Duel

[Harry P.]

Given the whole movie, I've often wondered if there was some symbolism in choosing a Valiant with its name.

Good observation!

From what I know, Spielberg didn't care what make/model of car was used. His only qualification was that it be a red car, so it would stand out against the desert backdrop. Maybe somebody in the crew figured a "Valiant" would be a worthy opponent to the evil Pete, but I guess we'll never really know.

[charlie8575]

Good observation!

From what I know, Spielberg didn't care what make/model of car was used. His only qualification was that it be a red car, so it would stand out against the desert backdrop. Maybe somebody in the crew figured a "Valiant" would be a worthy opponent to the evil Pete, but I guess we'll never really know.

I remember reading about the red car being needed to stand out against the desert, which makes perfect sense. 

As to my query about the symbolism of a Valiant...maybe all my time involved in Masonry makes me look at the world through emblems and symbols, and not mere chance. 

With that said, I think you're right...we'll never know the real answer, but I think, whether accidental or deliberate, when you stop to consider the entire movie, it's a brilliant choice. 

Charlie Larkin

[Harry P.]

With that said, I think you're right...we'll never know the real answer, but I think, whether accidental or deliberate, when you stop to consider the entire movie, it's a brilliant choice. 

Charlie Larkin

Yes it was.  Choosing a "Valiant" as the "hero" car does seem to be more than just coincidence.

[jaymichaelsdesigns]

I love that movie i think its the truck is so weathered and just so mean looking. Harry is it still on youtube to watch?

[Harry P.]

[jaymichaelsdesigns]

THANKS HARRY ILL WATCH IT TONIGHT ITS SUCH A GREAT MOVIE I WILL BE TAKING NOTES ON THE EVIL PETE 

 

[Atmobil]

Thanks for the link. I do have it on DVD but watching it on youtube gave me an excuse to tape up my Mercedes hubcaps for paint

When I now again saw the movie, I want to go there and see the places. Is there a place online where one can find the route they used and is it possible to drive it today?

[RandyEarle]

After seeing Dennis Weaver as Chester Good and Marshall McCloud, his role in Dual made him look like a Johnny Milktoast. I saw the movie a couple times, and it just didn't make sense to me, and as a former over the road trucker, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

[unclescott58]

After seeing Dennis Weaver as Chester Good and Marshall McCloud, his role in Dual made him look like a Johnny Milktoast. I saw the movie a couple times, and it just didn't make sense to me, and as a former over the road trucker, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

His role in Dual was to be "Johnny Milktoast."

[1972coronet]

 I saw the movie a couple times, and it just didn't make sense to me, and as a former over the road trucker, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

While I agree with the sentiment that a disproportionate amount of travellers view tractor-traillers and their operators as "menacing" and "an obstruction" , I must state that Duel is based heavily upon a true story . Apparently , Richard Matheson was travelling some-where in a desolate place when a tractor-trailler and its operator chased Matheson in his vehicle . It's alleged that this happened on / around the day / date that John F Kennedy was assassinated ; that helped bolster the strange vibes of the event .

[Johnr Roberts]

On 1/3/2016 at 2:23 AM, peter31a said:

I must admit I was rather surprised when there wasn't a big fireball explosion when that truck went over the cliff. It seems every t.v. show and movie had giant explosions even for small accidents you would then think a crash with a tanker with flammable on the sides would have resulted in a spectacular kaboom.

They were just trying to show what happens in real life, not Hollywood.  Ordinary guy - out of the ordinary situation.  Also the tank could be empty - the truck driver might have gotten his kicks by mowing down innocent cars, lol.  In a deleted scene, he pushes the school bus over the cliff (the scene was removed to sustain the suspense).

