Synapse Films

[Billy Liar]

I can gingerly admit to having seen Let Me Die a Woman

This was banned in the UK, it was one of the so called 'video nasties'

It's terrible, although the naked rolling around made me chuckle.

[oldsheperd]

I'm all for adult shots, but the anal sex scene where there's an errant pubic hair on the woman's but was kind of gross.

[Cinesimilitude]

in thriller? wow, I thought it was just a bunch of softcore... won't be displaying this on my shelf...

[Ashirg]

Triumph of the Will is coming in March in remastered edition. Here's the scoop and the new cover (scroll down a bit).

[barnyard078]

I have emailed Synapse to see if they will include Riefenstahl's short film Day of Freedom from the first release. No word yet.

[Gordon]

I have the previous Triumph of the Will disc and I was looking a few scenes last week. The transfer is quite scratchy, but I said to myself, 'There's no way you could justify cleaning up a Nazi film for DVD. I guess that I was wrong! The windowboxing isn't all that necessary, either. The yellow subtitles are pretty crap, too, with poor translation in parts. The previous disc was quite expensive as a portion of the profits go to the Holocaust Memorial in Washington.

The film is one of the great documents of any era in History, though and is visually stunning in places, but shouldn't Synapse be concentrating on new titles? Remastering Document of the Dead in a 1080p HD transfer is also a weird move, although as a Dawn fan, I should be complaining, but seeing as Synapse have such high standards, I have been hoping that they would start concentrating on films that have no DVD release in the USA - their Long Weekend disc is probably one of the best releases of the year. Maniac Cop will also be rapturously welcomed by fans. I just hope that they don'y fall into an Anchor Bay re-re-mastering re-re-releasing pattern, as they are one of the best independent companies out there.

[htdm]

The film is one of the great documents of any era in History, though and is visually stunning in places, but shouldn't Synapse be concentrating on new titles?

I agree with Gordon. As important as the film is, I think that the 2-3 already available versions are probably enough. Even with part of the proceeds going to the Holocaust memorial, I still get a twinge knowing that I'm buying a Nazi-era film (or rather the Nazi-era film). And when one considers what still is not out there, I wonder if we really need a "perfect" copy of Triumph.
Just my opinon...

[barnyard078]

They will be including Day of Freedom on the new edition. The only difference is the cleaned up picture, and the new cover/liner notes.

[milkcan]

http://www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_item.a ... _id=752613

I haven't seen this, but this DVD release looks fun.

[Gordon]

As important as the film is, I think that the 2-3 already available versions are probably enough. Even with part of the proceeds going to the Holocaust memorial, I still get a twinge knowing that I'm buying a Nazi-era film (or rather the Nazi-era film). And when one considers what still is not out there, I wonder if we really need a "perfect" copy of Triumph.

That's right - there are a few other editions from different companies out there, to boot.

I don't mean to start rumour-mongering or generally being a dickhead, but isn't it a bit weird for a company like Synapse to be releasing this film - let alone a lovingly-restored, hi-def transfer reissue? Most of Synapse's output is of cult horror movies and that new cover for Triumph makes the film look like a fiction film, regardless of it's artistic qualities. It sends a mixed message; the previous cover was, for all its minimalism, much more appropriate.

Synapse should drop the commentary by Dr. Anthony Santoro, as, quite frankly, it is dull with long uninformative stretches for a film that is constantly putting forward striking images and more importantly, moments in history that were to have everlasting repercussions for mankind. Santoro times his comments badly at times, though and misses golden opportunities to put key moments in proper context for modern audiences. He does make some good points, but it often feels like one of those dreaded 'stating the obvious' commentaries, rather than a prepared critical essay, as it should have been.

And still no Olympia on DVD.

[htdm]

And still no Olympia on DVD.

At least in R1. There are a couple versions in R2.

You made some very good points about Synapse's handling of Triumph of the Will. Synapse seems to realize that this is a controversial release which is why I assume they have a disclaimer on the back of the package (in very small print) disassociating themselves from the "issues and views" presented in the film as well as the statement that a portion of the sales will be donated to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. But other than a brief article from Films in Review printed in the insert and Anthony Santoro's commentary, there isn't much about Synapse's presentation that provides any sort of useful context to understand the film, Riefenstahl, or Nazism. Synapse opens themselves up for this sort of criticism by their hyping the "historical significance" of this "special edition."

The new cover of the DVD makes this clear. While I seriously doubt that the US Holocaust Memorial Museum would display a copy of this in their gift shop (or even accept donations from the sales) I wonder who's idea it was to use what appears to be period art of a faceless Nazi soldier emblonized on the cover? Even if this was taken from the original poster art for the film (which I doubt it was) the decision to uncritically employ Nazi aesthetics, either consciously or unconsciously, makes this less a faithful reproduction of a "historical document" than the glamorization of Nazi ideology. Which is one more reason why it is difficult to take Synapse's disclaimers seriously.

