1971 duel truck driver

A needlenose model 281 was featured in the madefortv movie duel in 1971. The unseen truck driver first taunts mann, and eventually tries to run him off the road. On paper, this sounds like another bmovie, and in fact, it was originally made for television instead of the big screen the very definition of a lowbudget production. Duel truck behind the scenes and ridealong duration. Duel is a 1971 television and later fulllength theatrical thriller film directed by steven spielberg and written by richard matheson, based on mathesons short story of the same name. Dennis weaver got top billing, but it was a ruddy, snoutnosed peterbilt tanker that was the menacing star of the 1971 thriller duel. In this tv movie, dennis weaver is driving down a deserted southern california highway when he passes a large gas trailer truck. 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 on the deserted road. Might be the same model truck but at the end of duel the truck was really crashed off of a mesa. Sure, that is an optional interpretation if one so wishes. Duel is a 1971 american action thriller film written by richard matheson, which is based on his own short story. He is the nameless and unseen driver of a large rusty 1955 peterbilt 281 gasoline tanker truck. The film involved a psychotic trucker in a rusty, old 281 chasing a terrified motorist down a lonely california desert highway.

It is the feature fulllength directorial debut of american director, producer, and screenwriter steven spielberg, and is distributed by universal pictures dennis weaver portrays david mann, a business commuter from california driving a plymouth valiant while on his way to meet a. 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. Released by intrada in 2015 special collection vol. In steven spielbergs first fulllength movie, duel, a traveling salesman dennis weaver is harassed by a menacing 40ton truck on a remote desert highway. Cary loftin, carry loftin, carey lofton, gary loftin, william carey loftin was an american professional stuntman, stunt coordinator and actor in the u. The 281 series was made famous in steven speilbergs 1971 movie, duel. Duel soundtrack from 1971, composed by billy goldenberg. Chrysler used bodycolored indicators in 71 only, all other years had chrome indicators. It works, but mann wins the duel by sacrificing his car.

Brilliant in its simplicity, the cult favorite takes road rage to a dangerous level as the traveler and the mysterious truck driver are pitted against one another in a motorized duel to. Simple plot has everyman dennis weaver become the target of a demented truck driver and their ever escalating struggle to the death achieves gladiatorial stature. Duel 1971 steven spielberg, film locations a business co. A 1971 suspensethriller film directed by steven spielberg milquetoast businessman david mann dennis weaver is driving across the california desert in his red plymouth valiant when he passes a slowmoving semi truck. Essentially, duel tells the story of our main character, who is an everyday man, pursued for unknown reasons by a malevolent truck driver. Duel the best bits of film trivia the tanker driver. Duel tv movie 1971 carey loftin as the truck driver imdb. While traveling through the desert for an appointment with a client, businessman david mann from california overtakes a slow and old tanker truck. Sort of like a motor vehicle version of jaws which came years later.

Made for tv in 1971 starring dennis weaver and a crazed trucker. It is the feature fulllength directorial debut of american director, producer, and screenwriter steven spielberg, and is distributed by universal pictures. William carey loftin january 31, 1914 march 4, 1997. 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. After the incident where the truck driver told david mann to pass, when there was a car coming the other way. Apr 20, 2018 duels truck is one of films great monsters. A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by a malevolent driver of a massive tractortrailer. 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.

The 281 series had a single drive axle, the 351 two. The movie was released november 11th, 1971, which is 43 years ago today. A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractortrailer. The most puzzling thing in the movie for me was when he helps the kids and the bus. The 1971 road thriller duel had a vital role in steven spielbergs professional growth, leading to his recognition and subsequent establishment as one of the worlds leading film directors. Suddenly, he finds himself randomly stalked by a homicidal truck driver. Peterbilts 281 truck series was in production from 1954 to 1976. The 281 is a heavyduty truck used for hauling freight over long distances and pulling trailers up to 30 feet long. The director chosen to helm duel on location in soledad canyon was a bright 23yearold whod shown promise on such series as night gallery and columbo. Here are a few pics of cary loftin, the truck driver. As a tribute to the intense car and truck chase movie, ive put together a list of 10 fun facts that you might not know.

At the end of the film, david man comes to a dead end, so he spins the car around and waits for the truck to appear. Mann is forced to engage in a battle of wits with the truck driver to save his own life and sanity. Duel 1971 a business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractortrailer. Wike also appears to have snowmans truck from smokey and the bandit.

The teleplay and original short story were penned by veteran fantasy horror writer richard matheson. The peterbilt 2851 was a line of tractor units built by peterbilt that ran from 1954 until 1976. It was very popular with truckers, with the 351 series outlasting the 281. Although spielberg permitted star dennis weaverwho played a motorist chased by a homicidal truck driverto register a onenote. The first encounter between driver dave dennis weaver in his red plymouth valiant and a nasty looking tanker truck, with radio entertainment, from steven spielbergs tv movie duel, 1971. College students enrage a murderous truck driver with a prank. The making of a film career steven awalt looks at the making of the 1971 television movie that took spielberg from being a universal contract director shooting episodes of tv series and madefortelevision movies to feature filmmaking.

