Duel Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 107 out of 122 people found the following review useful: You won't believe it's Spielberg 18 February 2004 *** This review may contain spoilers *** We all get stuck behind them sometimes: The huge trucks blocking your lane, blowing diesel fumes and spraying rocks from the ground all over your windshield. You try to pass them but sometimes it's just no use--they won't move out of the way, no matter how hard you try to mentally will them to do so. Steven Spielberg's "Duel" is just a simple movie about a traveling everyman who tries to pass a huge flammable truck on a state highway, and is then strangely stalked by this angered truck driver who seems to want him dead. The everyman is played by Dennis Weaver, and his character's name in the film is David Mann--a businessman driving across California for a business meeting who is desperately late and struggling to get around an obnoxious eighteen-wheeler blocking the highway. After he passes the trucker, it seems to trigger a sort of strange road rage game between the two men.

At first everything seems to be quite normal, but then the truck swerves around David's car and slows down its speed again, keeping David behind schedule and driving behind a bunch of nasty fumes. Frustrated with the driver's arrogance, David decides to swerve around the truck again, and he soon finds himself on his way down the road, far away from the truck driver. But his escape is not quite so simple. The key to "Duel" is that we never see the truck driver, just like we never saw the shark from "JAWS" in its entirety. The truck driver haunting Mann seems to be a simple man who just suddenly goes nuts. Sometimes the best villains are those given no motivational background--Michael Myers from "Halloween" was described as "evil" by his own doctor, apparently killing for no reason whatsoever, and the shark from "JAWS" seemed to be the materialization of some sort of demon from hell. Their intentions are not clear--and that makes the film carry an intriguing mystery about it that makes it all the more watchable on a repetitive basis. I was never a very big fan of "The Hitcher," which ripped off "Duel" quite a bit.

Both films essentially deal with supernatural, untouchable villains shrouded by a layer of mystery. We never found out very much about Rutger Hauer's character in "The Hitcher," or why he was doing what he was doing, but by introducing him to the audience it made us want to know more--and the film took the easy way out by just providing us with nothing whatsoever. Even after promising us that it would through the very mouth of Hauer's character. That's bad filmmaking. Spielberg does something different: He avoids the truck driver altogether. Apart from seeing his legs and a brief glimpse of his silhouette, the truck driver is completely shrouded by a dark cloud of mystery and intrigue. Had he been shown rising out of the truck disaster at the end of the film, burning alive like The Terminator, then the effect would be somewhat laughable. Spielberg does something much greater and more fantastic--this could, in technical terms, be called his most elaborately staged and perfectly executed film, even if it isn't the best on an overall basis. There's a great scene in "Duel" where Mann stops at a roadside diner and tries to analyze his situation.

At that point in time anyone could be the villain--the guy eating a sandwich, the guy with cowboy boots having a soda, or even the woman standing by the exit. But we never know, and either does Mann, and it helps this film quite a bit. But what Spielberg does that is pure genius is showing us Mann's thoughts through voice-over narrative in a way it has never really been done before. We hear Mann talking to himself, but not in an aware way. It is as if we pick up his mental decisions and thoughts via the film--and it works magnificently. You've probably seen "Speed" by now, and so you know its breakneck speed and thrills. Well, take "Speed," throw in a homicidal truck driver, and set it in the early 70s, and you've got yourself a clear idea of what "Duel" feels like while you're watching it. It's one of those give-me-a-moment-to-catch-my-breath films--intriguing and fast-paced from start to finish. Indeed, "Duel" is an early sign of Spielberg before he went commercial--not that his films aren't good anymore, but they all seem to contain typical Spielberg trademarks.

Here, Spielberg shows that he can be a Hitchcockian director--even "JAWS" was more mainstream-oriented than this film. Originally filmed for ABC in 1971 and later re-released overseas with nineteen minutes of extended footage, "Duel" is indeed a milestone movie--a counter to the ancient mythology that TV movies aren't any good. They can be. Most of the time they just don't want to be. But thanks to an intriguing idea and a terrific young director behind the project, "Duel" stands as one of the most remarkable films of all time, a sign of great things to come in the career of an aspiring newbie director with not a single true project under his belt. This is Spielberg's breakthrough. He has surpassed it with projects such as "JAWS," the "Indiana Jones" trilogy and "Schindler's List," but to say this is one of his most well made and unconventional films is a gross understatement. 5/5. from Philadelphia, PA 4 April 1999 DUEL is Spielberg's JAWS of the highway, a raucous nascar race of a film that was "made for TV".

Usually, the phrase made-for-TV makes me ill, but Universal TV executives had no clue what they had here. It was so good, the film got its fitting recognition in Europe, where it was released theatrically. Spielberg's own idol, director David Lean, praised the film's suspense and excitement. A testimonial from Sir David Lean is enough to get any career going. DUEL begins from the point of view of a driver, and never lets up. The fear Dennis Weaver encounters consists not only of the monster truck itself, which is on an unexpected death chase, but of the inability to see who (or what) is behind the wheel. It seemed like a great episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, and Rod Serling would've been proud. Speed kills and you may never pass a slow truck on the highway again after seeing this. There is no character development, no humor, no identifiable characters, but in this case, who cares? It is only 90 minutes long and Spielberg's goal is to make you tired. To make you experience what this everyday salesman is going through for NO apparent reason. Besides a shark in the ocean, I really can't think of another more frightful situation to be in.

The truck itself is sinister looking, almost resembling one from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. The only remnant of a human being in the truck is an arm. The arm waves much like the hitch-hiker in the famous TWILIGHT ZONE episode. Weaver is cheesy and silly looking in his Peter Fonda-esque shades, but it is a sign of the times. You don't necessarily find yourself rooting for him to escape alive. Basically, you are held prisoner by Spielberg's web of suspense, and stay wide-eyed the entire time. Great fun to watch on big or small screen. RATING: 8 of 10 from St. Paul, MN 21 October 2003 Gleefully sadistic little thriller. Though the young Mr. Spielberg's hand is evident in many places (the economic storytelling style, the visual wit), the film's tone probably owes more to screenwriter (and 'Twilight Zone' veteran) Richard Matheson.

The story has all the itchy paranoia of Matheson's best work, with Dennis Weaver's fussy little city man confronted by Tex-Mex suspicion at best, and relentless, illogical horror at worst, as he travels from one oasis of civilization to another for an important meeting. 'Duel' is essentially a city-slicker's nightmare, concentrating collective fears of wilderness and the mad souls who choose to dwell there. But at the same time it lightly satirizes those urbanite attitudes, and Weaver's Mann is often made to look laughable, with his silly necktie, and his little Plymouth Valiant, and his prissy, civilized approach to his problem. Spielberg revels in the black comic elements of Matheson's narrative, and the result is the perfect suspense/thriller tone--one never knows whether to laugh or scream. If the story lags a bit towards the end, and if the conclusion is rather a simple one, the film is still a model of economy and tone, and it features one of the most memorable villains in suspense-film history--one that weighs forty tons. 9 out of 10. Was the above review useful to you?

