Continuity in Duel

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“An Intense Scene in the Movie Duel”

The scene starts off with showing the driver and the perspective of him driving. Soon after, the scene turns into a wide angle to show more of the background and setting of the scene. The camera then uses the 180 degree rule to show the different cars and the perspective of the driver of the red car driving behind the large truck that has smoke coming out of it. Once the large truck pulled over, the camera shots were directed to a point of view from the truck itself where then it redirects to a long wide shot which was then used to show both the car and large truck entering the gas station. The scene then shifts to the driver making a phone call but the camera directs itself to look at the truck and how it is stuck at the side of the road. These alternating scenes acted as if the driver was running away from the truck and ensuring he kept visual with the truck as it was following him. When the truck was heading straight towards the driver when he was in the phone booth, the angle of the camera indicated the driver was facing away and did not see the truck coming in until last minute. This represents the anxiety part of what the driver is feeling.

Continuity Edits Blog — Jeremy Sauter

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Hello, class! Today I will be analyzing this scene from Duel, which we watched last week in class:

 

Steven Spielberg managed to create an extremely intense chase throughout the movie, but this scene in particular used continuity edits extremely well to raise the tension even further.

As the scene begins, continuous, longer shots are used to create a hightened tense of uncertainty, while using the 180 degree rule several times to face the driver from the side, so that he’s facing left from our perspective, to get his thoughts and expressions. As the scene approaches a refueling station, the camera uses a reverse shot as our main character talks with the gas attendant. It then turns into a panning shot to turn around and see the gas truck parked and supposedly anticipating something.

As more and more of the gas stop is revealed, as our protagonist walks around the venue, you can faintly hear the attendant fiddling with his car as he makes his way to the telephone booth, which is done in one longer take to help get a sense of the distance between his car and the booth.

As our main character talks on the phone, we get match cuts between him and the gas truck, letting us “keep our eye” on both sides of the situation and further increase the tension. And as the truck begins to turn around and approach, wide shots are match cut with the booth as he frantically tries to get the police to help. The shot right before the gas truck gets ready to ram the booth, continuity is held thanks to the constantly growing louder engine of the truck, and it comes into frame from the left, which was established where the truck was at compared to the booth in previous shots.

Finally, high and low angled, yet wide shots help capture the scale and danger of the truck as it destroys the stop, the noises of the crashes and the truck engine pushing you to the edge of your seat. It truly becomes one of the more tense and pulse-rising scenes in the movie.

-Jeremy Sauter

Duel: An Intense Scene – Continuity Edits and Scene Build

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Tiffany Duran

In this scene, Steven Spielberg uses many continuity edits to build the scene and create tension.
The beginning of the scene uses the 180-degree rule by staying on the left side of the subjects with the subject’s facing camera left as they are driving. The scene uses longer cuts to create a feeling of uncertainty about the truck drivers next moves.
One shot reverse shot is used for the dialogue between David and the gas attendant before he moves on to the phone booth to call the police. An insert shot shows David’s surroundings while he’s in the booth which gives a sense of vulnerability.
Cross cutting is used to start building tension by showing the action of David calling the police while the truck driver makes his way towards David. Shorter and more rapid cut scenes are then used which starts to build tension.
During a shot of David on the phone, audio from the last scene of the truck is continued to be used to imply that the truck is approaching David which adds suspense.
Match on action shots are used to show the action taking place when the truck runs over the telephone pole and the animal tanks. Insert shots are used to show the dangerous animals now surrounding David which adds to the chaos of the scene, as well as the sad reaction from the gas attendee. More match on action shots are used to show David trying to deter the driver by throwing a tank at him, and then David making his way to his car.