STACK #244 February 2025

MOVIE FEATURE

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HIGHWAY TO HELL Looking back at Spielberg’s Duel

Before Jaws , there was Duel ! Steven Spielberg’s nerve-shredding thriller that redefined how movies were made. Words Bob J

Fun facts about Spielberg and Duel The final shot of the shark sinking in Jaws was designed to mirror the truck’s demise in Duel , with Spielberg even using the same dinosaur sound effect for both scenes. Before making Duel , Spielberg had directed episodes of Night Gallery and Columbo . Spielberg made another two television movies and a feature, Something Evil (1972), Savage (1973), and Sugarland Express (1974), before making Jaws . To safely capture the look of high speeds, Spielberg took inspiration from the Steve McQueen film Bullitt (1968), filming chase sequences from low angles - a technique later used by George Miller in Mad Max (1979). In a TV interview, Spielberg revealed that he watches Duel regularly to remember techniques he used on such a low budget.

glimpse of his boots - thus, the 40-ton truck itself becomes a terrifying behemoth. Spielberg also deliberately adjusted the film’s sound levels, particularly the truck’s blasting horn that makes the viewer jump, demonstrating his ability to create and sustain extreme tension throughout Mann’s hellish road rage journey. Duel is almost a dialogue free rollercoaster thriller that never lets up, keeping viewers

T he film Duel was based on a short story by novelist Richard Matheson, penned after he was deliberately and dangerously tailgated by a large truck whilst driving on a U.S. highway. Originally published in Playboy magazine, it was purchased by Universal’s ABC television. The

that Universal Pictures told the young director to go back on the highway and film a further sixteen minutes of scenes, to extend the running time so they could screen it theatrically outside the U.S. The theme of the film is simplicity itself. Mild-mannered businessman David Mann (Dennis Weaver) is driving his

Duel Australian theatrical day bill (1973)

on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Over the decades, it has deservedly earned cult classic status. Following the success of Duel , Richard

red Plymouth Valiant car along a quiet Californian highway on his way to an important appointment. He encounters a slow-moving, smoke-belching, multi wheeled tanker truck and decides to overtake it. That simple action somehow ignites the wrath of the truck driver and triggers a relentless and nightmarish

Steven Spielberg

In 2005, a spin-off sequel to Duel was made called Throttle . Dennis Weaver’s character briefly appears, played by David Mann. DYK?

to become known as the ”monster-shark and-monster-truck director.” He wanted to make ”serious films” and

Matheson wrote the film script for Peter Benchley’s book Jaws, which had a similar theme to Duel - instead of a rogue

screenplay, also written by Matheson, was given to a young man who had directed a few television episodes - Steven Spielberg. Given just 13

Duel newspaper ad (1971)

truck, there's a rogue shark.

subsequently turned

days to complete the film, Spielberg immediately displayed a fine grasp of filmmaking techniques that perfectly demonstrated that you don’t need millions of dollars to make a truly frightening movie. The 74-minute high-quality film performed so well on television

down their offer. However, Brown managed to dissuade him when he said, ”Steven if you make this film ( Jaws ), you can make all the films you want”. That comment and his acceptance set Spielberg on the path to movie fame.

Universal producers

David Brown and Richard Zanuck offered the director’s chair to Spielberg. His immediate reaction surprised the producers when he told them he did not want

tailgating drive for Mann. Due to the truck’s blacked-out windows, the psychotic truck driver remains unseen throughout the film, apart from catching a

• Duel is out Feb 12

32 FEBRUARY 2025

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