Anna and the Apocalypse

Last updated

Anna and the Apocalypse
Anna and the Apocalypse.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by John McPhail
Screenplay by
Based on"Zombie Musical" (short film)
by Ryan McHenry
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySara Deane
Edited byMark Hermida
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by Vertigo Releasing [2]
Release dates
  • 22 September 2017 (2017-09-22)(Fantastic Fest)
  • 30 November 2018 (2018-11-30)(United Kingdom) [3]
Running time
98 minutes [4]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$673,523 [5] [6]

Anna and the Apocalypse is a 2017 British Christmas zombie musical film [7] [8] directed by John McPhail from a screenplay by Alan McDonald and Ryan McHenry, based on McHenry's 2010 BAFTA nominated short Zombie Musical. It stars an ensemble cast of largely unknown young talent, including Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu and Ben Wiggins with Mark Benton and Paul Kaye.

Contents

The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on 22 September 2017. [9] [10] It was released in the United Kingdom by Vertigo Releasing and United States by Orion Pictures on 30 November 2018 [11] to generally positive reviews from critics, commending the performances, musical numbers and characterisation.

Plot

In Little Haven, Scotland, Anna Shepherd is about to finish school. She plans to travel for a year before going to university, much to the displeasure of her widower father, Tony. Her friends are dealing with their own issues: her best friend John, an artist, is secretly in love with her, budding filmmaker Chris is struggling with a class assignment and transfer student Steph is trying to get her social justice reporting past the tyrannical vice principal Mr. Savage. Nick, Anna's one-night stand, is also making her life difficult. On the night of the school Christmas show, in which Chris's girlfriend Lisa is performing, Anna and John work in the local bowling alley, and Chris and Steph go to the homeless shelter to film Steph's story. During this time, a zombie infection starts spreading.

The following day, Anna and John leave for the school, completely oblivious to the zombie chaos around them. When they encounter a zombie dressed as a snowman, Anna decapitates him with a seesaw. At the school, a group of adults, including Chris's grandmother, Mr. Savage, Tony and Lisa, are taking refuge. Tony and Mr. Savage argue about whether to save the other survivors outside or lock the doors and stay inside the school, with Mr. Savage winning the argument with a sudden military broadcast. Figuring it will be too dangerous to go home or to school, Anna and John go to the bowling alley, where they meet Steph and Chris, who have taken shelter there. Steph discovers an army evacuation is coming to the school, so the group plans to go there once it is safe. Steph kills the zombified janitor, which alerts a group of zombified bowlers to break in. The group kills them all after a bloody fight, and they realise that getting to their loved ones will be difficult.

The next morning, Anna, Steph, John and Chris wake up to find that the army has been zombified and no evacuation is coming. Regardless, they set off to the school to see if their loved ones are still alive. Nick - immensely enjoying the carnage - and his friends rescue the group from a horde of zombies and join them on their way to the school. Anna tells John that she still plans to travel despite everything that has happened. She also notes that he is her "best friend", implying she knows about his feelings but does not reciprocate. At the school, Savage fights to maintain authority as the others plan their evacuation.

The students are ambushed by zombies, which kill Nick's friends and bite John; he gets Anna to safety but sacrifices himself to distract the zombies. The survivors reach the school, where Savage has let the zombies in as a last-ditch measure of control. Anna and Nick split off to search for Tony while Steph and Chris look for his family and Steph's car keys. A group of zombies separates Nick and Anna. Chris finds Lisa, but his grandmother has already died of a heart attack. Steph, Chris and Lisa find the car keys in Savage's office, but Chris and Lisa are bitten while trying to escape.

Anna finds Savage in the auditorium, where he is using Tony as bait for the zombies. Anna frees Tony, but the two men fight. Savage falls to the zombies, and Tony reveals he's been bitten. Nick arrives in time for Anna to bid her father goodbye. They prepare for one last stand before Steph rescues them in her car. Anna finally leaves Little Haven to look for a safe place.

Cast

Production

Development

We were all up and coming, and we’d all essentially made these careers ourselves. So there was a hunger amongst all of us before Ryan got sick that this was a project we were all just really in love with. And after he got sick and we lost him, there was a feeling of unfinished business. We wanted closure from it, but really what we had to do was work out a way of acknowledging what Ryan had brought to it, his original idea and the concept we’d all wanted to bring to fruition, but also find a way forward.

