ABC Movie of the Weekend Open 1971

[ssoberstgroupandfuhr]

Spielberg directed "Murder By the Book" prior to this for NBC & Peter Falk for the opening episode. Columbo episodes may as well be considered movies given their run time was 90-120 minutes.

[UnseenCaller]

Duel is overrated IMO. Yes, it makes you "wonder" why the truck driver was doing it, and who he was, but it was the ultimate leaves-you-dangling movie. We never even see him. It leaves everyone saying "so what the fuh?? I just spent 90 minutes being teased with no satisfaction."

[TubeGunner]

I also notice in this here, Dennis Weaver says "He wanted me to hit that car head on" and "why is he doing this?" Neither are in my old VHS nor my DVD version. I also recall on my own, another part toward the end where the final chase begins as the trucker waves his arm for Weaver to go ahead, and Weaver is thinking to himself again like in the diner, something like "He wants to keep me ahead of him until he's ready to move in for the kill" and then he looks in his mirror and there he is.

[TubeGunner]

Wow, this is awesome! What memories. I saw this when I was a kid when it came out. Have seen it countless times since. Like most creepy flicks from that era, it was creepy as hell and unforgettable. Nowadays it's atrocious flicks with no story or real tension, just full of CGI crap and shit talent. Or "reality" shows full of people with no clothes on and no more talent than that, informercials, and endless talkshows, all lame as fuck.

[wlhardy]

I remember this movie--it scared the crap out of me! No special effects, no swearing, no sex, no cursing, no blood, no guts--but still scary! Amazing, isn't it? I remember that it was filmed in a way where you couldn't see the truck driver's face. I think this was Spielberg's first movie, he was so young (in his 20s) and did a fantastic job.

[Htos1av]

@wlhardy Me too!Loved it!

[TrekkiELO]

@wlhardy Same here, I first saw this on Channel 13 KCOP Los Angeles back in the 1980s, Billy Goldenberg's soundtrack music for "Duel" is what creeps me out most! 8-)

[Childist2]

Duel is one of my favorite movies of all time.

[sexymama1966]

that was a kickin' theme song:)

[LosAngeleno1959]

I remember me and my brothers watching this back in 1971 and laughing at how Dennis Weaver reacts like a scared little girl when the Trucker keeps trying to run him off the road. I remember for the longest time after that we'd always yell and scream like Dennis Weaver just for laughs.

[smeldogs]

That movie is a psychological thriller for the audience.

[wamcalif5]

Duel is a classic.

[humbleradio]

Oh, man. I remember catching this. This is priceless. I'm downloading it! ;)

[jack2breeze]

Cool i have the VHS

[vividwatch47]

The truck driver was played by stuntman Carey Loftin.

[BOLDLYGO2007]

One of Steven Spilberg's best movies! It still gives me chills!

[StukInBuf]

"Wheel of Fortune" meets "The 4:30 Movie."

[ballisticbliss]

This little 90 minute TV movie might be one of the greatest films small or big screen ever. Classic!

[Freethinker82]

Notice how Dennis Weaver is the one who gets top billing.  Spielberg isn't even mentioned.

;-)

[jack2breeze]

@Freethinker82 It was his first movie he was practically unknown then.

[HayateAce]

Oreckboy, I think DUEL was released in theaters and was not a made for TV movie.

Trivia time:

DUEL and JAWS both have 4 letters!

:P

The sound of the crashing/dying semi-tractor is used as the dying/sinking sound for JAWS.

[convoyduel]

No, Duel was the ABC Movie of the Weekend filmed in September 1971 and first airing in October 1971. Approximately 15 minutes of additional scenes were shot a few years later, making it a complete 90 minute movie for theatrical release.

[sarkelcpa]

@convoyduel I thought it was aired in November. I remember that Saturday night like it was yesterday. We were out Christmas shopping (even though I wanted to stay at home and watch Duel). While everyone else was shopping, I was in the television section of the store watching the movie.

[hobokenplayboy]

@sarkelcpa Yes. You are correct. The movie did air originally on November 18, 1971. When the T.V. version scored high ratings, it was decided that two new scenes would be added to extend the movie to 90 minutes for theatrical release internationally. A second Plymouth Valiant was purchased and a second Peterbilt was also located to film the two new scenes.

[creeg84]

Nope, Duel was made for tv, but, it impressed so many people in the U.S., it was released in Japan in theatres.

[PDS1990]

What is the music for Movie Of The Weekend anyway?

