‘Frankenhooker’ Gets 4K UHD and Blu-ray Standard Editions From Synapse Films This October
Frank Henenlotter’s cult horror-comedy Frankenhooker is returning to physical media this fall, with Synapse Films setting Oct. 13 for new standard-edition 4K UHD and region-free Blu-ray releases.
The 1990 film will be presented uncut from a new restoration created from the original 35mm archival vault materials. The 4K UHD edition features a 2160p presentation with Dolby Vision and a newly remastered 5.1 surround sound mix, while the original English 2.0 audio will also be included.
Written and directed by Henenlotter, Frankenhooker puts a decidedly different spin on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. James Lorinz stars as Jeffrey Franken, a medical student whose fiancée, Elizabeth, is accidentally killed by a remote-controlled lawnmower.
Determined to bring her back, Jeffrey turns to his questionable medical abilities and begins assembling a new body for Elizabeth using body parts obtained from sex workers in Manhattan. His plan involves a homemade explosive drug known as “Super Crack,” and while Jeffrey eventually succeeds in resurrecting Elizabeth, what returns is considerably different from the woman he lost.
Patty Mullen, Penthouse Magazine’s 1988 Pet of the Year, stars as Elizabeth alongside Lorinz. The cast also includes Louise Lasser, Shirley Stoler, Jennifer Delora, Beverly Bonner and horror television personality John Zacherle.
Blending splatter effects, body horror and deliberately outrageous comedy, Frankenhooker became one of the better-known films in Henenlotter’s filmography alongside his Basket Case trilogy and Brain Damage.
Synapse Films’ upcoming release carries over a substantial collection of supplemental material devoted to the production.
Henenlotter and makeup effects designer Gabe Bartalos provide an audio commentary, while Mullen is featured in A Salad That Was Once Named Elizabeth. The release also includes A Stitch in Time: The Make-Up Effects of Frankenhooker and Turning Tricks: Jennifer Delora Remembers Frankenhooker.
Additional material includes Delora’s Frankenhooker photo scrapbook and the film’s original theatrical trailer.
Both standard editions contain the same supplemental features. The 4K UHD release is region-free and presents the complete 85-minute, unrated version of the film, while Synapse is also offering a separate region-free standard Blu-ray edition.
Frankenhooker arrives on standard-edition 4K UHD and region-free Blu-ray from Synapse Films on Oct. 13, 2026.
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