©1971 Universal City Studios, Inc. All rights reserved.

Catalog Number 19-002
Format Standard Play CAV
Mono
Running Time 91 minutes


Pressing Location DiscoVision Carson
Label Color Blue
Issued February 1979
Side Frames Running Time
1 39,675 27min 33sec
2 27,919 19min 23sec
3 30,040 20min 52sec
4 32,967 22min 54sec
130,601 90min 42sec
Ratings
Video Transfer
Audio Transfer
Replication
Packaging
Open-Top
Side-Open Sticker
Printed 
Price History
Silver Catalog $9.95
November 1979 $9.95
May 1980 $9.95
August 1980 $9.95
October 1980 $9.95

Pressing Notes

Steven Spielberg's early film directorial work is highlighted by this made-for-TV feature starring Dennis Weaver as a motorist plagued by a crazed truck driver. Spielberg fans will notice the similarity in the director's handling of the demise of an 18 wheeler and, in a later film, a two ton "eating machine." This title makes for some of the shortest sides ever pressed by DiscoVision, and is also one of the shortest pressing runs produced.

The video transfer of Duel is acceptable, however the source material, 35mm film, has some obvious flaws and they show up on the screen. The audio is transferred well, however, it seems the audio and video are out of sync by more than a full second for the famous truck crash sequence. Not having personally seen the film in any other venue than DiscoVision, I cannot be sure if this is the directors intent, or a mistake in the transfer.

Some copies have additional information at the end of side 3. A player which ignores the "end of side" is required to play this additional program. What has been discovered is SMPTE color bars and 1000hz tone. During the test pattern, the frame counter remains stationary. However, further down the disc, the counter resets, the typical side opening bumper begins, announcing side 4...of Duel. The first 8,290 frames of side 4 are present before there simply isn't any recorded material left on the disc and the player looses sync. The complete side 4 is then presented, on side 4.


Release History

Duel was released in December 1993 by MCA/Universal Home Video (Catalog #: 41752).


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Updated: March 10, 2021
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