Steven Spielberg Reveals Why Duel Outshines Jaws in His Eyes

For over fifty years, Steven Spielberg has been a powerhouse in the film industry, consistently delivering hits that have shaped the landscape of American cinema. While audiences have their own top picks from his impressive catalog, Spielberg himself holds a special place for a film that often flies under the radar. In a revealing conversation, he shared that his 1971 made-for-TV thriller Duel stands out as a bolder and, in some ways, tougher project than the blockbuster sensation Jaws.

Improvisation and Collaboration: Spielberg’s Creative Process

Spielberg has never considered himself a traditional writer-director. In a candid interview, he admitted that writing is the part of filmmaking he enjoys the least. Instead, he thrives on collaboration, preferring to see scenes come alive through the energy of actors and the spontaneity of improvisation. This approach became a hallmark of his early work, shaping the way he crafted some of his most memorable movies.

On films like Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg leaned heavily on his cast to help uncover the true heart of each scene. Rather than sticking strictly to the script, he would identify the emotional core and encourage actors to improvise around it. He often recorded these sessions, later rewriting scenes overnight to include the most powerful lines and moments. This method allowed him to strip away unnecessary dialogue and focus on raw emotion, making the fear in Jaws and the wonder in Close Encounters feel authentic and grounded.

Jaws: A Primal, Unfiltered Experience

Spielberg’s goal with Jaws was never to create a deep, philosophical film. He wanted to deliver a visceral, physical jolt to the audience—a movie that would hit viewers on a gut level, just as Peter Benchley’s novel had done for him. He described Jaws as a “primal scream movie,” aiming to tap into the basic fear of being hunted by something lurking beneath the surface.

Despite the constant changes to the script and the chaos on set, Spielberg recalled having remarkable freedom during production. Studio executives largely stayed out of his way, allowing him to experiment and take risks. Reflecting on this, he joked,

For some strange reason, I got away with murder on ‘Jaws’. They just left me alone. I changed the script every day, but I never received a telephone call from any of the powerful executives on the West Coast. I don’t think anybody was ever in love with any of the screenplays and felt that the story and script could only be improved.

That creative freedom helped shape Jaws into a raw, unforgettable thriller, with its terror rooted in the primal fear of being prey.

Duel: Spielberg’s Most Daring Challenge

Even though Jaws became a cultural phenomenon, Spielberg has often pointed to Duel as the more daring film in his career. The challenge, he explained, wasn’t about scale or budget, but about generating suspense from something as ordinary as a truck. While a shark is inherently frightening, making a truck into a source of terror required inventiveness and a whole new set of rules.

In Duel, there’s no musical score guiding the audience’s emotions, no villainous monologue, and no clear explanation for the relentless pursuit. Spielberg had to evoke fear and danger without logic or backstory, making the threat feel even more disturbing. He explained,

‘Jaws’ is a raw nerve movie, it’s just baring your nerves and saying this is about the birth sac, you swim around in yourself. That’s why I like parts of ‘Duel’ (1971) much better than I like parts of ‘Jaws’ (1975), because ‘Duel’ was more daring.

For Spielberg, the truck in Duel became a force of pure menace, its lack of motive or identity making it all the more terrifying.

Duel’s Enduring Impact

More than five decades after its release, Duel remains a masterclass in suspense. The film’s intensity comes from its simplicity: a lone driver, a faceless trucker, and a relentless chase down a deserted highway. Spielberg’s decision to keep the truck driver anonymous—showing only his boots, hands, and the vehicle itself—transforms him into a force of nature rather than a character. The truck stalks, waits, and intimidates, creating a sense of claustrophobia and dread that still resonates with viewers today.

With minimal dialogue and a focus on sound and pacing, Duel proves that true terror doesn’t need elaborate effects or backstories. Spielberg’s early experiment in suspense continues to influence thrillers, showing that even the most ordinary things can become unforgettable sources of fear in the right hands.