Duel 1971

Fig 1. Poster

Spielberg’s 1971 action thriller Duel invites the audience into the ‘Mann’s’ world (pardon the pun), it opens with protagonist David Mann driving listening to a call-in radio show, a man is talking about how he doesn’t feel like he’s the man of the house. The plot gets going when Mann overtakes a truck on the road which the truck driver (who we never see) takes offence too, for a reason not explicitly explained (for all we know it could be a woman driving it). But it can be assumed this driver takes offence because this inferior nice-conditioned-expensive little red car has gone past them in this massive scruffy old truck and Mann doesn’t even have enough respect to gesture a thank you. Going ahead could be a metaphor for hierarch and status - being above someone. Yet in this film the camera definitely makes is clear if anyone is above and superior it’s the truck in this low angle shot (see fig 2). Mann’s little red car is often looked down on in a high angle shot reflecting inferiority which builds tension when they duel constantly on the road, we believe Mann doesn’t stand a chance and because Mann is the only character we follow we build up tension and worry for him. Another camera shot Spielberg uses to emphasise scale and power is placing the camera low to the road focusing as seen in fig 3.

Fig 2. Low Angle Shot.

Fig 3. Camera Shot.

There are only two main characters, Mann/Little red car and the Truck (see fig 4), there are other characters who don’t play much of a role, their dialogue is only an asset to build tension like when Mann begs to call a police station or tries to get help, or we listen to Mann’s dialogue when he’s expressing his anxiety which reenforces this inferiority. "'Duel' might almost have been a silent film, because it expresses so much through action and so little through the words that are here.” (Maslin, 1983).

Fig 4. Two Main Characters.

Mann is on a business trip, he calls his wife at a gas station and we are shown his wife pretty much does everything for her husband. On this trip he strays from his native place in the city and is attacked in foreign zone, like in ‘The Birds’ Melanie is pampered in her native city but when she strays she is attacked, just like Mann - the universe is punishing them. Perhaps because their good lives have made them ignorant and deserving of punishment but attempted murder is extreme however if they survive it proves them worthy or they learn something from it.

Fig 5. Truck has a face.

Throughout, the plot remains the same thing, massive truck trying to kill Mann for the petty reason suggested but believable due to many people’s road rage out on the road. Spielberg had a choice of several vehicles, it was an important one which one he chose as this would be its character design, this vehicle had to portray the truck driver’s personality since we never see the driver’s face. (See fig 5) The truck’s design (if you use your imagination) suggests it has a face: the wind screen is split into two window panels to form eyes, the side mirrors look like ears, the front has a snout and a vent to release heat - to release rage. Rage is key with this character which can be portrayed in it’s design’s weight and size (see fig 6), the sounds it makes are angry: the horn and when it passes the camera, it doesn’t pass peacefully or calmly it’s tears up the road. Going back to the horn sound there’s a scene where the truck tries to push the little red car into the train tracks as the train is passing on it, the sounds from the train and truck sound like they are communicating. Spielberg has successfully created a character from this truck by giving it emotion, design and sounds. “Tension and terror, not characterisation and plot, are what matter here.” (Freer, 2000).

Fig 6. Cat and Mouse comes to an end.

This “rivetingly murderous game of cat and mouse” (M, 2016) abruptly ends with the truck taking out the little red car but not its driver crashing down into an abyss, the final shot is Mann sitting on the edge of the abyss as the sunset goes down - a universal ending, anything can happen, the world is yours.




Bibliography:

Freer, I. (2000) EMPIRE ESSAY: Duel. At: http://www.empireonline.com/movies/empire-essay-duel/review/ (Accessed on 12 February 2017)

M, T. (2016) Duel - Time Out Says. At: https://www.timeout.com/london/film/duel (Accessed on 12 February 2017)

Maslin, J. (2017) Movie review - - ’SPIELBERG’S ‘DUEL,’ FOUR-WHEEL COMBAT [online] At: http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9804EFD81138F936A25757C0A965948260 (Accessed on 12 February 2017)

Illustration List:

Figure 1. Duel 1971 Movie Poster. (1971) [Poster] The Movie Waffler. At: http://www.themoviewaffler.com/2012/02/great-movie-posters-duel-1971.html#.WKBYFRLygwQ (Accessed on 12 February 2017)

Figure 2. Low Angle Truck. (2007) (2007) Duel. At: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiSqJXVx4rSAhUFCBoKHWNHAq8QjhwIBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseul-le-cinema.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fduel.html&bvm=bv.146786187,d.ZGg&psig=AFQjCNErsx6sTWns5O6ktUbR5jUvLWcYoA&ust=1486988949301822 (Accessed on 12 February 2017)

Figure 3. Truck Wheel Shot. (1971) (2014). mossfilm. At: https://mossfilm.wordpress.com/2014/12/18/steven-spielbergs-duel-feature-review/ (Accessed on 12 February 2017)

Figure 4. Car Stars. (1971) (2012). Alte Schule. At: https://alteschuleblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/the-car-star-duell/ (Accessed on 12 February 2017)

Figure 5. Truck and Mater. (2014) (2014) Cars in Film. The News Wheel. At: http://thenewswheel.com/best-road-trip-movies-duel-review/ (Accessed on 12 February 2017)

Figure 6. Crashing Down Abyss At: http://the-haunted-closet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/spielbergs-duel-1971-and-incredible.html (Accessed on 12 February 2017)