Duel (Collector's Edition)

Buy This Item Duel (Collector's Edition) by Universal Studios  Available from Amazon  $10.99  on 11-25-2008     This is the TV movie that put Steven Spielberg on the map, shortly before he made <i>The Sugarland Express</i>. Working from a script by Richard Matheson, the film stars Dennis Weaver as a mild-mannered traveling salesman who unintentionally angers the driver of a semi truck. Suddenly, the truck is not only riding his tail but trying to run him off the road. No matter what he does (pulling over, stopping at a diner, calling the cops), he can't get rid of it. Spielberg makes the wise decision of never showing the driver, even as he cranks the voltage on the film's suspense elements. As a result, the truck itself takes on an air of satanic menace--even a personality of sorts--as it seems to hunt its human prey. Spielberg made a lot out of a little, suggesting just how skilled a storyteller he would become. <I>--Marshall Fine</I> Reader Reviews Steven Spielberg's "Duel" is a great movie about an ordinary salesman and his horrifying day on the road in the desert in California. Dennis Weaver stars as David Mann in this superbly crafted thriller that pits a simple man in his car versus an eighteen wheeled truck in a game of survival of the fittest. Spielberg does a great job of presenting the action to the audience from David Mann's point of view by allowing the audience the unique experience of hearing Mann's thoughts as he thinks them. This allows the viewer access to the mind of the main character, and the psychological effect on the viewer is amazing. The score/soundtrack in "Duel" also does a great job of presenting mood and atmosphere throughout the movie. Being privy to Mann's thought processes makes "Duel" a terrific psychological thriller from Mann's perspective that allows the viewer to climb into the mind of the main character. Hence, the viewer is able to empathize with Weaver's character in this most intimate manner. The audience consequently sympathizes with Mann, and thinks with him as he goes through the action of the movie about what could be done to eradicate the dilemma that Mann has. "Duel" is more of a thriller than a horror movie. However, there is an undeniable element of horror inherent in Mann's situation. Imagine being bullied in your small car by an eighteen wheel truck on a desert highway with a truck driver who has a death wish or at least no regard for human life, much less the ordinary traffic laws for any jurisdiction. Everybody has experienced road rage with drivers that like to play road games, but what if you were on a desert highway with a huge truck who basically wanted to kill you for some inexplicable reason? The fact that there is no real motive for the truck driver's actions only works to magnify the horror associated with Mann's situation. Indeed, there is horror in the situation and setting of "Duel", and Spielberg does a brilliant job of presenting it to the audience. Spielberg cleverly never allows the viewer to get a real look at the driver of the truck thereby creating even more suspense and fear in the audience, but the real fear is in the isolation of Mann's character and the situation with which he must confront all by himself. No one is around to help him, and it is a fight to the death with Mann and his piece of junk car versus this crazy truck driver and his eighteen wheeled killing machine. I mean let's face it, the odds are against Mann in this fight to the death, and the audience is able to experience his David versus Goliath like horror every step of the way. The critics will argue that there is no blood and gore in this film and that it is one-dimensional...this is true, but I like it. I highly recommend "Duel" as a great thriller with an element of horror derivative of the main character's situation which is sure to keep the viewer on the edge of his seat for the entire movie.

Duel (Collector's Edition) Available from Amazon Price: $10.99 Updated on 11-25-2008.

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