Duel DVD

Advantages: Suspense, fear, unknowingness
Disadvantages: None

...first reason therefore being that Duel is possibly one of those most tension-packed films ever made. From the moment our protagonist, one David Mann, in his battered and aptly-named Plymouth Valiant, driving peacefully on a sunny Californian highway, starts to become to the target of a rusty Peterbilt truck, the tension never abates for one second. The one scene lasts for more or less the whole film, leaving little time for relief of any sort. In ...
...kind of unknowing fear that Duel plays upon throughout; ever increasing from not even being confident that anything out of the ordinary is happening. Any attempt to introduce something as measured; something as civilised as reason into such a primal situation would only serve as an anti-climax. The only other real scene involves Mann in a café. This is at least as anxiety-racked as the main chase scene. Mann believes there is a good chance the driver ... Read review

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...meagre budget of around $425,000, Duel was to be snapped up firstly by European cinemas where it went on to achieve great success and finally ten years later received a much overdue US run after Spielberg had plundered its ideas in his blockbuster movies like Jaws. The idea was not Spielberg's however, but that of screen writer Richard Matheson, who came up with the idea after having been dangerously tailgated by a menacing truck in a narrow canyon. ...
...Spielberg's finest hour... Duel is effectively the first real 'road rage' movie and still one of the finest thrillers ever produced, the lack of budget obviously getting the creative juices really flowing as opposed to handing the responsibility over the special effects team to draw in the crowds. It is also notable that there is little of the now sadly characteristic sappy 'Americanisms' which Spielberg's laeter movies all seem to exhibit and absolutely ... Read review

Advantages: A good film
Disadvantages: In the media world its highly over annalysed and pulled apart

Duel Dull stuff: Written by the prolific Richard Matheson but it is most notable for the directorial debut of a certain Steven Spielberg. Made in 1971 starring Dennis Weaver. It’s rated PG and is a thriller. Plot: The film is a tale of an everyday sales man named David Mann who travelling in the dusty nowhere roads of America overtakes a lorry whose driver is insane. The story follows David Mann as he tries to escape the wrath of a faceless driver ...
...has escaped the sadistic 18 wheeler and its driver it reappears hell bent on killing a rather flustered Mr.Mann. Acting: The films is almost entirely focused on David Mann who through his thoughts and actions leads us on this thriller ride. This put a meant that the susses of the film is largely placed on the solders of Dennis Weaver’s performance. And he did not fail his budding young director as his performance was more than believable. Effects: ... Read review

Advantages: Enhanced Picture & Sound
Disadvantages: NONE

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. A simple uncomplicated script, minimal special effects, and a handful of actors, all come together in a suspence filled 90 minute Spielburg Made-for-tv movie that can still holds it own after 33 years. The DVD extras include a commentary from Stephen Spielberg that I found to be very interesting. Among other things, you'll learn that the entire movie was made in 12 days! The DVD also dishes up a high ...
...tape for many years with its bland mono-tv-like sound, it's a real treat to actually HEAR and FEEL the rumble of the evil truck's engine. You can even hear the 1970 Plymouth Valiant 6 cylinder engine roar into life everytime David Mann (Dennis Weaver) guns the engine! Keep an eye out for the Pest Control vehicle on the side of the road during one of the chase scenes. It says "Grebleips" on the side of it, Spielberg spelled backwards. ... Read review

Advantages: Classic scary movie
Disadvantages: Interesting extras

Four years before Jaws made crowds pee their loon pants, a young Steven Spielberg gave the same bad PR to motorways. The year was 1971, the 'shark' was a truck and the film was Duel. It was a killer-simple concept. Dennis Weaver plays David Mann, an Everyman with a dead-end job, driving across California. When he cuts up a rusty gas tanker, the unseen driver (does he even exist?) takes umbrage, dedicating the rest of his day to making David roadkill. ...
...of mind, which terrifies the most - seeming to vroom out of our deepest fears and spawning a host of imitators form The Hitcher to Jeepers Creepers and beyond. Spielberg's one-track highway to hell is one seriously scary movie. Extras include original traiiler and three featurettes including a conversation .with Spielberg on maing the film. ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent Film
Disadvantages: Slow in Places, some BAD jokes

...and adversaries. However I was surprised to see their good taste in giving Guy Siner the part of Harbormaster; you may remember him as Lieutenant Hubert Gruber in the series "Allo 'Allo!" (1982) There are no bones about it, this is superior to other Depp movies and will leave a good after taste. You may need to see it several times to pick up the tightly packed scenes and dialog. I have viewed the duel DVD package and found instead of just rehashing the movie scenes that they give different insights that you may have missed in the first viewing. Even the deleted scenes allow you to see the way the movie could have went.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A tense, thrilling road trip with great direction
Disadvantages: Lack of a commentary by Steven himself

...and best monster movies. Audio & Visual Presented in 1.22:1 Full Frame, Duels’ made-for-TV feel is obvious. However for a 1971 film, the DVD transfer is of the highest quality, remaining as sharp as possible throughout. Sound is available in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, 2.0 Mono or DTS 5.1 Surround. By today’s standards, the quality is nothing more then serviceable. The impact remains though with a playful score and screeching tyres cranking up the necessary tension. Extras A conversation with Steven Spielberg (35:39) Steven Spielberg discusses Richard Matheson’s’ screenplay and how he brought it to the life. Backed up by diagrams, film footage and sheer enthusiasm, Spielberg covers everything from the stunts and key sequences to working with the cast and crew. He even points out his own blunders (his reflection in a phone box)! It doesn... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: The series gets off to a flier in this episode
Disadvantages: Some of the details from the book are lost

...and wish to die rather than continue in the manner of his service so far, additionally we learn that the duel is fixed in the book but this isnt apparent in the dvd. In the event another of the midshipman knocks Hornblower out and fights the duel for him (on his deathbed he confesses that Hornblower had shamed him into action). It quickly becomes clear that Hornblower is brave and honourable and although inexperienced he shows signs of standing out from the outset. The DVD itself -------------------- As with each of the DVDs there are no extras such as commentary, merely a choice of places within the episode in which to start. With the quality of acting and the attention to detail along with the exciting action scenes it still represents value for money.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful