Synapse Films is an American DVD and

Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...

label, founded in 1997 and specializing in

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. Thi ...

horror,

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

and exploitation films.

History

Synapse Films was owned and operated by Don May, Jr. and his business partners Jerry Chandler and Charles Fiedler, the catalyst being May's longstanding interest in and passion for TV and cinema. May explained, “I caught the

laserdisc The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diameter typical ...

bug while working at a local laserdisc store while I was in college. I was selling laserdisc players and buying product and I pretty much spent every extra dollar I had on laserdiscs. I loved movies and the disc format and knew this was a business I wanted to be in.” May became a part owner of Elite Entertainment after leaving his aforementioned job in laserdisc retail. The Synapse catalog ranges from European horror touchstones like ''

Vampyros Lesbos ''Vampyros Lesbos'' ( es, Las Vampiras) is a 1971 West German-Spanish erotic horror film directed and co-written by Jesús Franco. The film stars Ewa Strömberg as Linda Westinghouse, an American who works in a Turkish legal firm. Westinghouse h ...

'', and ''

Castle of Blood ''Castle of Blood'' ( it, Danza Macabra, links=no) is a 1964 horror film directed by Antonio Margheriti and Sergio Corbucci. The film stars Barbara Steele, Arturo Dominici and Georges Rivière. The film was initially commissioned to director Serg ...

'', to important genre documentaries including Roy Frumkes' ''Document of the Dead'', from drive-in favorites like '' The Brain That Wouldn't Die'' to

Leni Riefenstahl Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl (; 22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German film director, photographer and actress known for her role in producing Nazi propaganda. A talented swimmer and an artist, Riefenstahl also became in ...

's Nazi film ''

Triumph of the Will ''Triumph of the Will'' (german: Triumph des Willens) is a 1935 German Nazi propaganda film directed, produced, edited and co-written by Leni Riefenstahl. Adolf Hitler commissioned the film and served as an unofficial executive producer; hi ...

''. In 2004, Synapse released the controversial ''

Thriller – A Cruel Picture ''Thriller – A Cruel Picture'' ( sv, Thriller – en grym film) is a 1973 Swedish rape-and-revenge exploitation film written and directed by Bo Arne Vibenius under the pseudonym Alex Fridolinski, and starring Christina Lindberg and Heinz H ...

'' on DVD, followed by a Blu-ray release in 2022. A competing 4k UHD release by

Vinegar Syndrome Cellulose acetate film, or safety film, is used in photography as a base material for photographic emulsions. It was introduced in the early 20th century by film manufacturers and intended as a safe film base replacement for unstable and highly ...

is set for later in 2022, raising questions as to which company has a current and valid license to the title. Detroit film scholar Nicholas Schlegel released his documentary ''The Synapse Story'' in its entirety on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

. The documentary details the history and vision of the label and its founders. More films from Synapse Films: * 42nd Street Forever Vol. 1 * 42nd Street Forever Vol. 2 he Deuce * 42nd Street Forever Vol. 3: Exploitation Explosion! * 42nd Street Forever Vol. 4 – 2008 * 42nd Street Forever Vol. 5: Alamo Drafthouse Edition * 42nd Street Forever: The Blu-ray Edition * 42nd Street Forever: XXX-Treme Special Edition * Animalada * Asian Cult Cinema: Extreme Horror Collection;

Organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

, Evil Dead Trap, Entrails of a Virgin, Entrails of a Beautiful Virgin. * Asylum (aka I Want to Be a Gangster) *

At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul ''At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul'' ( pt, À Meia-Noite Levarei Sua Alma) is a 1964 Brazilian horror film directed and co-written by José Mojica Marins. Marins stars as Zé do Caixão (known in English-speaking countries as Coffin Joe), an und ...

* Bacchanales Sexuelles *

Basket Case 2 ''Basket Case 2'' is a 1990 American comedy horror film written and directed by Frank Henenlotter, and the sequel to the 1982 film '' Basket Case''. It stars Kevin Van Hentenryck as Duane Bradley, who moves with his deformed, formerly conjoined tw ...

* Basket Case 3: The Progeny * Battle Girl: The Living Dead in Tokyo Bay *

Beast from Haunted Cave ''Beast from Haunted Cave'' is a 1959 horror/ heist film directed by Monte Hellman and starring Michael Forest, Frank Wolff and Richard Sinatra. It was produced by Gene Corman, Roger Corman's brother. Filmed in South Dakota at the same time as ...

