RHINOCEROS EYES

[] (two stars)

More interesting than scary. Running time: 91 minutes. Rated R (violence, profanity). At the Empire, the Angelika.

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THE protagonist of “Rhinoceros Eyes” is a young man who lives and works in a Hollywood prop shop – and that’s fairly appropriate for a thriller that shamelessly rummages through other movies in search of shocks.

Chep (Michael Pitt), described by his none-too-bright employers as an idiot savant, is a reclusive orphan who suddenly snaps into action when he thinks he’s met a kindred spirit in Fran (Paige Turco), an obsessive movie set designer.

When she asks him to track down rhinoceros eyes, a prosthetic arm and an actual severed human finger, our shambling hero dons a rubber mask with the scowling image of Tor Johnson, the late wrestler who appeared in “Plan Nine From Outer Space” and other no-budget epics directed by the legendarily inept Ed Wood.

Pitt, best known for his recent nude romp in “The Dreamers,” wears oversize sweaters this time – and delivers a credible performance as a character who’s barely in touch with reality as Chep’s attempts to please Fran become increasingly desperate and arouse the suspicion of a detective (Gale Harold).

Aaron Woodley, making his promising feature debut as director – the film was shot in his native Toronto – manages to create a creepy atmosphere, even if the plot itself is somewhat unfocused and the scares scarce.

“Rhinoceros Eyes” borrows from “Edward Scissorhands,” “Eraserhead” and the films of the Brothers Quay – there’s stop-motion animation – and even Woodley’s uncle, David Cronenberg.