—Screenwriter Alan McDonald on the development of the film following Ryan McHenry's death. [12]

In 2009, whilst attending Edinburgh College of Art, Ryan McHenry came up with the idea for a 'zombie musical' short film, taking inspiration from High School Musical . [13] In 2010, McHenry wrote and directed the short film in Dumfries High School, with his friends Naysun Alae-Carew as producer and Ryan Clachrie as production designer. [14] In 2011, the short film titled Zombie Musical won Best Producer (Short Form) for Alaw-Carew at the British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards and received two additional nominations, including Best Director (McHenry) and Best Original Music (Toby Mottershead). [15] Black Camel, a Glasgow-based production company, expressed interest in developing a feature-length film based on the short, with McHenry directing and Alae-Carew producing. McHenry was also hired to co-write the screenplay with Alan McDonald. [16]

In 2013, development was halted when McHenry was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. [17] After entering remission, he returned to work on the project with McDonald, now titled Anna and the Apocalypse. In May 2015, McHenry passed away from cancer, though Alae-Carew and McDonald continued to develop the project. [12] The film was dedicated to McHenry, who died two years before the film's release.

Writing

By 2016, John McPhail had taken over as director with McDonald as sole screenwriter, though McHenry received credit as co-writer. [18] McPhail was at first concerned about joining as director before production. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said, "They’d all been doing this together and all of a sudden here I come in. I was nervous about it, but they welcomed me with open arms, they really, really did and that made everything nice and easy". [19] Following McHenry's death, the initial draft of the film's script had a darker, cynical tone, which McDonald believed was due to McHenry's passing. "The reason that draft was so dark was because I missed my friend... I guess, in the story that we were always telling and what ultimately became Ryan’s story. Finding a way for us all to rediscover the joy of it was what I think kept us on target and ultimately created the movie that we’ve made now." [16]

Music

In 2014, Roddy Hart was hired to write the film's songs, in collaboration with Tommy Reilly. [19]

Filming

Principal photography took place over five weeks between 16 January and 22 February 2017 in and around the Inverclyde area near Glasgow. [20] [21] Production was primarily based at the former building of St. Stephen's High School at Southfield Avenue, Port Glasgow. [22] The film was produced by Blazing Griffin Pictures, Black Camel Pictures, Parkhouse Pictures and Creative Scotland.

Inspirations

Director John McPhail said that Anna and the Apocalypse was influenced by the films West Side Story (1961), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and The Breakfast Club (1985), as well as the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode "Once More, with Feeling". [23] McPhail also said that the film includes "nods" to the zombie films Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), The Evil Dead (1981), The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001) and Shaun of the Dead (2004). [23] [24] The crop tops and short shorts seen in the film were inspired by the costume design in the slasher film Sleepaway Camp (1983). [24]

Soundtrack

A soundtrack consisting of 13 songs from the film was released on 23 November 2018.

The deleted song, "Which Side Are You On?", is featured only on the vinyl release and director's cut. Another deleted song, "Some Things Will Never Change", is present in the bonus features of the Blu-ray release.

Anna and the Apocalypse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."Christmas Means Nothing Without You"Shonagh Murray3:17
2."Break Away"Ella Hunt, Sarah Swire and Malcolm Cumming3:59
3."Hollywood Ending"Cast from Anna and the Apocalypse3:32
4."The Fish Wrap"Roddy Hart, Tommy Reilly and John McPhail0:39
5."It's That Time of Year" Marli Siu 2:48
6."Turning My Life Around"Ella Hunt and Malcolm Cumming3:50
7."Human Voice"Cast from Anna and the Apocalypse3:53
8."Soldier at War"Ben Wiggins3:10
9."Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now"Paul Kaye2:48
10."Give Them a Show"Ella Hunt and Paul Kaye2:54
11."I Will Believe"Ella Hunt and Mark Benton3:43
12."What a Time to Be Alive"Ryan Joseph Burns2:09
13."What a Time to Be Alive (Orchestral Version)"Cast from Anna and the Apocalypse1:59

Release

Anna and the Apocalypse had its world premiere in the Fantastic Fest on 22 September 2017. [25] On 5 October 2017, the film held its European premiere at Sitges Film Festival in Catalonia, Spain. [26]

