Duel- early Spielberg film from the 70's

take everything

Hi.
This was one of those films i saw when i was younger and always stuck in my mind (only today finding out its name).
Basically, a harrassed looking businessman chased by a faceless, maniacal truck driver for 90 minutes.
Sounds dull on paper but there was something about it- the suspenseful, claustrophobic, point of view way its directed.
Anyone else know this film?

More broadly, what's your favourite car chase scene in film.


Yeah, i've been reading the Sindo's motoring supplement

Rubik.

Yeah, I saw it when I was a kid as well - it's one of those films which sticks in your mind. The businessman was McCloud(70's TV series).

Zombienosh

Amazing film, wasn't there some sort of remake in the 90's i remember seeing some kind of crappy version of the story.

take everything

Zombienosh wrote: »

Amazing film, wasn't there some sort of remake in the 90's i remember seeing some kind of crappy version of the story.

Not sure but Jeepers Creepers (crappy horror film from a few years back) kinda pays homage to it (similar looking truck etc).

Sad Professor

Road Kill or Joy Ride (or whatever it was called) ripped off the concept as well.

losthorizon

I think it was supposed to be a TV movie but it was so well made that they decided to release it as a cinematic movie.

My fav car moment in a film is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-7IEPTAoTg

mike65

Duel was an ABC Universal TV movie of the week made for a 75 min r/t and then fleshed out with added scenes so it could get a 90m cinema release in Europe and then it was given a limited release in the US/Canada which was pretty much unheard of. Its probably my favourite Spielberg film.

if this is going to be a "list thread" tread carefully and as is the traditon in a car-chase thread I shall post the greatest sounding chase ever filmed and its also one of the best for action. If the same scenes were filmed now it would be unwatchable as there would be about a 1000 edits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpIHuskIZbo

omahaid

take everything wrote: »

what's your favourite car chase scene in film.

Definitely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu3GmRQ-U9k

rednik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVaNBrYLvFg

A great movie made by a legendary director. A very real car chase with an excellent cast.

mawk

edit, mobile double posted

mawk

I always liked the ambiguity of wether the truck driver trying to kill him actually existed or not. Never shows as a person. Simply a malevolant external force.
But I might be reading too much into it

the_monkey

Fantastic film ... Thanks for the remind - i must watch it again soon ..

milehip1

great film, love the landcsape it's like another character in the film,

George A. Romero reckons it Speilberg's best work,stating 'it's benn all dowhill for that cat since'

mawk wrote: »

I always liked the ambiguity of wether the truck driver trying to kill him actually existed or not. Never shows as a person. Simply a malevolant external force.
But I might be reading too much into it

He address what he believes to be the driver in a truckstop cafe,but dosen't get acknowledged.
there is a definite air of the unseen supernatural about the truck,
like 'the car' not sure which came first tho.

SirLemonhead

milehip1 wrote: »

great film, love the landcsape it's like another character in the film,

George A. Romero reckons it Speilberg's best work,stating 'it's benn all dowhill for that cat since'



He address what he believes to be the driver in a truckstop cafe,but dosen't get acknowledged.
there is a definite air of the unseen supernatural about the truck,
like 'the car' not sure which came first tho.

It's great, I miss films like that where not everything is explained, like the original Black Christmas.

A remake of Duel would probably give the killer a 30 minute backstory of how he was abused by rednecks when he was younger or something

take everything

great film, love the landcsape it's like another character in the film,

Yeah, the scenery is great.
There is definitely something about that "roadrunner?" setting combined with the seventies feel (the cars, the clothes etc)- can't put my finger on it (someone else might be able to explain it), it's just very evocative and characteristic.

there is a definite air of the unseen supernatural about the truck,
like 'the car' not sure which came first tho.

I agree about the supernatural air of the truck.
That and the eerie, lonesome setting combine (reminded me of Deliverance- trucker probably at home in that setting vs the away from home businessman).
But all the time the menace is grounded in a very human, relatable scenario. Maybe that's where the impact comes from.

mike65

I think Richard Matheson, who wrote the story/screenplay said he wanted the truck to be representative of a malign "presence" rather than just a 'weapon' in the hands of a known lunatic. The ending suggests the rig is almost like a monster

as it emits a death "roar" going over the edge.

D-FENS

mike65 wrote: »

I think Richard Matheson, who wrote the story/screenplay said he wanted the truck to be representative of a malign "presence" rather than just a 'weapon' in the hands of a known lunatic. The ending suggests the rig is almost like a monster

as it emits a death "roar" going over the edge.

I have the DVD for this at home (one of my favs since i was a kid) and

Spielberg says he intended for the same effect for the shark roaring at the end of Jaws

I also personally get reminded of the T-Rex in Jurassic Park when i hear that roar

the_syco

take everything wrote: »

More broadly, what's your favourite car chase scene in film.

Gone in 60 Seconds, the original film.

Also, "the car chase" in Blues Brothers, where there are multiple car pile-ups

One of my favourite car chase scenes in recent years was in Bad Boys 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXMD1VZ1BbQ

It was braindead and nonsensical, but it was extraordinarily hard not to get excited when they were driving down that freeway, with the bad guys throwing everything at them - at one point, even a boat.

Also, I thoroughly enjoyed Jeepers Creepers. For the first half of it, it was quite good, filled with some pretty suspenseful moments, before completely collapsing on itself towards the end.

bonerm

Duel is doubly impressive also for the constraints under which it was made. Considering was intended merely as a tv movie-of-the-week and was given only a 10 day shooting schedule (later extended to 13) the results are impressive.

FYI there is some very good making of docs on the DVD for Duel that I would recommend fans picking up and watching. In it Spielberg gives even gives away a few simple tricks (eg filming the truck (which couldn't go very fast) at low angle against a rockface to give an impressive illusion of speed). Anyway, it's a good watch.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Duel-Special-DVD-Eddie-Firestone/dp/B00079FGQM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301940003&sr=8-1

Kess73

SirLemonhead wrote: »

It's great, I miss films like that where not everything is explained, like the original Black Christmas.

A remake of Duel would probably give the killer a 30 minute backstory of how he was abused by rednecks when he was younger or something

Could be argued that Jaws was the remake.

Kess73

mike65 wrote: »

I think Richard Matheson, who wrote the story/screenplay said he wanted the truck to be representative of a malign "presence" rather than just a 'weapon' in the hands of a known lunatic. The ending suggests the rig is almost like a monster

as it emits a death "roar" going over the edge.

Never knew he wrote the screenplay. Learn something new every day.