[Johnr Roberts]

On 1/2/2016 at 10:44 AM, Harry P. said:

a) But I couldn't help but notice several really glaring mistakes. F'rinstance, at one point Dennis Weaver's Valiant blows a radiator hose... there are several closeups of the dash temp gauge all the way over on the "hot" side, and the little Valiant is sputtering slowly to a crawl as the evil Peterbilt bears down on it. But then the road begins a long, steady downhill stretch, and the Valiant gradually picks up speed as Dennis Weaver's character puts it into "neutral" and just lets gravity take over. Ok, makes sense... but then later in the movie, the Valiant has miraculously repaired itself as the chase continues!

b) Then there's the scene where the Valiant is stopped at a RR crossing as a long freight train rumbles past. The evil Peterbilt comes up behind the Valiant and begins to push the car into the train. Dennis Weaver puts the car in reverse and guns it, trying to push back against the much larger and more powerful Peterbilt. Uh, not gonna work. Why not just turn the wheel so that as the Peterbilt pushes you, the car just makes a left turn parallel to the tracks instead of heading into the train? Duh!

Very simply answered:

a) The Valiant never repaired itself.  This happened to me once in a new six-cylinder '70 Ford.  A freeze plug blew out on a back country road.  I panicked and stuffed a rag down the hole (dumb - blew out straight away), and used a two-quart bottle in the car to keep topping up from a creek that ran near the road:
1) Top radiator up
2) Drive car until all cooling water is pumped out and engine starts to seize
3) Stop, and fill bottle again from creek
4) Rinse, repeat
Fortunately there was a garage a few miles away, the engine was run-in and it wasn't summer.

b) Blind panic.  Look where the car ends up after he floors it when the train has passed.  He doesn't get away - he ends up on top of a sandbank!  Have you ever done anything in panic that you would never have done if you'd sat down quietly and thought about it?  Check.  If this has never happened, congratulations.

 

 

 

  

 

 

Edited May 27, 2020 by Johnr Roberts

[NYLIBUD]

How about the 7UPS?Greatest car chase.Next to the French Connection.

[Oldcarfan27]

Actually, I've always asked myself. When he ditches the truck and falls asleep, why doesn't he just turn around and go back?

Why would a 1 or 2 year old car have bad radiator hoses?

Finally, I've always thought that the ultimate irony about the movie is the ending. After all the fear of the truck and the "Flammable" posted on the trailer. Ultimately, the tanker was empty and posed no threat of explosion. 

[ChrisBcritter]

On 1/17/2016 at 6:48 PM, Harry P. said:

Interesting trivia factoid: Of all the characters that appear in the move... the cafe scene, the broken-down school bus scene, the roadside "snake zoo" scene, etc... the only character with a name was Dennis Weaver's character... and his name was "Mann."

Two. The old man driving the '49 Plymouth was "Jim" - or as his wife pronounced it, "Jeeyum!"

[stavanzer]

I've just never Liked to movie. Weaver's character starts off unlikeable, and just gets worse as the movies wears on. By the end, I was rooting for the Pete! Anything to get rid of that Valiant and Weaver. I just hope Mr Mann is not in anyway biographical for Mr Matheson.   

[webestang]

On 5/27/2020 at 7:04 PM, NYLIBUD said:

How about the 7UPS?Greatest car chase.Next to the French Connection.

Wicked chase. And good flick.

That's Bill Hickman behind the wheel of the bad guys car.....he drove the Charger in Bullitt. Also, that Ventura was not supposed to go under the truck and take part of the roof off, it was a mistake that got left in (and the stunt guy was fine). 

[NYLIBUD]

Bill Hickman,IMO was that best stunt driver.Like u said,Bullitt,the 7UPS,and the French Connection.The man could drive.And when that car ran under the back of the truck,it looked like it really hurt.I was never sure if it was a stunt driver,or Roy Shieder (Spelling)?.He did a lot of his own stunts in many of his movies, including the 7UPS.In the French Connection,the movie company never got permission to film most of the car Chase under the L in Brooklyn.But it was Bill Hickman behind the wheel.

[1972coronet]

10 hours ago, webestang said:

Also, that Ventura was not supposed to go under the truck and take part of the roof off, it was a mistake that got left in (and the stunt guy was fine). 