* Bizarre * Black Roses * The Booby Hatch * The Brain That Wouldn't Die (Special Edition) * Brutes And Savages ncivilized Version* Budo: The Art of Killing *

ncut International Version* The Chick's Ability *

Chiller A chiller is a machine that removes heat from a liquid coolant via a vapor-compression, adsorption refrigeration, or absorption refrigeration cycles. This liquid can then be circulated through a heat exchanger to cool equipment, or another p ...

– The Complete Television Series *

Christmas Evil ''Christmas Evil'' (originally titled ''You Better Watch Out'', and also known as ''Terror in Toyland'') is a 1980 American slasher film written and directed by Lewis Jackson and starring Brandon Maggart. The plot follows a deranged man obsesse ...

pecial Edition * The Coffin Joe Trilogy DVD Set

, Embodiment of Evil, This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse * Cold Hearts * The Complete Hammer House of Horror, -Disc DVD Set * Countess Dracula * The Creep Behind the Camera pecial Edition *

Curtains A curtain is a piece of cloth or other material intended to block or obscure light, air drafts, or (in the case of a shower curtain), water. A curtain is also the movable screen or drape in a theatre that separates the stage from the auditorium ...

* Cyclone * Dark Forces * The Deadly Spawn pecial Edition * Death of a Snowman * The Definitive Document of the Dead * Demons 2 *

Demons A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, anime ...

ovie-Only Version *

Django the Bastard ''Django the Bastard'' ( it, Django il bastardo) is a 1969 Italian Gothic fiction, gothic Horror Western, horror Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Garrone who co-wrote the film with the star Anthony Steffen. In 1974 Herman Cohen released a ...

lu-ray* The Dorm That Dripped Blood (Uncensored Directors’ Cut) * Effects * Embodiment of Evil D/DVD Combo Pack* Entrails Of A Beautiful Woman * Entrails of a Virgin * Evil Dead Trap * Executive Koala * Exposed *

The Exterminator ''The Exterminator'' is a 1980 American vigilante action film written and directed by James Glickenhaus. It stars Robert Ginty as Vietnam War veteran John Eastland, also known as "The Exterminator". When a group of thugs paralyze his friend, Ea ...

Fantasm ''Fantasm'' is a 1976 Australian softcore pornographic film, directed by Richard Franklin under a pseudonym. It was followed by a sequel, ''Fantasm Comes Again'', the following year, directed by a pseudonymous Colin Eggleston. Plot German psy ...

Fantasm Comes Again ''Fantasm Comes Again'' is a 1977 Australian softcore pornographic film. It is the sequel to '' Fantasm'' (1976) and was the first feature directed by Colin Eggleston. Plot Journalist Libbie is taking over the "Dear Collette" sex advice column ...

Frankenhooker ''Frankenhooker'' is a 1990 American black comedy horror film directed by Frank Henenlotter. Very loosely inspired by Mary Shelley's 1818 novel ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'', the film stars James Lorinz as medical school drop-out Je ...

* Frat House Massacre irector's Cut * God Has A Rap Sheet * The Grapes Of Death *

Gurozuka is a 2005 slasher film directed by Yoichi Nishiyama, and written by Ao Murata and Tadayoshi Kubo. Plot In Japan, a school's movie club was shut down when one member disappeared and another was hospitalized after suffering a nervous breakdown. ...

* Hands of the Ripper *

Home Sick ''Home Sick'' is a 2007 American horror film written by E. L. Katz and directed by Adam Wingard. The film had its world premiere at the 2007 Fantasia Festival. Plot A strange man crashes a party and asks each person to name the person they ha ...

* Hot Dog…The Movie (Unrated Producer's Cut) * The Image lu-ray*

Intruder Intruder may refer to: Film and television * ''The Intruder'' (1914 film), directed by Wallace Reid * ''The Intruder'' (1933 film), an American film by Albert Ray * ''The Intruder'' (1939 film), ''La intrusa'', an Argentine film by Julio Sa ...

lu-ray/DVD Combo * Invasion U.S.A. (Atomic Special Edition) * Just Desserts: The Making of “Creepshow” pecial Edition Blu-ray * Karaoke Terror * Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural * Let Me Die a Woman ransgendered Edition * The Life and Death of a Porno Gang * Long Weekend * Lucker the Necrophagous irector's Cut* Madame O * Maniac Cop * Manos: The Hands of Fate pecial Edition Blu-ray* Morituris: Legions of the Dead *

Mosquito Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning " gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "li ...

