Duel the movie: my experience followed by questions

JEEPCJTJ

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FWIW, I almost put this post in the "Car pics too cool not to share" but I figured my questions could lead too far off that topic

It's been roughly 20 years since the second time I watched it and almost 6-1/2 years since my Traumatic Brain Injury so I don't remember the movie details beyond something at a diner and hopefully the truck, not the car, drive off a cliff and exploded. I do know that I never understood why the movie exists.

I first saw it on TV in the early 80s when many cars were already important to me. Honestly, the 15 yr old me didn't watch it to see my grandma's car nor the old painted-patina semi that looked very similar to a truck in the woods that I had shot bbs at hundreds of times trying to add to the bullet holes made by someone else. Maybe I thought I didn't understand the movie because I was too young but I'm pretty sure at 15 yrs old I understood everything.

The second time I watched it, I watched for the movie itself, not the main vehicles because they still weren't anything special to me (at this point I have to admit my Grandparent's car wasn't a red 4 door Valiant but was a gold 2 door Dart Swinger with a white vinyl top) anyway, by the end I shook my head hoping something would click so I'd know why I watched it. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

Is it a good movie? If so I have to ask how? or maybe why?

I believe the movie is about something but I never really knew what. Is it about good vs evil? mental illness? risk of driving alone?

Maybe it was about fear? Specifically, the fear of putting the pedal to the metal and leaving that truck far behind because even the slant six would have had no problem getting away from a truck with a top speed somewhere under 60 mph.
 
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I love that movie. Horrible acting, but love the movie. My dad seemed to like it and I remember watching it with him the first time I seen it probably around the mid to late 70's. I never really thought more of it than some something that could happen while driving.
 
My first car was a used 1963 Valiant, sort of tan colored, four doors, with the slant six and three on the tree. I drove it all through high school. It had well over 100k on it when I sold it to a friend. He drove it across country a couple of times and his family kept it for another five years. The only problem I had with it was the shift linkage would jam up if I tried to shift it too quickly. Replaced it with a used '64 Impala with a 327/350. Quite a difference.
Re the movie, I agree that he would have no problem avoiding or running away from the truck. I think it is about fear of the unknown and being helpless in a situation that is going to harm you. Overall, I thought it was pretty stupid.
 
I agree that it was basically a repeated road rage scene.
For that time period, I'd rather watch "Vanishing Point" that was also released in 1971.
 
Its a classic. I think a lot of it was the lack of dialog, esp with the truck driver. I think I'll go watch it again...


Yea, there are things that don't make much sense. The '70 or '71 Plymouth wouldn't have been a paragon of good handling, but it would have handled far better than that truck. I've driven on roads just like the ones in the movie many times, it should have been easy to lose that truck. But its still a good watch.
 
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Maybe it was about fear? Specifically, the fear of putting the pedal to the metal and leaving that truck far behind because even the slant six would have had no problem getting away from a truck with a top speed somewhere under 60 mph.

Unless the truck wasn't stock and was full of evil..... ;) It is just a movie full of the unknown and trying to play on your fears , don't over think it.
 
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OK, Maybe my first post did seem to be over thinking it.

For those that think so or the TLDR crowd:

Is it a good movie?


Back to over thinking it and more TLDR:

When Zorba posted the actual movie on Tuesday I figured I'm older now so I'd watch it again. Third time's the charm, right? NOT yet....I stopped at about 16 minutes in (maybe where he let the truck pass a second time) not really understanding why. Since then I've watched a some more chunks of it, including just now when I had to stop again about 36 minutes in and I have to ask:

How oftern have you been asked if your ready to order while the menu is being handed to you? Not impossible but highly unlikely unless you're a regular.

But more important:
Who the Hell wants ketchup for their cheese sandwich on rye bread? Even if you did why wouldn't you speak up with an "Excuse me ma'am, I guess I'd like some ketchup." instead of mumbling it as she walked away? At this point I'm thinking David Mann's mental state may be the problem.

So far I can't really handle this movie, maybe even less than before, but I will watch as big a chunk as possible each time until I get to the end. Probably done for today though.
 
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Sometimes, a movie - popular or otherwise - just doesn't do it for a particular person. People go NUTS over "Rocky Horror", I find it boring and stupid. *shrug*

People seem to like "Stand by Me" - I never saw the point. OTOH, I absolutely *LOVE* "Time Bandits", and my wife hates it saying "Its STUPID" - which is EXACTLY the point! Different strokes and all that, I guess...
 
Sometimes, a movie - popular or otherwise - just doesn't do it for a particular person. People go NUTS over "Rocky Horror", I find it boring and stupid. *shrug*

People seem to like "Stand by Me" - I never saw the point. OTOH, I absolutely *LOVE* "Time Bandits", and my wife hates it saying "Its STUPID" - which is EXACTLY the point! Different strokes and all that, I guess...

I'm right with you on "Rocky Horror" but I'd say it's goofy and pretentious. Early on I saw enough in the commercials for "Stand by Me" that I've never seen any of the movie. As for "Time Bandits", I never saw that one either and even though from what I just googled I may be somewhere between your wife and you I'll eventually try to find it for free when I finish "Duel"
 
I'm right with you on "Rocky Horror" but I'd say it's goofy and pretentious. Early on I saw enough in the commercials for "Stand by Me" that I've never seen any of the movie. As for "Time Bandits", I never saw that one either and even though from what I just googled I may be somewhere between your wife and you I'll eventually try to find it for free when I finish "Duel"

Time bandits is one of those movies that you have to watch multiple times to get all the subtle details. I think it was about the 10th time I saw it that I noticed one of the midgets picking his nose and wiping it on the hat of another midget in the Robin Hood scene as just one for-instance. If you like subtle British, Monty Python type humor, you'll like it. If you don't, you won't. My next door neighbor had it on CED when I was a late teen - so it got played a lot.
 
I remember the car as a Duster, maybe a 1972? Now I'm going to have to take a look. My very first car was a 1965 Barracuda which I bought for $50 from some rich people who had bought it so their maid could get back and forth. Asking price was $75 with a new battery or $50 with the old battery which only lasted a couple of days.
 
I remember seeing Duel as a kid. Don't overthink it. Just a suspense film playing on the potential helplessness of coming across a bad guy on the open road.

I recently rewatched Total Recall. Sure there are some cheesy visual effects but damn if that isn't a fun movie to watch, at least to me. Not to mention Sharon Stone in her prime, wowzers, even despite her character being an antagonist.
 
I've always loved "Duel". Loved the rig, and imagining what that type of fear must be like (wondering who the hell that is, and why they're doing this to you). As for the slant-6 outrunning much of anything, I find it debatable, especially one that's overheating. I've owned and daily-driven at least a half-dozen 225s, so there's some basis to my opinion. But I digress. As others have said, don't overthink it. Go along for the ride. Remember, it was originally a "made for TV" movie. How many of those would you ever consider as great?

And yes, "Jaws" is the best movie ever! (y) Both movies were Spielberg films, btw. I can't remember if "Duel" was his first movie, or not. 🤷‍♂️
 
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Sometimes, a movie - popular or otherwise - just doesn't do it for a particular person. People go NUTS over "Rocky Horror", I find it boring and stupid. *shrug*

People seem to like "Stand by Me" - I never saw the point. OTOH, I absolutely *LOVE* "Time Bandits", and my wife hates it saying "Its STUPID" - which is EXACTLY the point! Different strokes and all that, I guess...

Your "Rocky Horror" is my "The song remains the same" , people are crazy about it I was like meh...
 
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