On 10 January 2018, it was picked up for North and Latin American theatrical distribution by Orion Pictures. [27] In the United States, the film received a limited theatrical release on 30 November 2018, with a nationwide expansion on 7 December. [11]

Home media

The US theatrical release (93 minutes) was only given a digital release on 12 February 2019. It was made available on Hulu on 13 November 2019.[ citation needed ]

The film was released on region 2 DVD on 8 April 2019 by Vertigo Releasing through Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment. Second Sight Films released it in a region-free two-disc Blu-ray on 2 December 2019. Both the UK theatrical release (97 minutes) and the director's cut (108 minutes) are included in the set, the latter containing roughly ten minutes of footage absent from the theatrical version.[ citation needed ]

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, the film debuted to $52,588 from five cinemas, an average of $10,518. [28]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 77% based on 127 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Anna and the Apocalypse finds fresh brains and a lot of heart in the crowded zombie genre—not to mention a fun genre mashup populated by rootable characters." [29] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews". [30]

Dread Central gave it 5 out of 5 stars, saying that it's "not just a great movie but a great musical as well." [31]

Accolades

YearAwardsCategoryRecipientsResult
2017Rondo Hatton Classic Horror AwardsBest Independent Film John McPhail Nominated
2018Edinburgh International Film FestivalAudience AwardJohn McPhailNominated
British Academy Scotland Awards Best Actress: Film Ella Hunt Nominated
Best Feature Film Naysun Alae-Carew, Nicholas Crum, Tracy Jarvis John McPhail, Alan McDonald Nominated
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
Best Feature Film: GoldAnna and the ApocalypseWon [32]
Best Ensemble CastWon [32]
Best ComedyWon [32]
Best MusicWon [32]
Best Title SequenceWon [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Anna Christie</i> 1921 play by Eugene ONeill

Anna Christie is a play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill. It made its Broadway debut at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 2, 1921. O'Neill received the 1922 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this work. According to historian Paul Avrich, the original of Anna Christie was Christine Ell, an anarchist cook in Greenwich Village, who was the lover of Edward Mylius, a Belgian-born radical living in England who libeled the British king George V.

<i>Room 101</i> (radio series) British radio comedy series

Room 101 is a radio comedy series on BBC Radio 4 hosted by Paul Merton. Celebrities are invited to discuss their "least favourite people, places and pop songs" in order to have them consigned to Room 101.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zombie apocalypse</span> Subgenre of apocalyptic fiction

Zombie apocalypse is a subgenre of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction in which society collapses due to overwhelming swarms of zombies. Typically only a few individuals or small bands of survivors are left living. In some versions, the reason the dead rise and attack humans is unknown, in others, a parasite or infection is the cause, framing events much like a plague. Some stories have every corpse rise, regardless of the cause of death, whereas others require exposure to the infection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Kendrick</span> American actress (born 1985)

Anna Cooke Kendrick is an American actress. Her first starring role was in the 1998 Broadway musical High Society, for which she earned a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She made her film debut in the musical comedy Camp (2003) and had a supporting role in The Twilight Saga (2008–2011). She achieved wider recognition for the comedy-drama film Up in the Air (2009), which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and for her starring role in the Pitch Perfect film series (2012–2017).

Tommy Reilly is a Scottish singer–songwriter from Torrance, East Dunbartonshire. He gained recognition after winning the Channel 4 TV show Orange unsignedAct. Shortly after, Reilly's first single "Gimme A Call" reached number 14 in the UK Singles Chart in its first week of release. Reilly released his debut album, Words on the Floor, in 2009. His follow-up, Hello! I'm Tommy Reilly, was released less than a year later on 14 June 2010. In December 2015 he released the 6-track EP "Weightless", recorded in the Scottish highlands and released by Gizmo Tunes Recordings. Reilly is also composing music for TV and movies, for instance for the Scottish movie production Anna and the Apocalypse. The duo arranged the music and wrote the score for “Our Ladies”, and are currently writing songs for Steven Spielberg’s revival of Animaniacs.

David Leveaux is a British theatre director who has been nominated for five Tony Awards as director of both plays and musicals. He directs in the UK, working at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Almeida Theatre, and the Donmar Warehouse, on Broadway, and also in Tokyo.