: 20th Anniversary Edition * Night of Death * Night Train * Olga's Girls *

Party 7 ''Party 7'' is a 2000 Japanese surreal comedy film directed by Katsuhito Ishii, distributed by Tohokushinsha Film Corporation. Plot Cast * Masatoshi Nagase as Miki * Keisuke Horibe as Sonoda * Akemi Kobayashi as Kana * Yoshinori Okada a ...

* Path of Blood * Patrick *

Phenomena A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried ...

wo-Disc Blu-ray Edition *

Popcorn Popcorn (also called popped corn, popcorns or pop-corn) is a variety of corn kernel which expands and puffs up when heated; the same names also refer to the foodstuff produced by the expansion. A popcorn kernel's strong hull contains the se ...

lu-ray& (Collector's Edition Steelbook) * Prom Night *

Red Scorpion ''Red Scorpion'' is a 1988 American action film starring Dolph Lundgren and directed by Joseph Zito. Lundgren appears as a Soviet special forces operative sent to assassinate an anti-communist rebel leader in Africa, only to side with the rebe ...

* Reel Zombies * Resonnances * Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare * Rosarigasinos * The Rug Cop * Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf * Singapore Sling * Six Days In Roswell * Slaughter of the Innocents * Small Gauge Trauma Vol. 1 antasia Film Festival * Sorceress (Uncensored Director Approved Edition) *

South of Heaven ''South of Heaven'' is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on July 5, 1988 by Def Jam Recordings. The album was the band's second collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, whose production skills on their previou ...

* Stacy * Stalingrad 003 Mini-Series& lu-ray Remaster * Star Warp’d * Stepfather 2 * Stillwater * Strange Behavior *

Street Trash ''Street Trash'' is a 1987 American black comedy body horror film directed by J. Michael Muro (credited as Jim Muro). It won the Silver Raven at the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film. The film has acquired a status as a cult classic ...

– Special Meltdown Edition, ingle Disc Version& wo-Disc Meltdown Edition *

Suspiria ''Suspiria'' () is a 1977 Italian supernatural horror film directed by Dario Argento, who co-wrote the screenplay with Daria Nicolodi, partially based on Thomas De Quincey's 1845 essay '' Suspiria de Profundis''. The film stars Jessica Harper ...

* The Sweet Life *

Syngenor ''Syngenor'' (also known as ''Scared To Death 2'') is a 1990 B horror/science fiction film that was a sequel to the 1980 film '' Scared to Death''. The film was directed by George Elanjian Jr and written by Michael Carmody and Brent V. Friedm ...

* Tenebrae (Single Disc) * The Violent Shit Collection – Five Film Special Shitition DVDs* Thirst * This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse * Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except * Thundercrack! 40th Anniversary -Disc Special Edition& ingle disc*

006 Remaster& lu-ray – 2K Remastered Edition *

Twins of Evil ''Twins of Evil'' (also known as ''Twins of Dracula'') is a 1971 British horror film directed by John Hough and starring Peter Cushing, with Damien Thomas and the real-life identical twins and former ''Playboy'' Playmates Mary and Madeleine ...

Undertaker A funeral director, also known as an undertaker ( British English) or mortician ( American English), is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead ...

* Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary *

Vampire Circus ''Vampire Circus'' is a 1972 British horror film directed by Robert Young and starring Adrienne Corri, Thorley Walters and Anthony Higgins (billed as Anthony Corlan). It was written by Judson Kinberg, and produced by Wilbur Stark and Michael ...

* Watch Me When I Kill * Wild Zero *

The World Sinks Except Japan is a 2006 Japanese black comedy film directed by Minoru Kawasaki, as a parody of the 2006 film ''Sinking of Japan''. It is based on the 1973 short story of the same name by Yasutaka Tsutsui (a parody of the novel ''Japan Sinks'', released the s ...

Worm Worms are many different distantly related bilateral animals that typically have a long cylindrical tube-like body, no limbs, and no eyes (though not always). Worms vary in size from microscopic to over in length for marine polychaete wor ...

Accolades

In 2016, film critic and author

Maitland McDonagh Maitland McDonagh () is an American film critic and the author of several books about cinema. She is the author of ''Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento'' (1991) and works of erotic fiction and erotic cinema, as well a ...

was nominated for a Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for Best Commentary for her work on Synapse Films' DVD release of

Dario Argento Dario Argento (; born 7 September 1940) is an Italian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and critic. His influential work in the horror genre during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in the subgenre known as ''giallo'', has led him ...

's film '' Tenebrae''.

References

{{reflist

External links

Official site
DVD companies of the United States Exploitation films Home video companies of the United States 1997 establishments in Michigan Entertainment companies established in 1997 Companies based in Wayne County, Michigan