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Duel (1971)

New Year is upon us and this holiday season is the perfect time to sit back and relax with some exciting movies. Steven Spielberg's Duel is one such movie which can pump some life into a sagging evening or a drowsy afternoon.

The Plot 

Mild mannered and middle aged salesman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) is driving on a freeway in the California desert for a business trip. David is essentially non-combative and even his wife complains against his pacifist approach when he doesn't react after one of his acquaintances misbehaves with her. With a sensitive personal situation on hand, all David wants to do is finish the trip and get back home as early as possible. That's until he runs into the Truck.

On a narrow two lane freeway the truck completely halts David's momentum. Recognizing that time is running out, David overtakes the truck only for the truck to overtake him again. The cycle repeats and soon the game of overtaking takes a nasty turn when the truck runs David's car off the road giving David a nasty jerk. With no where to run and no one to turn to, David realizes his life might well be in danger with a maniacal truck driver who stops at nothing to prove a point. Will David fightback or will he surrender as he always does? Who wins the battle of wills on the deserted freeway? Watch Duel to find out what happens. It's a 90 minute thrill ride through the barren Californian landscapes.



The Plus Points
  1. Steven Spielberg specializes in putting ordinary people in extra-ordinary circumstances. Whether it's Roy Scheider in Jaws, Sam Neill in Jurassic Park or Dennis Weaver in Duel, all the protagonists are common everyday men who rise up to the challenge when the situation demands. As a viewer, it's easier to associate with a protagonist who looks fallible than a hero who is perfect. It makes the struggle believable and the victory all the more sweeter when a common man rises above everything to trounce the enemy.
  2. Dennis Weaver as the lead holds the movie together. His tensions, indecisiveness, fear and valor move you as David played by Dennis desperately searches for a way to defeat the truck.
  3. The Truck (in the hands of a psychotic driver) as the main villain gives us the same eerie feeling as the shark in Jaws. I've said this before, an antagonist is as important as a protagonist to keep the audience invested in the proceedings. The indomitable and virtually impregnable truck overpowers the hapless salesman at every turn until....(You gotta watch the movie to find out)
  4. Take two contrasting characters (just as we have in Shattered Glass) and wrap them in a plot sprinkled with suspense, intrigue and thrills. Support them with an engaging screenplay and a riveting background score and you have Duel.



The Best Scene

David Mann after overtaking the truck twice believes he's finally got rid off the truck only for it to reappear and give him the scare of his life.

The Conclusion  

Most thrillers are strict one time watches. While Duel might not engage you more than once it's a fantastic first time watch. The first time I watched it, time just flew by. Plus this is one of the earliest (and little known) directorial efforts of Steven Spielberg where all his trademarks (which would go onto make him a legend) are readily visible. Last but not the least, the road rage depicted in Duel is a growing malady. Roads are for driving and are not for racing or proving points to others. Life is a marathon where momentary egos have to give way to long term plans and strategies. Roads should lead us to destinations but not away from them. Enjoy the movie but remember this message.

Rated: Time Pass

Until Next Time,

Your Movie Buff,
J.J. Chaitanya

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