It’s Dennis Weaver -On the Road to Terror- in Spielberg’s “Duel”- Tonight!

Posted on February 18, 2023

Tonight on MeTV- it’s time for a road trip- but this one is hardly enjoyable for the driver! Motoring down a dangerous desert highway, a traveling salesman finds himself tailed by a mysterious mass of moving metal - a terrifying tanker truck- as it seemingly targets his vehicle! This bumper-bashing behemoth takes on Dennis Weaver in a pedal-to-the-metal one-sided demolition derby- in a deadly “Duel”!

We meet David (Weaver) who has had better weeks- he's late for a big business meeting, and on the outs with his wife after an incident at a party. The solace of a drive on the wide-open, lonely two-lane desert highway could almost be mediation for him- but he finds himself stuck behind a tanker truck, whose noxious exhaust makes him cough, while its slowpoke driving delays his progress. He tries to pass the truck, but its driver appears to be toying with him- blocking his attempts to pass. He finally squeezes past the tanker- only to have it barrel down the road and pass him! David makes a pit stop at a gas station- and there is the truck parked opposite his car at the pumps! He makes a quick call to his wife, which only pours more gas on their fiery argument (see what I did there?)- and is pretty steamed by the time the goofy service attendant tries to get him to replace a radiator hose. He pulls away from the station, as the mysterious trucker blasts his horn to get the attendant's attention.

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David’s Plymouth Valiant heads down the highway, only to find the truck accelerating towards him, overtaking him and passing him- but it again slows down, blocking any attempt to pass! Some cat and mouse motoring ensues, with David realizing that he's definitely being targeted by the blacktop bully. David's drive deteriorates into a high-speed chase, with the tailgating truck playing "bumper cars" with the panicking salesman. Spotting a diner, David swerves off the road, giving him some bumps and bruises, and his car some new dents. Shaken up, his nerves shot, he stumbles into the diner to try and calm down.

That’s no help-because once inside and seated- he looks out the window and sees the truck parked right outside! Paranoia strikes as David scans the diner's patrons, feverishly trying to guess which one of them might be his nemesis! This leads to an uncomfortable case of mistaken accusation, and when David returns to his battered vehicle and hits the road again- the tanker truck is waiting for him- and the chase is on again! Can David escape from the monstrous eight-wheeler out to deal him mechanized death?

We get constant requests for Steven Spielberg’s legendary 1971 early full-length directing effort. It was originally made for TV, but we have an expanded version used for theatrical showing. Dennis Weaver's raw emotions as the driver faced with the inexplicable threat of treacherous road rage will have YOUR adrenaline pumping as well. We will tell you a little about the production with its somewhat limited cast, serenade you with a Sven song, and show you a Sven take-off on an animated cartoon driver -plus, we bring back a favorite parody of what was a much-talked about insurance commercial (done before that certain company hooked up with an emu) and more!

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"Duel" hits the road tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 9 central on MeTV- if you're unsure of time and channel in your area, check your local listings, or at www.metv.com. MeTV invites you to join the crowd that is live-Tweeting during the show- they have us trending among the most-posted about topics nationally every week! Just head to Twitter and use the hashtag #svengoolie . Our Chicago area viewers can head back to the big top for fearsome fun with “Killer Klowns from Outer Space”" at 11 am on our main local channel, CW26.

Speaking of which, “Killer Klowns” was a big hit with our Sven viewers- with the reaction,we may have to bring it back later this year! We also want to thank all of you who took the survey regarding possible new Sven merchandise. You may see some of the suggestions in our store before too long!

Tonight, fasten your seat belts for a wild ride with a stalking semi on MeTV!

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3834 Comments

 during show

Kyle 14 months ago
One minute to go time!

Well if it works.
MrsG 14 months ago
As my SvenMates prepare for the great race I’ll bid You good night but will be looking ,
cause I can smell l l l l what the Sven is cooking 🧑‍🍳 🎩 🧑‍🍳
MrsG CrazyK 14 months ago
💜 Love it CrazyK ^_*
CrazyK MrsG 14 months ago
Have a good night! 🌙
Kyle CrazyK 14 months ago
The People's eyebrow!
Bill_K MrsG 14 months ago
Good Night, Mrs G!
abc123 14 months ago
Stepped out of the box for a moment, and used a camera type device that took great photos, and passable video (sound on purpose, but just barely)! The Fan will be on time tonight!
PatS abc123 14 months ago
Yay! Darn that tech, it just keeps changing.
Jack 14 months ago
From the FORWARD:https://forward.com/culture/537566/richard-belzer-tv-law-and-order-hebrew-school-first-person/
PatS Jack 14 months ago
Thanks for the link. A sweet story. And I agree with her, "it's better to be an outcast than to be snooty."
abc123 14 months ago
Spent some time Wednesday and Thursday trying to get my new phone to get decent photos or video of my fan. Too much strobe effect. I hope you like my replacement images I will upload with my verse...
TheKodakKid 14 months ago
You know, to give the Devil his due, I can sort of understand the tank truck driver’s viewpoint. Mann, Dennis was Weaver-ing all over the road.

