'Duel': A Conversation with Director Steven Spielberg

In an interview, director Steven Spielberg discusses the making of his 1971 motion picture *Duel*. The film, a television movie that later received a theatrical release, was Spielberg's first major project after graduating from film school. He directed it under the pseudonym "S. Newman" to avoid being typecast as a television director. The film centers on a tense road rage confrontation between a small-town schoolteacher and a mysterious, menacing truck driver. *Duel* is noted for its suspenseful pacing and innovative use of limited locations. It helped establish Spielberg as a promising new filmmaker and is often regarded as a precursor to his later success in the horror and thriller genres.