Neighbours is a long-running Australian television soap opera created by television executive Reg Watson. It was first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985 and currently airs on digital channel 10 Peach. Since its inception, several spin-offs have been produced, including books, music, DVDs and internet webisodes. Several annuals and books by pulp fiction writer Carl Ruhen were released in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Barry Crocker's version of the theme tune was the first music release from the show, which also has included a Christmas album and the show's love theme. Two potential television spin-offs have reached the pilot stage, while five DVD box sets of Neighbours episodes from the beginning have been released. In 2013, Neighbours launched their first webisode series Steph in Prison. Several other webisode series' has since been released, with the most recent series SheilaTV becoming available from December 2018. Other merchandise includes official video and board games, stationary and clothing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan McHenry</span> Scottish film director (1987–2015)

Ryan McHenry was a Scottish film director best known for the film Zombie Musical in which he received a nomination for the Best Director accolade at the 2011 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards.

John McPhail is a Scottish film director and screenwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ella Hunt</span> English actress and singer (born 1998)

Ella Hunt is an English actress and singer. She was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA for her performance in the film Anna and the Apocalypse (2017). On television, she is known for her roles as Ellie Marsden in the ITV comedy-drama Cold Feet (2016–2017) and Sue Gilbert in the Apple TV+ series Dickinson (2019–2021).

<i>The Curse of La Llorona</i> 2019 American supernatural horror film

The Curse of La Llorona is a 2019 American supernatural horror film directed by Michael Chaves, in his feature directorial debut, and written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis. Based on the Latin American folklore of La Llorona, the film stars Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, and Patricia Velásquez, and follows a mother in 1973 Los Angeles who must save her children from a malevolent spirit trying to steal them. The film was produced by James Wan through his Atomic Monster banner.

Tartan Features is a filmmaking network and distribution platform based in Scotland. It supports the production of micro-budget feature films.

<i>After</i> (2019 film) 2019 American film

After is a 2019 American romantic drama film directed by Jenny Gage, who co-wrote the screenplay with Susan McMartin, Tamara Chestna, and Tom Betterton, based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Anna Todd. It is the first installment in the After film series. The film stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Josephine Langford and follows a young woman who begins to romance a mysterious student during her first months of college. The cast includes Selma Blair, Inanna Sarkis, Shane Paul McGhie, Pia Mia, Khadijha Red Thunder, Dylan Arnold, Samuel Larsen, Jennifer Beals and Peter Gallagher in supporting roles.

<i>Black Summer</i> (TV series) American streaming television series

Black Summer is an American streaming television series created by Karl Schaefer and John Hyams. It is a spinoff of Z Nation. The first season, consisting of eight episodes, was released on Netflix on April 11, 2019. The series is produced by The Asylum, the same production company behind Z Nation, and is written and directed primarily by Hyams, with Abram Cox writing and directing additional episodes. Jaime King stars in the lead role as Rose, a mother who is separated from her daughter during the earliest and deadliest days of a zombie apocalypse. The series garnered moderate approval from critics. Many of the filming locations are around and within Calgary, Alberta.

Naysun Alae-Carew is a Scottish film producer and editor. He is best known for the film, Anna and the Apocalypse which was nominated for the Best Feature Film accolade at the 2018 British Academy Scotland Awards. The film was based on the short film Zombie Musical which earned him the Beat Producer: Short Form accolade at the 2011 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards. He is a company director of Blazing Griffin which makes independent film and video games including the remastered version of The Ship.

<i>Six</i> (musical) British musical comedy

Six is a British musical comedy with music, book, and lyrics by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. It is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII, presented in the form of a pop concert. In the show, each of the wives take turns telling their story to determine who suffered the most from their common husband.

Marli Siu is a Scottish actress. Her films include Anna and the Apocalypse (2017), Our Ladies (2019), and Run (2019), the latter of which won her a Scottish BAFTA. On television, Siu has appeared in the spy thriller Alex Rider (2020–2021) and the BBC drama Everything I Know About Love (2022).

