Monday, October 17, 2011

Twin Stacks

When I saw this sight out my driver's side mirror, I did a double take. Those twin smokin' stacks echoed only one thing... Duel. The 1971 made for tv movie, Duel, that is. It's the seemingly, eternal highway struggle between a 18 wheeler, tanker truck and a Plymouth Valiant on a lonely highway. Dennis Weaver is the bedraggled salesman, endlessly pursued on the deserted road. It's one of those flicks that, when I pass it on the dial, I can't stay away. Now, when I travel and hit the rest stops, I like to spend a few minutes checking out a few of the big rigs, idling in the distance. If I was single, I do believe this 'on the road' life would appeal to me. However, this borderline scary, rusted-out rig tale is not a big seller of that type of life style. Check it out, on TBS sometime this winter.

17 comments:

  1. un remake de "Duel" de Steven Spielberg ;o)

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  2. Fun photo. I know that I would not want the life of a driver of a big rig...too lonely and too difficult. It's a tough way to make a living.

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  3. It does look scary and I havent' even seen the movie.

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  4. Haven't seen the movie, but this is a big truck to see in your rear-view.

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  5. I love this rear view over forward view, the scene w/in a scene . . .but that movie sounds scarrrrry.

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  6. I really like mirror shots. I try to get them when I go to car shows if the owners will let me sit in their car. Take some from mine time to time and even did a thing for Vette owner friend of mine in a church parking lot with both mirrors.

    As far as the movie goes....great!. So simple, no real special effects like today and once you get into it you wonder how the Weaver is going to get out of it. He's the star, right? He has to.

    I had a Plymoth Valiant.....great car, maybe there's a connection for me.

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  7. I can hear the deep low horn of the big truck from your photo. Thrilling.

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  8. Oh, I remember that movie! Never want to get on the bad side of these guys!

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  9. Nice reflection shot! I don't remember that movie, but I always liked Dennis Weaver.

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  10. Cool post, my avian/human friend! I had not thought of that movie in years but I remember watching it in sheer terror!

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  11. I've seen that movie a couple of times - spooky stuff indeed!

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  12. I know the film, scary to spot the real thing!

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  13. Dennis Weaver made that film seem real.

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  14. I don't know why, but this reminded me of the Little Nash Rambler (Beep Beep) song. Hey, Birdman, how can I get this car out of second gear?

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  15. I remember the movie but had forgotten the title. It helped me see Weaver as someone besides "Chester". The movie held tension throughout and with almost no dialog. Just Weaver and the faceless black truck which kept reappearing in his rear view mirror. I hadn't thought of that movie in a long time.

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  16. You know, I vividly remember that movie from my first viewing of it on television. I could barely breath the entire time. In fact, just thinking about it makes a tightness in my chest. Later on when I learned that Steven Spielberg had directed it, I wasn't surprised at how many of his movies are so special. Here's how Duel is described at IMDB: A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by a malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer. I think that fits perfectly.

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