Abba - elokuva (1977) Online

1977 Anni-Frid Lyngstad Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus Lasse Hallström

Original Title :: ABBA: The Movie
Genre :: Movie / Comedy / Drama / Music
Year :: 1977
Directror :: Lasse Hallström
Cast :: Anni-Frid Lyngstad,Benny Andersson,Björn Ulvaeus
Writer :: Robert Caswell,Lasse Hallström
Type :: Movie
Time :: 1h 35min
Rating :: 6.5/10

Abba - elokuva (1977) Online

Movie detailing ABBA's mega-successful tour of Australia during mid-1977. While it mostly contains back-stage footage and as well as ABBA's famous songs such as "Dancing Queen", "Tiger", "Name Of The Game" and "Eagle" among others sung filmed during their concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide, it has the sub-plot of young country and western radio disc-jockey, Ashley, whose boss orders him to have a deep interview with ABBA and the problems he has trying to reach them as he forgets his press pass and ABBA's main bodyguard, (Tom Oliver) is determined to stop him...

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Anni-Frid Lyngstad	-	Herself
	Benny Andersson	-	Himself
	Björn Ulvaeus	-	Himself
	Agnetha Fältskog	-	Herself
	Robert Hughes	-	Ashley Wallace, the disc Jockey
	Tom Oliver	-	Bodyguard / Bartender / Taxi Driver
	Bruce Barry	-	Radio Station Manager
	Stig Anderson	-	ABBA Manager
	Calvin Cross	-	Featured Fan
	Ivar Dahlbom	-	Featured Fan
	Harry Lawrence	-	Featured Fan
	Michael Mansson	-	Hotel receptionist (as Michael Manson)
	Sandy Mansson	-	Girl in box office (as Sandy Manson)
	Ray Marshall	-	Featured Fan
	Frances Matthews	-	Featured Fan

Around the time of this film's theatrical release, Stig Anderson once said of ABBAs enormous popularity in Australia, where this concert movie was filmed: "Australia is still the biggest market in the world for ABBA. People in the music industry all over the world have been stunned with what has happened here."

Part of this film's storyline has journalist Robert Hughes continually seeking an interview with ABBA. Early during the tour, ABBA were not told about this to provide authenticity. They had believed that the reporter was a real newsman trying to get a scoop.

In 2003, The Swedish Film Institute restored the film to its original soundtrack after the original stereo sound had been lost for years. The film was premiered in its new version on 2 December 2003, at Stockholm's Film House with Benny Andersson attending.

Agnetha Fältskog was frequently filmed above the neck in close-ups due to disguise the fact that she was pregnant at the time.

Most of the concert footage of ABBA's 1977 Australian tour that was used for this film came from their five Perth concerts in Western Australia. This was because the concert venue there, the Perth Entertainment Centre, was the only indoors stadium on the tour, and the conditions there were best suited for acoustic recording and would not be affected by any bad weather elements.

ABBA star 'Bjorn Ulvaeus' has said of this film: "They wanted us to make a film in Australia, but quite honestly I don't think that films with pop stars work very well. Of course The Beatles are an exception and Tommy (1975) was a big hit but there have been lots of other pop films that have sunk without trace... Seeing the film came as a bit of a shock. It's hard to recognize yourself up there on a giant screen in Panavision. But then we've had many moments when it has been hard to accept the things that have been happening to us."

Though predominantly filmed in Australia, bizarrely, this movie was never released on home video-cassette (VHS or Beta) during the 1980s and 1990s in Australia.

Prior to this feature film, this movie's director Lasse Hallström directed ABBA's music videos.

The concerts that provided the footage for this movie were all filmed in Australia during March 1977. The tour staged eleven ABBA concerts in ten days at a production cost of $750,000 (Australian) and with attendances estimated at being around the 140 to 160 thousand mark.

In 2008, this film was digitally re-mastered and re-released.