[PDS1990]

First Movie Of The Week, then it's Movie Of The Week & Movie Of The Weekend? COOL!

[kjm2672]

What is the musical selection that they used for this? Who was the composer/performer?

[ClassicTVLover]

Thanks for the memory. I love the movie "Duel" even though it scared the tar out of me back them (and still sort of creeps me out today!).

[treggamore]

Kudos for posting this, you've cleared up a decades-old mystery for me. I had that tune and those graphics in my head for 35 years, wondering which network used them. I definitely recall this intro being used for "When Michael Calls", which like most of these films, scared the shit out of me! Hey, I was 7 at the time! I should have known it was the ever-innovative ABC. Such a delight to see this again. It's amazing that you have this precious footage (glitch and all). I Would love to see more!!

[DENo1MatchGameFan]

I love the fact that "The Incredible Hulk" used footage from this movie for one of Season One's episodes involving a rig - they used the same Dodge Dart and everything!

[NowhereMan1966]

I caught that too, was watching "The Incredible Hulk" on RTN and I said to Mom, "hey, they are using footage from Duel!"

[prausch65]

Wow, Duel!,Spielberg's first movie,and its a gem.

[OreckBoy1]

Holy Crap!!...McCloud almost got killed by a pissed off B.J. & The Bear!! and Hey, what's the "4:30 Movie" guy doing there??!!... Just kidding..."Duel" was a spectaclar movie and Dennis Weaver was cast perfectly. This was one of Speilberg's gems and proves that television could produce this kind of thrilling excitment. Sadly, this is not the case in this day and age.

[vividwatch47]

No, Dennis Weaver almost got bumped off by a deranged stuntman (Carey Loftin).

[fromthesidelines]

Yes, the sequence of the silouetted cameraman was slightly reused in the "custom" openings for "The 4:30 Movie", "Saturday/Sunday Night Movie", etc. after 1973, 'wm'.

[fromthesidelines]

"MOVIE OF THE WEEKEND" was the network's attempt to do for Saturday nights, in 1971-'72, what "MOVIE OF THE WEEK" did for Tuesdays at 8:30pm(et); CBS' line-up (including "THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW") was too popular, though, and this became "WEDNESDAY MOVIE OF THE WEEK" the following season. This is the introduction to the November 13, 1971 presentation of "Duel" {one of critic David Bianculli's FAVORITE TV movies}.

[wmbrown6]

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but was it after the 1972-73 season that the "rotating cameraman" shown on this open was first adopted by WABC-TV for its "4:30 Movie," "Saturday/Sunday Night Movie" and so forth, replacing the previous openings with a silhouetted director sitting in a chair (and with "Sesame Street"/"The Electric Company" composer Joe Raposo's custom "Moving Pictures" theme played in the background)?

[katmusic2006]

aw snap!!!! this is duel!! i've seen the movie before and loved it! :)

[tapthat2012]

love it

[springloadedchicken]

the further time went on the more impersonal the features became.. what a shame that's happened to broadcast.. :( not that i'm complaining though ;p

[gli7utubeo]

IMHO, Spielberg's work was all downhill after Duel. Nothing ever came close. I think it created a whole new genre. No plot, no characters, just momentum. A real breakthrough in cinema.

[frankd1965]

Great openings. I had not seen this since 1971-1972.

[reving19]

That was cool. This is what people saw that night when this classic movie was first run. "Duel" is still one of my favorite movies.

[boyfriendable]

That truck reminds me of the movie jeepers creepers

[wmbrown6]

I have to ask - was it from this opening that the memorable WABC-TV movie opens from the 1970's (notably "The 4:30 Movie" and its other umbrellas) was derived, given that the same panned footage of the silhoutted cameraman with the movie camera was used here?

[eyeontv]

I think you're right about that one, it was probably customized for the O&Os.

[wmbrown6]

Like at WABC-TV, the "lined strokes" (per Adobe Photoshop wording) were added to that silhouetted footage.

[noahf67]

What's odd is that long, long after ABC changed their Movie Of The Week intro, maybe 6 or 7 years or more, WABC in NYC came out with a new local movie (Late and 4:30) intro

based on the "new" ABC Movie intro design..

Remember that one...? I think the 4:30 Movie folded one year later...

[wmbrown6]

It wasn't just WABC - WLS in Chicago adopted that mid-'70's "ABC Sunday/Friday Night Movie"-style opening (with different discofied music) in 1980, after a change in timeslot and accompanying title from "The 3:30 Movie" to "The 3:00 Movie." WLS's movie show, however, lasted until 1984.