72 out of 82 people found the following review useful: Yeah, yeah, I know - another psychobabble analysis of Duel! 13 May 2004 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Sorry, don't have time or inclination to read all 121 other comments on 'Duel' - wish I had, but there you are. Therefore I apologise if I'm saying what has been said before. However, in looking through the first couple of pages of comments on this movie (the only movie I ever feel compelled to write about) I notice that everyone seems to deal with it as a basic 'truck-(or truck driver)-chases-man' thriller. Now, I'm told Mr Spielberg is supposed to have pooh-poohed any 'psychological' reading of this film, but let's imagine for a moment that he's playing a game with us there. What if he really did mean to bury the clues. It's been a while since I saw it (lucky for you, or I'd remember more details), but some of the salient points stay with me always. Mr Mann! Just a coincidence? Of course not. He's you and me, buddy.

An average, henpecked, downtrodden guy in a dead-end job, driving the most average car imaginable, too cowed by his boss to stay home for his kid's birthday, yelling in frustrated agreement with the rednecked radio announcer rather than getting out of his car and telling the world where to get off. Because he can't - or won't. (Well, if he did that would be the end of our movie, wouldn't it?) Now, admit it or not, at some time we all have a monster in our lives, somewhere. Something that scares the Hell out of us, and no matter how hard we try to ignore it, or how fast we run, it's always there, waiting around the next corner. For Mann, the truck is this fear. He can't shake it, and he never will - not until he finally turns and faces it. That's why we don't see the driver (and don't need to), that's why the truck has no stand-out markings, that's why it seems to possess impossible power.

That's also why it seems to have a life of its own, constantly breathing, wheezing, snorting, almost pawing at the ground when it finds him once more - even to the final moments when it 'dies' like a wounded dinosaur, flipping end-over-end, roaring and bellowing into the canyon, its 'tail' flipping and thrashing above it, its 'blood' finally dripping onto the steering wheel as it breathes its last, and silence finally falls. And go back a few moments: exactly how does Mann dispose of this monster? By taking his nicely monogrammed briefcase (note the CU of his initials in this shot - coincidence?) and wedging it against his boring little Dodge's accelerator pedal, before leaping clear and sending his entire world and identity into Hell. That's why we leave him sitting on the cliff-top in the setting sun. There's no need to see what happens next. It doesn't matter. He's done what he needed to do - he's now free to walk away and start a new life if he wishes, or go home to his family. Whatever. Mann is now in charge of his own destiny.

Whenever I watch this movie (not so often these days) I find myself seeing all the myriad other clues that fit the jigsaw so neatly that it's hard to believe it's mere chance. Go take another look - especially if you've hated the damn thing until now. Even if I'm wrong, it makes a fascinating exercise. Was the above review useful to you? 62 out of 69 people found the following review useful: The ultimate car chase movie... Author: keihan (keihan@usit.net) 9 August 2000 Leave it to prosemaster extraordinaire, Richard Matheson (a favorite of mine and the man Stephen King acknowledges as being his biggest influence), to come up a premise so simple yet so believable and terrifying that the viewer will never look at an eighteen-wheeler the same way ever again...and leave it to cinematic wunderkind, Stephen Spielburg, to do right by Matheson's script and win acclaim in the bargain.

Though some may argue that "Bullit", "Vanishing Point", or maybe even the original "Gone in 60 Seconds" could be called the ultimate car chase movie, "Duel" deserves this designation better because it does something none of the above films can claim. The story literally starts on the road and ends on the road. No location in the entire film is ever out of sight of the highway and, in spite of the brief conversation with the wife, virtually nothing else happens outside the highway. For David Mann (played adequately enough by Dennis Weaver) and the monster truck he's trying to get away from, the road and everything alongside it is their entire universe. Nothing else of importance exists outside of it. Though it's never mentioned in the film, this would seem to take place on the California highways. When I went out there about eight years ago, I went down roads that seemed to be not too dissimiliar to the ones shown here. They seemed to stretch on forever, no vestiges of civilization in sight for miles. Spielburg uses this setting to great advantage.

Being in your car in a crowded city intersection is one thing, but on those highways with nothing but your car and a homicidal maniac in a diesel for miles? The isolation factor that cars naturally produce jumps up a thousand percent. The radiator hose problem made me think of many other times that I had similar troubles with cars I've had. Of course, I never had someone trying to kill me at the time, but... Anyone looking for drama, character development, or all the other elements that pseudo-critics point out as the mark of cinematic excellence are liable to be disappointed by "Duel". It's what King described in "Danse Macabre" as a Tale of the Hook. It's only purpose is to scare the hell out of you. Damn if it doesn't work. THAT'S the mark of a classic. Was the above review useful to you? 75 out of 98 people found the following review useful: Hail on to the Truck driver ... truck driver FREAK!!

from the Draconian Swamp of Unholy Souls 8 October 2004 Steven Spielberg's first long feature film (sort of) may only just be a TV-movie, its influence, impact and entertainment value overwhelms the majority of big screen productions. The brilliance lies in the simple plot and the complete lack of background information you're denied. The film is a powerful collaboration between the superb writing skills of Richard Matheson (The Incredible Shrinking Man), the stunningly sublime cinematography by Jack Marta and the over talented vision of Steven Spielberg as a director. Duel easily is one of the ONLY movies ever made that'll keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning till end. What begins as an average day for salesman David Mann quickly turns into a merciless showdown between himself and a seemly driverless truck somewhere in a nearly forsaken countryside. The eerie shots of a giant, boisterous and filthy-looking truck versus the classy red Plymouth Valiant are the most tense road-rage images I ever beheld and they're guaranteed to make your blood pump faster! The film is terrifically cut in half when the protagonist stops a roadside restaurant to analyze his uncanny situation.

While recovering from the previous assault, Mann notices that the monstrous truck is also parked outside the diner so one of the unfriendly guests present there more than likely is his assaulter. This sequence, brilliantly illustrated by pan camera movements and atmospheric voice over sound, perfectly proves how an amazing director Spielberg is. Especially when you bear in mind he only was 26 at the time Duel was released and he mostly worked with a crew of veteran filmmakers. This simply is one of the most action-filled movies ever made and a timeless classic. THIS is how we like to see Spielberg! Giant monstrosity! Filthy trucks or man-eating sharks not the over-sentimental and melodramatic crap he's delivering nowadays. Was the above review useful to you? 37 out of 42 people found the following review useful: One Helluva Ride from Los Angeles, California 1 September 2003 This film proves that television can produce a quality film. Much like Spielberg's first big theatrical hit, "Jaws", this film deals with a menace, the driver, that is pretty much unseen for most of the film. It also preys upon our fear of being caught in a desperate situation with no one around to help.

Also, Dennis Weaver was perfectly cast as the unfortunate motorist that happens to be the prey of a psychotic truck driver. This definitely is a far cry from Weaver's most famous role of Marshall Sam McCloud, who was the typical hero compared to the terrified motorist he plays in this film. Too bad that we here in the United States never got a chance to see this great film in a theater like the rest of the world. This is definitely a classic suspense film. Was the above review useful to you? 37 out of 45 people found the following review useful: A Genius Is Born from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 12 May 2007 While traveling through the desert for an appointment with a client, the businessman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) from California passes a slow and old tanker truck. The psychotic truck driver feels offended and chases David along the empty highway trying to kill him. In the 70's, in Rio de Janeiro, most of the teenagers like me watched the impressive movie of a new and promising director called Steven Spielberg. On the beach, in school, in bars, everybody in Rio commented the story of a crazy truck driver that chases a common man in his car along the lonely roads through the desert.