There is a brief scene lasting only some seconds where a photographer asks for a smile. ABBA are surrounded by various International stars that happened to be in Perth at that time and were performing in Australia. They include Gerry and the Pacemakers The Searchers The Dubliners Alice Cooper Stéphane Grappelli and British actor Robin Nedwell The scene was shot at the Parmelia Hotel in Perth.

First English language film for director Lasse Hallström.

Additional filming for this movie was done during Summer 1977 in ABBA's home country of Sweden after their 1977 concert tour of Australia had been completed. This filming included "The Name Of The Game" dream sequence and filming on streets in Sweden, doubling, ironically, for the Melbourne and Sydney streets. Actors Tom Oliver and Robert Hughes had to fly to Sweden for this shoot.

Advance publicity of ABBA's 1977 concert-tour boasted that, "The ABBA roadshow will be the greatest epic since Cecil B. DeMille made Ben-Hur (1959)." The tour was claimed at the time to be the biggest pop tour that Australia had ever seen.

This film's director Lasse Hallström said of this movie in 2002 that it had a screenplay that was "conceived on the plane on the way to Australia, about a disc jockey trying to get an in-depth interview with ABBA. It started out as a 16-millimeter project and ended up, when the producers decided to gamble big, being in 35-millimeter wide-screen Panavision."

Reportedly, this film had three simultaneous Australian World Premieres all held in Australia on 14 December 1977, in Paramatta, New South Wales; Melbourne, Victoria and Sydney, New South Wales.

The production shoot for this film went for six weeks and encompassed ABBA's 1977 Australian tour and included their live concerts, press conferences, private downtime, public receptions, meeting fans and traveling time.

This film of ABBA's 1977 concert tour of Australia was originally intended to be a home movie, then a television special, then a documentary. It's final form was rockumentary concert movie.

First film outside of Sweden for Swedish director Lasse Hallström.

Filming for this movie took place as soon as ABBA arrived in Australia for their concert tour at Sydney Airport on 27 February 1977.

Shooting for this concert movie was done at every leg of ABBA's 1977 Australian tour and included all their concerts in the five major capital cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

ABBA was offered a billion dollars to do a reunion tour. They declined.

The film featured three new songs of the band ABBA which were then first performed during this 1977 concert tour of Australia.

Reportedly, Miramax head honcho Harvey Weinstein once talked to Lasse Hallström, this film's director, about directing Mamma Mia! (2008).

Notable Australian tourist locations that the band ABBA are seen visiting in this film include South Australia's Barossa Valley vineyards, the Sydney Opera House, King's Park in Perth and Melbourne's Moomba Procession.

In total, there were about 23 to 25 ABBA songs featured in the film including excerpts, introductions, live songs and instrumentals. Of these, there were about 21 songs that appear on the track list.

The acronym ABBA, which forms part of this movie's title, stands for Annifred, Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha, the first names of the rock band's four members.

This concert film is notable for its distinctive movie poster artwork which utilizes a rainbow color scheme across various image likenesses of ABBA and other iconic graphics.

This movie was made and released about five years before ABBA broke-up.

ABBA play themselves in this movie.

Approximately, half of this movie features concert/music sequences, the other half is documentary film.

This film forms a documentary record of ABBA's 1977 Australian Tour.

Lasse Hallström: sitting in the background on a park bench when the DJ is interviewing a man about ABBA.

User reviews

Ynye

A journalist chases the Swedish supergroup Abba across Australia hoping to deliver a career saving interview to his boss.

Forget what I have just written, it isn't important. It is just an excuse to see a group about their work and learn just a little about their lives and personalities. The stress being on the word "little."

The setting of Australia is interesting because the group were about as big in Oz as any group has ever been anywhere at anytime - and I include the Beatles in that. They just had the widest fan base of any group I have seen. They closed whole cities centres down with people just wanting to see them no matter hear them play!

(For this reason alone we should be grateful that it is not just an in-concert film.)

