May 15, 2018 for most people, duel was a forgettable tv movie with a rather weak plot, nothing more than a beatup old semi truck chasing david mann, played by dennis weaver, in his plymouth valiant for 74. What happened in reality though is that whatever mechanism was supposed to keep the truck either moving forward or going straight i forget which one failed, so stuntman and truck. Though we know stunt driver carey loftin of bullitt fame was behind the wheel, the truck driver is. Truck collector brad wike with the 1960 peterbilt used in filming the movie duel. Duel i always got the impression that the truck driver. The duel peterbilt movie truck american nightmare or american dream. Arguably hollywoods greatest stunt driver ever, carey loftins amazing driving and stunt skills were utilized in dozens of hollywood. The movie starred dennis weaver as a motorist on a business trip that was being terrorized by a murderous tanker truck on a. For most people, duel was a forgettable tv movie with a rather weak plot, nothing more than a beatup old semitruck chasing david mann, played by dennis weaver, in his plymouth valiant for 74.
Did the duel truck driver openly presented what he did. Duel, movie made for tv, 1971 internet movie cars database. On the truck cabs rear window, there is some sort of air conditioning unit installed. The truck driver is the main antagonist of the 1971 television film duel, which is steven spielbergs first directed film. A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive. Dennis weaver drove a plymouth valiant and the truck from the movie duel was a 1955 peterbilt 281 driven by carey loftin. While duel was originally a madefortv movie shot on a shoestring budget and a tight schedule, we think it became pretty clear to many that the movies director. Stripped down to the suspensegenre basics chase and be chased, duel is a film worthy of its title. Steven spielberg directs this highvelocity thriller about a motorist terrorized by an evil truck. Spielberg was shown seven different semitrucks to choose from for the movie. The movie starred dennis weaver as a motorist on a business trip that was being terrorized by a murderous tanker truck on a desolate stretch of road in california. The aficionauto recently took a tour and a test drive of one of the most famous trucks in movie history. This simple premise a killer truck stalks a driver becomes the basis for an exceptionally fraught and well made suspense film.
Spielbergs first fulllength movie, duel, helped jumpstart the directors bigscreen career, with a gripping, actionpacked story hailed by critics as a film that belongs on the classics shelf reserved for top suspensers dailey variety. Though we know stunt driver carey loftin of bullitt fame was behind the wheel, the truck driver is never seen in the film, giving it a hint of the supernatural. For the general concept of persons fighting in arranged combat for honor, see duels duel is a 1971 television movie about a salesman driving through the california desert who is suddenly attacked by a large tanker truck after passing. It stars dennis weaver as a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely desert highway by the mostly unseen, psychotic driver of a mysterious tanker truck. He is considered to be one of the film industrys most accomplished stunt drivers.
The driver has no name in the movie just like you dont see the truck driver in duel or see whats in the briefcase in ronin. Stars aligned five iconic trucks together for the first time duration. The movie was good but who was the truck driver and what guy was he in the cafe scene with the guy with the cowboy boots. It stars dennis weaver as a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely road by the mostly unseen driver of a mysterious tanker truck. Paul walker, steve zahn and leelee sobieski made for a very appealing trio, and ted levine the silence of the lambs supplied plenty of. The list contains the best, new and most relevant truck driver movies ordered by relevance. He is believable enough to taste the evil truck drivers bait and foolish enough to continue nibbling. Duel 1971 writer richard matheson drew from his own unpleasant experience with a tailgating truck to devise a script in which mildmannered dennis weaver is pushed to the breaking point by an incredibly menacing 18wheeler on a lonely highway in the southwestern desert. The 281 series had a single drive axle, the 351 two. Cary loftin, carry loftin, carey lofton, gary loftin, william carey loftin was an american professional stuntman, stunt coordinator and actor in the u.
The truck driver is the main antagonist of the 1971 short story duel by the late richard matheson, and the 1971 television film of the same name, which is steven spielbergs first directed film. I cant seem to see the truck the trucker that david mann attacked in chucks cafe drove away in. Duel is a 1971 television thriller film directed by steven spielberg and written by richard matheson, based on mathesons short story of the same name. Duel stars dennis weaver as a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely road by the mostly unseen driver of a mysterious tanker truck. Spielberg had seven trucks to choose from, all lined in a row, and he picked a 1955 peterbilt 281 tanker, the smallest of the trucks. Dennis weaver and his apocalyptic duel with the driver. Pace of editing, noise and music increases as the demon truck is now openly out to get driver dave dennis weaver in steven spielbergs tv movie duel, 1971. This peterbilt is the only surviving truck from steven spielbergs first film. Sure, that is an optional interpretation if one so wishes. Peterbilt tanker from movie duel on farm near lincolnton charlotte.
