I recently chased down a copy of Stephen Spielberg’s first film, Duel (1971), and was surprised by the raw intensity and simplicity of it. The story is about David Mann (Dennis Weaver), who is driving to an important business meeting through the desert of California. Early in his trip, Mann gets stuck behind the driver of a 1955 Peterbilt truck that looks like it came off the set of Mad Max. The two motorists continue to pass each other on the road to establish dominance, upping the speed, danger, and relentlessness between the two as the film progresses. Things quickly get personal and the word “road rage” begins to take on a whole new meaning. Dennis Prince at DVD Verdict writes, “Duel is a film that is fully captivating as it drops us into perhaps one of modern life’s most frightening situations … The viewer experiences the events from Mann’s perspective, and shares in his mounting feelings of unease and dread; the situation is all the more disconcerting because, in addition to the fact that there seems to be no reason for the trucker’s extreme actions, Mann (and, therefore, the viewer) is left slack-jawed asking the most disconcerting of questions, ‘Why me?’” Overall, I felt the film was slow at times, most likely due to repetitive and predictable encounters between the perpetrator and victim. Minimal speaking and musical score throughout the film help build tension and intensify the feeling of isolation and vulnerability felt by Mann. The decision to minimize the speaking and music means the sonic landscape is filled with roaring engines, squeaking tires, and truck horn calls, which heightens the drama. This was no doubt a conscious decision by Spielberg, which showcases his talent of controlling rhythm and tension early on as a director. This film is underrated as a car chase film, and deserves to be mentioned alongside other greats of the genre like Vanishing Point, Gone in 60 Seconds (1974), Bullitt, and The Italian Job (1969). This films works because of how simple the plot is, and how well Spielberg keeps building and releasing tension. It’s a must see for fans of action and car chase movies, check it out.
Here is a link to the top 25 car chase scenes. Notice how most of these are from the late 60’s to mid 70’s (the golden age of exploitation), and after 2000. Why do you think that is? Write your comments below.
by Alex Prouhet
cowabungaflicks 