The DVD's commentary seems like one obvious place where one might deal with some of the issues the film raises. Santoro gives us useful (if a bit dry) historical background especially with regard to the symbolism of Nazi imagery and identifying people and places, but he fairly ignores the film as film. To be fair, Santoro is not a film scholar, but then why weren't there any film experts on this special edition? Especially when one considers how many historians, critics, and filmmakers have called this a seminal film. Special features don't have to cost a mint and are commonplace for releases that seriously take on such thorny issues as Fascism, racism, and genocide.

Even granting that Synapse isn't Criterion, my point is that this film has a whole lot of baggage attached to it that needs to be taken seriously and isn't. Lack of budget or time simply isn't an excuse when one is using the "history" angle to sell a film like this (a ploy that many have used to try to justify selling ideologically "problematic" films for years).

[cafeman]

Can I be the one to break the silence?

While many people into films will get this (myself included), I have a feeling that this is a film purchased mostly by Nazis and their sympathizers (which would also be Nazis, I guess).

I wish I were wrong, but I`m afraid I might not be.

In which case, to be cold and insensitive, it`s within boundaries of the law and good business sense to play up the swastika/SS angle. Might not be the most moral thing, but neither are sweat shops.

[zedz]

While we're talking Nazi aesthetics, I'd like to put in a plug for Peter Cohen's brilliant The Architecture of Doom - one of the best pieces of criticism of Riefenstahl and her fellow travellers in any format. Cohen makes a very persuasive case that Nazi ideology was aesthetically driven and that the idealistic drive exhibited by Nazi-endorsed art and architecture is inextricable from the party's genocidal impulse. Any lack of context on the Triumph of the Will disc would be more than made up by a look at this. It's available on DVD from First Run.

By the way, I think cafeman is right. I have a horrible suspicion that film scholars are a minority market for Triumph.

[htdm]

I have no doubt that cafeman is right in saying that Nazi sympathizers probably make up the lion's share of the audience. Athough I imagine the next most likely audience would probably be libraries, academics, and film historians -- i.e. those who already know about the title.

My point had more to do with Synapse's duplicity in advertising and lackluster treatment of the film -- all while trying to pass this off as one of their prestige titles (at least this was how they first tried to sell it). And why they were doing this now.

Cohen's documentary is useful, Mueller's even more so. But unfortunatey, that's exactly the sort of content that is missing from the release.

[denti alligator]

This problem will always exist and there's no way around it. A few years back I took a seminar on Nazi-era German culture and we watched lots of fascinating films from the era, both propaganda and less-blatantly or even not at all propagandistic (Sirk's films from the that period are terrific, for example). (Zedz, btw, we started with Architecture of Doom, which is indeed a brilliant film.) Some of the films we watched are banned in Germany and are basically only available here as bootlegs from people who most likely sell primarily to neo-Nazis. Films like Hitler Junge Quex and Jud Suess, which deserve to be widely seen and discussed, are sadly in the hands of those who sympathize with the views expressed by these films. A DVD edition of Jud Suess with introduction and commentary by Ric Rentschler would be great to have to really set the film in proper perspective. This won't be happening, though, since no respectable DVD company wants to touch this material. So those of us who want to see it and own it for study purposes are forced to give money to questionable people.

[Mr Pixies]

Here's two reviews for Let Me Die A Woman;

The movie http://www.monstersatplay.com/review/dv ... awoman.php

http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Reviews/I-L/l ... woman.html

I've seen it, can't wait to get this release, the picture looks beautiful. The movie is a real hoot, and not as gory and wince inducing as I've heard.

[DrewReiber]

From the magazine Scarlet Street, issue #54. The biography supplied by/for Roy Frumkes with his compiled interviews with Simon Simon:

"about to embark on The Definitive Document of the Dead, a final update for his 27-years-in-progress doc, including another walk-and-talk with George, and interviews with Greg Nicotero, Danny Boyle, etc."

It also reconfirmed that his Street Trash feature-length documentary, The Meltdown Memoirs, was completed. I'm pretty sure they already had a screening of it in NY sometime in the last year.

I guess this confirms my suspicions that the Dream of the Dead featurette was not representative of everything Frumkes had filmed on Land of the Dead. It listed thanks to several interviewee's who did not appear and I had heard word the doc was originally supposed to run at feature-length, ultimately shortened due to time constraints when the film was pushed up by 4 months.

So, Danny Boyle was interviewed. Huh. Doesn't change the fact most people think he and Garland were responsible for the content of 28 Days Later, and not the original filmmakers Garland admitted ripping off (in TWO seperate interviews). It's true that Land of the Dead wouldn't have been made if not for 28 Days Later success, but that achievement was still consciously borrowed.

[katjakassin]

As important as the film is, I think that the 2-3 already available versions are probably enough. Even with part of the proceeds going to the Holocaust memorial, I still get a twinge knowing that I'm buying a Nazi-era film (or rather the Nazi-era film). And when one considers what still is not out there, I wonder if we really need a "perfect" copy of Triumph.

That's right - there are a few other editions from different companies out there, to boot.