The author of the short story that the film is based on, richard matheson, was inspired to write it after an encounter with a tailgating truck driver on november 22, 1963, which is the day that john f. In a lengthy career spanning 61 years, his body of work. The truck from duel is a piece of movie history the drive. According to richard matheson, he was inspired to write the original short story duel after an encounter with a tailgating truck driver on november 22, 1963, the day that john f. David mann is a middleaged salesman driving on a business trip. Despite the tv movie limitations, steven spielberg has managed to convey an illogical yet completely visceral thriller better than most filmmakers today. With dennis weaver, jacqueline scott, eddie firestone, lou frizzell. The movie was good but who was the truck driver and what guy was he in the. In 2001, joy ride followed three young people on a crosscountry trip who run afoul of a psycho truck driver. For the next 90 minutes, mann and the neverseen truckdriver. Additionally, spielberg said that the multiple license plates on the front bumper of the peterbilt subtly suggested that. Duel was a made for television movie that originally aired in 1971, then remade for theatrical release. It was very popular with truckers, with the 351 series outlasting the 281 a needlenose. William carey loftin january 31, 1914 march 4, 1997.
Loved this video, this guy is a role model to truck driving. Author richard matheson conceived duel after a similar experience with a reckless trucker. Duel was one of stephen spielbergs first films, and it was an incredible start to what would would become an amazing filmmaking career. In this tv movie, dennis weaver is driving down a deserted southern california highway when he passes a large gas trailer truck. Pictures of the truck driver pictures of the truck driver. The recommendation service has sorted out realistic, serious, road movie, suspenseful, rough and cult film films and tv shows about with truck. I always got the impression that the truck driver was never in the cafe. Ive seen a few bits where you get a glimpse of the truck driver.
Moments later, the truck is back, dangerously tailgating mann before abruptly cutting him off. George raft and humphrey bogart are truckdriving brothers who must navigate through business, romance and murder in. As the movie progresses, the truck and its unseen driver continues to stalk david, getting more and more aggressive in its attacks, until david has no choice but to fight back. When the truck appears from over the hill, take a look at the very next shot of the truck from the front, and you will notice that the large exhaust on the side of the truck has moved from left to right and back to left again. Mar 21, 2017 because the driver of the truck remains anonymous and unseen throughout the entire movie, spielbergs aim to make the real villain of the film the truck itself succeeds quite well.
Since owning the duel truck, brad has not done much to the truck, but he did add the swamp cooler to the back of the cab and he did climb up on the roof and bend the horn to look more like the main truck used in the filming of the movie the. He encounters a dilapidated tank truck in the mojave. The simple plot has nerdy everyman driver david mann dennis weaver threatened by a monster truck and its unseen driver. Duel is an allegorical quasisilent film about a salesman, mann, driving through rural california on a business trip. And considering that this is widely recognized as his feature debut, thats even more impressive.
Duel was a madefortv movie from the 1970s, but its biggest claim to fame is that it was steven spielbergs first big break. The movie was released november 11th, 1971, which is 43 years ago today. Duel unfolds with the valiant trying to outrun the peterbilt, the peterbilt boxing out the valiant in passing lanes, the truck driver cooping, stalking, rampaging and the valiant skidding. From theaficionauto this is the real duel movie truck. He is the nameless and unseen driver of a large rusty 1955 peterbilt 281 gasoline tanker truck.
Duel begins from the point of view of a driver, and never lets up. The fear dennis weaver encounters consists not only of the monster truck itself, which is on an unexpected death chase, but of the inability to see who or what is behind the wheel. Since owning the duel truck, brad has not done much to the truck, but he did add the swamp cooler to the back of the cab and he did climb up on the roof and bend the horn to look more like the main truck used in the filming of the movie the one that went off the cliff and was destroyed at the end. The first two pics are from the net and the last pics is a frame from the movie, that i enhanced with a photoimpression program. The film throttle 2005 has a scene featuring a dennis weaver lookalike driving a red plymouth valiant as an overt reference to duel.