Thirty-six years later, I have just watched "Duel" on DVD with my son and it is fantastic to see how this movie has not aged. The tense and suspenseful story consists basically of a storyline, without development of characters, one actor, two stunts, lots of action and a magnificent work of direction and edition. One amazing detail is that all the afflictive and credible situation happens on the day light, i.e., Spielberg does not need to use the usual fear of the night to create a stunning tale of horror and fear, showing his talent of genius in his worldwide debut. My vote is eight. Title (Brazil): "Encurralado" ("Trapped") from USA 3 November 2004 From the opening credits, where we see a POV of David Mann's car pulling out of his driveway off to who-knows-where, the viewer knows their in for something special. Indeed, Duel is something special. It's essentially a 90 minute chase with the occasional brief intermissions for scenery change. This could get old really quick, and indeed it does get old . . . but I can't help but watch in amazement and observe how long Spielberg kept me engaged in just two vehicles on open roads.

And interestingly enough, ten minutes after the film started boring me it recaptured my interest for the breathtaking finale. After Duel, the Creeper truck and the semi from JoyRide are pushovers. This is the Freddy Krueger of vehicles, and the truck (not its driver) is treated as the bad guy. I particularly loved when the truck was shot in silhouette through the tunnel - beautiful and haunting composition. Also the shots where the camera pulls around Mann's car and travels parallel up along the truck  simply put, 'awesome cinematography.' The high number of interesting shots (on location, no less) of the truck chasing Mann is what really drives this film forward. It takes a long time for this particular flair and flavor of film to get boring. Dennis Weaver plays his part of David extremely well; unfortunately, I didn't much care for the spineless middle-class Joe-shmo character on the page. I think part of my dislike comes from those annoying internal monologues that were totally unnecessary. It's always been a cheap gimmick in my mind, and Weaver truly communicates those emotions without the added soundtrack. Still, despite a character that I did not like, Duel managed to keep me engaged in the story . . .

strangely enough. Earlier I spoke of brief intermissions from the chase; notice I didn't say the tension is eased up here. Spielberg finds ways to lace these breathers with suspense through the presence of the truck (still, more to do with the truck itself than the driver). And really, it's through these intermissions that we meet other (very colorful) characters who make quite an impact considering their bit parts (then again, maybe it's due to the fact that juxtaposed to an empty desert any character is colorful). I appreciate the lack of any real information, lack of a motive, lack of background story on Mann, very little info (if any) on Mann's destination. I do, however, think Spielberg went just a bit too far with the ambiguity; however, that's a very minor complaint that I don't care to dwell on. Sure a few points needed to be touched on more, but then again the Freddy Krueger of diesel trucks is chasing you, are you really going to stop and ask it a question? I wish the character emotions had taken the same route instead of feeding the audience those redundant internal monologues. Oh well, there's a fun contrast for you.

In my review of T3, I wrote 'I wonder what director will be the first to direct the very first film composed solely of one action scene?' Spielberg comes pretty damn close, and the funny thing is his 60+ minutes of chase footage is more interesting than the new millennium's 10+ minute chases. Rock on Steven! Was the above review useful to you? 26 out of 32 people found the following review useful: The TV movie that was a true cinematic experience.

from United States 16 May 2005 I can recall vividly watching this movie as an ABC movie of the week at the tender age of six.Very few movies at that time in my life had the ability to captivate me.Duel was one of the fortunate few.We have a mild mannered businessman,excellently played by Dennis Weaver,on his way to a very important appointment.Suddenly,there is trouble ahead in the form of a ruthless tanker truck driver.For unexplained reasons,the truck driver singles out David Mann(Weaver)as the recipient of whatever rage and torment possesses him.Along the way,we have an apparently unsympathetic diner crowd,among whom this mad truck driver may have mixed in with while David was freshening up in the diner's restroom.Which one of them is it?Did he ever come in at all?Did he just linger outside,adding to David's torment?Then,there is the lady at the Snakerama,whose reptile displays are leveled when the truck driver realizes that David is trying to notify police in her phone booth.David ends up searching for strength he's not sure he possesses in order to combat this unseen menace.I love the idea of the driver never being seen,as the

 unseen is often more frightening than what is thrown in our face.This film may have been made for television,but it played like something you would see in a movie theater.I understand that it was in fact,released in theaters in England later on after Spielberg added some more footage.I am envious that they got to see this Hitchcock like thriller on the big screen.I consider it a grand edition to my DVD library.Great stuff.

2/28/2006 R.I.P. Dennis Weaver (1924-2006) Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 32: Duel (1971) – Alcohollywood September 6, 2012 Episodes , User Requests This week on Alcohollywood, we’re headed back to our roots by tackling a Steven Spielberg film for the first time since our first episode! This time around, we’re doing his very first movie, the made-for-TV thriller Duel, starring Dennis Weaver as a nebbish 1970s wimp dealing with the worst case of road rage imaginable – the unseen driver of a monstrous, murderous semi truck that seems to stop at nothing to terrorize him. The result is either a wonderfully Expressionistic, abstract look at the nature of the rapidly emasculating man set against the road-trip atmosphere of the American 70s, or a sweet horror movie about man vs. truck, however you want to look at it! Whatever your perspective on the film, we’ve got the drink and the drinking game to spice up the proceedings, so start your engines!

LISTEN HERE OR DOWNLOAD : Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here . You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. THIS EPISODE’S DRINK: The Road Rage The Road Rage RULES: 1) Drink anytime you see Dennis Weaver in a mirror (e.g. rear view/side mirrors, bathroom mirrors) 2) Drink anytime Dennis Weaver actually says a line (NOTE: Drink only once for the start of internal monologues) 3) Drink whenever you hear a horn blast from the antagonizing truck FINISH YOUR DRINK WHEN: The lady at Snakerama (Lucille Benson) says “Take a look at my snakes when you have the time.” Next week on Alcohollywood, we are finally addressing the Clint Eastwood RNC controversy by checking out a film wherein he talks to chairs with people in them: The Dead Pool, the unfortunate last entry in the Dirty Harry film series, with early roles from Liam Neeson, Patricia Clarkson and Jim Carrey! Liked it? Take a second to support alcohollywood on Patreon!

Duel Remind Me Duel Steven Spielberg's rapid rise as a modern directing phenomenon is well documented, and his early television career at Universal Pictures is remarkable for several notable projects he helmed. Spielberg's start was inauspicious  his late-1960s application for film school at the University of Southern California was turned down. While attending his second choice, California State University at Long Beach, the 21-year old Spielberg landed an unpaid internship in the editing department of Universal. As a side project, he wrote and directed a short film, Amblin' (1968), which caught the attention of Sidney Sheinberg, the vice-president of TV production at the studio. Spielberg became the youngest person to sign a directing contract with a major studio, and found himself  at the age of 22  directing Hollywood legend Joan Crawford in a segment of the pilot movie for Rod Serling's Night Gallery (1969). Despite going on to direct high-profile episodes of such series as Columbo, Marcus Welby, M. D. and The Name of the Game, Spielberg was anxious to move out of television and on to theatrical features.

