A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.
- Director
- Writer
- Richard Matheson(screenplay)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writer
- Richard Matheson(screenplay)
- Stars
- Won 1 Primetime Emmy
- 3 wins & 5 nominations total
Videos1
Carey Loftin
- The Truck Driveras The Truck Driver
- (as Cary Loftin)
Dale Van Sickel
- Car Driveras Car Driver
- (as Dale VanSickle)
- Director
- Writer
- Richard Matheson(screenplay) (story)
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Carey Loftin, playing the truck driver, asked Steven Spielberg what his motivation was for tormenting the car's driver, Spielberg told him, "You're a dirty, rotten, no-good son of a bitch." Loftin replied, "Kid, you hired the right man."
- GoofsWhen Mann approaches the phone booth at the "Snakerama" he says "Odd place for a telephone booth," and gets inside, closing the door behind him. The camera pans to the right slightly, revealing the reflection of 'Steven Spielberg (I)' in the lower right-hand side of the glass panel, wearing what appears to be a blue Hawaiian shirt, glancing up and down at the script in his hands. Behind him, the truck's reflection can also be seen.
- Quotes
David Mann: You can't beat me on the grade. You can't beat me on the grade!
- Crazy creditsA scene plays out over the credits where David Mann sits on the edge of the cliff throwing stones.
- Alternate versionsFor the German DVD release, the film was entirely redubbed.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Incredible Hulk: Never Give a Trucker an Even Break (1978)
- SoundtracksBrush Those Tears from Your Eyes
(uncredited)
Written by Al Trace (as Clem Watts), Oakley Haldeman and James Lee
Published by MCA Music (ASCAP)
Top review
Classy chase and intrigue thriller being the first movie directed by the great Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg first movie, with fine performance from Dennis Weaver , giving one of his best ones as a driver who is at first harried and eventually horrified by a large truck. It results to be a fascinating killer game of the classic chase of the cat and mouse. A top-notch made for TV picture, concerning a relentless pursuit, including a provoking and relentless exercice in paranoia. It deals with a commuter businessman who is repeatedly threatened and attacked by an massive, huge trailer on an open desert highway. Along the way, the starring cannot see the face of the driver of the giant truck.
Spendid thriller originally made for TV plenty of thrills, chills, breathtaking chases, suspense, and many other things. There are not motivations, no explanations, except perhaps for a hint of allegory in the screenline and a tense visual suggestion about the ancient fight between the vulnerable, prancing knight and the lumbering, nasty dragon. Dennis Weaver, only protagonist, delivers a nice acting as a docile traveling salesman who takes on a malevolant juggerneaut, an ominous tractor-trailer causing wreak havoc.
It contains a nail-biting and suspenseful musical score by Billy Goldenberg. As well as a colorful and adequate cinematography by Jack Marta . Based on a story and screenplay by the prestigious novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson. The motion picture was very well and superbly directed by Spielberg, being his Film debut. And while in US premiered in Television, it was released threatically in Europe . Here Steven maintains the whole nightmarish situation at total tension and fever pitch. Spielberg successful film to be continued by a series of hits, such as : Sugarland express, Jaws, Close encounters in third phase , Raiders of the lost ark, ET, The color purple, Amazing stories, Empire of the sun, Hook, Jurassik Park, Amistad, Schindler list, Lost world, A. I. , Minority report, The terminal, Munich, War of the words, Indiana Jones and the last crusade and many others. Rating : Notable, better than average, 7.5/10. An absolute cracker that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Spendid thriller originally made for TV plenty of thrills, chills, breathtaking chases, suspense, and many other things. There are not motivations, no explanations, except perhaps for a hint of allegory in the screenline and a tense visual suggestion about the ancient fight between the vulnerable, prancing knight and the lumbering, nasty dragon. Dennis Weaver, only protagonist, delivers a nice acting as a docile traveling salesman who takes on a malevolant juggerneaut, an ominous tractor-trailer causing wreak havoc.
It contains a nail-biting and suspenseful musical score by Billy Goldenberg. As well as a colorful and adequate cinematography by Jack Marta . Based on a story and screenplay by the prestigious novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson. The motion picture was very well and superbly directed by Spielberg, being his Film debut. And while in US premiered in Television, it was released threatically in Europe . Here Steven maintains the whole nightmarish situation at total tension and fever pitch. Spielberg successful film to be continued by a series of hits, such as : Sugarland express, Jaws, Close encounters in third phase , Raiders of the lost ark, ET, The color purple, Amazing stories, Empire of the sun, Hook, Jurassik Park, Amistad, Schindler list, Lost world, A. I. , Minority report, The terminal, Munich, War of the words, Indiana Jones and the last crusade and many others. Rating : Notable, better than average, 7.5/10. An absolute cracker that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
helpful•132
- ma-cortes
- Mar 20, 2019
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $450,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $2,544
- Runtime1 hour 30 minutes
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