Stereo (Tile 3B of a CAEE Educational Mosaic) (1969) review

Cronenberg's first feature is a black-and-white experimental project about a group of students who undergo surgery so that they can 'speak' telepathically while being 'observed' by (unseen) researchers.  It's clearly a 'student film,' as Cronenberg has his 'actors' wander around the places they were (presumably?) given permission to record at the U of T Scarborough - in and out of lecture halls and student spaces and down long hallways (making striking use of all that concrete).  It's sloppily put together (the droning voice over by the scientists becomes irritating quickly; the reason for no dialogue is that David's camera was too loud - a problem I sympathize with, having had enough trouble with the Canon XL-1 years ago), but it does showcase a few of the themes - particularly parapsychology and sexual fluidity - that he would further explore later on.