While casting about for bigger properties, the young director made a tense, economical thriller called Duel (1971), which was relegated to TV screens (at least in America), but nevertheless brought Spielberg more attention than any other director working in the medium at the time. Duel first aired on ABC on November 13, 1971, and has since been revived many times on both the small and big screen, and has become one of the most highly-regarded of all made-for-TV films. The story of Duel was brilliantly simple and lent itself to a highly visual treatment: On a winding California highway, businessman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) is driving at a safe speed and passes a large gas tanker truck. Moments later, seemingly unprovoked, the truck is dangerously tailgating Mann. The unseen truck driver first taunts Mann, and eventually tries to run him off the road. Mann is forced to engage in a battle of wits with the truck driver to save his own life and sanity. The teleplay and original short story were penned by veteran fantasy/ horror writer Richard Matheson, inspired by an actual incident in 1963 in which the writer was terrorized on a Los Angeles freeway by a trucker.

When Spielberg was signed to a seven-year contract at Universal Pictures, he was given the same perks as other contractees, including an office on the studio lot and a secretary. It was his secretary who brought the Matheson story to his attention  it appeared in the April, 1971 issue of Playboy magazine. Spielberg thought the property was strong enough to pitch to the studio brass as a theatrical feature; some thought was given to the idea and reportedly Gregory Peck was offered the script. In the end, though, Spielberg's mentor Sheinberg assigned Duel to George Eckstein to produce as a TV movie with a budget of $425,000 and a sprightly 16-day shooting schedule. To star in the all-important role of road rage victim David Mann, Universal looked no further than the star of their ongoing TV detective series McCloud (19701977), Dennis Weaver. In his autobiography All the World's a Stage, Weaver wrote that the offer to star in Duel came during a hiatus on production of his TV series, and that his agent recommended he sign on before even reading the script.

"About two weeks later," Weaver wrote, "the studio called me back and said, 'Would you mind working with a young director we have under contract here who we feel is a real comer? He has a lot of enthusiasm, intense energy, he's willing to take risks, and has a very vivid, if not wild, imagination.' I said, 'I'm not used to working with that kind of director  sure, let's go for it.'" Weaver said that he developed an immediate trust in the young director's suggestions, but added, "...many people have asked me if I knew that he was going to take his place among the great directors our industry has produced. My answer...of course not! He was only twenty-three years old! I knew he would have a long career, that he was going to work and probably make some noteworthy films. But did I know that he was going to have the impact on the film industry that he has...? Of course not...if I had known...I would have adopted him!" In his book The Films of Steven Spielberg, Douglas Brode describes the approach the director took with his 16-day schedule in filming Duel.

Spielberg broke down each scene of Matheson's script: "methodically, he blocked out the entire film on IBM cards... Each card contained the gist of the scene, the angle he would take on it, and how many camera setups he needed." The director posted the cards, covering the entire film, on a bulletin board in his hotel room during the shoot, and "rather than opening the script to the day's page, he would instead take down several cards. They constituted the day's work, and when each scene was finished, he would tear the card up and throw it away, knowing every night, by glancing at the bulletin board, how much was left to complete." Spielberg also had the entire film storyboarded prior to production. This sort of extensive pre-planning became a customary practice with the director. He would later allow himself to indulge in on-the-set changes and deviations from the plan, but on the days when no added inspiration struck, he always had the safety net of the pre-planning. It was the industry practice in the 1970s that movies for television ran in a 90-minute time slot. This meant that, minus commercials, the actual running time of Duel was 74 minutes.

Universal routinely had their directors shoot extra footage for theatrical release overseas, so the footage that went unaired in the United States brought the running time of Duel to an acceptable 88 minutes. While it was not out of the ordinary to release some TV movies theatrically in foreign markets, the European reception to Duel proved to be extraordinary. Already a highly visual film, the foreign release cut out much of the protagonist's voiceover narrative, resulting in an even more visceral experience. The movie won the Grand Prix Award at the Festival de Cinema Fantastique in February, 1973, and Spielberg won top director honors at the Taormina Film Festival in Rome in July of that year. Critics fell over themselves comparing the film to the work of Alfred Hitchcock, and in analyzing the picture as allegory, both humanistic and political.

As Brode noted, "After the screening in Rome, four highly politicized critics stormed out of the press conference when Spielberg refused to bow to their insistence that the only way to understand Duel was as a Communist-inspired portrait of the blue-collar class (the man in the truck) striking back against the white-collar class (the man in the car) that had oppressed them." Interestingly, Duel was not the only notable TV movie that Richard Matheson wrote in the 1971-72 season. In January of 1972, ABC aired The Night Stalker (1972), a modern take on vampirism which starred Darren McGavin as a reluctant vampire hunter named Kolchak. The movie was a ratings sensation and spawned more TV movies and a series. As for Spielberg, he was handed two more TV movies to helm, but the eventual international reception of Duel guaranteed that he would finally get his chance to direct a theatrical feature, so Universal gave the go ahead for his production of The Sugarland Express (1974), starring Goldie Hawn.

Universal eventually gave Duel a brief theatrical run in the States, following up on the enormous success they had with Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Released on April 22, 1983, the MPAA gave the film a PG rating. At that time, Janet Maslin of the New York Times reviewed the film, writing that "it works as well on the wide screen as it did on the small one. Even without benefit of hindsight, Duel looks like the work of an unusually talented young director." Producer: George Eckstein Screenplay: Richard Matheson (screenplay based on his short story) Cinematography: Jack A. Marta Art Direction: Robert S.

Smith Music: Billy Goldenberg Film Editing: Frank Morriss Cast: Dennis Weaver (David Mann), Eddie Firestone (Cafe Owner), Gene Dynarski (Man in Cafe), Tim Herbert (Gas Station Attendant), Charles Seel (Old Man), Alexander Lockwood (Old Man in Car), Amy Douglass (Old Woman in Car), Shirley O'Hara (Waitress), Lucille Benson (Lady at Snakerama), Cary Loftin (The Truck Driver), Dale Van Sickle (Car Driver) C-88m. Duel (1971) Duel (1971) April 9th, 2008 · 10 Comments Synopsis Leaving Los Angeles and driving through the desert for a business appointment, David Mann (Dennis Weaver) gets stuck behind a 1955 Peterbilt dripping with grease and billowing diesel fumes. Mann’s road etiquette appears to offend the unseen trucker, who gains speed and cuts back in front of Mann before slowing to a crawl. Mann passes him again, but when he stops at a filling station, the truck pulls next to him. All Mann sees of its driver is a pair of boots.

The trucker goes from road hog to road rage, signaling Mann to pass and almost getting him hit by oncoming traffic. The trucker then runs Mann into a fence outside a diner before disappearing. Mann pulls his thoughts together in the men’s room, but when he comes out, discovers the truck parked outside, waiting for him. Attempting to identify his assailant among the diner’s customers proves unsuccessful. Climbing back into his Plymouth Valiant, Mann realizes the trucker wants to take him off the road permanently. Production history Novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson was golfing when he first heard that President Kennedy had been shot. Distraught by the news, Matheson and a friend headed home. Driving through a narrow pass near Simi Valley, a huge truck began tailgating them. They sped up, but so did the truck, and the day’s events only made them more anxious as they pulled off the road and the truck blew past. Matheson felt he had a story and scribbled the idea on the back of an envelope his friend had in the car. Matheson presented the idea of a man being chased by a truck to the producers of several TV series, including The Fugitive.

