The truck from Duel (1971) is one of the most iconic and menacing vehicles in film history. Directed by Steven Spielberg in his feature-length debut, the film is a suspenseful cat-and-mouse thriller about a motorist being relentlessly pursued by a mysterious truck driver through the desert highways of California.
-
Make and Model: 1955 Peterbilt 281 and 351 models
-
Appearance: The truck was deliberately aged and weathered to look intimidating. Spielberg and his crew chose the Peterbilt for its "face-like" front grille and sinister vibe.
-
Design Features:
-
Rusty, grimy exterior
-
Covered in oil stains, dirt, and dead bugs
-
Equipped with multiple license plates from different states — suggesting the driver may be a serial killer
-
Black exhaust smoke pouring from the stacks
-
The truck "groans" like a monster, thanks to custom sound design
-
Symbolism:
The truck represents an unstoppable, faceless force of terror. Spielberg kept the driver mostly unseen to increase the sense of anonymity and menace. The truck is less a vehicle and more a character — a predator.
Behind the Scenes:
-
Spielberg picked the truck personally from several candidates.
-
He used multiple trucks during production (at least three total, including a backup Peterbilt 351 model).
-
Dennis Weaver played the protagonist, David Mann.
-
The film was shot in just 13 days for TV, but due to its success, Spielberg later added more scenes for a theatrical release.
The Duel truck became a template for future killer vehicles in horror and thriller films, influencing movies like Maximum Overdrive, Christine, and Joy Ride.
Where is it now?
The original truck was destroyed in the final sequence of the movie , a second back up truck survives to this day in private hands (below)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Witnessed !