Frustrating…
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Duel
andyg_1992 — 9 years ago(November 10, 2016 02:00 AM)
I had to stop this after half an hour, something which I very rarely do with a film (although I'll probably finish it at some point because I don't like to judge a film without having seen the entirety of it). I just found the whole thing incredibly frustrating. The main character was just an idiot.
The first time he encountered the truck, he was flying down the road, so quick in fact that he caught up to the truck driver within seconds of seeing it, and started driving up his arse. He took a good few minutes to overtake despite the fact that there were no other cars around and they were on a straight road, and then when he did eventually overtake him and pull back in, he slowed down massively, which I imagine would be very annoying to a truck driver with a heavy load of highly inflammable cargo. Why didn't he overtake and maintain the speed he was doing before he encountered the truck?
And then when the truck did start messing with him, how did this truck manage to gain on him on ever corner? Sure, it showed him taking corners wide and hitting the apex of the corner nicely a few times, but surely this truck can't take a corner and accelerate out of the corner quicker than David's car. And why was David skidding all over the road once he'd got up to about 60mph? His car looked like a bit of a banger (not sure, as this was 1971 and way before I was born) but the truck looked like something off a scrap yard.
I know it's only a film, but it was so frustrating to watch, I just couldn't keep going with it. It's a shame, because I really liked the concept. -
!!!deleted!!! (1688273) — 9 years ago(November 10, 2016 10:23 AM)
I think that the fact that the truck was able to perform beyond what it possibly could normally (thus Mann's comment that is must be souped-up somehow) added an unnerving touch of the supernatural to the proceedings. Mann did absolutely nothing to provoke the truck driver. He was a naturally slow driver, but the truck was going so absurdly slow that Mann came up on it quickly anyway. After passing the truck for the first time, which was done in a safe manner, Mann slowed back down to his usual pace, which much faster than the plodding pace of the truck. There was zero possibility that he was holding back the truck.
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catbookss — 9 years ago(November 10, 2016 11:23 PM)
I agree, and Weaver did an outstanding bit of acting in this part, as well as Spielberg, of course, hitting it out of the park writing and directing him/it. A masterful job in creating an inanimate object into such an ominous character, even if it was ultimately animated by an unseen driver.
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andyg_1992 — 9 years ago(November 14, 2016 07:56 AM)
But Mann absolutely steamed up behind him, so when he overtook him and continued going as fast as he was, he would've left the truck in his dust. And why, then, if he was much faster than the plodding pace of the truck did the truck catch up so quickly? I'm sure, at this point, the truck wasn't pudding his foot down.
As for the supernatural feel, I can understand that. The truck (huge, dark and noisy) was quite intimidating. I guess the film wasn't trying to be completely realistic. When, at some point, I continue with it, I'll try and leave my road annoyances behind me haha. -
mcdemuth — 9 years ago(November 19, 2016 04:18 PM)
But Mann absolutely steamed up behind him, so when he overtook him and continued going as fast as he was, he would've left the truck in his dust. And why, then, if he was much faster than the plodding pace of the truck did the truck catch up so quickly? I'm sure, at this point, the truck wasn't pudding his foot down.
First of all
Contrary to "popular opinion", just because a speed limit sign says 55 MPH. That doesn't mean that a driver MUST drive that fast The maximum limit that is posted is based on Safety Factors. Local Population, the condition of the road, and G-Forces involved with sharp curves. If you want to drive slower, you can. (But if you drive TOO slow, that is also called impeding)
And No Drivers are not allowed to drive 5 to 10 MPH above the speed limit, without getting a ticket. Speeding is Speeding. And Speeding is against the law.
With that being said
I must admit, that I have no clue what the posted rules of the road were that was featured in the movie For All I know
The truck may have originally been going 45 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, and David Mann may not have been paying attention to the highway signs and was driving a bit fast at 60 MPH.
Perhaps something else was going on
In Case You Did Not Know There are, in fact, some speed zones EVEN TODAY that note dual speed limits. For Example. Cars can go 65 MPH, while Trucks can only go 55 MPH.
Off Ramps or Interchange Ramps on Interstates can be like that too.
One some mountainous Interstate roads, dual speed limit postings can be quite common due to roller coaster grades. Trucks have a harder time reaching higher speeds while climbing and when going downhill, they can become runaways due to their weight, so they are expected to maintain slower speeds as a preventitve measure
On the West Virginia Turnpike, and just south of there, on I-77 in Virginia, the interstate goes through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the interstate features Runaway Ramps. If trucks can't slow down, they can "exit" onto these ramps to stop.
There could be any number of reasons why the truck was originally going so slow.
MAYBE, JUST MAYBE The truck was going up a grade when David Mann, first encountered it
Then once David Mann passed this truck, the driver got mad, and speed up. Perhaps he was now going downhill too. David Mann probably slowed back down a bit to the posted limit, and the truck caught up to him. Especially if the truck had a "suped-up" engine, as David Mann suggests in the film.
When, at some point, I continue with it, I'll try and leave my road annoyances behind me haha.
You should not laugh at your ignorance. You need to try to learn and understand that there is a larger world around you, and every thing, or in this case, every highway is not all like the one you travel on to work everyday (Or School?)
Keep in mind, Steven Spielberg didn't have a lot of time to shoot this film.
In Case you didn't know The original TV Movie version was shorter. To give it a theatrical release, additional scenes were shot later.
Steven may not have thought to thoroughly explain what was going on when Mann first encountered the truck to the nitpickers of the world who would see his film
Just let the highway stuff "go", Sit down and watch the movie again, and finish it. I think you will find it is very good.