Pop music is not known for its longevity, but lots of the material here is not only brilliant, but perfectly performed and eternal. Although I am almost fighting myself in saying it, they perfected the three minute pop song. When they burst in to Dancing Queen it sends a shiver down your spine - the girls voices just compliment each other so well that it is frightening. Agnetha and Frieda sing like a choir of angels - and yet there is only two of them!

Sadly they are not around anymore (as a group) and there is nothing to replace them. I loved everything about them from their naff 1970's satin clothes (for newcomers, they were even a joke at the time!) to their second language English which leads to bizarre grammatical errors ("for twenty years I have not seen you with a rifle in your hands(!)"). I feel for the kids today, there is nothing as good as this around. Watch this movie to see what a brilliant little pop music product they were.

Syleazahad

ABBA: The Movie was a big success around the world but barely made a ripple in the U.S. It was 12 years before I saw it. It is about a deejay named Ashley who follows ABBA around on their Australian tour in hopes of getting an interview. They lead him to Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne. Along the way, he tapes comments from fans. Mixed in with the plot are scenes from the concerts. Frida struts boldly in hot pants, prowling the stage like a female Elvis. Agnetha teases the crowd with her bottom during "Money Money Money." The group provides a cross section of what had been done up to that time: "Waterloo," "The Name of the Game" and "Ring Ring." The ladies make a real entrance for "Dancing Queen," ABBA's only number 1 record in the U.S. ABBA is a feminist group. The women are the stars. The men maintain a low profile. Benny Andersson later told of how The Movie started out as just their desire to have a personal record of their time in Australia and grew until it became a feature length film. The Movie was directed by Lasse Hallstrom, the same guy who directed ABBA's videos. They finish with their signature tune, "Thank You for the Music." I am an ABBA fan and wrote a book about the Fab Four from Sweden.

Ranicengi

This is a movie just for fans. The heart of this movie is that its "ABBA" in concert. Between songs we see the super group in interviews. A subplot has a D.J. trying to land an interview with them. If Mr. D.J. doesn't land the interview he will be out of a job. Hit songs performed include the classics "Dancing Queen", "Fernando", "Ring Ring" and "Thank You for the Music. Not out on Dvd. The director of this movie went on to become a big time Hollywood Director. If you thought this might be a movie "Based on the hit play Mama Mia" so sorry this is not that movie. A highlight of this is when the group invites a group of children to sing back up to "I have a Dream". The movie was shoot in and around 1976 or 1977 when the group was touring Australia. In all this movie is for fans of the group. If your not a fan you will be bored!

Asher

I saw this movie on Oprah Winfrey's Oxygen Network (thanks Oprah!). I had heard of it. I'm an ABBA fan. I love their music. I think Agnetha and Frida are two of the best singers I've ever heard. They're also very beautiful. Watching this movie is like being in a time machine. It brings back all of the memories of that time, you know, when music was still worth listening to. I wish someone would put this movie on DVD. The disc jockey stuff isn't bad. As a matter of fact it's kind of cool. He has a dream sequence that's interesting with Agnetha and Frida. Well anyway, I never got to see ABBA in concert so I'll really enjoyed this movie! I give it the highest rating possible. But then again, I'm a music nut!

Dalarin

Welcome to the movies. Elvis had done it, The Beatles had done it and now the nineteen-seventies super group ABBA have done it. Welcome to ABBA: The Movie. This semi-documentary movie footage of the pop sensation that stormed the world with its simple melodies, gentle harmonies and infectious lyrics is taken while on tour of the Southern Hemisphere during 1977.

It's a basic concept and the formula is unsurprisingly straightforward; ABBA are on tour of Australia and the group are being filmed as they progress to each new city, to each new concert hall and to each new horde of screaming and admiring fans that this access-all-areas pass via this fly-on-the-wall perspective shows us. We have the group interviews, we see them perform their multimillion best sellers such as "Dancing Queen", "The Name Of The Game", "Tiger", "Ring Ring", "Eagle", "Mamma Mia", and many others that include "Money, Money, Money" and "I'm a Marionette". They allow us to see their prepping-up toward the nights shows' and we are more than privileged to have this insight into this bandwagon on the road to fame and fortune amongst the real hustle and bustle of the press and TV crews that beg their attention.

