Thriller A Cruel Picture -Synapse Films Responds to Controversy

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I have an update on the Synapse Films and Thriller A Cruel Story Distribution rights. Legal counsel for Synapse films emailed us this afternoon and this is what it had to say. Some of you may recall we earlier ran a story about how Thriller was being distributed ilegally. Synapse films has responded and here is their response. We appreciate synapse taking the time to respond for our readers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 25, 2004

SYNAPSE FILMS TO PROCEED WITH WORLDWIDE RELEASE OF "THRILLER â€“A CRUEL PICTURE" DESPITE UNLAWFUL THREATS FROM THE FILMâ€™S PRODUCER / DIRECTOR BOARNE VIBENIUS.

On September 28, 2004, Synapse Films, Inc. (Synapse) will proceed with the worldwide release of Thrillerâ€“A Cruel Picture (Thriller) aka They Call Her One Eye on DVD. In late 2001, Synapse was approached by Chrome Entertainment, Inc. (Chrome) who paid producer/director Boarne Vibenius $10,000 U.S. Dollars for worldwide distribution rights to Thriller. Chrome told Synapse they could not complete their production work on Thriller and they had total confidence in Donald May, Jr. and Synapse to successfully release a DVD version. Fortunately, the distribution agreement between Boarne Vibenius, Channel 1 and Chrome allowed assignment of the distribution agreement to Synapse upon purchase of all of Chromeâ€™s assets. In early 2002, Synapse purchased all the assets of Chrome and received an assignment of the distribution agreement which remains legally in effect.

For over two years, Synapse has been ruthlessly and relentlessly defamed and harassed by Boarne Vibenius. Simply put, Boarne Vibenius does not want Synapse to release Thriller. These attacks intensified after the increased publicity for Thriller due to the release of Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004) and from fine comments made about Thriller from director Quentin Tarantino in various press articles and interviews. Synapse has, in good faith, responded to numerous letters from Boarne Vibenius explaining that Synapse has full legal worldwide rights to release his film. Boarne Vibenius refuses our letters and correspondence. Just today, we received a pack of documents we had sent Boarne via Federal Express that came back to us with a note stating "Return to Sender". Boarne also blocks our faxes and refuses our e-mails.

Boarne Vibeniusâ€™ latest tactic is hiding behind an alias named "Otto van der Leyfen" and emailing false accusations, from an anonymous Hotmail email address, to many of our loyal distributors, defaming Donald May, Jr. and Synapse Films. He is now emailing the editors and webmasters of publicly accessible film and DVD information websites with false accusations.

Synapse intends to assert all legal means to protect and defend its rights to the film Thriller. Despite all these accusations and threats, Synapse fully intends to pay Boarne Vibenius royalties which will be in addition to $10,000 U.S. Dollars Boarne Vibenius has already received.

Please visit the Synapse Films, Inc. website at www.synapse-films.com for more information on Thriller, and other future releases.

Charles A. Fiedler, General Counsel of Synapse Films, Inc.

Sills, Charboneau, Fiedler & Barnett, P.C.

36880 Woodward Ave., Suite 103

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, 48304

(248) 644-3600

(248) 901-4842 (Facsimile)

For more information on this legal matter, contact: mroberts@sillslaw.com

With this all said and done we leave it to the lawyers to sort out. We have no interest in being caught in the middle or played by anyone. Nor will we pick sides or allow our news to be used to carry an agenda. We thank Mr Fiedler and Mr Leyfen for emailing us, and sending in their news for our readers. We have given them both equal time out of fairness and leave it to you the readers to decide.