Something Evil

Spielberg Summer continues with Spielberg's second TV film. It is a bit debatable whether this should be included, but I watched it and I'm not letting that suffering go to waste.

Something Evil (1972) is Spielberg's second television movie...

Impressions
A family moves into an old country house that's possessed by the devil.

As you may be able to tell by the lovely title card, Something Evil is something awful. The version I watched was barely at the hour and a half mark, but managed to have two sets of the same credits in. This thing is entirely low budget and incredibly boring. I'm not sure how much of this can be put on an incredibly young Spielberg,especially given the skill shown in Duel.

Our Heroine?
The wife (you won't remember her name either) is fairly bland other than getting ready for etsy 40 years early. Perhaps I'm being too harsh since she does appear to be kind of a good mother, though she seems to forget her daughter in a few scenes. After she absolutely flips out we pretty much lose our semi-protagonist.

Coincidental Observers
Her husband is distracted by his job to the point of neglect. He also doesn't seem to react to his, clearly off her hinges, wife. He seems loving at the start and has no reason to believe the devil BS, but he could at least try to treat her as an insane person.

Ralph Bellamy is the old spooky guy who knows about these sporadic country devil infestations. He is sadly wasted on a very stereotypical old guy. Also, his son is in this to make the movie longer, I guess.

Original Foe
The Devil is our villain. He works through crying babies, glowing red jars, strange microphone noise and lots and lots of wind. Truly a foe to be reckoned with...

Country Atmosphere
The setting could have been creepy, if it had been used to any effect. There is a level of creepiness to

In the End
Wind, levitating children, and praying. Spoilers, I guess.

Overall
I feel I may have left the impression that this film has redeeming qualities. There are a few good shots which give this film that one out of ten. Otherwise, I can't recommend this be included in any Spielberg marathons even for die hard fans. Even I can't wait to see if even A.I. gets this low.
1/10

Next up, we look at Spielberg's second major movie: Jaws. We're doing this thematically, so I'll get to the Sugarland Express eventually.

Duel 1971

Welcome to my latest ongoing series: Spielberg Summer. It will be occurring sporadically throughout the summer in conjunction with DC's The Good, The Bad and The Magnificent. We'll be looking at all Spielberg's films to try and examine his long term success. Be sure to check out our reviews of Spielberg's Lincoln (DC's and mine) and continue reading as we explore his whole filmography.

Duel (1971) is the first feature length film by director Steven Spielberg. It started as a TV film on ABC, but was later lengthened and re-released for theaters.

Impressions
A man sets out on his long drive home. He's in high spirits and enjoying a program about tax returns on the radio. Soon he gets behind a truck as it moves slowly up a mountain. He passes it and continues. The truck soon appears behind him and tailgates him. After letting him pass, the truck slows down and blocks him. This begins a cat and mouse chase through the deserts of California.

Duel has some fantastic direction with its tense car chases and imposing truck scenes. Several of the car vs. truck scenes are quite inventive and superbly filmed. However, quite a lot of this film is just driving through the desert, which can get a bit monotonous. There is also a diner section at the middle that lasts a bit too long and has some dreadful voice-over internal monologue that would have been better off left out.

Our Hero
David Mann is a business man who's trying to get home to his family. He's far from a perfect individual and can be a bit of a hothead. His internal monologues appear out of nowhere during the aforementioned diner scene and appear for a bit afterward. It isn't actually the fault of the actor, Dennis Weaver, his paranoia would have probably worked had the scene remained silent. His final break before fully committing to the duel is definitely one of the film's highlights.

Proto Jurassic Park T-Rex Scene!

Diesel Foe
The truck and its mysterious driver are menacing in the best possible way. If you've seen Jaws then this aspect should be familiar in the mysterious nature of the shark. The fact that we never see the driver makes him all the more menacing.

Lonely Highway Atmosphere
The feel of driving  long distance through the California desert is perfect. Just the long stretches of highway and the radio. While this does get a bit lengthy at sections, it doesn't go too far.

In the End
The end is pretty much to be expected. It was satisfying and climactic.

Overall
Duel is most definitely a product of the early seventies, though not in a bad way. There are a few misfires, like the diner scene, but this a film that shows plenty of Spielberg's future greatness. I'd recommend it if you enjoy car chases or want to see the film that gave Spielberg the opportunity to make Jaws.
7/10

Next up, we look at Spielberg's second TV movie: Something Evil.