ABBA: The Movie is a gloried extension of the pop video that has them on stage rather than in a studio setting. In-between this hectic life style is the misadventures of a local D.J. Ashley Wallace, played by actor Robert Hughes who having no idea of what lies ahead and whose soul mission is to get that all so important interview. This is a man on a mission, this is a man without a clue and an even smaller chance, will his luck, wit and desperation withhold the barriers of the Rock 'n Roll giant that stand between him and his goal.

While on the hunt for his four-piece dialogue, we see him up and down and across the country talking and interviewing the real fans that have come to see this band proper. On reflection, this is now a tiny snippet of the ABBA mania that took over the world in the same vain as Elvis in the 1950's and The Beatles during the 1960's and Madonna of the last twenty years, has there ever been another to have reached international mega stardom since?

Directed by the Swedish Lasse Hallström, who directed some of ABBA's pop videos while at their peak, he has Johnny Depp and a very young Leonardo DiCaprio in his repertoire in his movie What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Chocolat (2000) and along with The Shipping News (2001) and An Unfinished Life (2005).

ABBA: The Movie is a gentle reminder of this phenomenon of way back then, and that over the years even today has its admiration and respect of the easy beat and more than charming lyrics. This four-piece band had tapped into the imaginations of lovers of music and its players alike. The movie Muriel's Wedding (1994) and the stage play Mamma Mia can be seen as fitting tributes to this influential group, its cultural significance is beyond comprehension. The writing talents of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus are truly on a similar par as Lennon and McCartney, drug free of course, a writing duo who for a short while conquered the world and who set the standard, as did too Lennon and McCartney, for the pop world for decades to come.

ABBA: The Movie is a fan's movie without a doubt, but to an outsiders viewpoint it is an insight into a different avenue of the Rock 'n Roll machine that is so fickle and delicate. ABBA have stood their ground and in the halls of fame and stardom their music have become an integral part of modern pop culture and society, and that is why talent like this has to be tapped, exploited, far reaching and timeless: Welcome to the movies? Welcome to ABBA.

Usic

ABBA - The Movie... a movie that gives a snapshot of ABBA (one of, if not THE most influential group of 1970s pop), and more importantly, a snapshot of Australia in March 1977.

The movie opens with dialogue setting up the premise that a country music DJ is given the next to impossible assignment of interviewing ABBA during their March 1977 tour of Australia. Next, a shot of a Qantas 747 flying above the Sydney Harbour Bridge and on to their arrival and tour.

Throughout the rest of the movie, the thin plotline shows the DJ Ashley's (Robert Hughes) attempts to get an interview with the group, generously interspersed with footage of the group on stage in the major Australian capitals, back stage, at their hotel and so on.

Fledgeling director (at the time) Lasse Hallstrom puts it all together and makes it all come across as charming.

The lesser known delights - interviews with members of the Australian public, an absolute charming segment with Australian children in a ballet school, and footage from their first Australian press conference. The movie is virtually a documentary of the tour, with the story line woven in for effect.

A lot of fun, well put together, and certainly worth a watch - definitely transports you right into Australia, March 1977, accompanied by some of the most timeless music ever made.

Kefrannan

I have this movie taped from when John Feuglesang (sp?) hosted it on VH1 a few years ago. He was eating from a box of cereal called ABBA Bits (A take-off on Alpha Bits).

Comments on the group: I give them all their due. Bjorn can really rock with that electric guitar and the few times he took lead vocals, the songs were good. I really wonder why these songs never seemed to make it to radio. I guess he wanted to let the gals be in the spotlight. Speaking of whom, they really sing well together. Their harmony is excellent. I'm a big fan of both these lovely ladies solo and dual performances for ABBA. I have more of a thing for Agnetha and all blonds with foreign accents. Both of these ladies contributed a lot to the group. Benny is great on the piano as well (loved his solo performance in the movie)

Comments on the movie: Definitely for ABBA fans only. All other viewers would probably be bored out of their skulls. There's not much of a plot, but it's humorous to see how the Australian DJ always fails to get an interview with the group. It's nice how after the reporter asks Agnetha about getting the title of female performer with the "sexiest bottom", we get a few opportunities throughout the movie to see what he was talking about. I must say, she would certainly be in the running. The actor who played the Australian DJ was as good as the writing probably allowed him to be. The rest of the actors were a little bland.

