Oldies Movie Review - Duel

Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Actie/ Thriller
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 1971
Starring: Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott, Eddie Firestone, Lou Frizzell, Gene Dynarski

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 20: A MOVIE FROM A DIRECTOR YOU LOVE
 
Description: A business commuter (Dennis Weaver) is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.

Review: “Duel” can actually be called director Steven Spielberg’s first major feature film. He was only 26 when he made this film and he made an intense, exciting and high-quality film.

The strength of the film lies in the simplicity of the story. David Mann leaves home and hits the road for an appointment and soon finds himself in trouble with a large, rusty truck that constantly chases him, cuts him off and tries to push him off the road.

The film has a simple premise, but it worked out so effectively. Actually, just like his more well-known and more successful film “Jaws”. The tension is systematically built and constantly you are on the edge of your seat.

“Duel” begins with a beautiful shot taken from the bumper of David’s car. The camera follows him through all the streets as he drives out of town and the radio can be heard in the background. Once outside the city, we see David sitting relaxed in his car. Even though you would have no idea what the film is about, you sense that something is about to happen. Then David encounters the truck and that is the beginning of an unnerving cat-and-mouse game, that gets more and more exciting throughout the film.

The music adds a real sense of suspense at just the right moment and the camera work is fantastic. Already then you could see that Steven Spielberg was a gifted filmmaker and it makes me wish he made more of those ‘Hitchockian’ thrillers. A movie most people haven’t seen by Spielberg, but everyone really should.

Rating: 4,5/ 5