None of them felt there was enough of a story there. Seven years later, Matheson wrote Duel as a novelette, which was published in the April 1971 issue of Playboy Magazine. Universal Pictures obtained the film rights. This came to the attention of assistant Nona Tyson, whose boss was Steven Spielberg , a 25-year-old director looking to move from episodic television to feature films. Spielberg read the novelette and felt it was a Hitchcock movie, “It’s like Psycho or Birds on wheels!” Tyson found out that producer George Eckstein controlled the property. Spielberg met with him and shared Eckstein’s enthusiasm for the story, as well as his idea to keep the point of view with the driver as much as possible. Spielberg showed Eckstein an episode of Columbo he’d just directed. Three days later, the producer made Spielberg an offer to direct Duel. Eckstein had set up the project with ABC as a Movie of the Week. Spielberg was given 10 days to shoot a 73-minute film. His production manager Wally Worsley told the young director there was no way he could make a movie of this scale in that time frame on location.

He advised Spielberg to shoot it on a soundstage. When Spielberg persisted in going on location, he was allowed to shoot the process plates of the road and continue making the film on location if he could stay on schedule. Working on a fifteen mile stretch of Highway 14 north of Los Angeles in Palmdale – with Dennis Weaver in the lead and stuntmen Dale Van Sickle and Cary Loftin driving the car and truck – Spielberg wrapped only three days over schedule. Quickly edited in order to make its airdate in three and a half weeks, Duel drew a huge market share in November 1971. Spielberg shot some additional scenes (such as the truck pushing Weaver toward a train) and expanded to 90 minutes, his debut feature was released theatrically in Europe. Opinion Given what Steven Spielberg went on to accomplish as the most successful film director of all time, it’s easy to overlook his first feature as a TV Movie of the Week or a work in progress and little more. But Duel holds up supremely well as both a taut and riveting entertainment, and as the ideal blend of terrific material being adapted by a hungry filmmaker.

Though it aired almost 40 years ago, there wasn’t a moment in the movie where I lost interest in what was happening on screen. Technology is making great thrillers more and more rare. All a character has to do when placed in jeopardy now is pull out a cell phone. Duel is old school all the way, stripped down in narrative, with only a businessman, two vehicles and some dimes for the phone booth to develop its conflict. Spielberg’s decision not to reveal the trucker demonstrates what an ardent student of Hitchcock he was, while Billy Goldenberg’s musical score – shunning melody in favor of disorienting sounds – also punctuates dread on the road.

Dennis Prince at DVD Verdict writes, “Duel is a film that is fully captivating as it drops us into perhaps one of modern life’s most frightening situations … The viewer experiences the events from Mann’s perspective, and shares in his mounting feelings of unease and dread; the situation is all the more disconcerting because, in addition to the fact that there seems to be no reason for the trucker’s extreme actions, Mann (and, therefore, the viewer) is left slack-jawed asking the most disconcerting of questions, ‘Why me?’” “It’s a worthwhile thriller, ingeniously conceived and masterfully executed in almost every way. Perhaps the only thing that would make me love Duel more is if Spielberg could have made it without voicing the thoughts of Weaver’s character throughout, as it seems unnecessary (at least to me). Highly recommended for all Spielberg fans, or just thrillers in general. Duel has been often imitated, but far from duplicated in sheer tension,” writes Vince Leo at QWipster’s Movie Reviews .

Matt Day at DVD Times writes, “Duel is a film that transcended the boundaries of both the genre and the medium it was designed for and became a huge influence on a generation … It still works today as a tense thriller, even if the originality of the film has long been diluted, not to mention it being such an important film in the career of a man that has become synonymous with movie-making.” Duel (TV Movie 1971) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.

Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 43 titles created 05 Jan 2013 a list of 25 titles created 15 Apr 2013 a list of 25 titles created 29 Jul 2013 a list of 37 titles created 11 Feb 2014 a list of 34 titles created 7 months ago Search for " Duel " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Title: Duel (TV Movie 1971) 7.7/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations. See more awards » Photos A woman attempts to reunite her family by helping her husband escape prison and together kidnapping their son. But things don't go as planned when they are forced to take a police hostage on the road. Director: Steven Spielberg After an encounter with U.F.O.s, a line worker feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.

Director: Steven Spielberg Hysterical Californians prepare for a Japanese invasion in the days after Pearl Harbor. Director: Steven Spielberg A romantic adventure about a legendary pilot's passion for dare-devil firefighting and his girl. Director: Steven Spielberg A black Southern woman struggles to find her identity after suffering abuse from her father and others over four decades. Director: Steven Spielberg 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8/10 X A giant great white shark arrives on the shores of a New England beach resort and wreaks havoc with bloody attacks on swimmers, until a part-time sheriff teams up with a marine biologist and an old seafarer to hunt the monster down. Director: Steven Spielberg A young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation during World War II. Director: Steven Spielberg Edit Storyline While traveling through the desert for an appointment with a client, the businessman David Mann from California passes a slow and old tanker truck. The psychotic truck driver feels offended and chases David along the empty highway trying to kill him. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Fear is the driving force.

See more » Genres: 13 November 1971 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Mono (Westrex Recording System)| DTS Color: Did You Know? Trivia Gregory Peck was considered briefly to play the lead before it was decided to make it a TV-movie. See more » Goofs At the crossing, the truck is pushing the car towards the train. Immediately after the train barely clears the crossing, Mann floors it over the crossing. The gates would not have even begun to raise yet, but the next shot shows Mann barely past the crossing and the gates are completely raised and off. See more » Quotes [radio playing, driving down the road, approaches the truck] [David coughs, coughs again] The man with the sandwich is referred to as "Hoagy Man". See more » Connections Spielberg's feature-debut is a cat and mouse classic 10 July 2000 | by MisterWhiplash (United States) – See all my reviews Seeing this film again I'm struck by how much first-time (on a film of this length) director Steven Spielberg is able to do with so little.

He's basically making a movie in the Roger Corman vein, with little budget, but cart blanche on such a small expectations for a TV movie-of-the-week to do whatever he sees fit to make the film. One could equate the final result of Duel, from a sincerely gripping script by Richard Matheson, to what would come from Robert Rodriguez 10 years after; it shows what can be done to create excitement on limited resources, and in a fresh way. His star, Dennis Weaver, doesn't have to act so much as react, to the very terror that his quasi-mouse form is to the cat that is the giant gasoline truck following him down in the desert. There is no real plot as much as it is visual storytelling, of the tension that builds and builds as this truck gets meaner and more ruthless in its pursuit of this little red car. Spielberg, in going on his first try as director, is surprisingly successful in throwing in everything and a hat to ensure he gets the right angles, sometimes quite unconventional (i.e. many of the interior close-ups on Weaver and on the vehicles).

Like Jaws, it's a film by someone who may be reckless with what he's got to film the script, but its done with such an intensity that you might forget how its aged. In fact, like Jaws and other Spielberg thrillers, I would put it to viewers to see how this does hold up over time, even more amazing considering its made-for-TV stance. And lets face it, some of these scenes are just a lot of fun (who isn't grinning during the moment when Weaver is in a rush to push the bus forward and almost gets crushed). 9 of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Duel (film) - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on Duel (film) Wikis Night Gallery Duel (film): Wikis Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles .

