Duel

Spielberg's first film. Timeless, suspenseful, entertainment,

Great movie! The resolution is fantastic and the quality is the best. Great value and the shipping was fast. Very highly recommend.

Steven Spielberg first directorial movie. Excellent film. Has been a long-term favorite personal favorite. Definitely worth the watch. Definitely recommended!

This is an excellent movie. I really had no idea Dennis Weaver was such a fine actor, but it can certainly be seen in this movie. Also, this was Steven Spielberg's first movie, and he certainly delivers the goods ! Highly recommended !

It is very easy to see why "Duel" put a young relatively unknown director named Steven Spielberg on the map. More than five decades after its television premier, "Duel" has stood the test of time as a suspenseful and compelling movie. It is just as enjoyable for me after multiple viewings. In the movie, salesman David Mann (Played very well by the late Dennis Weaver.) leaves his home to travel to an appointment with a client. While driving through the Mojave Desert David has a chance encounter with a dilapidated tanker truck that is driving slowly on the highway. Not wanting to be driving at a snail's pace indefinitely, David decides to pass the truck and continue on. Little does David know that this seemingly simple act would turn his business trip into a fight for his life. There are many reasons why "Duel" works so well. First is its simplicity. There are no over the top stunts or crazy special effects. One of the reasons for that is the movie's budget. Also, director Steven Spielberg opposed any such stunts because he wanted to focus on the story itself. In other words, more substance than style. The second reason is the scenes of David Mann's confrontations with the vengeful driver of the tanker truck are masterfully filmed. Especially the first scene where Mann is forced to drive at dangerous speeds as the truck driver attempts to run David off the road. Another such scene is where David uses a phone booth at a gas station to report the truck driver to police. There are times, even after repeated viewing, that I almost jump out of my seat watching such scenes. What also works in the movie's favor is that the psychotic driver of the tanker truck is never seen outside of hi extending his left arm out of the truck to wave David on or walking along the passenger side of the truck at a gas station. Spielberg used this technique in "Jaws" as you know, not showing the shark until nearly an hour into the movie, but that was out of necessity since Bruce the mechanical shark kept breaking down (Though it worked very well in the movie as a whole.). In "Duel' the technique is used voluntarily to heighten the suspense of the movie and it works very well. As great as "Duel" is, the movie is not perfect. There are, in my opinion, legitimate criticisms of the movie. The biggest criticism for me is some formulaic scenes. One such scene is when David Mann tires to tell patrons and staff at a roadside diner about the mad truck driver. Surprise! Nobody believes him. In that same roadside diner scene, David confronts a man who he believes is the driver of the truck, but it was obvious from the beginning David was confronting the wrong man. Another scene involving a school bus full of brats is similar in the sense that nobody believes David and when the truck does appear, the driver acts normally and even helps out the school bus which makes the school bus driver and his cargo of brats think that it's David who is crazy. How many times have we seen that before? The aforementioned criticisms are small and do not take away from the overall enjoyment of a terrific movie. I highly recommend you see "Duel" when you get the opportunity. It is well worth your time. I guarantee you it will make you think twice about passing the next truck you see on the highway. Do so at your own risk!

The chase movie that keeps you on your seat. Scary as heck truck too beats out Maximum Overdrive truck hands down

This is a Nov. 2023 update! I just received the new 4K UHD/HDR Blu-ray of "Duel." The improvement over HD is impressive, immersing one in the thriller. Differences between 4K and HD are subtle, but with 4K it just seems to put you into the movie itself. I heartily recommend this 4K version! Also, it includes the original 74 minute TV version, which, with less "filler," increases the tension, excitement, and terror. The picture quality of the TV version is definitely NOT "HD", but feels more like watching a '70s tv show--which this was. I first saw "Duel" in around 1972 on ABC as one of their movies of the week. I was mesmerized and thrilled by the relentlessness of the film; I was on the edge of my seat for all 90 minutes! Talk about road rage! "Duel" was Steven Spielberg's first full-length film, a 'made-for-TV' movie starring Dennis Weaver (from 'Gunsmoke' and 'McCloud'), about David Mann, a mild-mannered middle-class traveling salesman being terrorized by the aggressive driver of an 18-wheeler, and how Mann (note the name!) responds during the 90 minutes of hair-raising terror. The original TV version was 74 minutes minus ads. Since ABC decided to release it theatrically in Europe, they added about 15 minutes of "filler" to get it to just under 90 minutes. The "filler" does not adversely affect the white-knuckle thriller, and adds a telephone scene with his wife (Jacqueline Scott of "Fugitive" tv series) that displays Mann's demure, passive husband/wife relationship , at odds with the challenge of facing potential violence threatened by the Peterbilt truck driver (whom we never see). Also, some mild cussing was thrown in to make it seem more realistic for movie theater audiences. The picture quality is excellent in restored high definition and in widescreen (it was originally shot in 35mm 1.33:1 ratio). There are excellent bonus videos, including Spielberg discussing the filming process and how he fought to get it filmed on location instead of in a sound stage with tacky process backgrounds (to save money of course). Also there is a spot with Richard Matheson, who wrote the original novelette published in 'Playboy' magazine, and the screenplay. Matheson wrote many screenplays for 'Twilight Zone', including the famous "Nightmare at 20,000 Ft." with William Shatner. My only 'criticism' is that Universal didn't include the original 74-minute version. Fortunately, for the serious fan, a new 4K UHD Blu-ray is being released in November 2023 that will include a Blu-ray HD print of the 74-minute TV version, in 1.33:1 standard tube-tv ratio. Spielberg credits his work on "Duel" as being the film that propelled him from directing TV show into making feature films. What a debut!

Arrived on time, as described. My mom mentioned wanting this movie. We watched it several years ago & it was a family movie night favorite. She didn't have the DVD & I was happy to see it for so cheap. Sometimes you pay big for classics. Definitely recommend.

Great movie and good shape

One of Spielberg's finest, and the 4K picture is crystal clear.

A imagem e o som são formidáveis, para um filme de 1971. Qualidade excepcional.

Si può considerare probabilmente il primo film di Spielberg. Fantastico. Un crescendo di paura e terrore, ma non è un film horror. Da vedere assolutamente

激突は、何回見ても、迫力がある。このトラックが、現存していたには、びっくりした。