Tucker Max’s days of belligerent drunkenness, constant indulgence and one-night stands with “more women than is safe or reasonable” may be over. But fans of the author know they can bask in his glory days anytime on his Web site and in his bestselling book.Now 32 years old, the self-proclaimed “asshole” is working on bringing his irresponsible but often hilarious adventures to the big screen in his first movie, currently filming in Shreveport.”I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell,” slated for a spring 2009 release, is the film adaptation of Max’s best-selling book of the same title.Unlike the book, a series of Max’s stories, the movie will follow one plot line about a friend’s bachelor party gone wrong and Tucker Max’s (played by Matt Czuchry) subsequent attempts to repair the situation to win back his friend and his wedding invite.Despite cynicism from fans, Max still insists his tales are true. But the movie will be fictional in order to carry a full-length plot.Max, a producer and co-writer of the film, said production is better than he could have imagined. He is ahead of schedule, under budget and — most importantly — getting the creative control he desires.Max said he finally got the artistic freedom he wanted when he paired up with Darko Entertainment, the new production company from the minds behind the indie cult-hit “Donnie Darko.””My goal is to make the best movie possible,” Max said. “Not just for my fans, but for everyone else out there who hasn’t heard of me but should be a fan.”The only obstacle in sight for “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” may be the MPAA. Max’s past endeavors are not exactly family entertainment, and though aiming for an “R” rating, he said the first entry will probably be slapped with the notoriously unmarketable “NC-17.”Max said he has little problem with editing down to a an “R” rating and ensures the movie will not end up too sugar-coated.”I would not put my name on a movie that was watered down,” Max said.This comes as good news to his mostly college-aged fan base, which has high expectations after reading the book.”If it’s as good as the book, it’ll be a badass movie,” said engineering freshman Sam Knight, who said he laughed a week straight the first time he read the book.Scott Van Sickle, petroleum engineering junior, explained Max’s appeal to the college crowd.”We all like to think we have great stories like that, and that’s what makes the book so cool,” he said.Van Sickle said he has some doubts about the book-to-big screen transition and does not see how those stories could form a continuous plot.Max said the book’s stories will be tied into the movie’s plot line but declined to go into detail to avoid spoiling it for the viewers.”My current fans can expect this movie to be everything they want in a Tucker Max movie and more,” he said.”I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” is just one of more than 60 projects that have chosen Louisiana for production in 2008. The state film industry, currently in its sixth year, is continuing a pattern of rapid expansion.”Our native Louisiana crew base has increased by 400 percent since the program began in 2002,” said Amber Havens, public information officer for the Office of Film & Television Development.Havens said Louisiana is now at what is called “nine to 10 crew deep,” which means it can host about nine to 10 features at any given time.”Considering the size of our state, that’s pretty impressive,” she said.Havens said 2007’s 53 projects made it a record-breaking year for the Louisiana film industry. With four months left and more than 60 current projects under its belt, 2008 will be another year of drastic growth for the state.Max said, like many others, they chose to film in Louisiana because of the 25 percent tax credit they get back on the movie’s $10 million budget. Max, who was raised in the South, said he is enjoying his stay in Shreveport.”I grew up in Kentucky, and Louisiana is very, very similar,” Max said. “It’s almost like coming home.”—-Contact Julie Gutierrez at jgutierrez@lsureveille.com
Tucker Max filming first movie in Shreveport
August 23, 2008