Oh look, here come those nice young men in their shiny, white coats. I think they want me to come with them.
Mikeyyy TheKodakKid 14 months ago
I'll have to represent Tn at the race...
DrFish28136 14 months ago
Weathering the weather
Klaatu DrFish28136 14 months ago
Hey! I resemble that! I live in LA area…but it is accurate and funny🤣
Mikeyyy 14 months ago
Exciting start to a-team tonight…
MrsG Mikeyyy 14 months ago
Caught an exciting end ~ looks like I missed a good one 🚁 🚐 🚔
Cartoondave 14 months ago
I've got Law&Order theme stuck in my head all week ever since we lost Richard Belzer(aka Det. John Munch) it's probably too new but it'll be great if Metv can SVU also I was wondering if Sven would be able to get any of the original PLANET OF THE APES films from the 60's and 70's?
abc123 Cartoondave 14 months ago
I would get up at 5am to watch the Planet of the Apes tv series when MeTV showed that. Fingers crossed they can get the rights to show the animated series someday.
DrSerizawa 14 months ago
I've wanted to watch the movie Hellzapoppin for some time. Just found it complete on YouTube. Our boy Shemp is the first actor we see.
Drang 14 months ago
Regional snark alert: No more Cal Worthington and Spot? However will we live without them?
Drang Drang 14 months ago
https://mynorthwest.com/3841015/so-long-cal-worthington-dog-spot/
In his ads, he got the address of the local dealership wrong, confusing (local) Pacific Highway South with "South Pacific Coast Highway."
Californians...
Klaatu Drang 14 months ago
I grew up with Cal Worthington and His Dog Spot car ads. I was too young to go buy a car from him, and thankfully so.
Drang Klaatu 14 months ago
The Avery Schreiber's spoofs of his ad in The Last Remake of Beau Geste with Michael York, Marty Feldman, and Ann-Margaret (among others) was as hilarious as the rest of the movie.
"I will stand upon my fez until my face it is so red, see Hakim, see Hakim, see Hakim!"
Lynn Klaatu 14 months ago
Background to my childhood, for sure! What Sven could have done with those ads.😎
Klaatu 14 months ago
Wow! After 12 hours of heavy downpours, my pool has filled up over 4” and is now overflowing 😳😳. Thankfully someone invented sump pumps.
Lynn Klaatu 14 months ago
Stay safe - this is gonna be one for the books.
CrazyK 14 months ago
Guess what song’s been stuck in my head all day? Yep! 🐝
Hahaha 😂 might have to pull a music video night to get it outta there! 🎶 🎸🥁 🍺 😂
Kyle CrazyK 14 months ago
I know a guy who is essentially the same character.

That song plays in my head every time I deal with him.
CrazyK Kyle 14 months ago
Aw…haha! That’s really funny! It is a catchy tune though!
Kyle CrazyK 14 months ago
He is not stupid, he just has the mannerisms.

Nope nope nope nope!

