Anna and the Apocalypse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anna and the Apocalypse |
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UK theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | John McPhail |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Starring |
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| Music by |
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| Cinematography | Sara Deane |
| Editing by | Mark Hermida |
| Studio |
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| Distributed by | Vertigo Releasing |
| Release date(s) | 22 September 2017 (Fantastic Fest) 30 November 2018 (United Kingdom) |
| Running time | 98 minutes (theatrical cut) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Money made | $670,430 |
Anna and the Apocalypse is a fun 2017 British movie. It's a mix of a Christmas story, a zombie adventure, and a musical! Imagine singing and dancing while trying to survive a zombie outbreak.
The movie was directed by John McPhail. The idea came from a short film called Zombie Musical by Ryan McHenry. It stars many talented young actors like Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, and Marli Siu.
Anna and the Apocalypse first showed at Fantastic Fest in September 2017. It later came out in the United Kingdom and the United States in November 2018. Critics generally liked the movie, praising the acting, the songs, and the characters.
Contents
Meet the Cast
Here are some of the main actors and the characters they play:
- Ella Hunt as Anna
- Malcolm Cumming as John
- Sarah Swire as Steph
- Christopher Leveaux as Chris
- Ben Wiggins as Nick
- Marli Siu as Lisa
- Mark Benton as Tony
- Paul Kaye as Arthur Savage
- Calum Cormack as Zombie Santa
- Euan Bennet as Jake
- Sean Connor as Graham
- John Winchester as Tibbsy
- Janet Lawson as Mrs. Hinzmann
- Kirsty Strain as Ms. Wright
- Jackie Bird as herself
Making the Movie
How the Idea Started
The idea for Anna and the Apocalypse began in 2009. Ryan McHenry, a student at Edinburgh College of Art, thought of a "zombie musical." He was inspired by movies like High School Musical.
In 2010, Ryan made a short film called Zombie Musical. His friend Naysun Alae-Carew helped produce it. This short film even won an award in 2011! A production company in Glasgow, Black Camel, liked the idea. They wanted to make it into a full-length movie. Ryan McHenry started writing the script with Alan McDonald.
Sadly, Ryan McHenry became very ill in 2013. He passed away in 2015. But his friends, Naysun Alae-Carew and Alan McDonald, kept working on the movie. They wanted to finish it for Ryan. The movie is dedicated to him.
Writing the Story
By 2016, John McPhail became the director. Alan McDonald continued as the main writer. Ryan McHenry still received credit for his original ideas.
At first, the story was a bit dark because of Ryan's passing. But the team worked to bring back the fun and joy. They wanted the movie to be exciting and entertaining, just as Ryan would have wanted.
The Music
The songs for the movie were written by Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly. They started working on the music in 2014. Their songs help tell the story and make the movie a true musical!
Filming Locations
Filming took about five weeks. It happened between January and February 2017. Most of the movie was filmed in the Inverclyde area, near Glasgow, Scotland. A lot of the scenes were shot in a former school building in Port Glasgow.
Movie Inspirations
Director John McPhail shared some movies that inspired Anna and the Apocalypse. He mentioned classic musicals like West Side Story and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He also got ideas from the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, especially its musical episode.
For the zombie parts, the movie gives "nods" to famous zombie films. These include Night of the Living Dead and Shaun of the Dead. So, it's a mix of musical fun and zombie thrills!
Soundtrack Album
The movie's soundtrack has 13 songs. It was released on November 23, 2018. You can listen to all the catchy tunes from the film.
There are also a couple of songs that were not in the final movie. "Which Side Are You On?" is on the vinyl record and in the director's cut. "Some Things Will Never Change" is a bonus feature on the Blu-ray.
| Anna and the Apocalypse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | |||||||||
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| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length | ||||||
| 1. | "Christmas Means Nothing Without You" | Shonagh Murray | 3:17 | ||||||
| 2. | "Break Away" | Ella Hunt, Sarah Swire and Malcolm Cumming | 3:59 | ||||||
| 3. | "Hollywood Ending" | Cast from Anna and the Apocalypse | 3:32 | ||||||
| 4. | "The Fish Wrap" | Roddy Hart, Tommy Reilly and John McPhail | 0:39 | ||||||
| 5. | "It's That Time of Year" | Marli Siu | 2:48 | ||||||
| 6. | "Turning My Life Around" | Ella Hunt and Malcolm Cumming | 3:50 | ||||||
| 7. | "Human Voice" | Cast from Anna and the Apocalypse | 3:53 | ||||||
| 8. | "Soldier at War" | Ben Wiggins | 3:10 | ||||||
| 9. | "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now" | Paul Kaye | 2:48 | ||||||
| 10. | "Give Them a Show" | Ella Hunt and Paul Kaye | 2:54 | ||||||
| 11. | "I Will Believe" | Ella Hunt and Mark Benton | 3:43 | ||||||
| 12. | "What a Time to Be Alive" | Ryan Joseph Burns | 2:09 | ||||||
| 13. | "What a Time to Be Alive (Orchestral Version)" | Cast from Anna and the Apocalypse | 1:59 | ||||||
Release Information
Anna and the Apocalypse had its first showing at the Fantastic Fest on September 22, 2017. It then had its European premiere in Spain on October 5, 2017.
In North and Latin America, Orion Pictures helped distribute the movie. It had a small release in theaters on November 30, 2018. Then, it expanded to more theaters on December 7.
Watching at Home
The movie was available to watch digitally on February 12, 2019. It also came to Hulu on November 13, 2019.
You could buy the movie on DVD starting April 8, 2019, in the UK. A special two-disc Blu-ray set was released on December 2, 2019. This set included both the regular movie and a longer "director's cut" with extra scenes!
See also
In Spanish: Anna and the Apocalypse para niños