Duel is probably the most literal example of nightmare fuel i have ever seen. Oct 22, 2017 duel was a madefortv movie from the 1970s, but its biggest claim to fame is that it was steven spielbergs first big break. Throughout the film, the driver of the truck remains anonymous and unseen, with the exception of three separate shots, where the stunt driver can be seen in the trucks cab, where his arm waves weaver on into oncoming traffic, and where weaver observes the drivers snakeskin boots. As a tribute to the intense car and truck chase movie, ive put together a list of 10 fun. The film monster man 2003, starring eric jungmann, features a large truck terrorizing the occupants of a red car, though the makes and models differ, and unlike in duel, the driver s face is shown. Aug, 2010 a tense, relentless little tale, it does a stunning job of making a vehicle we never fully see the trucks driver, only an arm here and there as frightening a villain as any fleshandbone killer. Additionally, spielberg said that the multiple license plates on the front bumper of the peterbilt subtly suggested that the truck driver is a serial killer, having run down other drivers in other states. For most people, duel was a forgettable tv movie with a rather weak plot, nothing more than.
For the next 90 minutes, mann and the neverseen truckdriver are pitted against one another in a motorized duel to the death. A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractortrailer. Apr 20, 2018 duels truck is one of films great monsters. The truck driver is the main antagonist of the 1971 short story duel by the late richard matheson, and the 1971 television film of the same name, which is. Essentially one long faceoff between a salesman driving through the desert and the giant tanker truck that decides to chase him down for no apparent reason, 1971s duel was director steven spielbergs first feature film. Duel the best bits of film trivia the tanker driver. Moments later, the truck dangerously tailgates weaver before. Suddenly, he finds himself randomly stalked by a homicidal truck driver. In some shots, such as the gas station scene where david mann is on the telephone, or the railroad crossing scene, the air. I saw this movie on american movie classics one of those movies that you watch and have to watch the whole movie to find out who the truck driver was. Richard matheson also wrote i am legend,the incredible shrinking man, devil doll part of a tv movie with karen black called trilogy of terror and several other short stories all available on amazon as is duel. Peterbilt tanker from movie duel on farm near lincolnton.
This movie was a lot of fun and i hadnt seen it since i was a kid it still stands up, even today. He eventually found it in the tv movie duel, about an anonymous truck driver stalking a hapless businessman driving around the lonely canyon roads of. In the duel book, the truck driver is called keller. May 07, 2016 steven spielberg said that the multiple license plates on the front bumper of the truck suggested that the truck driver is a serial killer which ran down other drivers in other states. Steven spielberg said that the multiple license plates on the front bumper of the truck suggested that the truck driver is a serial killer which ran down other drivers in other states. Arguably hollywoods greatest stunt driver ever, carey loftins amazing driving and stunt skills were utilized in dozens of hollywood productions over a period of nearly half a century.
Duel tv movie 1971 carey loftin as the truck driver. The peterbilt 2851 was a line of tractor units built by peterbilt that ran from 1954 until 1976. He also acted as a truck driver in stroker ace 1983 in which his face is never seen as in duel, but not as a villain this time. Early in the movie, the truck rams the car and breaks the tail light. The first two pics are from the net and the last pics is a frame from the movie, that i. Despite the tv movie limitations, steven spielberg has managed to convey an. Duel the best bits of film trivia the tanker driver was. Loftin was born on january 31st, 1914 in blountstown, florida and broke into movie stunt work in the late 1930s. Oct 01, 2014 duel was a made for television movie that originally aired in 1971, then remade for theatrical release. Unfortunately, the strain of it finally burst his radiator hose. After the truck driver waves him in front of his truck, manns plan at the end is to get the truck on a steep grade where he could easily outrun him on upside. The first fulllength feature directed by spielberg, this madefortv movie was adapted from a short story by richard matheson who also wrote the script. Sep 21, 2011 the driver has no name in the movie just like you dont see the truck driver in duel or see whats in the briefcase in ronin. What happened in reality though is that whatever mechanism was supposed to keep the truck either moving forward or going straight i forget which one failed, so stuntman and truck driver cary loftin agreed to drive as far along as he dared and then jump out at the last minute, leaving the door hanging open.
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