Scared to Death, The Birth of Syngenor

Syngenor was a sequel? Who knew? 1990's Syngenor had a beginning, just like the titular creature. Ten years earlier the lesser known "Scared to Death" shocked movie audiences...at least the sparse audiences that saw it. Syngenor, to refresh your memory, is short for Synthetic-Genetic-Organism...in other words, it is a life form created in a laboratory. Those of us who have created life in a lab know the challenges faced by the evil corporations undertaking these experiments.

Jennifer meets the Syngenor

The cops believe they are looking for a serial killer...boy are they wrong. As the film begins a slimy creature rises out of the sewer and finds its way to the home of a babe who just happens to be prancing around naked, and then in lingerie. She is torn to shreds by the thing. Pretty coed Janine (Pamela Bowman) will be next as the fiend beats her to a pulp and rips off her leg. The cops are mystified as the carnage continues. The boring and dimwitted Ted (John Stinson) is a former cop who had to resign because...well...we don't know exactly but probably had to do with a psyche eval. He hesitantly agrees to help the cops find the killer. Ted doesn't do much work on this case because he meets the sultry Jennifer (Diana Davidson). They grow close and have steamy pre-marital sex. Don't get too attached to her because as soon as the Syngenor grabs her, french kisses her, and drains her spinal fluid, she is reduced to a drooling lunatic. No big deal, Ted finds another babe.

The Syngenor gets ready for a French kiss

The other babe? Sherry (Toni Jannetta)! She used to work for a mad-scientist at an evil corporation that created the monster. At first Ted doesn't believe her, but after the Syngenor rips apart a pretty roller-skater (Joleen Porcaro) and messes up Jennifer, he changes his tune. As the Syngenor rips apart some more babes and sewer workers, Sherry is able to lead Ted to its lair.  But wait!  Uh oh, the creature doesn't always kill...nope...it has other uses for humans.  No spoilers here, but the last half hour of this film will chill you pretty good. Intending to kill the Syngenor, Ted and Sherry, who have no plan...by the way, make a horrific discovery.  This discovery will demonstrate that there are fates worse than death.

A fate worse than death

Will Ted ever visit the drooling Jennifer in the psychiatric hospital? Is Sherry's knowledge of the Syngenor experiments sufficient for her to figure out a way to kill it?  What terrible discoveries made in the Syngenor's lair will change the game plan of Ted and Sherry?  More low-budget than its 1990 sequel, "Scared to Death" is just as vicious and ultimately more creepy.  Directed by William Malone, this is a horror film that should not be missed by fans of the 1980 monster film.