Related top topics Top rankings for Duel (film) 198th (Redirected to Duel (1971 film) article) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For the 2000 wuxia film, see The Duel (film) . Duel Release date November 13, 1971 Duel is a 1971 television movie about a motorist (played by Dennis Weaver ) on a remote and lonely road being stalked by a large tanker truck and its almost unseen driver. It was the first feature film directed by Steven Spielberg and was written by Richard Matheson based on his own short story. Contents Plot The tanker truck David Mann ( Dennis Weaver ) is a middle-aged businessman driving to an appointment in his Plymouth Valiant . On a two-lane highway in the California desert , he encounters a faded and grimy tanker truck , a Peterbilt 281, traveling slower than the speed limit and expelling thick plumes of diesel exhaust. Mann passes the unsightly truck which promptly roars past him and slows down. Mann passes the truck a second time and is startled when it issues a long air horn blast.

Mann soon finds himself in a bizarre cat-and-mouse game with the truck, which follows him into a gas station. While at the station, Mann makes a phone call to his wife who is a bit annoyed with him for not confronting one of their friends at a recent party who was making a pass at her. Mann argues that the friend had had too much to drink and did not require that kind of overreaction. His wife's anger cools but she chides him for always being one who tends to avoid confrontation. After Mann returns to the highway, the truck begins tailgating him. When he allows the truck to overtake his Plymouth, the truck slows and soon begins blocking Mann’s path each time he attempts to pass the truck. At one stage the truck driver waves at Mann, indicating that he can overtake. But as he does so, he almost collides with an oncoming vehicle. Mann discovers an unpaved turnout next to the highway and uses it to race ahead of the truck.

The truck pursues Mann again, this time chasing him at speeds of over 90 miles per hour (145 km/h) down a mountain road and bumping him several times until the Plymouth goes off the road in front of a diner. Mann enters the diner (Chuck's Cafe) to compose himself. After returning from the men’s room, he is shocked to see the truck parked outside the diner. Mann studies the diner patrons carefully and begins an inner monologue in which he contemplates the driver’s motives and second guesses his decision to sit helplessly in the diner. Most of the patrons sitting at the bar give Mann the impression of malice, but when one leaves, appearing to approach the tanker, he instead drives away in a pickup truck. Mann looks around again trying to single out a patron, and when he thinks he has, he decides to confront him. The man he approaches, however, is angered at Mann's accusations and engages in a fist fight. After the fight is broken up by the cafe owner, the man abruptly leaves the diner in a livestock truck. As it turns out, the tanker's driver had never entered the diner and suddenly drives off before Mann can get a look at him.

Mann leaves Chuck's Cafe and stops to help a stranded school bus. But his front bumper becomes caught underneath the rear of the bus. The truck appears at the end of a tunnel. Mann panics, manages to free the Plymouth and flees, but then is puzzled to see the truck helping the bus get moving. At a railroad crossing, the truck quietly approaches Mann’s car from behind and starts pushing the Valiant towards a passing freight train. The train passes by just in time and Mann crosses the tracks and pulls off the road. The truck passes him by and disappears. Mann stops at Sally’s Snakerama Station to telephone the police. But the truck roars up and slams into the telephone booth as he tries to make the call. Mann jumps clear just in time. The truck proceeds to destroy Sally’s Snakerama while Mann jumps into his car and speeds away. Mann then hides behind an embankment off the road and sees the truck pass by, apparently without noticing him. After a long wait, Mann heads off again but is dumbfounded to see that the truck is waiting for him just around the bend. Mann stops his car and attempts to get help from an older couple in a car that is cruising by.

They think he is crazy and refuse to listen - until they see the truck themselves, fleeing when the truck backs up towards them at increasing speed. Mann returns to his car. The truck eventually allows him to pass by and a high-speed chase begins. Mann races up steep grades, putting some distance between himself and the truck. However, his Valiant begins to overheat and the truck gains on him. Mann barely gets over the summit and then coasts down the other side in neutral with the truck bearing down on him. Going down the hill, the Plymouth spins out and impacts against a rock wall. The truck heads toward the car as Mann gets going again and drives up a dirt road and faces his opponent on a large hill overlooking a canyon. He places his briefcase on the accelerator and drives his vehicle head-on into the truck, leaping from the car at the last second. The driver is unable to stop in time after hitting the car and the truck plunges over the edge of the cliff into the canyon below, completely destroyed. The truck finally beaten, Mann laughs hysterically in triumph then sits down, exhausted, and waits while the sun sets, throwing stones over the cliff as the credits silently appear.

The truck as the villain In the DVD documentary, Spielberg observes that the fear of the unknown is perhaps the greatest fear of all and that Duel plays to that fear. Throughout the film, the driver of the truck remains anonymous and unseen, with the exception of separate shots where his arm waves Weaver on into oncoming traffic, and another shot where Weaver observes the driver's snakeskin boots. In the final scene, a partial view of inside the cab shows a little more of the driver as he vainly attempts to halt the truck before it plunges over the cliff. The driver's motives for targeting Weaver's character are never revealed. Spielberg says that the effect of not seeing the driver makes the real villain of the film the truck itself, rather than the driver. Philosopher Graham Harman has noted the "virtually nameless characters overshadowed by their larger-than-life modes of transport" and the ironic symbolism of the name David Mann , a painter of chopper motorcycle art, and associated with the life of the biker/bike builder/artist who lives through, or is shaped and controlled by, his machines, [1] and of course the original David , a mere man, who defeats a giant.

Production The script is adapted by Richard Matheson from his own short story , originally published in Playboy magazine. It was inspired by a real-life experience, in which Matheson was tailgated by a trucker on his way home from a golfing match with writer friend Jerry Sohl , on the same day as the Kennedy assassination . The short story was given to Spielberg by his secretary, who reportedly read the magazine for the stories. [2] Duel was Spielberg's feature-length directing debut, soon after a well-received turn directing a segment of the anthology television series Night Gallery . Initially shown on American television as an ABC Movie of the Week installment, it was eventually released to cinemas in Europe and Australia, and had a limited cinema release to some venues in the United States. The film's success enabled Spielberg to establish himself as a competent film director. [2] Much of the movie was filmed in southern California 's "Canyon Country," in and around Agua Dulce, California and Acton, California . In particular, sequences were filmed on Sierra Highway , Agua Dulce Canyon Road, Soledad Canyon Road and Angeles Forest Highway .

Many of the landmarks from Duel still exist today, including the tunnel , the railroad crossing and Chuck’s Café, a place where David Mann abruptly stops for a break. The building, since 1980 housing a French restaurant called Le Chene, is currently still on Sierra Highway. [3] The original made-for-television version was only 74 minutes long and was completed in 13 days (3 longer than the scheduled 10 days), leaving 10 days for editing prior to broadcast as the ABC "Movie of the Week". Following Duel's successful TV airing, Universal released Duel overseas in 1972, especially in Europe. Since the TV movie's 74 minutes was not long enough for theatrical release, Universal had Spielberg spend 2 days filming several new scenes. These new scenes turned Duel into a 90 minute film. The new scenes were the railroad crossing, school bus, and David Mann's telephone conversation with his wife. Also a longer opening sequence was added with the car backing out of a garage and driving through the city. Expletives were added to make the film sound like a major motion picture.

