The Legend of Razorback

A gauzy, faux-'50s, kid-centered spook-story that seems disturbingly inappropriate for children, Michael Greenspan's live-action short The Legend of Razorback revolves around a troubled young boy who hasn't spoken since his parents died (no therapist in sight) and a creepy barber (Kevin McCarthy, Invasion of the Body Snatchers) who snatches up a vintage bicycle the kid has been coveting, then offers it to him as a prize if he'll dare to get a haircut in a chair (the titular Old Razorback) hooked to a lightning rod during a storm. Although it tries to imitate the kind of stories kids spin to each other about haunted houses and reclusive neighbors, the film actually comes across more like an unintended blueprint on how to become the victim of a child molester (the predatory barber tempts the kid with a lavish gift and makes him promise not to tell anyone what he must do to get it). Unfortunately, the film never suggests that the smart thing for the kid to do would be to run away. It turns out that after giving in to the old man's demands, the kid begins talking again--and seems to be an impudent brat. While unquestionably well-made, this isn't so much magical as it is downright twisted. Not a necessary purchase. Aud: P. (R. Blackwelder)