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Duel

Duel is not just an early work of Steven Spielberg but one of his best.
(Duel has been edited and re-edited to two versions and what follows is a writing on the 90 minute version rather than the 74 minute original. This version has a few additional scenes and more scope to write further!)
Richard Matheson has written the screenplay of duel based upon on his own short story. Dennis Weaver playing David Mann is dragged into a duel by a 40 ton truck. The build up of the duel between the car driver and truck driver has been written excellently. When most of the additions have added sharpness to the movie one of them stands out. The telephone conversation between David and his wife seems to be distracting. As of the information I came across, this sequence was added since producer George Eckstein wanted to make the runtime of the movie to 90 minutes.
The photography and make up for the truck has played a very significant part in the movie. The generation of evil character is portrayed with the truck in the major part of the film than in the driver. The visuals featuring the truck has been able to create fear in a way giving much life to it.
Spielberg's execution from the opening shot shows his craft in the business! He has shot the movie with such feel. The mystery, suspense, terror and thrill has been used to the fullest by him.
Strongly recommended.
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PJC said…
will try n get my hands on this one for sure...
July 7, 2008 at 10:00 PM
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