Duel (1971)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Spielberg, probably not the first name you think of when you think of horror, but hey he has had his hands in multiple thrillers over the years. From Jaws to Poltergeist, and even Close Encounters, he seemingly understands what makes a good horror movie. Eventhough this is his first feature film, early on he knew as well.
Duel is a simple story. A man is on his way to work, when a tanker truck starts messing with him. The games escalate quickly and become increasingly dangerous. Now he’s in a battle for his life as the tension builds. I have seen this movie a few times. My dad and I watched it late one summer night when I was in high school and I loved it! I also enjoyed Joyride with Paul Walker and Steve Zahn, which is essentially the same movie haha. I don’t feel like that gets talked about enough as a ripoff.
The acting is pretty solid, Dennis Weaver puts in a great performance as the easy going David Mann. Other than him, there really isn’t much else instead of smaller roles. The antagonist in the tanker truck, is never seen nor heard, which is great. We know nothing about him, and it stays that way. Much in the way that Michael Myers is in Halloween, he has no real motive, which in my mind is much creepier. The cinematography is top notch and we get some cool shots of the California desert and some interesting angles from outside and inside the car.
There isn’t much in the way of special effects, but the driving scenes, which are abundant, are awesome. The stunts and chases are gut wrenching and they keep you glued to the tv. It is hard to believe this was a TV movie back in the day, because man it is high quality. You can see the ability Spielberg had here, his first film.
If you haven’t seen Duel before, you should totally check it out. It is a nailbiting and fun movie with lots of car chases and good camerawork. This movie should really be talked about more, because it deserves the recognition. I enjoy movies with simple plots that make the most out of the least. Duel gets an A from me.