Soundtrack to Our Teenage Zombie Apocalypse is an Australian drama TV series aimed at children and teenagers. Directed by Imogen McCluskey, the series premiered on ABC Me on 15 August 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Plaugic, Lizzie (8 August 2017). "Fantastic Fest 2017 will feature two Stephen King adaptations and a zombie musical 'Anna and the Apocalypse'". The Verge . Vox Media . Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  2. ↑ Grater, Tom (18 February 2018). "Zombie musical 'Anna And The Apocalypse' sells to UK (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Screen International . Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  3. ↑ ""Anna and the Apocalypse" is Released in Cinemas on 30th November 2018". Filmoria.co.uk. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE | British Board of Film Classification". British Board of Film Classification . Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "Anna and the Apocalypse (2018) - Financial Information". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  6. ↑ "Anna and the Apocalypse (2018) - Financial Information". The Numbers . Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  7. ↑ Miska, Brad (8 August 2017). "'Anna and the Apocalypse' Images Bring the Holiday Cheer". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  8. ↑ Dee, Jake. "Zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse begins shooting". JoBlo.com . Joblo Media. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  9. ↑ Miska, Brad (16 January 2017). "They're Finally Making a Zombie Musical, 'Anna and the Apocalypse'". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  10. ↑ Scott, Ryan (16 January 2017). "Zombie Musical Anna and the Apocalypse Begins Shooting in Scotland". MovieWeb . Watchr Media. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  11. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (6 April 2018). "Zombie Christmas Musical 'Anna And The Apocalypse' To Ring In December". Deadline. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  12. 1 2 "Anna and the Apocalypse: The zom-com musical the writer didn't live to see". BBC News . 29 November 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  13. ↑ Anderson, John (16 August 2018). "After a Director Dies, Friends Finish His Life's Work: A Zombie Musical". The New York Times . Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "Zombie musical shot in region". Daily Record. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "British Academy Scotland New Talent Award: Winners in 2011". bafta.org. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  16. 1 2 White, Adam (27 November 2018). "Life, death, and Anna and the Apocalypse: the joyous zombie musical its creator didn't live to see". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  17. ↑ adrianne (8 November 2013). "How a Ryan Gosling meme helped its creator cope with cancer". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  18. ↑ Scott, Ryan (16 January 2017). "Zombie Musical 'Anna and the Apocalypse' Begins Shooting in Scotland". Movieweb . Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  19. 1 2 Collis, Clark (27 November 2018). "The tragic, inspiring story behind zombie-musical 'Anna and the Apocalypse'". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  20. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (16 January 2017). "Shoot underway on zombie musical 'Anna And The Apocalypse'". Screendaily.com . Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  21. ↑ @aatapocalypse (22 February 2017). "@ella_hunt1 "That's a wrap on Anna and The Apocalypse 💥 I couldn't be prouder to be part of this film and to be part of the wonderful crew who have come together to make it happen. This has been the most ambitious project I've ever done and I cannee wait for its release!!" #getready #aataiscoming @aatamovie 🎬🎬🎬 #movie #film #script #filmmaking #annaandtheapocalypse #blood" . Retrieved 17 October 2021– via Instagram.
  22. ↑ Coulter, Paul John (15 January 2017). "Zombie flick filmed at old Port school". Greenock Telegraph. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  23. 1 2 Fletcher, Rosie (30 June 2019). "Anna And The Apocalypse interview: the director on his zombie musical". Den of Geek. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  24. 1 2 Gingold, Michael (7 December 2018). "Exclusive Interview: Director John McPhail and actor Christopher Leveaux on "Anna and the Apocalypse"". Rue Morgue. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  25. ↑ Waldo, Barry (9 August 2017). "Zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse to get World Premiere at Fantastic Fest". Creative Scotland . Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  26. ↑ Billington, Alex (12 October 2017). "Sitges Review: Zombie Christmas Musical 'Anna and the Apocalypse'". FirstShowing.net. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  27. ↑ Galuppo, Mia (9 January 2018). "Orion Pictures Nabs Zombie Holiday Musical 'Anna and the Apocalypse'". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  28. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2 December 2018). "'Ralph' Breaking $25M+ 2nd Weekend; 'Grinch' Steals $202M+; 'Hannah Grace' $6M+ In Slow Post Thanksgiving Period – Update". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  29. ↑ "Anna and the Apocalypse (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  30. ↑ "Anna and the Apocalypse Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  31. ↑ McHargue, Brad (23 September 2017). "Anna and the Apocalypse (Fantastic Fest): Singing! Dancing! Zombies! Christmas!". Dread Central . Dread Central Media. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 Fountain, Jeff (29 October 2018). "Award Winners Announced For Toronto After Dark Film Festival 2018". Geek Chic Elite. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.