This seems to tell a different story regarding the Ventura II's sardined roof : 

 

[1972coronet]

13 hours ago, alexis said:

I've just never Liked to movie. Weaver's character starts off unlikeable, and just gets worse as the movies wears on. By the end, I was rooting for the Pete! Anything to get rid of that Valiant and Weaver. I just hope Mr Mann is not in anyway biographical for Mr Matheson.   

The story (originally printed in an issue of Playboy) was based-upon something that actually happened to Matheson... on 22nd November 1963 ( a familiar , historical date ) .  

Dennis Weaver's character's mannerisms and reactions were encouraged --- Spielberg liked Weaver's acting in some film ( or , maybe , an episode of The Twilight Zone --- of which Matheson wrote many stories for ) , so he was selected to play that role based on his high-strung , overreacting character .

I'm not trying to change your mind by stating these 'facts' ; I just wanted to shed some light on the origins of the article-come-movie (originally released in November 1971 as a T.V. movie) .  

[Matt Bacon]

Slightly off-topic, but... Matheson’s not a well known name except to SF/Horror fans, but I wonder how many mainstream movies and TV shows were based on his stories or written by him...?

best,

M.

[webestang]

1 hour ago, 1972coronet said:

This seems to tell a different story regarding the Ventura II's sardined roof : 

 

The article on car chases I read many years ago in a car mag (can't remember which one) stated that the final shot was to have the Ventura stop under the truck right before the windshield, not smash into it. The truck was on the shoulder and the shoulder was not cleaned of any debris that would be on a shoulder. When the stunt driver hit the brakes at his mark the car didn't stop and crushed the roof while the driver ducted over into the passenger seat. 

Edited May 31, 2020 by webestang

[webestang]

4 hours ago, NYLIBUD said:

Bill Hickman,IMO was that best stunt driver.Like u said,Bullitt,the 7UPS,and the French Connection.The man could drive.And when that car ran under the back of the truck,it looked like it really hurt.I was never sure if it was a stunt driver,or Roy Shieder (Spelling)?.He did a lot of his own stunts in many of his movies, including the 7UPS.In the French Connection,the movie company never got permission to film most of the car Chase under the L in Brooklyn.But it was Bill Hickman behind the wheel.

For sure one of the best and of course the 2 drivers in DUEL.....Carey Loftin (truck) and Dale Van Sickle (car). 

[1972coronet]

11 hours ago, webestang said:

he article on car chases I read many years ago in a car mag (can't remember which one) stated that the final shot was to have the Ventura stop under the truck right before the windshield, not smash into it. The truck was on the shoulder and the shoulder was not cleaned of any debris that would be on a shoulder. When the stunt driver hit the brakes at his mark the car didn't stop and crushed the roof while the driver ducted over into the passenger seat. 

The sardined roof was a "tribute" of sorts to what happened to Jayne Mansfield : "After her death, the NHTSA recommended requiring an underride guard (a strong bar made of steel tubing) on all tractor-trailers; the trucking industry was slow to adopt this change. In America the underride guard is sometimes known as a "Mansfield bar", or an "ICC bumper".

Bill Hickman (driver of the Pontiac Grandville in The Seven-Ups ; stunt-coordinator , too) suggested the sardined roof for the end of the chase scene .

Edited June 1, 2020 by 1972coronet

[webestang]

9 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

The sardined roof was a "tribute" of sorts to what happened to Jayne Mansfield : "After her death, the NHTSA recommended requiring an underride guard (a strong bar made of steel tubing) on all tractor-trailers; the trucking industry was slow to adopt this change. In America the underride guard is sometimes known as a "Mansfield bar", or an "ICC bumper".

Bill Hickman (driver of the Pontiac Grandville in The Seven-Ups ; stunt-coordinator , too) suggested the sardined roof for the end of the chase scene .

Guess the article I read was wrong. Interesting tribute.