Final note: If you've only heard a few songs from this group and you liked what you heard, DEFINITELY watch this movie. You probably only heard the songs that are the most commonly played on the radio and TV stations like VH1. When I first saw this movie, I only had ABBA Gold Vol 1 on cassette, but the film made me want ABBA Gold Vol 2, which I've seen in the stores, but never got to buy yet. Vols 1&2 are very good to get if you're just starting out with this group.

Mitars Riders

ABBA are my favourite group and I rented the movie from the library. It is mainly showing their 1977 tour in Australia. They perform most of their popular hits such as Waterloo and Fernando. You will find it quite interesting as it just shows how popular ABBA were in the 1970's. The film is made into a story. Be entertained by this great documentary. I didn't know that you could still get it anyway, but I was really happy to ind it. I had always wanted to see it and I was very amazed when I saw it. If people like ABBA, they will enjoy the movie. Scenes include the press conference, concerts, the Radio DJ searching for them and also his dream.

Thoginn

Now that it's out in DVD, the ABBA fans who missed the movie when originally released can delight in seeing their favorite group as they were then. Even though, the band has been disbanded for over 20 years, ABBA was unique for groups of the time, in that they left a fairly large legacy of surprisingly good quality videos of their music. This movie, although trite contains a fascinating video record of one of their most impressive tours. With the introduction of the musical Mamma Mia (based on ABBA songs) on Broadway several years back, which started an ABBA resurgence of sorts, the existence of videos like this one has let another whole generation get hooked on ABBA music. ABBA was an extremely attractive and very talented group which will live on through these videos. The video and sound quality of the DVDs ( I watch on an HD set ) is excellent considering the time period they were recorded. I liked ABBA back then, but never really followed their music closely. Now I'm hooked, and grateful for the video record that exists of " one of the greatest pop groups that ever was" ( from U2)

Yggfyn

CAUTION: THIS MOVIE CONTAINS A SPOILER.

Um, that would be Robert Hughes as the D.J. in search of the ultimate ABBA interview for the ultimate ABBA radio show on the ultimate radio station by his boss who gave him the original ultimatum. With all of his mishaps along the way you would think that GOD, short of killing him in a plane crash, personally didn't want him to interview the band.

This movie does have some very good moments besides the concert footage. The musical fantasy sequence during, 'The Name of the Game' was hilarious while being strangely erotic. Agnetha and Frida have the D.J. on the couch and the girls keep clamoring for the Mic in his lap. All of this is happening while Benny and Bjorn are slapping the D.J. on the back, giving out the 'thumbs up' sign or congratulating the D.J. for being alive or for making it with their wives, I'm not really sure. In any case it snapped me awake for a few minutes more in hopes that more strange and weird bits like this would come around.

The only other part I liked was the interview with the child ballerina who when asked about why she likes Abba said, "Because I sing it".

If you're a fan, you'll love the concert footage and you won't have much problem in traveling through all the bad D.J. parts, if you don't care for the band(you're not reading this now)take an ABBACAB somewhere else. It's too bad there was never a film on the greatness of, "The Brotherhood of Man". 6/10.

