Talking to Strangers, Rob Tregenza, 1988

Talking to Strangers is a unique film consisting of nine incidents each told in a single continuous take on a single roll of film. The only link between the segments is the presence of actor Ken Gruz, a somewhat slight but nonetheless likable performer. Rob Tregenza moves his camera with smooth and assured inventiveness. However, the narrative structure, and I use that term loosely, leaves something to be desired. If there is a thematic or narrative connection between the individuals segments, I must confess it was completely lost on me. That said, some of the segments were very interesting. TALKING TO STRANGERS has been considered by some as one of the most stylistically audacious and critically praised dramatic feature debuts in North American independent cinema. It consists of only nine ten minute segments. Each shot, sequence was filmed only once in 35mm film with direct sound. The complexity and ground breaking originality of these shots has obtained widespread international acclaim.