I don't mean to start rumour-mongering or generally being a dickhead, but isn't it a bit weird for a company like Synapse to be releasing this film - let alone a lovingly-restored, hi-def transfer reissue? Most of Synapse's output is of cult horror movies and that new cover for Triumph makes the film look like a fiction film, regardless of it's artistic qualities. It sends a mixed message; the previous cover was, for all its minimalism, much more appropriate.

I don't see the point in questioning this re-release any more so than a re-release of anything that Criterion or any other company has done to date. And it's just my opinion, but I feel that if this film wasn't based on the content matter that it is (But still as important a film none the less), then all these posts wouldn't exist.

I by no means support anyone in their views of any form of racism. But at the same time this is an important film by a very important director in cinema history. I for one can't look at this as being any different than what Criterion has done with the likes of Wages of Fear, The 400 Blows or any of their other re-masters. And on that note, I give it up to Synapse for releasing a title that one wouldn't think would come from them.

When it comes down to it, they're trying to put out the very best release of film that they own the rights to. And in turn, they're trying to make every last cent off of it (And maybe kick some back to just causes). And this isn't the first reissue they've done either. Brain Damage only took several months. Lemora is being done as well as Street Trash. In the end, they're really just another dvd company trying to cash in on their products (Not that that is a bad thing per say).

[Mr Pixies]

They've updated their "future releases" section, and Christmas Evil is on the list. It's a great movie that Troma originally put out. On the Troma dvd there's an interview with the director talking about how excited he is that this new dvd will finally show how beautiful the movie was intended to be, it was supposedly restored and remastered, it didn't bother me, but the dvd looks like crap. I'm assuming this new release will be beautiful, and on the IMDB page, someone mentions that John Waters recorded a commentary for it(!), he's a fan of the movie.

[patrick]

Looks like Synapse will be one of the first boutique companies to make the jump to HD:

COMING TO HD-DVD (Mid 2006)

DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD: RE-MASTERED
Preparing a brand-new HD version from Original Camera Negative! New Extras!

THE IMAGE (aka THE PUNISHMENT OF ANNE) (1976)
Radley Metzger's Erotic Classic Re-Mastered in HD from the Original Camera Negatives in 1080p HD

LEMORA: A CHILD'S TALE OF THE SUPERNATURAL (1974)
One of the most beautiful transfers ever done by Synapse Films will be available on HD-DVD. Mastered in 1080p HD from the original camera negatives.

Obviously this info is a bit out of date, but evidently Synapse is still going forward on these projects. I kind of question the need for an HD version of Lemora though, since I've heard that watching the DVD on an upconvert player makes having a high-def copy unnecessary.

[colinr0380]

This article gives details of future Synapse releases:

His first and third movies, Thou Shalt Not Kill...Except (featuring Raimi in an acting role) and Running Time (a black-and-white homage to Alfred Hitchcock's Rope, filmed in one continuous shot and starring Campbell as an unrepentant ex-con), are being rereleased as high definition, deluxe edition two-disc sets, complete with new interviews and Becker's earliest Super 8 movie experiments, by Novi-based Synapse Films.

[jbeall]

While we're talking Nazi aesthetics, I'd like to put in a plug for Peter Cohen's brilliant The Architecture of Doom - one of the best pieces of criticism of Riefenstahl and her fellow travellers in any format. Cohen makes a very persuasive case that Nazi ideology was aesthetically driven and that the idealistic drive exhibited by Nazi-endorsed art and architecture is inextricable from the party's genocidal impulse.

I think it was Walter Benjamin who said that Communism is the politicization of aesthetics, and fascism is the aestheticization of the political. Anyway, I'm willing to bet Cohen's paraphrasing someone associated with the Frankfurt School.

Lacanian film theorists have done some stuff with Triumph; can't remember who now, but I came across it a couple years ago...

[Person]

Hilarious thread over at DVD Maniacs taking the piss out of Don May!

[zedz]

I think it was Walter Benjamin who said that Communism is the politicization of aesthetics, and fascism is the aestheticization of the political. Anyway, I'm willing to bet Cohen's paraphrasing someone associated with the Frankfurt School.

I've only just noticed this comment. From memory, Cohen's theory seems almost a reversal of this, in looking at Fascism as more like "the politicization of aesthetics" (i.e. the aesthetics were primary, and much of the political decisions were the reductio ad atrocitam of aesthetic premises).

[jbeall]

I think it was Walter Benjamin who said that Communism is the politicization of aesthetics, and fascism is the aestheticization of the political. Anyway, I'm willing to bet Cohen's paraphrasing someone associated with the Frankfurt School.

I've only just noticed this comment. From memory, Cohen's theory seems almost a reversal of this, in looking at Fascism as more like "the politicization of aesthetics" (i.e. the aesthetics were primary, and much of the political decisions were the reductio ad atrocitam of aesthetic premises).

I think we're saying the same thing. Under Soviet-style communism, for example, all art had to pass political muster, hence a lot of idiotic "socialist realism". What Benjamin (or Adorno, or one of those guys) meant by "the aestheticization of the political" was exactly what Cohen seems to be arguing, i.e. that the political is derived from premises that can be viewed as aesthetic. I'll see if I can find the quote later this week.