Clark Richards

Adorardana

ABBA: THE MOVIE (2 outta 5 stars) If you like Abba at all (and who can't like Abba... come onnnnnnn) you might find this "documentary" of minor interest... but your viewing pleasure will undoubtedly increase with your level of devoted fanaticism. Not really a documentary, not quite a concert film and not really a fictionalized story... this takes place from the point of view of a naive country music DJ whose station decides to branch out into "pop". His first mission: to get an audio interview with the biggest and most famous band in the world. So, armed with only a tape recorder, he follows the band as they go on tour through Australia trying unsuccessfully to arrange a meeting. He does wind up interviewing a lot of "fans"... which he asks the same lame-o questions over and over... and gets some of the lamest, most bland responses ever. You see, these aren't "real" interview subjects... they are bad Australian non-professional actors who speak their answers like they are reciting an assignment in school that they didn't study for. It doesn't help that the actor playing the DJ isn't very convincing either (can a professional radio personality really be that clueless, even if he is from a country station?) Well, there are some Abba songs every now and then to boost your interest... some concert footage and video clips (one amusing clip has the DJ fantasizing about Agnetha and Anni-Frid "serenading" him). Scenes of the band responding to other interviewers' questions are no better than the other staged responses... but at least they have the excuse that English is not their native language. The movie serves as kind of an interesting "time capsule" of the time... but I think it would have been a lot better as a real documentary... with real questions and responses. As it stands, this movie (directed by Lasse Hallestrom of all people) is nothing but a 2 hour Abba commercial.

Aradwyn

We follow the Australian leg of Abba's first major world tour in March 1977, and what an experience it is! Stunning visuals matched with terrifically polished performances from the SuperSwedes showcased Abba's immense popularity at that time! The story in which a local DJ tries every trick in the book to secure an interview with the group is lacklustre, but at least ABBA: The Movie is not a straight 95min collage of concert footage, which may have made the whole film seem longer than it is. Even Lasse Hallstrom (now a successful Hollywood director) knew this plot was quite inept! Lovely to hear some of the group's classic songs such as Dancing Queen, Fernando and S.O.S. (as well as the bouncy Get On The Carousel, which has only ever been available in ABBA: The Movie), while the sheer excitement and hysteria of the Australian fans showcased the group's outstanding popularity, which was probably at its highest in 1976/77.

Abba were divine as a live band, despite some critics' negative views, and were actually more successful Down Under than the Beatles, reflected by the fact that they are the best-selling artist of all time in Australia! You can see why when viewing this film! The concert footage included in ABBA: The Movie is exceedingly electric and superbly conducted, making you want to get up and dance, and simply makes this film a sure-fire hit for Abba fans worldwide. In fact, it's only this movie and ABBA In Concert, recorded two years later, that we can see Abba in live performance. And it sure doesn't disappoint!

Phobism

Absolute Fanantical Wonderful magnifecent music to make me smile Seeing Frida with no makeup on!!!!!!!! Holy craptioid does she look different! To hear and see them Learn the definition of Kinky LOL Im sure It was scripted it was just sweet. I love abba ( i have that album too) I collect abba things which are sooooooo rare in The Midwest USA, Im still looking for a DVD of abba the movie Maybe I m justa dreaming well if anyone hears of one tell me please cuz I have to know ...... lol bye

Lucam

Its fantastic.....I love this movie its the best musical movie i've ever seen in my entire life.But when will they be on Video again?

I've been missing the Movie for decades i'm only 20 yrs old now though but i still remember when my father play it on the video . Me and my brother watch it silenty. I will still die to watch it if it show on the silver screen here..I'm sure lots of people here will rush to see it.

WE WANT ABBA

showtime

As far as I know this movie started as a filmed document of the 1977 Abba Australia tour and has been decided to be made into a movie to be released theatrically as they went along. Of course it has lots of errors in continuity and we can spot that many a song has footage from different performances from different days, but that is no problem at all since it is still a wonderful document of a pop group who made it which wasn't based on "attitude" or "manifestation against politicians" - it was simply extremely well crafted music. Of course this was during the very short period when pop/rock music matured and subsequently needed a more aggressive replacement for younger generations. It already was around the corner and would come in the form of British punk.

There is hardly any "acting" in this movie, and the "backstage/behind the scenes sequences" of the Abba members are only O.K. because none of them tries to "act".

