The zombie holiday horror movie Anna and the Apocalypse is an impeccable movie as it is, but the director's cut features a song and scenes that could've drastically changed the way one character in particular is perceived. It is common that a theatrical release and a director's cut share several differences, but in the case of Anna and the Apocalypse, they're crucial to the biggest villain that isn't the living dead.
Anna and the Apocalypse is an incredibly unique horror movie, as it merges several genres into a comedic musical. It stars Ella Hunt as Anna Shepherd, a teenager who doesn't plan on going to university and, as she comes to find out, the world won't allow her to, either. While a pandemic sweeps across the world, she and her friends largely ignore it until they wake up one morning to discover that their lives are plagued by the living dead and their goal to graduate has been replaced with survival. Holiday horror movies add a sense of dread to an otherwise joyous time of year. As the zombie sub-genre grows increasingly stale, movies such as Anna and the Apocalypse offer something new by adding holiday cheer and comedy. This is somewhat similar to the approach taken by Simon Pegg's Shaun Of The Dead with the added musical flare of the Christmas season.
As is the case with many musicals, one song can change an entire character, storyline, or scene. Since the director's cut of Anna and the Apocalypse includes a brand new song, it completely alters Paul Kaye's character, Arthur Savage. Had it been included, the nefarious villain may have become so irredeemable that his character would've become a caricature rather than a believable villain, which he was in the movie's theatrical cut.
The director's cut was released overseas, and while it appears to have very minimal changes in the beginning, the additional song creates a far more sinister atmosphere. Unlike most zombie movies, such as George A. Romero's Night Of The Living Dead, Anna and the Apocalypse's undead cannibals are more comedic. Their hilarity is only enhanced by the songs each character sings. While the world falls apart, teenage dreams, drama, love, loss, and the desire to impress their parents remains through these ballads.
When Savage is first introduced, it's assumed that he will be a villain, but his villainous behaviors only grow more nefarious as the movie progresses. The internationally released director's cut features a song about the character, where Anna and her friends come to realize just how evil he is before the final face-off. Had it been included in the theatrical release, it would've set a much darker tone for the overall movie, which, despite its apocalyptic overtones, is relatively hopeful and driven by caring characters. The song was likely removed in order to maintain this sense of joyfulness. If it had been included, it would've made the world's end far too dismal for a horror comedy musical.
This is the biggest difference between the theatrical release and the director's cut. There are numerous minute changes such as camera perspectives, prolonged scenes of Anna in conversation, and other rather meaningless additions. The biggest difference between the two versions of Anna and the Apocalypse is the song about Savage, which could've changed the air of the movie entirely. While it doesn't necessarily make one better than the other, it does make the director's cut far darker than the original, which could determine which is better based on one's personal preferences.
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