Question: Why does the fuel tanker truck not explode or burst into flames after it crashes down the mountainside?
Duel (1971)
1 question since 11 Jan '25, 05:47
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Dennis Weaver, Eddie Firestone, Jacqueline Scott, Lou Frizzell
Visible crew/equipment: When Dennis Weaver is in the cafe a shadow of a cameraman is cast across the table he is sitting at. The shot then changes to a wider angle to reveal that there isn't anyone near him who could have cast that shadow.
David Mann: That truck driver's crazy, he's been trying to kill me, I mean it.
Bus Driver: Well, mister, if I was to vote on who's crazy around here, it'd be you.
Trivia: This film garnered so much critical praise that it was theatrically released in quite a few countries, though it was originally a made-for-TV-movie for NBC in 1972.
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Answer: Vehicles do not typically explode in collisions, even a fuel tanker, which may have been empty. Car and truck impact explosions are mostly an overused movie plot device. The Mythbusters covered this in a movie myths episode. Spielberg avoided a clichéd fiery ending, instead showing the truck's destruction with close-up interior shots and focusing on Mann's quiet reflection in the aftermath. Also, this was a low-budget, made-for-TV movie. Explosive special effects are expensive, dangerous, and do not always go as planned, requiring multiple takes.
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