Five FrightFest Facts with Andreas Zerr from ‘Sane Inside Insanity’

Few films have transcended their origins to become full-blown cultural landmarks quite like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For fifty years, Richard O’Brien’s creation has inspired audiences to dance, dress up, and defy convention, cementing its place not only in cinema history but also within the wider movements of fashion, music, and queer culture. With Sane Inside Insanity – The Phenomenon of Rocky Horror, filmmaker Andreas Zerr takes on the daunting task of chronicling that legacy, drawing on over a decade of interviews with cast, crew and fans from across the globe to capture the show’s unique, enduring spirit.

For Zerr, a career that began in film editing and motion design has evolved into a passion for documentary storytelling, and his latest project represents both a labour of love and a landmark in its own right. The documentary assembles rare insights from those at the heart of Rocky Horror’s creation – from Patricia Quinn and Barry Bostwick to Jim Sharman and Sue Blane – alongside the voices of the fans who turned a small, strange stage show into a worldwide phenomenon.

In this Five FrightFest Facts interview, Zerr talks about his unusual path into filmmaking, his admiration for the often-overlooked craft of editing, and why, despite not being a die-hard horror fan himself, he still considers classics like Alien and The Shining among the most powerful big-screen experiences.

Andreas Zerr, writer-director

1. Tell us about your film

I think the name is pretty self explanatory. It’s a documentary, highlighting the amazing 50-year history of the musical/film The Rocky Horror (Picture) Show.

2. How did you get into making movies?

From the technical side. I was working at Apple in the marketing department for software, when I came across an editing software called Final Cut Pro. I got so into playing around with it that I decided to quit my job in marketing and become a film editor. Things pretty much moved from there into motion design, directing and eventually producing.

3. What films would you love to see screened at FrightFest and why?

I’m not much into the genre of horror myself, so it’s hard for me to tell. The two films i’d like to watch (again) on a big screen would be Ridley Scott’s Alien and Kubrick’s The Shining. I have not seen them in a decent cinema for decades. I don’t even know whether or not these two movies even qualify as “horror”.

4. If you could create your own award to give at FrightFest, what would it be and why?

Editing. I think the work of editors is highly undervalued. I know that there’s an academy award for editing, but it’s by far not that prominent as the actor’s or writer’s awards (even though it’s often more important), so editing should deserve a bigger stage in my opinion (as a former editor, that is).

5. If your life was made into a horror film, what would it be called and who would play the starring role?

“The Agents of Horror and Despair” — featuring most of the greedy, lazy and smugly talent-, rights- and sales-agents I had to deal with during the years. Don’t get me wrong, the agents I’m currently working with are very good, decent people, and I really enjoy cooperating with them. But the life goal of the majority of agents I’ve met during the last 10 years seems to be ripping of independent film makers and  making their lives miserable while filling their pockets with the income of your work. I’ve wasted way too much time dealing with these folks.

Sane Inside Insanity: The Phenomenon of Rocky Horror trailer