What could be more menacing than a psychopathic trucker, behind the wheel of a derelict truck, harassing innocent motorists out on the highway. The truck driver gets a few moments of these to show that he is not above helping out a school bus full of kids in need or giving a friendly honk to passing trains. Simple plot has everyman dennis weaver become the target of a demented truck driver. Based on a richard matheson short story, a salesman finds himself being pursued down the highway by a tanker truck that. Having published 104 magazine for 21 years now, we have had some memorable covers, for sure, but none have been as popular and talked about even today as our may 2004 cover featuring the ghostly duel truck from the 1971 movie about a renegade rig that terrorizes an unsuspecting dennis weaver in his red plymouth valiant for no apparent. The truck driver s defeat as he falls off the cliff to his death, an unearthly roar echoing in the background.

May 07, 2016 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 was one of stephen spielbergs first films, and it was an incredible start to what would would become an amazing filmmaking career. The horn in the vhs version is a deep singlenote airhorn which is too old for the southern pacific diesel locomotives in the film. I dont recall the main feature, but i remember rushing out of the cinema to check. Duel 1971 tv movie trivia 65 add new when carey loftin, playing the truck driver, asked steven spielberg what his motivation was for tormenting the cars driver, spielberg told him, youre a dirty, rotten, nogood son of a bitch. Just before this scene, the scene where the train blows it airhorn after the truck driver blows the truck s horn is a different horn. The most positive way of identifying it as a 71 are by the small turn signal indicators mounted on top of both fenders. The resulting consequences turn out to be almost deadly. Duel is an allegorical quasisilent film about a salesman, mann, driving through rural california on a business trip. I saw duel on its first release in the uk, as a support film.

I dont recall the main feature, but i remember rushing out of the cinema to. 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. It was very popular with truckers, with the 351 series outlasting the 281 a needlenose model 281 was featured in the madefortv movie duel in 1971. Almost everything he does in the movie seems to be. Written by richard matheson, based on his short story. Duel is a 1971 television and later fulllength theatrical thriller film directed by steven spielberg in his fulllength film directing debut and written by richard matheson, based on mathesons short story of the same name. In a lengthy career spanning 61 years, his body of work. Duel 1971 is a horror, thriller movie made for tv by steven spielberg. Pictures of the truck driver pictures of the truck driver.

In duel 1971 the license plates seen on the front of the truck are trophies taken by the truck driver from the other cars. Duel the best bits of film trivia the tanker driver was. Steven spielbergs 1971 madefortv and later fulllength theatrical release with dennis weaver. But after duel aired on tv, universal wanted to release it in theaters, and 74 minutes was too short for a theatrical release, so additional. The book details the history of the project, from writer richard. From steven spielberg comes the gritty and intense road rage thriller duel.

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. 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. 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. Duel 1971 from steven spielbergthen and now video clips. The biggest mistakes you never noticed in duel 1971. Moviechat forums duel 1971 discussion the bus and the truck driver s motive the bus and the truck driver s motive posted 7 years ago by marvincandle 22 replies jump to latest.

Duel 1971 steven spielberg, film locations a business. The truck from duel is a piece of movie history the drive. Who was the truck driver in duel poppa18t 05022005 09. Richard matheson screenplay, richard matheson story. This minimalistic, surprisingly simple but strikingly effective film is highly regarded as one of his best. The truck pursues mann again, this time chasing him at speeds of over 90 miles per hour 145 kmh down a mountain road and bumping him several times until the plymouth runs off the road in front.

Sep 24, 2018 duel 1971 from steven spielbergthen and now video clips. The truck driver s final moments before his much deserved death. He is considered to be one of the film industrys most accomplished stunt drivers. He is believable enough to taste the evil truck driver s bait and foolish enough to continue nibbling. 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. 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. Duel tv movie 1971 carey loftin as the truck driver. In duel 1971 the license plates seen on the front of the truck are trophies taken by the truck driver from the other cars that he previously ran off the road. 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. Moments later, the truck dangerously tailgates weaver before. Duel was a made for television movie that originally aired in 1971, then remade for theatrical release. Jul 31, 2010 duel 1971 from steven spielbergthen and now video clips.

Peterbilt tanker from movie duel on farm near lincolnton. 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. With dennis weaver, jacqueline scott, eddie firestone, lou frizzell. The 1971 release of duel, steven spielbergs first feature film, imprinted the 281s intimidating image on the public. I cant verify the name of the mesa but i believe it is called black mesa. He was portrayed by the late carey loftin biography. 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. Play now duel 1971 movie clip opening credits the p. This is part of a simple but extremely effective scheme by the truck driver, to isolate mann from any possible source of help. Oct 01, 2014 duel was a made for television movie that originally aired in 1971, then remade for theatrical release. Brilliant in its simplicity, the cult favorite takes road rage to a dangerous level as the traveler and the mysterious truck driver are pitted against one another in a motorized duel to the. First telecast on december 18, 1971, duel was so popular that a somewhat longer version with added violence and profanity was prepared for theatrical release in 1983. Based on this simple yet frightening premise, steven spielberg directed duel, his first fulllength movie, in 1971.