Focal Point – Duel (1971)
Spielberg’s directorial debut in 1971 is one the simply cannot be forgotten in a hurry. This was a film that truly bore the mark of a gifted director – one who stunned us time and again with his magnificent creations in the days that followed!
Duel is a television film about a motorist (Dennis Weaver) on a remote and lonely road being chased and stalked by the unseen driver of a tanker truck. It was written by Richard Matheson, based on his own short story, and Steven Spielberg was at the helm of affairs.
The film had the tagline – ‘Fear is the driving force.’ It runs for about ninety minutes, and received much critical acclaim. It holds a whopping 86% Fresh Rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The reader rating of the film on Rotten Tomatoes stands at 80%.
The film was released in theaters on Jan 1, 1972. The DVD of the film was released on Aug 17, 2004. Critics opined that this was a film that lay proof to the work of an exceptionally talented young director. ‘Duel’ is a thriller no doubt that holds its strength, despite about forty years having passed by.
Tags: Duel, Steven Spielberg
