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"Buckle up, ladies, this might get exciting."

TV's original good ol' boys return for a big screen bout of auto acrobatics in comic adventure The Dukes of Hazzard, tearing up the South in their iconic Dodge Charger, the General Lee. Starring Seann William Scott and Johnny Knoxville as hell-raising cousins Bo and Luke Duke, breaking only silly laws and frustrating the dumb and crooked at every turn, the film co-stars a scantily clad Jessica Simpson as sassy Daisy Duke, country legend Willie Nelson as moonshine master Uncle Jesse, and Seventies superstar Burt Reynolds, in fine dastardly form as greedy meanie Boss Hogg.

"I was searching for a project that really captured the American spirit," says producer Bill Gerber. "The heart of The Dukes of Hazzard is family and protecting what you love. Bo and Luke were such endearing characters and had a very playful attitude about the law - I liked the Robin Hood aspect of the show, and when you add the allure of Daisy Duke, it just felt like the timing was right to bring the concept to the big screen."

For 37 year-old director Jay Chandrasekhar, whose credits include comedies' Super Troopers and Club Dread, the chance to make a film based on one of his favorite television shows was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. "I grew up watching The Dukes of Hazzard and loved outlaw films like Smokey and the Bandit," he says. "I've always wanted to make a movie that had a Seventies feel to it, with a bunch of cars screeching around and an alternate view of law enforcement. I also had a poster of Daisy Duke on my wall when I was nine that was very inspiring," he adds, "and when you combine the prospect of a new Daisy Duke with the opportunity to send the General Lee flying through the air again, it was impossible for me to say no."

Key to the success of the movie was its casting. "If we were making this movie in 1979, I would have hired Burt Reynolds to play Bo Duke," says Chandrasekhar. "Burt in Smokey and the Bandit is the reason why The Dukes of Hazzard even exists, so I wanted to find two guys who embody that Reynolds mentality. Seann is such a wild force of energy and Johnny is a very funny ex-stunt man who's also a damn good actor. They were the perfect combination of being a little crazy with a hint of Southern rebellion."

"Bo and Luke are essentially good guys," says Jackass survivor Knoxville, a Tennessee native from - you guessed it - Knoxville, "they're just reckless as all hell. Mean as snakes, but in a good way. They are respectful to women, and are more than happy to deck someone who isn't. But really the only real trouble they get in to is selling moonshine and outrunning the law."

"Johnny and I had a great time making the film," says Scott, "and it shows on the screen. He's crazy and likes to have a good time, so I knew we'd get along. I wouldn't have done the film without him."

"I love Seann, he is completely off his nutter, but in the best possible way," says Knoxville. "He is brilliant and funny as all hell to work with and watch onscreen. We had a ball jumping in and out of the General Lee, blowing stuff up, and fighting in bars. Man, it was a fun movie to shoot."

As for Simpson, "Jessica did a great job, kicking butt and looking sexy," says Chandrasekhar. "A lot of people are going to be really happy when they see her in her Daisy Dukes!" God bless those hotpants. "Those Daisy Dukes were so short," remembers Jessica. "There were some really cold days where I had to be outside in them the whole time. The first day I wore the shorts, Jay promised me that when I shot my last scene he would wear a pair!" So did he? "I was kind of hoping she'd forgotten about it," laughs the director, "but a promise is a promise."

Much of the allure of the original Dukes of Hazzard show stems from watching Bo and Luke outrun the law in their famed orange Dodge Charger, the infamous General Lee. With its doors welded shut for stability and the roof of the car supported by three-point roll bars, the General Lee performed jaw-dropping jumps that thrilled legions of devoted fans. With its trademark black '01' on the door, the General Lee has become one of the most famous cars in the world. "I didn't realize what a huge following the General Lee had until we started the film," says Knoxville. "People were everywhere on the streets when we were filming, and I know they weren't there for Seann or I."

"There's a huge Dukes of Hazzard fan base, which is due in great part to the General Lee," says Chandrasekhar. "People just love that car. It's powerful, muscular, and a symbol of American style that has become somewhat lost in the automobile world today. When you get behind the wheel of it, you know it's going to be loud, proud and fast.

(c) 2006 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.

Dukes Of Hazzard

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