31 Days of Drafts and Darkness:

"May" (2002)

For all their carnage, most scary stories boil down to classic tragedy. Think about it: flawed characters making decisions leading to their downfall, lessons on morality taken to the extreme. It's the rare breed of scary movie that can make you both afraid and sympathetic to the threat, even feeling genuinely sorry when things turn dark.   

A well-known example of this species of horror is "Carrie" (1976), which portrayed its telekinetically-gifted pariah as a tortured-soul lashing out at the cruelty around her. Her prom-scene massacre is more a nervous breakdown made lethal than it is a monster's rampage. And we, having seen this character go through so much abuse, feel for her even as she destroys her tormentors. To feel petty justice would be easy. We know it won't be that simple for Carrie White.

Though tonight's film lacks paranormal elements, "May" still tells a frighteningly-human tale of a young woman who's inability to find friends leads her to create one of her own.

I seriously recommend this criminally-underrated and disturbing film. For all the horror, there's an equal measure of depth.

The Plot:

As a child, May Canaday had the misfortune to develop a lazy eye. Mocked by schoolmates and obsessed over by a judgmental mother, May never developed proper social skills and chose to fade into the background. To help coupe, her mother buys her a porcelain doll, fragile but beautiful. May idolizes the doll, whom she names Suzie, and sees her as the only friend she has.

Years later, May is an adult, long since moved away from her mother, but still talking to Suzie. Though May's lazy eye is now corrected via glasses, whenever she takes them off she's reminded of her 'deformity'. Thus, the psychological weight she bore as a child remains firmly intact. What's worse, while May is a talented seamstress, assisting at a vet's office with surgeries and stitching, she has a hard time talking to people. Whenever she's able to make a connection, the social atmosphere grows strange.

When May finally does meet someone and they begin dating, her lack of social grace turns him away. Blaming herself and Suzie in equal measure, May begins a journey through different sorts of relationships - romantic, flings, friendship - all of which result in insult. What May never realizes is that it's the people she's hanging out with that are the problem. Not her.

Sadly, after so many failed attempt to find a friend, May decides the only way to find the perfect person is to literally make them for herself.

The Flavor:

As a main character, you immediately feel for May and want to see her succeed. She seems like a good person at heart but comes off as so creepy and even morose that you'll find yourself repelled at times. May's lack of social graces goes beyond awkwardness and can get creepy. She's fascinated with the body, pointing out the 'perfect' physical features of everyone she meets right to their face. Though she initially has no ill intent, the more she's pushed around, the more we see her draw nearer to the edge.

The tragedy is in how her choice of friends spells her own dark destiny. Ever seeking approval from those she deems beautiful, Mae's quest for acceptance pairs her with, frankly, bad people. When they hurt her, she assumes it's because of her own flaws.

Most of "May" is quite slow, taking you from one character-driven scene to the next. The creepiness comes not from what's happening but what the film is slowly building up to. Each heart-breaking scene sees May slip a little further and confide more in her  Suzie. We don't want to see her hit that breaking point - like Carrie - but we have an awful feeling that it's getting closer. And it might be inevitable.

Packing a lot of psychological punch alongside the melancholy, "May" makes for a reflective sort of horror movie that has plenty of disturbing moments, but just as many sad ones. It's a character study of someone that has the potential to either live happily-ever-after or become a monster. And unlike most horror, in "May" we hope the monster never appears because we like the person struggling against it.

Best Paired with:

Moody and delicate, "May" is the somber sort of film best enjoyed when you're feeling something serious. It'll get under your skin shortly into its runtime, but more for its atmosphere than any incident onscreen. As I said earlier, that you're made aware of the impending storm ratchets up the tension. With every abuse May goes through, you wonder if this will be the moment she loses it.

I'd recommend watching "May" alone or with a significant other so you can reflect on the film. It'll stay with you more for its larger themes than its scary or violent moments. Such moments are there, don't get me wrong. Human anatomy is obsessed over is grisly ways. One of the film's final shots was disturbing enough to make me scream without even being a jump-scare. Just pure, quite, disturbing terror.  

That's the kinda horror you're in for if you give "May" a watch.

Accompanying Brew:

"May" is plenty grim, but its main character's attitude is so hopeful and delicate that I feel tonight's brew should focus on that rather than dark tones. "May" also has some complexity for a horror film, so I'll look for complexity out of our beer as well.

From Germany, Paulaner's Oktoberfest-Marzen is a wheat-based brew with the characteristic tang of Bavarian yeast. Paulaner produces many classic German-style beers with traditional ingredients. At first glance, Oktoberfest-Marzen appears like any other typical octoberfest-style ale. But this is no ale, rather a Bavarian-style lager.

Being that, Oktoberfest packs a slight zing of hop and malt flavor, but retains a velvety and crisp body. It's like drinking air. What's more, aside from the hop and malt flavor, the unique sweet flavor provided by Bavarian yeast is delicate and delicious. More a mild, smooth sweetness than sugary taste. It allows Oktoberfest to remain sweet without ever getting overly cloying.

This combination of gentle sweetness with nutty malt makes for a Fall beer that has layers. A great pairing to an equally complex little film.