Director Steven Spielberg lobbied to have Dennis Weaver in the starring role because he admired Weaver's work in Orson Welles ' Touch of Evil . The vehicles The car The car was carefully chosen, a red 1971 Plymouth Valiant with an underpowered engine. Its red color was also intentional; Spielberg didn't care what kind of car was used in the film, but wanted it to be a red car to enable the vehicle to stand out in the wide shots of the desert highway. [2] The truck Steven Spielberg had what he called an "audition" for the truck, where he viewed a series of trucks to choose the one for the film. He selected the older 1955 Peterbilt 281 over the then-current flat-nosed ' forward control ' style of trucks because the long hood of the Peterbilt, coupled to its split windscreens and round headlights gave it more of a 'face', adding to the menacing personality.

[2] In addition, Spielberg said that the multiple license plates on the front bumper of the Peterbilt subtly suggested that the truck is a serial killer, having "run down other drivers in other states." [2] For each shot, several people had the task to make it uglier, adding some "truck make-up". The shots of the truck are done in such a way as to make it seem "alive" in terms of its attack on Mann. During the original filming, the crew only had one truck, so the final scene of the truck falling off the cliff had to be completed in one take. For the film's theatrical release, though, additional trucks were purchased in order to film the additional scenes that were not in the original made-for-TV version (i.e., the school bus scene and the railroad crossing). Only one of those trucks has survived. [4] Stock footage of both vehicles was later used in an episode of the Universal-produced TV series, The Incredible Hulk, entitled Never Give A Trucker An Even Break. The truck is on display at the Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood, Missouri. Cast Carey Loftin ... The Truck Driver Dale Van Sickle ... Car driver Reception The film received many positive reviews.

On Rotten Tomatoes the film currently has a "Fresh" score of 86% (2009). References in other works The dinosaur roar sound effect that is heard as the truck goes over the cliff is also heard in Jaws , also directed by Steven Spielberg, as the shark's carcass sinks into the ocean. Spielberg has said that this is because he feels there is a "kinship" between Duel and Jaws, as they are both "about these leviathans targeting everyman ." He has also said that inserting the sound effect into Jaws was "my way of thanking Duel for giving me a career." [2] In 2009, Stephen King and his son Joseph Hillstrom wrote the short story Throttle as a homage to Richard Matheson 's Duel.[citation needed] Throttle is available both in the short story collection He Is Legend and on the audiobook Road Rage (which also includes Stephen Lang 's reading of Duel). In the British TV sitcom Red Dwarf , series 8, episode Only the Good... , Arnold Rimmer mentioned that he was attacked with the video case of this movie.

Scenes of Duel were used in the music video for Bedroom Rockers - " Drivin' " [5] The film was parodied on a Halloween special of Tiny Toon Adventures - itself produced by Spielberg. Steven Spielberg referenced this movie several years later in his wartime comedy 1941 when he has John Belushi's character land a fighter-plane at the location of Sally's Snakeorama garage - Lucille Benson fittingly returns for this scene. References ^ Harman, Graham (2006), Rollin, Bernard E. ; Mommer, Kerri & Gray, Carolyn M., eds., Harley-Davidson and philosophy: full-throttle Aristotle , Open Court Publishing, pp. 123–124, ISBN 081269595X, 9780812695953, , "Here [in Easy Rider ] we have a familiar theme in modern art: virtually nameless characters overshadowed by their larger-than-life modes of transport.

[...] Perhaps even more to the point is Steven Spielberg's early film Duel , in which the driver of the homicidal truck is reduced to a white t-shirt and disembodied signaling arm, while the truck itself persecutes a milquetoast character with the almost laughably symbolic name of 'David Mann.'" 6 scary trucking movies | Overdrive - Owner Operators Trucking Magazine 6 scary trucking movies reddit this I like a good psychologically scary movie better than a gory one. One raised eyebrow by Anthony Hopkins scares me more than a sawed-off body part. Throw in a clown, birds, a shower curtain, a homicidal doll, Jack Nicholson and an adolescent girl going to her prom and you pretty much have my top list of all time scariest scary movies. Here’s my top six scary trucking movies, best watched in the dark at a lonely rest stop in the middle of nowhere. 1. Duel (1971) Steven Spielberg’s first full-length film pits a menacing, unseen trucker driving a 1960 Peterbilt 281 tanker truck against David Mann (Dennis Weaver) driving a red 1970 Plymouth Valiant Signet through the California desert.

Lots of diesel exhaust blowing maliciously across the screen. 2. Maximum Overdrive (1986) Written and directed by Stephen King, (based on his short story, Trucks) starring Emilio Estevez. Machines come to life when the earth passes through the tail of a comet. Chaos reigns as hairdryers, vending machines, lawnmowers and homicidal semi-trucks begin a murderous raging rampage. Scary and with a great soundtrack by AC/DC. 3. Road Games (1981) Filmed in Australia, starring Stacey Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis. A truck driver plays cat and mouse with a serial killer who uses a young female hitchhiker as bait to lure his victims. 4. Joy Ride (2001) Directed by John Dahl and starring LeeLee Sobieski, Steve Zahn and Paul Walker. Three young people on a road trip from Colorado to New Jersey talk to Rusty Nail, a psycho trucker on their CB radio. It’s all fun and games as they taunt him. The tables turn when he starts stalking them. “You need to get that fixed,” he says over the radio. “What?” “Your tail light,” And the chase is on. 5.

Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead (2008) Directed by Louis Moreau, starring Nicki Aycox, Nick Zano and Laura Jordan. Four friends embark on a road trip to Vegas when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and they must figure out how to get back. They make a plan but unfortunately for them, it puts them at odds with Rusty Nail. The murderous, sadistic trucker is back and he will stop at nothing until he gets his revenge on them, one mutilated body part at a time. 6. Road Kill (2010) Original title; Road Train, directed by Dean Francis, starring Bob Morley, Sophie Lowe and Georgina Haig. A group of teenagers in the Australian outback are threated by a driver-less road train determined to kill them. The maniacal truck has a mind of it’s own and is fueled by evil. “It will drive you to hell.” Question: Match this quote with the movie: “I like the rain. Keeps everybody inside and washes everything clean.” Post: Movie: Duel A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.

<br /><br /> <em>Duel</em> is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson, based on Matheson's short story of the same name. It stars Dennis Weaver as a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely road by the mostly unseen driver of a mysterious tanker truck. (<a href="">wikipedia</a>)<br> <br> • The script is adapted by Richard Matheson from his own short story, originally published in <em>Playboy</em> magazine. It was inspired by a real-life experience in which Matheson was tailgated by a trucker while on his way home from a golfing match with friend Jerry Sohl on November 22, 1963, the same day as the John F. Kennedy assassination. The short story was given to Spielberg by his secretary, who reportedly read the magazine for the stories<br> <br> • <em>Duel</em> was Spielberg's second feature-length directing effort, after his 1971 The Name of the Game NBC television series episode "L.A. 2017".

