Duel

Writer : Richard Matheson
Director : Steven Spielberg
Year : 1971

Duel is a suspense road-thriller set on the highways of California. The film is the second feature in Spielberg's career, and he has quoted "Duel has given him a career".  The story is very simple and at the same time terrifying. Richard Matheson wrote the story inspired by his experience on the road when he was tailgated by trucker. The story was made into a Television film and later into a feature film. The television version was 74 minutes long, and various scenes were shot later and expanded the movie to 90 minutes. 

The story begins with the encounter of David Mann with a tanker truck while on his business trip in the Mojave deserts of California. Mann passes a truck who later overtakes him and when Mann attempts to pass the truck another time the driver blasts the horn. After successfully leaving some distance between him and the truck, Mann pulls into a gas station to call his wife. The truck also pulls into the gas station moments later. Mann could not see the face of the truck driver, but his boots when he stepped out. As Mann pulls out, so does the truck, slowly gaining ground until he passes Mann. Agitated by the truck drivers behavior, Mann tries to pass him many times, but the truck blocks him, at one time giving signal to pass which almost leads to Mann crashing into an oncoming car. After several attempts Mann manages to pass the truck, after which the truck starts tailgating Mann's car at high speed on the highway. Desperate and frightened, Mann looses control of his car, and crashes into a fence. He is unharmed but shaken up as the truck speeds down the road. 

Mann moves to the diner nearby and when he comes out of the rest room, he notices the truck has come back. Mann leaves the diner and continues down the road. He stops to help a school bus, but seeing the truck come back, he flees and gain distance as the truck helps the stranded school bus. He's gained some distance, but he has to stop at the rail-crossing for a Goods train to pass where the truck pulls behind him, and tries to push the car into the track while the train is still passing. Mann pulls over on the side and the truck passes by as soon as the train leaves and follows. He pulls up at a gas station and calls the police, but is almost over-run by the truck, destroying the phone booth and the animal collection of the owner at the gas station. Mann escapes in his car and hides. After some time, he enters the road again only to find the truck waiting for him at one point. Mann tries to pass him, but is blocked by the truck. He finally passes speeds off, followed by the truck up the mountain, but his car's radiator hose breaks  as soon as he comes to the summit, he manages to drive till the downhill starts and drives down in neutral. Mann looses control again and comes to a stop, where he is almost run over while trying to restart his car. He goes off road towards a canyon, and turns around to face the following truck. Using his briefcase, he accelerated towards it and jumps it right before the car hits the truck and catches fire. The truck driver is blinded by the fire as he drives towards the canyon, eventually falling into it causing a wreck.

The movie is entirely shot on the road, except for the phone scene with Mann's wife. The terror of being alone and the run for life is clearly visible in this story. Although the motives of the truck driver is not given, it is clear that his intentions from the start was to endanger and even murder Mann. The main antagonist of the movie however is the truck, and not the driver. Spielberg said that by not showing the face of the truck driver, the truck itself becomes the face of the villain. The cabin of the truck has that look which strikes fear into the minds, and the Engine sound is as terrifying. Throughout the movie, the roar of the truck's engine and the cars sound are contrasted. The movie is without doubt a brilliant production. The visuals, the high speed chases, the fear reflected in the main character and the singularity of the car on the vast highway has all pointed its fingers to the society and its rules. The use of sound in this film is the highlight as the truck's sound is heard throughout and it strikes a sense of fear and agitation into people's mind.

--Abhijith G--