. I dunno about y’all but I’ll be so glad when the thing is finally in the theaters. No, it’s not that I’m necessarily looking forward to the flick. I’ve had enough of the yap and build up to the darn thing! It’s like, “Let’s just put this darn thing in the theaters and be over it!!! GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

I think I need a vacation. LOL

Anyway! On to some news here!

 

Season Four DVD!!

Besides the movie release on Friday we have even bigger news for tomorrow. If y’all ain’t been paying attention (or you forgot to mark yer calendars) season four of the Dukes will be released tomorrow, August 2! Here’s a shot of the back of the DVD case and a look at the extras that’ll be included!

Season Four — Back cover

Thanks to a loyal Dukes fan in the land down under (that’s Australia y’all!) for the link! =)

GQ Goes Thrillbilly

Well, okay not really but given that the July issue of GQ featured Jessica Simpson and the August issue features Johnny Knoxville, I’m thinkin’ September will probably have Sean William Scott on the cover.

No, wait. Scratch that. Better yet they should feature this guy on the next cover…..

Definitely GQ material!

However, Jay Chandrasekhar as seen at the Hollywood premier on July 28th….definitely NOT GQ material.

Sorry, Jay. Yikes.

Anyway, speaking of the movie premier in Hollywood…

John Schneider Attends Movie Premier in Hollywood

This came as quite a surprise, given John’s initial opinion of the movie (“I wouldn’t drive my car through that script.”)

Apparently in his newsletter that fans receive via email however, John had this to say about the film..

“Quick review: Amazing car work in the movie. The language is not always great, but the fun is there as is the BO/Luke relationship. Be careful about taking your smaller kids to see it, but I thank your teen will love it!”
 
And there you have it. Yeah I’m scratchin’ my head on this one.

More premier photos can be found at Getty Images

There’s also some pics in the Getty Images collection of the movie cast with the Soldiers and Marines at the premier on July 29th at MCAS Miramar in San Diego. Also when you get to the end of the listing of pics you’ll find some great photos of the original cast members although most of it’s Coy and Vance.

Initial Review of the Duke Movie: “Starts Off on the Wrong Foot and Keeps Heading, Appropriately, South.”

The Hollywood Reporter gives a first glimpse review of the Dukes movie….

Movie Review – Dukes of Hazzard

   

Classic Charger Prices Get a Boost From Dukes Movie

I could barely afford one before…now I’m just as priced out of this market as I am the housing market. Ah well, I’ll stick to my Firebird thankyaverymuch. =)

http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000243052465/

Dueling Daisies

MaryAnne here once again with more news!!!

Update on Dukes related TV programing

As always folks, check yer local listings!

Friday July 29th, CMT airs The Making of the Dukes of Hazzard movie at 8pm est.

Saturday July 30th at 1:30pm est., CMT’s Insider program will take a look at the upcoming Dukes of Hazzard movie and talk to Junior Brown about his role as the balladeer.

(HNet Note: As far as I know this is the first indication of who the balladeer is for the film.)

Mark your calendars for Saturday August 20th at 10pm est, CMT Stacked will feature of the original cast of the Dukes and their favorite country music videos.

 

Simpson Speaks About Dukes, Future Films,
and Being Shy in a Bikini

Wilson Morales of Blackfilm.com recently interviewed Jessica Simpson, who talks about everything from Daisy Duke to future film roles to her future music direction.

Simpson Interview

Incidentally….she’s kidding about being shy in the bikini isn’t she? Simpson??? Shy?!?!

Dueling Daisys

The SundayMail, a UK newspaper, asks the burning question: Who’s the better Daisy?

 

Stay tuned for The Running from Rosco Sweepstakes presented by Warner Brothers and HazzardNet.com!

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