The film's success enabled Spielberg to establish himself as a film director.<br> <br> • Much of the movie was filmed in and around the communities of Canyon Country, Agua Dulce, and Acton, California. In particular, sequences were filmed on Sierra Highway, Agua Dulce Canyon Road, Soledad Canyon Road, and Angeles Forest Highway. Many of the landmarks from Duel still exist today, including the tunnel, the railroad crossing, and Chuck's Café, where Mann stops for a break.<br> <br> • Though the car was carefully chosen – a red Plymouth Valiant – three cars were used in the filming. The original release featured a 1970 model with a 318 V-8 engine and "Plymouth" spelled out in block letters across the hood, as well as trunk lid treatment characteristic of the 1970 model; a 1971 model with a 225 Slant Six was also used. When the film was released in theatres and scenes were added, a 1972 model with a 225 Slant Six was added, with the "Plymouth" name on the hood as one emblem.

All three cars were dressed with wheel covers available only to Valiant models, only in 1971.<br> <br> • Spielberg had what he called an "audition" for the truck, wherein he viewed a series of trucks to choose the one for the film. He selected the older 1955 Peterbilt 281 over the then-current flat-nosed "cab-over" style of trucks because the long hood of the Peterbilt, coupled to its split windshield and round headlights, gave it more of a "face", adding to its menacing personality. Additionally, Spielberg said the multiple license plates on the front bumper of the Peterbilt subtly suggested that the truck driver is a serial killer, having "run down other drivers in other states".<br> <br> • The truck had twin rear axles, a Cummins NTC 350 turbocharged engine with a 5-speed main transmission and a 3-speed auxiliary transmission, making it capable of hauling loads over 30 tons and top speeds reaching 75-80 mph. During the original filming, the crew only had one truck, so the final scene of the truck falling off the cliff had to be completed in one take.

For the film's theatrical release, though, additional trucks were purchased in order to film the additional scenes that were not in the original made-for-television version (the school bus scene and the railroad crossing scene). Only one of those trucks has survived.<br> <br> • Stock footage of both vehicles was later used in an episode of the television series <em>The Incredible Hulk</em>, titled "Never Give a Trucker an Even Break". Spielberg was not happy about this, but the usage was legal as the show was produced by Universal, and the <em>Duel</em> contract said nothing about reusing the footage in other Universal productions.<br> <br> • Spielberg stated that he approached this movie in the manner of a Toho monster movie, replacing Godzilla with an 18 wheeler tanker truck. <br> <br> • During the chase, a parked sedan resembling a squad car is seen, briefly raising Dennis Weaver's hopes, but it turns out to be a service car for a pest exterminator named Grebleips... "Spielberg" in reverse. <br> <br> • The film received many positive reviews and is often considered the greatest TV movie ever made.

On Rotten Tomatoes the film currently has a score of 87% based on 38 reviews with an average rating of 7.8 out of 10.)<br> <br> • Interpretations of <em>Duel</em> often focus on the symbolism of Mann and the truck. Some critics follow Spielberg's own interpretation of the story as an indictment against the mechanization of life, both by literal machines and by social regimentation. The theme of gender performativity in Mann's quest to prove his manhood is another common interpretation.<br> <br> • The dinosaur roar sound effect that is heard as the truck goes over the cliff is also heard in <em>Jaws</em> (1975), also directed by Spielberg, as the shark's carcass sinks into the ocean.

Spielberg has said that this is because he feels there is a "kinship" between <em>Duel</em> and <em>Jaws</em>, as they are both about "these leviathans targeting everyman." He has also said that inserting the sound effect into <em>Jaws</em> was "my way of thanking <em>Duel</em> for giving me a career."<br> <br> <a href="">Trailer</a> <br> <br> This movie is a selection of the <a href="">Shut Up And Drive!</a> club. post:fanfare.metafilter.com,2016:site.6538 By: maxsparber #102779 It feels like a long time since we have had character actors/leading men like Dennis Weaver. He was such an odd, twitchy character. There was something about that that worked in all the westerns he was in -- and McCloud was basically a transplanted western -- but I loved seeing him in non-westerns, like this and Touch of Evil.

In the latter, he's just deeply odd, and in this film he just flat out seems like he's having a nervous breakdown.<br> <br> But it wasn't a showy weirdness, like, say, Crispin Glover. It was just his, and it was great. comment:fanfare.metafilter.com,2016:site.6538-102779 By: holborne #102821 This freaked me out as a kid, too. It actually still does, and it's as a direct result of this picture that I actively try to drive on roads where trucks are not permitted even if it will take me longer to reach my destination. At the very least, I give trucks a wiiiiide berth on the highway and never try to pass them. <br> <br> <small>(Then there was the time I watched <em>Breakdown</em> on DVD the night before undertaking a cross-country drive from SF to NYC on Interstate 40 and sat up all night in a panicked sweat.

But that's a whole different story.)</small> comment:fanfare.metafilter.com,2016:site.6538-102821 By: Naberius #102825 <em>Duel was Spielberg's second feature-length directing effort, after his 1971 The Name of the Game NBC television series episode "L.A. 2017".</em> <br> <br> Oh, this was originally a TV movie, right? Because I have been told all these years that Sugarland Express was Spielberg's first feature. So that might be his first actual feature, but was preceded by the TV version of Duel and L.A. 2017., right?<br> <br> BTW, L.A. 2017 appears to have perfectly nailed the phenomenon of decrepit boomers still clinging to the 60s and crushing anything that gets in their way. The only real difference between that trailer and any Stones tour since the 90s is the Stones' higher budget and production quality.

comment:fanfare.metafilter.com,2016:site.6538-102825 By: oneswellfoop #102861 Okay, I have a weird connection to this movie... 'L.A. Wacky Disc Jockey' "Sweet" Dick Whittington (who I worked for as a clerical assistant/on-air sidekick YEARS after this) was the Voice on the Car Radio for the first part of the movie and he didn't record any new voice-over work for it, they used actual tapes of his show including a couple live 'prank calls' he did in the early 70s when you could legally do so, plus an incoming call from somebody weirder than he was...<blockquote>from IMDB:<br> Radio Interviewer: [discussing an amateur talent competition] So, what is it that you do, if I may ask?<br> Caller on Radio: I play meat.<br> Radio Interviewer: You play meat?<br> Caller on Radio: Yes, uh... meat. You know, beef, pork...<br> David Mann: [laughing] That's sick, man. That's sick.

</blockquote>And that's how I ended up "2 degrees of separation" from Stephen Spielberg and Dennis Weaver (who I've never actually met).<br> <br> If FanFare runs long enough, you'll know how I got "2 degrees of separation" from Groucho Marx, Woody Allen, John Belushi, Goldie Hawn, Mel Blanc, Robert DeNiro, Roseanne and Chuck Norris (NONE of whom I've ever actually met)<br> <br> Anyway, I remember seeing this when it first aired on ABC (again, YEARS before I worked for Whittington). Their "Movies for TV" productions were in a regular weekly "ABC Movie of the Week" 90-minute time slot (only 75 minutes minus commercials) and based on their success, the network added an "ABC Movie of the Weekend" on Saturdays. This was one of the first and one of the most highly rated.<br> <br> And I read the story before I saw the TV movie.

My father had gotten a subscription to <em>Playboy</em> from a troublemaking friend of which my mother did not approve, so she promptly tossed the safely-wrapped issues in the trash where teen-aged me was occasionally able to rescue them. And after getting bored with the naked ladies (it happens!) I actually read some of the articles and especially the fiction. comment:fanfare.metafilter.com,2016:site.6538-102861

Question: What is the name of the 1971 Spielberg film which pits Dennis Weaver against an unseen truck driver?
Answer: Duel