May (Limited Edition) (Blu-ray Review)

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

May, writer/director Lucky McKee’s debut horror feature from 2002, follows a socially awkward woman (Angela Bettis) who becomes obsessed with building her own friend.

Isolated from people since childhood since she was a child due to her lazy eye, May (Bettis), must wear special eyeglasses and contacts. This leaves her alone and in a fantasy world of her own with a strange, doll, handmade by her mother, in a wooden and glass display case. The doll becomes her only friend and she has conversations with it. Working as a veterinary nurse as an adult, May spots handsome mechanic Adam (Jeremy Sisto) as he is working on the wreckage of a car. She becomes fascinated with his beautiful hands. She tries to approach him in a café, and things do not go too well, but the two are soon in a weird relationship. May’s obsessiveness and social awkwardness soon drives Adam away. Her colleague from work, Polly (Anna Faris), is left to help vulnerable May pick up the pieces. When Polly seduces May and then abandons her for another, gorgeous blonde woman, May is finally pushed over the edge. She decides to build her own friend, like a doll, using the parts from the people she liked most, starting with Adam’s hands.

Bettis is the main draw in this film, carrying the scenes with her quirkiness and awkward dark humor. McKee, who is a man, can be cited as crafting a feminist horror with this film given the subtext of female insecurities and eventual feminine power that the story portrays. The film shifts easily and readily from sad, dark humor and psychological horror to a blood-stained slasher that has obvious allusions to Shelley’s Frankenstein.

The Video

May was originally filmed on Kodak Vision 200T 5274, Vision 500T 5279, and Eastman EXR 200T 5293 35mm film stock with a Panavision Panaflex Gold II camera using Panavision Primo lenses. This 2002 film arrives on Blu-ray from Second Sight looking as new as ever with hardly any source damage and a crisp, thin layer of natural grain. The nearly sepia tone color palette comes across looking good and warm, with good ‘pops’ of red in the blood.

The Audio

English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 stereo mixes are provide for May. The sound has a natural, authentic breadth of dynamics, and the rock inspired score comes across with excellent punch and low end. Dialogue is clean and the surround channels carry a good amount of short ambience. There is warmth to the sound that makes it very easy to listen to.

The Supplements

Even if you do not get the limited edition with the premium packaging, book, and art cards, you get an excellent selection of bons features, including three audio commentaries and new interviews with the cast and crew.

Limited Edition Contents:

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Bella Grace
• 70-page book with new essays by ​​Joseph Dwyer, Rachel Knightley, Mary Beth McAndrews and Heather Wixson
• Six collectors’ art cards

Bonus Features:

• Commentary with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (NEW)
• Commentary with Director Lucky McKee, Cinematographer Steve Yedlin, Editor Chris Siverston, and Actors Angela Bettis, Nichole Hiltz, and Bret Roberts
• Commentary with Director Lucky McKee, Editor Rian Johnson, Composer Jaye Barnes-Luckett, Production Designer Leslie Keel, and Craft Services guy Benji
• The Toymaker: An Interview with Director Lucky McKee (1080p; 00:24:49) (NEW)
• Perfect Hands: An Interview with Actor Jeremy Sisto (1080p; 00:11:23) (NEW)
• Blankety Blank: An Interview with Actor James Duval (1080p; 00:16:59) (NEW)
• How to Execute a Murder: An Interview with Cinematographer Steve Yedlin (1080p; 00:13:12) (NEW)
• Peeling Back the Layers: An Interview with Editor Rian Johnson (1080p; 00:19:24) (NEW)
• Jack and Jill: An Interview with Editor Chris Siverton (1080p; 00:20:54)
• In the Cut: An Interview with Editor Kevin Ford (1080p; 00:17:34) (NEW)
• Blood, Gore, and Rock ‘n’ Roll: An Interview with Composer Jammes Lucket (1080p; 00:24:08) (NEW)
• From Frankenstein to May: Miranda Corcoran on May (1080p; 00:21:08)
• Bits and Pieces: On the set of May (1080p; 00:14:43) (NEW)

The Final Assessment

A dark tinged, psychological body horror that is more complex than meets the eye (no pun intended), McKee’s May is unnerving and at moments violent and menacing. The Second Sight Films release presents the film in a strong Blu-ray release with an abundance of bonus features.

May (Limited Edition) is out on Blu-ray in the UK May 24, 2023, from Second Sight Films

• Rating Certificate: UK:18
• Studios & Distributors: 2 Loop Films | A Loopy Production LLC | Second Sight Films
• Director: Lucky McKee
• Written By: Lucky McKee
• Run Time: 93 Mins.
• Street Date: 24 July 2023
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Video Format: AVC 1080p
• Primary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• Secondary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo
• Subtitles: English HOH