Duel

I usually try and avoid writing about made for tv movies on here, but the other night I revisited a terrific tv movie from 1971. And technically it did get the big screen treatment when it was released to American theaters in 1983. It's an early work from Steven Spielberg, Duel.

Dennis Weaver plays David Mann, a salesman en route to a business meeting. Along the way, he passes a semi truck which angers the driver and makes Mann his target, resulting into a cat and mouse game on the open road.

It may sound like a simple story, but in actuality this is a very intense little story with a lot of subtext. One element I didn't catch when I was younger is that there is a theme of masculinity that runs throughout. Mann is not only emasculated by the trucker, but also on a phone call with his wife, and basically everyone he encounters. The trucker also probably felt that way when Mann passed him. Even the supporting male characters come off as a bit whipped.

Twilight Zone scribe Richard Matheson has crafted a tight little thriller. This also a great showcase for the talent that Spielberg had in his earlier career. Even though this is just a tv movie, Spielberg treats it like a big screen epic. It even went to theaters overseas in the 70's and got the big screen treatment in American in 1983. Spielberg's E.T. was such a hit, Universal thought they could capatalize on the Spielberg name by putting Duel in theaters.

Duel is still as solid and suspenseful as it was in the 70's. It's a terrific ride.

It's available on dvd and blu ray.