By CONNOR KEATING
Tiger Media Network
Spring break is finally here, which gives many students a load of free time to watch movies, but what is there to watch? Aside from the occasional ‘fine’ movie that comes out these days, there isn’t much. So here are a few recommendations for the break, starting off by reviewing Steven Spielberg’s first film, “Duel”.
The film follows David Mann as he sets out on a long drive through the California desert. Along the way, he encounters a slow-moving old semi and decides to pass it, but the semi truck doesn’t seem to like that and passes him, only to then slow right back down. Things gradually heat up as the truck becomes more and more aggressive, as it seems it wants Mann dead, and it’ll follow him to the ends of the earth until he is.
The plot is very simple and there are only a few characters, but that’s one of the film’s greatest strengths. We spend the entire film from the main character’s perspective as he slowly descends into madness. Most of the time, it’s him driving along with the truck ever present. However, he occasionally pulls over to interact with a couple of one-off characters as he tries his best to explain his crazy situation. Because of this, our main character will either make or break this entire film, but fortunately, he does a fantastic job.
He starts off calm, cool, and normal, gradually getting more upset at this truck until eventually the realization sets in that this truck is out for blood, and from there it’s a game of cat and mouse as he tries to evade the semi. Dennis Weaver’s performance as Mann helps to really sell the desperation of the main character, and I believe that that’s one of the things that makes the film so great.
Again, “Duel” has a very simple plot, but it has a “The Twilight Zone” sort of feel. Probably because this movie’s writer wrote a number of episodes for that show. The story takes an ordinary man and throws him into a crazy situation that doesn’t seem all that crazy. The film also feels very much like a suspenseful Hitchcock film with its slow, gradual build-ups and moments of intense suspense. Despite this being Spielberg’s first feature-length movie, he brings his A-game. I’ve already gushed about the acting of the protagonist, but the cinematography is fantastic as well. Plenty of great-looking shots, taken while the two cars are driving bumper to bumper across the desert highway. The film also makes great use of the mirrors on a car to show the semi from within Mann’s car, which really helps the suspense as Mann may not notice the truck, but we, the audience, do.
While this may be an “Off The Shelf Review,” it almost seems more like it should be in my “Monster Movie Mayhem” series. The semi truck is a real menace. The truck’s look is perfect. It’s old and gross-looking, has a big trailer with the word “FLAMMABLE” written across it, the front almost looks like a face, and it’s covered in license plates, presumably from previous victims. And one of the greatest things about the truck is that you never get a real good look at the driver. You might see his boots or the occasional arm, but never his face. This makes it seem almost as if the truck itself is the monster.
The film has a nice progression with the action. At first, it’s just the two driving aggressively as you might on the highway, but things gradually ramp up. The driver tells Mann to pass when a car is coming and kisses his bumper when he’s behind him, but as the film goes along, the truck tries to push him into a moving train, waits to ambush him, toys with him, and of course, tries to run him over. The film is filled with action-packed chase scenes, but also slower, more suspenseful stare-downs, as the two wait for the other to make the first move. The action scenes are accompanied by an exciting and unique soundtrack that fits the film beautifully, which helps to amplify the intensity.
After watching “Duel,” it’s no wonder that Spielberg went on to become one of the most legendary directors of all time. The film has a simple but effective premise with a fantastic lead. The duels between the two vehicles are intense and watching Mann’s descent into madness is engaging. If “Jaws” made people afraid to go into the water, “Duel” made people afraid to pass semi trucks. I give this film 9 “rattlesnake farms” out of 10!
Connor Keating is a senior at Fort Hays State University, studying Natural Resources. Connor is an old-school movie fan, particularly Japanese monster movies, and is an avid DVD collector.
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