PopHorror Let's Get Scared
One of the best movies to come out this year is Fried Barry. A psychedelic mindfuck of a movie about a drug addict who is an all-around bad guy, Fried Barry boosts an incredible score, opioid-powered hijinks, and extraterrestrials. While the film makes it festival rounds, I was lucky enough to speak to Director Ryan Kruger, and we discussed what inspired Fried Barry, playing film fests, and of course, horror movies.
PopHorror: What inspired Fried Barry?
Ryan Kruger: At the time I was frustrated with my career and also deep in depression. I had an operation on my kidney then got sepsis, went through a break up, and my cat got cancer. Then went deep into depression. It was a very hard time for me. All way too much at once. But I said to myself, “What is the number one thing of all time that I wanted to do in my life?” And that was to make a feature film. I needed to do something really creative. And I got the idea one night. It just came to me. I then spent the next three days making a 50% scene brief break down for the film. So, apart from my love of ’80s films, my inspiration came from a dark place in my life. But this film saved my life in so many ways.
PopHorror: How does it feel to have your feature film debut play so many great film festivals and be met with such a positive reception?
Ryan Kruger: I’ve been waiting so long for this moment in my life. It’s been absolutely amazing to see so many great reviews and amazing feedback from so many people around the world, and even the number of people just reaching out messaging me has been insane. But to hear so many people say this film is a cult classic is music to my ears. I’m happy to know my first film was the right film to make.
PopHorror: What made you want to be a filmmaker?
Ryan Kruger: I don’t think I ever really wanted to grow up. So, I guess my new toys are cameras and actors and making stories. My dad was a big film buff, so I spent a lot of my childhood in the ’80s and early ’90s watching films from the ’50s all the way through to the ’90s.
PopHorror: If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
Ryan Kruger: Dead… hands down, Jerry Lewis. He was a genius mastermind. Actor, director, writer, producer. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have the playback screen either.
PopHorror: What makes you love the horror genre?
Ryan Kruger: I am a huge fan of ’80s films, especially horror in the ’80s. It was just a great time to make horror with the look and feel and effects. Sadly, they just don’t make films like they used to.
PopHorror: I know that Covid has stalled most things and some projects have been cancelled, but are you currently working on anything or have anything coming out?
Ryan Kruger: At the moment, apart from press tour, zoom calls, and interviews for Fried Barry until the end of the year, I am busy with finishing three experimentals. And next year, I will start my new film.
PopHorror: What’s your favorite scary movie?
Ryan Kruger: That’s a hard one. I never really got scared of movies. I was more excited about scary ones. What did scare me was the scene in The Fly when he starts falling apart. I remember my brother used to say that when I was a kid, when he opened the bathroom cabinet, you can see his dick in a jar that fell. I couldn’t get my head around it that his dick fell off. That scared me!
Thank you so much, Ryan, for speaking with us. Be sure to catch Fried Barry, currently playing festivals.
