Bruce Campbell starred in the 1997 indie heist movie Running Time, which attempted to be filmed in a single continuous shot. Directed by Josh Becker, the low-budget project challenged traditional cinematography by using a black-and-white aesthetic to maintain visual consistency.
The $125,000 gamble on a single-take heist
Produced for a modest $125,000, Running Time represents a daring technical experiment in independent cinema .. According to the report, director Josh Becker—who is also known for his work on Xena: Warrior Princess—structured the film as a single continuous take. This approach predates the high-budget "one-shot" trend seen in later blockbusters like 1917 or Birdman, positioning the film as a precursor to modern cinematic gimmicks.
The narrative follows a released inmate named Carl, played by Bruce Campbell, and his associate Patrick, played by Jeremy Roberts. The duo attempts to seize the very penitentiary that had just released Carl, creating a high-tension environment where the real-time progression of the camera mirrors the ticking clock of the heist.
How a black-and-white palette solved Josh Becker's lighting crisis
Maintaining a single take across various interiors and exteriors presented a massive lighting challenge for the production team. As the report notes, the filmmakers utilized a black-and-white color palette to mask temperature swings in the light and create a more "stage-like" atmosphere. this decision allowed the camera to shift seamlessly between different environments without the jarring visual shifts that would have occurred in a color production.
This aesthetic choice also influenced the storytelling of Running Time. By stripping away color, the 70-minute film relies heavily on sound cues and on-screen objects to signal upcoming events, efffectively replacing traditional flashbacks with a more immediate, visceral form of narrative progression.
Bruce Campbell's shift from chainsaws to a smooth-talking conman
For audiences accustomed to the "chained-axe aesthetic" of The Evil Dead, Running Time offers a rare glimpse of Bruce Campbell in a grounded role. in this film, Bruce Campbell portrays Carl as a competent, confident conman seeking redemption, a stark departure from the over-the-top horror protagonists that defined his early career.
The intimacy of the single-camera setup highlights a softer side of the character, particularly through his interactions with a character played by Anita Barone. This performance serves as a testament to the versatility of Bruce Campbell, proving he could carry a crime caper with the same charisma he brought to cult horror.
A 1990s indie spirit shared by Tarantino and Nolan
The production of Running Time occurred during a pivotal era of independent filmmaking. The 1990s saw a surge of creativity from directors like Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, and Robert Rodriguez, who all demonstrated that ingenuity could outweigh massive studio budgets . Running Time fits squarely into this tradition of high-concept, low-cost storytelling.
By focusing on a tight production schedule and a singular, innovative idea, Josh Becker and Bruce Campbell mirrored the ethos of the decade's most influential indie filmmakers. The film's current availability for free on Tubi allows modern viewers to analyze how these early experiments paved the way for the technical ambition of today's independent scene.
The "Sort Of" caveat in the one-take claim
Despite the film's ambition, there remains a lingering question regarding the authenticity of the single take. The movie's own subtitle, "Done in One Take… Sort Of," suggests that the seamless experience may have been achieved through hidden cuts or clever editing tricks rather than a literal 70-minute unbroken shot. The source does not specify exactly where these "sort of" moments occur or how the transitions were technically executed.
Furthermore, the report focuses primarily on the technical and casting successes, leaving it unclear how Running Time was received by critics upon its initial 1997 release. Whether the "one-take" gimmick was viewed as a breakthrough or a distraction at the time remains an open question for cinema historians.
Comments 0