It's great and ironical at the same time to see some of the split screens and wide angle closeups (even some of the interviews) that reflect the movie "Woodstock" (1970), a documentary film of the 1969 rock music event with an entirely different philosophy. The only thing both music styles might have in common is the peacefulness. But rich and "clean" rock stars (=Abba) certainly aren't politically left wing anymore.

As a regular movie, this work suffers tremendously from the poor "plot" around the goofy radio reporter trying to get his Abba interview. Some of the dialog (if not all) is simply bad. But the excellent on stage footage (and even the two "video clips" using studio tracks: "The Name of the Game" and "Eagle") more than makes up for it all. The sound is excellent as well and I just have a vhs in mono sound which I taped from tv some years ago.

BTW: I still have serious doubt whether Bjorn ever really played the guitar on stage in the sense of a serious audible instrumental track. There are two (excellent)guitarists in the backing band and when Bjorn suddenly rises his hands or ceases playing, there is no guitar missing. Benny definitely plays the Yamaha CP 70 piano though. I can tell, it's my profession.

BlackHaze

First, let me say that there's Abba-solutely nothing wrong with an Abba concert performance movie - I am all in favour of same. Unfortunately, Abba - The Movie ain't it.

I saw this movie years ago on a grainy VHS tape in 4:3 format. The current cinema presentation, in widescreen opening out to Panavision, in a crisp remastered digital print, is beautiful to look at. The music is as great as it has always been, and Abba work hard to deliver a good, if slightly cheesy, live show, which they clearly all enjoy. And, on that basis, what a wonderful movie this is.

But I had completely forgotten the linking "plot" involving the reporter trying to get an interview. Not only is this misconceived, woefully unfunny, profoundly irritating and just plain awful in every conceivable way (and a good number which aren't conceivable), it's like one of those dogs which lies in doorways and halls - every time you turn round, there the damn thing is, getting in the way, and probably breaking wind at the same time. And it wouldn't be so bad if they'd come up with a linking "plot" which actually involved Abba, but no - all you have this this vastly unsympathetic bloke wandering about with a tape recorder, being hassled by his boss and being thrown out by Lou from Neighbours as a comedy relief medallion man minder.

This movie is like the most beautiful woman in the world having a humongous wart for a nose.

At least I could fast forward the reporter bits on the VHS tape.

kinder

Pure brilliance This group were genius This film shows them at their most professional

I am a fan and I have to say this is one of the most realistic movies about a pop group ever

I recommend it totally, no bad language, no sex, pure entertainment.

All the hits are here from their early to mid career.

Agnetha Benny Bjorn and Frida certainly knew how to put on a show.

Many rare insights into the working of a pop tour.

Take your children to see, get it on DVD and be rest assures the children and your grandparents will all love this movie.

LiTTLe_NiGGa_in_THE_СribE

hey, i am going to be 60 still jiving listening to ABBA, which i do very often...those were the days...i happened to live during the GODS days...i was one of those luckiest guys to get a gift of ABBA LP signed (autographed) by them....from a captain of a Hungarian ship....he is my angel....enjoy ABBA for ever as there won't be another....i watched ABBA the movie 53 times cutting college classes...of course failed in many subjects....but it happens in life...part of life...no regrets....i am still going steady in life...building enterprises...creative and innovative and constructive and productive...all because of music that i love and ABBA that i love...ABBA - The GODS !!!

fightnight

The idea of a coproduction between Australia and Sweden might sound a little strange, but it happened with this movie. The results suggest why there hasn't been another attempt to date. Whether you are an ABBA fan or not, you'll more likely than not find the movie unsatisfying. Yes, there's plenty of ABBA music, but surprisingly most of it is not played completely, which will likely frustrate fans. Also, the concert sequences are not particularly well directed and edited; the only number that really comes to life is the "Dancing Queen" number (which IS played the entire way through.) What's most annoying about the movie is that while it promises to take a look at the ABBA band members in depth, we learn next to nothing about them. Much of the movie is instead devoted to an incompetent Peter Fonda clone whose ineptness and stupidity become annoying pretty fast. I can only recommend the movie to die hard ABBA fans, and even they will more likely than not find large portions of the movie hard to sit through.

