MovieChat Forums > Duel (1971) Discussion > The trivia about "notches" on truck's he...

The trivia about "notches" on truck's headlights is wrong, and stupid.

posted 9 years ago by danielscissorhands
4 replies | jump to latest

The "Did you know" section for Duel says:

"There are seventeen notches on the headlights of the truck."

No, there are NOT! :P

There are 17 spaces in the front grill of the radiator.

See this image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e5/Dueltruckfront.jpg

There are no "notches" on the headlights. I rewound the movie, because I had recorded it off tv. Absolutely 0 notches on the headlights.

The only thing there are 17 of are the spaces in the front grill of the truck. How is this special?

Did someone make this trivia up? There is nothing on the headlights.

It would be cool if there were notches that represented "kills," but there are NOT.

This appears to be a made up trivia thingy. :-/ IMDB should remove it.

[–] blakjakcc 9 years ago

I agree.
Somebody suggested that the multiple number-plates on the front of the truck where 'trophies' from past victims. But surely a serial killer wouldn't be stupid enough to keep such evidence so prominently displayed.
It has been suggested by the writer that the number-plates show that he works in many states and may have murdered drivers in other states. I think it is that fact that has led to the 'notches' (was 11 not 17) on the front of the truck.

[–] danielscissorhands 9 years ago

Yeah.

But... there are 17 notches in the grill of the radiator. But that is nothing special. It is just a grill.

Are you saying there are 11 license plates??

[–] blakjakcc 9 years ago

No, some people have stated that there are 11 (not 17) notches on the headlights, not the grill.
It's all bull.

[–] necoleman 9 years ago

I am formerly known as HillieBoliday....Member since May 2006.

I've not read the book, but often suspected that the truck driver had probably done this before. Now that I've read about the plates showing that he's worked in different states....I believe he probably is a serial killer.

"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"