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DUEL - original 1971 TV edit?

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  • DUEL - original 1971 TV edit?

    Do any of you know if the original TV version of Spielberg's DUEL is available anywhere?

    From any bootleggers maybe? As far as I can tell all DVD versions carry the 15 minute longer European cinema print. But I watched the film on TV in the 70s and would love to see the original version again.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duel_%281971_film%29
    2019: The only blog to survive the nuclear holocaust

  • #2
    I've only ever seen the longer version available, sorry.
    Rock! Shock! Pop!

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Ian Jane View Post
      I've only ever seen the longer version available, sorry.
      Me too....

      Even when I saw it on TV, they still rerun the longer version.....

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      • #4
        I've done a bit of further checking and I think I was wrong about having seen it in the 70s, it must have been on tv in the 80s. And it was most likely the same 90 min. feature film version as you guys saw. I would still love to see the original version tho.
        2019: The only blog to survive the nuclear holocaust

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Jack J View Post
          I've done a bit of further checking and I think I was wrong about having seen it in the 70s, it must have been on tv in the 80s. And it was most likely the same 90 min. feature film version as you guys saw. I would still love to see the original version tho.
          Yeah..I think the only way you could see the shorter version would be the original 1970's tv airing......or, if you are lucky, some cable tv channel will have the old version..

          Not sure how big US tv companies were on preserving stuff back in the 70's..I know hte UK wiped SHITLOADS of good stuff not many years before because they thought the tapes were too expensive and wanted to re-use them!

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          • #6
            Originally posted by sukebanboy View Post
            Yeah..I think the only way you could see the shorter version would be the original 1970's tv airing......or, if you are lucky, some cable tv channel will have the old version..

            Not sure how big US tv companies were on preserving stuff back in the 70's..I know hte UK wiped SHITLOADS of good stuff not many years before because they thought the tapes were too expensive and wanted to re-use them!
            Help could very well be on its way but I don't know for sure yet. Someone got in contact with me. I'll let you know.

            What you describe happened with Danish TV as well. A lot of the stuff from the 70s and even early 80s simply got wiped. Stuff I'll love to find VHS copies of. :(

            Sometimes you can get really lucky tho. I tried to find RIKER (early 80s short lived US cop show) for a few years and finally earlier this year someone from my early days as a film collector got in touch, and this someone knew someone who knew someone with a VHS from the early 80s. And after 5 months of dealings back and forth I finally got a dvdr. LOLZ.
            Jack J
            Senior Member
            Last edited by Jack J; 12-12-2012, 09:27 PM.
            2019: The only blog to survive the nuclear holocaust

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            • #7
              Well, I saw the 73 minute 23 second DUEL several times in the 1970s including the original first and second broadcast. I was a huge fan of the movie-of-the-week in those days because they were frequently genre films and often inspired by The Twilight Zone (Rod Serling's influence was omniescent). I used to record the sound on audio-cassettes and would listen to the movies all the time. Listening to the audio was also good practice to improve my typing. I turned them into scripts. So I never missed a movie-of-the-week -- until I started going out with girls which was more fun than sitting at home in front of the TV.

              The short version is a relentless thriller that grabs your attention and never lets go. It's a masterpiece of suspense and action. The longer version padded out for European theatrical release dilutes the tension and has less impact. I assumed we would see the original cut on the DVD when it finally came out, and was surprised and disappointed to find the theatrical version only. Really, the film is so short, there's no reason why both versions are not included.

              Perhaps Universal will do it right next time, if and when the film gets a blu-ray release.

              Meanwhile, if anyone has the shorter version, I want a copy, too.
              Richard--W
              a straight arrow
              Last edited by Richard--W; 12-12-2012, 10:18 PM.
              "I've been to college, but I can still speak English when business demands it."
              - Raymond Chandler, 1939.

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              • #8
                Thank you for that post, Richard! That's exactly what I suspected: That the shorter version was exactly like the director wanted it to be, more tight, and that the longer version with padding is more... flabby.
                2019: The only blog to survive the nuclear holocaust

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                • #9
                  The scene at the truck stop where Dennis Weaver confronts a driver and then stops to eat is the most padded out scene in the film. A voice-over is added over prolonged takes of Weaver wondering who it is and worrying over what's going to happen. We see these things on his face and don't need to hear his thoughts telegraphed to us. The padded truck stop scene brings the fast pace and the relentlessness to a grinding halt.

                  Remember, the original broadcast version skyrocketed in the ratings, made a fortune several times over in unprecedented repeats to satisfy audience demand, and changed television forever.

                  Tell Universal to get their ass in gear on the shorter version, Jack J.
                  "I've been to college, but I can still speak English when business demands it."
                  - Raymond Chandler, 1939.

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                  • #10
                    Was the voice-over completely absent (for the entire feature) in the original TV broadcast? That's how I remember it.

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