Incorporating tortured children, shady institutions and the customary log cabin, Petty's story is built around some admittedly well-worn genre formulae. However, he succeeds in giving such clichéd subject material a distinct, refreshing spin. You'll find no horny, hormonal teens in “Soft for Digging.” Our hero is Virgil Manoven, a balding old-timer decked out in long johns, vest and threadbare dressing gown. Virgil lives in a barren hut in the wilderness, where he's preparing for another unspectacular Christmas. When his cat goes missing one afternoon, he strays into the woods and witnesses what appears to be a murder. Virgil flees but returns the next day and uncovers a young girl's hand, protruding from the ground. He digs for further evidence but when his efforts prove fruitless we begin to doubt his mental state. Is the old man going insane? Has he been lonely for too long? Or has he just been sipping too much of his beloved bourbon?

A lean and eerie piece with limited dialogue, “Soft for Digging” grows increasingly contrived as it answers such questions and approaches an unquestionably awful conclusion. Nevertheless, Petty's picture is distinguished by the director's eye for detail, his pitch-black sense of humor and a supremely unusual mood.

The film is split, “Tenenbaum”-style, into a number of chapters, which are introduced by some wonderfully gothic content summaries. Well cast in the lead role, Edmond Mercier proves himself the backbone of the film and is both eccentric and empathetic as the hapless Virgil. Cat lovers beware: You may choose to make an early exit. Starring Edmond Mercier, Sarah Ingerson, Andrew Hewitt and Kate Petty. Directed and written by JT Petty. Produced by JT Petty and Jeffrey Odell. No distributor set. Horror. Not yet rated. Running time: 74 min.