James Proclaims!

Released in the year I started doing this annual festive nonsense, 2017’s Anna and the Apocalypse has cruelly missed out on prior inclusion due to the fact that I’d never heard of it.

But then I did hear about it. And I watched it. And I loved it.

Described on Wikipedia as a “British Christmas zombie musical film” it is exactly that.

Which is as mad and as fun as it sounds.

As a zombie movie it conforms to all the usual tropes, which is presumably what fans of zombie movies are looking for. As a musical, it delivers a plethora of catchy tunes and dance numbers, which what I imagine most fans of musicals would want. It’s also pretty funny, yet offers enough drama to keep you rooting for the heroes throughout.

The cast are (or were) largely unknown (save for British TV stalwarts Mark Benton and Paul Kaye, the latter enjoying himself immensely as the antagonistic – and appropriately named – deputy head teacher Arthur Savage) but no less competent for that.

Anna and thew Apocalypse is a rare find. Because there aren’t too many British Christmas zombie musical films. And there probably shouldn’t be. But I’m glad there is at least one.

Score for Christmasishness

As a zombie movie, this is as gory as they come, but there’s no denying it’s also pretty Christmassy. There are Christmas trees and tinsel galore, and the titular Anna’s main weapon for seeing off the zombie horde is a large ornamental candy cane. The movie also closes with a zombie Santa Claus. This is definitely one that will make my festive viewing schedule on a regular basis for years to come.