{Blu-ray Review}Anna and the Apocalypse

I am going to say it. For the record the Anna and the Apocalypse is both the best family zombie movie and the best Christmas horror that has been produced in the last ten years. It has a youthful whimsy that makes the audience grin the entire time. When Second Sight film sent us a copy of their newest double disk collection it was the holiday watching the whole family could enjoy. Most important for our American audience. The whole double disk set is region free. HELL YEA!

If you look are looking for more content regarding Anna and the Apocalypse this is your disk. I also got a chance to talk to Director John McPhail (interview coming later) and he told not to sleep on the extended cut of the movie which was actually the festival cut of the film. If more Anna is what you want, coupled with a little more music, this cut of the film will really open your eyes. The commentary by McPhail and writer Alan McDonald adds both careful insight and is an absolute blast. When composers Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly the whole group feels more like a group of friends meeting at the pub to talk about a football game. The insight they provide feels like its never delivered with a laugh and a smile.

Along with essentially three cuts of the film (original, extended, and commentary) the film has a number of different features that highlight the characters. The movie doesn’t work Ella Hunt who brings Anna Shepherd to life. The documentary highlights her connection with the title and character and how much fun the entire cast and crew had.

More than a few times across the the special features producers, actors, even McPhail mention that it was a difficult task to create a Hollywood style musical with a much smaller budget. It’s really the crux of the biggest production number of the film “Hollywood Ending” which acts both as an explanation for the tightness of the movie but also as a dark foreboding for the huge shift on tone half way through the movie. While we don’t have time or the space to cover all of the fantastic bonus content on both disks the gag reel is the absolute gem. If you don’t laugh your way through it maybe you are the zombie.

Anna and the Apocalypse is enjoying a run of reportory screenings at a movie theatre near you but really ought to be in your personal collection as well. Buy it today. See below for all the details.

Details

Director: John McPhail

Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven – at Christmas – forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other.

 Special Features  

• Double Disc Edition featuring Theatrical and Extended Cuts
• Original short film ‘Zombie Musical’ written and directed by Ryan McHenry
• Audio Commentary with Director John McPhail, Writer Alan McDonald, Composers Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly
• Brand new documentary featuring new interviews with Actors Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu, Director John McPhail, Writer Alan McDonald, Composers Roddy Hart & Tommy Reilly, Producer Naysun Alae-Carew,
• Behind-the-Scenes featurette
• Alternative opening scene
• Hollywood Ending with Cast and Crew
• Deleted Scene
• Deleted Song
• Edinburgh Film Festival footage
• Gag Reel, Outtakes
• Limited ‘Oring’ slipcover and lyrics booklet on initial pressing only
• English SDH Subtitles

Catalogue number: 2NDBR4107

Certificate: 15

Region: Free