It kills me.
CrazyK Kyle 14 months ago
😂
deadringer42 CrazyK 14 months ago
🎼bringing home a baby bumble bee🎼😆
CrazyK deadringer42 14 months ago
That’s it 👍 And it’s still there!!! 😂
VanGooliac 14 months ago
Interesting article about the making of Duel
https://www.rogerebert.com/features/book-excerpt-steven-spielberg-and-duel-the-making-of-a-film-career
Klaatu VanGooliac 14 months ago
Interesting article 👍. And here I always thought Duel was a movie about the battle between Steven Spielberg and his wife over child custody 🙄🙄😆
daleuhlmann 14 months ago
In addition to Carey Loftin, another veteran stuntman and actor who appeared in DUEL was Dale Van Sickel. Among his many other film appearances, was an uncredited role in Jack Pierce's Frankenstein Monster makeup for Universal's 1941 comedy HELLZAPOPPIN'. This movie, which starred the comedy team of Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson, was a film adaptation of their earlier, long-running Broadway musical hit of the same name. Also in the movie were Robert Paige, Jane Frazee, Martha Raye, Shemp Howard, Mischa Auer, and Hugh Herbert. According to Wikipedia, Van Sickel sadly passed on in 1977, as a result of injuries sustained during a car stunt he had performed in 1975.
CrazyK daleuhlmann 14 months ago
1941, that sounds like it might’ve been pre-stooge Shemp.
daleuhlmann CrazyK 14 months ago
Oh, yes, when Shemp was actually enjoying a successful solo career before rejoining the act in 1947 because of his younger brother Curly's failing health.
CrazyK daleuhlmann 14 months ago
Oh ok, I didn’t really know he did anything besides the Stooges so that’s pretty cool.
DrSerizawa CrazyK 14 months ago
Shemp had a very successful solo career as a character actor, even had his own series of short films. He also was afraid of just about everything. Pantophobia is the term used although it's not recognized by psychologists. He drove a car once, crashed it, and never got behind a wheel again.
CrazyK DrSerizawa 14 months ago
Thanks for the info, I had no idea about that. I can totally picture Shemp being afraid of everything because he always seemed so nervous about everything in the Stooges skits!
CrazyK 14 months ago
I’m just not seeing how Pete got so much air unless he jumped off that amp stack, wow! 🎸😎
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Jack CrazyK 14 months ago
How’d you miss the guitar smashing earlier?
Kyle CrazyK 14 months ago
I make chili that will cause that.

Got a seat belt on the commode.
CrazyK Jack 14 months ago
I never really knew much about the Who (with Keith Moon) and am just now finding out how good they were! 👍
CrazyK Kyle 13 months ago
🎶 It’s a gas gas gas 😂
NoPersonalChicks 14 months ago
60 years ago today the Rolling Stones started a regular Sunday night residency as the house band at the Station Hotel. The first night they were paid 33.5 pounds ($40) and drew 66 people who the hotel lured with 2-for-1 ticket prices. By mid-April they were playing to overflow crowds and the Beatles came to see them. Afterwards they went to Jagger's flat in Chelsea. (ain't the Wiki machine grand)
CrazyK NoPersonalChicks 14 months ago
Grand indeed and what a cool little place to have seen the Stones!
Jack 14 months ago
The radio just played “49 Bye-Byes.” The way things have been going I had to check if Joni Mitchell had died.
Jack Jack 14 months ago
Oh cripes! Now they’re playing Judy Collins’ cover of “In My Life”!
CrazyK Jack 14 months ago
Do you happen to be listening to MeTV radio? I just recently found out about it but haven’t tried it yet. I saw this posted yesterday, I’m guessing I can find it online.
Jack CrazyK 14 months ago
Nope. I’m listening to “The Stone Age” on the local volunteer public radio. It’s done by Dan Wargo and carried on PRX.
CrazyK Jack 14 months ago
Volunteer? That’s awesome! 👍
NoPersonalChicks Jack 14 months ago
Just turn the Godrey Daniel thing off before they play Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die.
Jack CrazyK 14 months ago
They are!
CrazyK 14 months ago
Overall good line-up of toons this morning! As always, thanks to Bill, Toony and the ToonInwithMe Crew! 👍 😎
CrazyK 14 months ago
Wow, the premiere of Popeye, in the “Popeye the Sailor” (1933) toon w/Betty Boop was really something! The style totally reminded me of the early Mickey Mouse cartoons which I believe were made before Popeye cartoons.
DrFish28136 CrazyK 14 months ago
Missed it this morning but found it on dailymotion
Thanks
Jack CrazyK 14 months ago
The “rubber hose” style of animation was typical of American animation into the 1930s. Movement synchronized with the soundtrack—synchronized, mirrored, or parallel scoring—such that the characters seem to bounce with the rhythm of the soundtrack has come to be called “Mickey Mousing.” Mickey Mousing isn’t entirely restricted to animation: in my opinion, some of the best ever Mickey Mousing sequences can be seen in _2001: A Space Odyssey_.
CrazyK DrFish28136 14 months ago
You’re welcome, I’m glad you found it. It was really good! 👍
CrazyK Jack 14 months ago
I had no idea there was a name for it, I just know I really love the style of those original B&W Mickey Mouse cartoons with the music, they’re so cool 😎 Thanks for the info Jack and now I need to rewatch 2001: A Space Odyssey, haven’t seen it for years! Here is an excellent Dub by Eek-A-Mouse using the Disney characters and his reggae music 🎶 it’s long but it’s great! The link is below the picture of Mickey 👇 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D2-hNk6UFuE
CountCurt Jack 14 months ago
Thanks for the explanation of mickeymousing. .oh yes 2001 A Space Odyssey ... I am visualizing it now.
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