Duel

As far as I can remember, I've always been a big fan of trucks, especially tractor-trailers (big rigs if you're American, of juggernauts if you're British). Since I have neither truck nor license, my passion for these 18-wheelers has always been limited to magazines and movies.

So when the local TV station decided to air the classic "Duel" (a 1971 cult movie by Steven Spielberg) once again, I immediately grabbed some chips, programmed the recorder for future fun, and sat down for some 80 minutes of pure diesel delight.

The story is very simple: David Mann (played by Dennis Weaver) is a businessman making his way to his next appointment. Somewhere in the California desert, he encounters an old grimy tanker truck travelling at low speed, and decides to pass it because of the thick diesel smoke it produces. Seconds later, the truck passes Mann, only to slow down again in front of him. As soon as Mann passes the truck a second time, the old Peterbilt startles him with a long air horn blast.

Mann continues his journey, without realising the fact that this incident has started a duel between them, with the truck following him wherever he goes, wanting to kill him as he will find out soon enough.

There are several things that make this a great movie. First of all, there is the simple setup - it could happen to everyone, we could all be David Mann. Second, even though the duel is set up between a car and a huge, wheighty juggernaut, the duel is indeed "on", as Mann is driving a light Valiant, aiding the impression that the huge tanker truck can indeed take him on in a fight. Third, and probably the most important, we don't get to see the driver of the truck...

This last point to me is probably the biggest reason that this movie has achieved cult status. Not knowing who is doing all this, nor why, gives the viewer the impression that it is actually the Peterbilt itself who is chasing Mann, instead of some random truck driver who's completely lost it. It gives the truck it's identity, and a very evil one at that.

Speaking of which - I only recently found out that there were several "Duel" trucks, one of which is still "alive". There were three "Duel" trucks to be precise - even though there has been a fourth one which has been used in an episode of The Incredible Hulk:

• a 1956 Peterbilt 281
• a 1960 Peterbilt 281
• a 1964 Peterbilt 351

Only the second one has survived, and there's even a website dedicated to it. You can read all about this 1960 Peterbilt at The Surviving Duel Truck. Apparently, it's even for sale, so if you've got $40k to spare...

Anyway, whether you're a big rig fan like me, or you just like a good chase movie - this is a cult classic you should not miss, it's definitely worth watching.

Just remember to think twice when you want to overtake a huge Peterbilt tanker truck with "flammable" on it's back.