Couldn't enjoy the movie because..
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Duel
brandonlewislaw — 12 years ago(August 18, 2013 07:59 PM)
The entire time I was thinking that there was no truckthat this was all something in the guy's head. Just seemed so illogical (which it is) and top of that, we kept getting instances where it COULD be all in his head (the bus driver not seeing the truck), the diner, etc. But then in the next instance you would have an outside acknowledge the truck. I get that some would say that was the whole point, to mess with our heads..but it just seems dumb. It would have been a lot better if he left out the is this really happening aspect. Do you think Spielberg intentionally did this?
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jedimasterjeff2003 — 12 years ago(August 19, 2013 02:38 PM)
The bus driver saw the truck. Remember it was the truck driver who ended up pushing the bus so they could get going again after Mann takes off. Now why he did that act of kindness i have no idea.
I am the Lizard Kingi can do anything. -
spookyrat1 — 12 years ago(August 20, 2013 02:52 PM)
"Now why he did that act of kindness i have no idea."
I think it was a case of oneupmanship.
He wants to carry on with the duel, but wonders what's delaying Mann, who's been conned into helping the school bus, but not succeeding. He comes back to show him (as Mann gets free) how a real vehicle does the job.
As to the OP's observation, the old couple and the snake lady definitely saw the truck as well, so it wasn't a delusion. -
caligirlbr323 — 10 years ago(May 09, 2015 06:04 PM)
NO NO NO!!!! The whole point was to just mess with Mann!! If the trucker pushed the school bus off a cliff , Mann would have figured it was a lunatic going after everyone!! Much more terrifying for Mann knowing that he was the only one this trucker was after! And why?
The only other person the trucker messed with was the old lady at the service station, running over her phone booth and reptile cages! I wonder why that was? -
hegstad9 — 9 years ago(May 09, 2016 12:26 AM)
Well, actually the truck driver also messed with one more : towards the end of the movie, when Mann mistakes the 'Grebleips Pest Control' car for a police car and drives up to it, the truck driver speeds towards the Pest Control car - angrily using the horn loudly (forcing the Oriental driver of the car having to jump up on the hood), spelling it out loudly to him to keep away and not intefer, or else
Frank Booth: You stay alive, baby. Do it for Van Gogh. -
thepicturesthatgotsmall — 9 years ago(July 16, 2016 02:55 PM)
No. The trucker's goal was not to go on a murder spree but to assert his masculinity over Mann.
Mann's puny car was unable to satisfy the needs of the bus, but the big, long truck was more than powerful enough to do the job
Get it? -
ralph_2ndedition — 12 years ago(August 21, 2013 12:35 PM)
I wrote a huge bit on this very thing
I believe the truck might be real, but it is not just any old truck, it's a physical manifestation of Mann's personal demons; his fear of conflict and his inability to confront those who does him wrong or treats him badly.
I'll be more than happy to flesh this out further, when I'm at my computer, right now I'm writing on my phone and longer texts gets kind of teadious to write.
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kisshooters69 — 12 years ago(August 25, 2013 09:36 PM)
I just watched Duel. The bus driver said he didn't see the truck because he was to busy trying to get the overheated bus started.
Quote: I don't like "repeat offenders" I like "dead offenders"! Ted Nugent, Motor City Madman. -
Robbmonster — 12 years ago(September 07, 2013 08:13 AM)
Good point, but ever since Fight Club the 'all in his head' idea has been floated about way too many movies.
I'm sure the lady who had her snake cages smashed will swear she saw a truck.
It's not a bad theory, but I don't buy it. I think there is a truck, but the motivation of the truck is where the mystery lies.
Never defend crap with "It's just a movie"
http://www.youtube.com/user/BigGreenProds -
davannacarter — 12 years ago(October 31, 2013 10:29 AM)
Good point, but ever since Fight Club the 'all in his head' idea has been floated about way too many movies.
This is a good statement. I think is the problem with introducing a popular concept to audiences. When audiences like a popular concept they tend to project that concept onto other movies. This include movies made long ago. It's possible the OP saw Fight Club and is now projecting the beliefs he got from that movie onto this movie made around 3 decades prior to Fight Club. This is most likely the reason why Hollywood remakes a lot of classics. Those of us who like them can easily interpret them as if they were just being made today. But there are many people who are unable to interpret them without looking through filters imposed on them by modern filmmaking.
As far as the movie goes, there are several instances where it clearly shows the truck is real.- When he first gets to the gas station and the truck honks and the attendant says, "Be with you in a second."
- When he hits the fence near the diner and the old men and the people outside the diner ask him why he drove off the road. They saw the truck.
- When one of the truckers he suspects is the driver walks out of the diner, he pats the truck before getting into his own car.
Those are just the few instances I notice before the halfway point that clearly state everyone sees the truck is real.
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ralph_2ndedition — 9 years ago(September 08, 2016 12:42 AM)
Over thinkingmaybe.
But I never said the truck wasn't there.
I said it was a physical manifestation of David Mann's fear of conflict and confrontation. 'Physical manifestation' means just that, that it is physically there, as a real physical object. You can touch it, smell it, get killed by it.
But it is David Mann's demon to face, it poses no threat to anyone other than him - a fact that is undebatable as we clearly see how the truck ignores (or even help) other motorists on the highway.
David tries to outrun confrontation, but it just keeps coming at him. It won't let him get help, it won't let him involve other people and - most importantly - it won't let him get away without him first deciding to radically change his own miserable life.
So he manically tries to outrun conflict - but it just keeps coming at him, until he decides to let his old self go, and face his demons.
Then he is released.
Or it's just a 90 minute car chase story.
It's up to the viewer. -
mcdemuth — 9 years ago(November 19, 2016 04:59 PM)
The entire time I was thinking that there was no truck
WHY?
When Mann stops at the gas station early in the movie, the truck pulls in beside him. The Truck honks it's horn, and gets the attention of the Gas Station Owner.
Mann crashes his car into the fence outside the diner, and I think a witness asked about the truck chasing him.
The Truck crashes into the Snakes, and the lady asks why did he do that.
The Passerby Car on the road, sees the Truck when Mann asks for help, and then the driver gets scared when the Truck starts backing towards him.
As I recall MANN sees a Police car, and didn't the truck either hit the police car, or almost hit the police car
The Truck pushes the School Bus and gets it unstuck
I'll ask again
WHY Do You Think That?