open FILE, "file" or die "can't read file: $!";
$char = getc FILE;
close FILE;

##</code><code>##

open FILE, "file" or die "...: $!";
{
  local $/ = \1;
  $char = <FILE>;
}
close FILE;

##</code><code>##

open FILE, "file" or die "yeah, $!";
read FILE, $char, 1;
# or sysread FILE, $char, 1;
close FILE;