Uanabimo

As a huge ABBA fan, I was expecting to see this reporter reach the band early on and actually spend time with them as he does the interview. Instead, the whole film has him trying to get close to them as they tour around Australia. We get some really good performances by ABBA, but the only song we hear completely is "Dancing Queen."

The man is told at the beginning that the station wants him to delve deep into the band members' mind and life, but I feel like we ourselves never got to know them. We only have a few clips of them being themselves where they get to talk and rehearse, and, aside from their live performances, they just feel like side characters. Most of the rest of the movie is devoted to having the reporter interview random people and children about their thoughts on the band.

It definitely has some funny moments, like the running gag about Agnetha's behind, but other than that, it's no A Hard Day's Night (1964).

I give it 5 stars mostly for ABBA's amazing performances.

Xlisiahal

I remember queuing for an hour an a half to see #ABBA - The Movie back in February 1978 - the line spreading right down the street in Sunderland.

In those days, you could sit through a movie as many times as you like, so my mam and I watched it three times (including the documentary on Australia that was shown before and the advert for The Album)

What was very clear at the time was that both girls were amazing singers and performers. Agnetha would say in later years that live shows were not their best performances - but watching this film, you would never know. I t was amazing for UK fans that just could not get tickets for the Gold And White Tour to hear the new music - songs that are now instilled in music history had never been heard before. Almost 3 million people applied for just two concerts at the Albert Hall in 1977, so tickets for any show were almost impossible to get

Many years later, I paid a small fortune (at the time) when The Movie was released on home video. As the crowd sang Fernando and then the ovation to Dancing Queen began - I cried all over again. I still find it incredibly moving, even now.

The DVD release is really he best way to see it. TV airings often don't show the full letterbox screen, so you actually miss a lot of the split screen edits and some of the special effects.

A MUST for not only fans to see - the world should see just how amazing this group were when performing live.

black coffe

While there may have been the 1977 issue of Abba The Album, one would speculate on what's Abba The Movie all about? The fabulous Swedish four may have had acclaimed success with a cluster of hits to their names but at what cost did it have on their personal lives? The Movie is actually based on the accounts of Abba's Australian tour and even so the concert scenes are excellent for its quite rare to see them performing live and it should be noted that they barely travelled well. The rest of the movie film contains the actual movie footages and interestingly enough, features a then unknown Tom Oliver of Neighbours fame. In the whole, the film is quite good and acceptable for its time and I like the typical seventies scenes of Australia but as times change, what impact does it have more than thirty years later is that it has become terribly dated and sometimes made me cringe a bit and as the saying goes could have been a current affairs programme. 9/10 for the concerts - 6/10 for the movie.

LivingCross

An Australian disc jockey is hired to interview ABBA on their 1977 tour of Australia. Naturally, a lot of "hilarious" things go wrong. The scenes with him are bad--he's a bad actor and the humor is really juvenile. But when ABBA is on screen the movie soars. They all come across as fun, likable people. The backstage footage is fascinating, the songs are (of course) great and there's wonderful direction by Lasse Hallstrom--the concert scenes are unbelievable...the director uses split screen, wide screen, closeups and not the annoying MTV video way it's done today. A must see for all gay men (like me) and ABBA fans.

One complaint--why isn't this out in DVD letterboxed with stereo sound? I caught it on cable TV at 1:00 on a Wednesday afternoon!

Jube

I am probably the only heterosexual British male of my generation who likes ABBA, or at least who likes them in a straightforward way and not in an ironic, postmodernist spirit of "I know they're naff, but then naff is the new cool!", although I have to confess that in my teenage years, which coincided with their heyday in the seventies, my interest was aroused as much by the good looks of the group's two female members as by their music. So when a film called "ABBA: The Movie" came on British TV recently (as part of Channel 5's "ABBA Night") I just had to watch it.

Films made to cash in on the success of pop groups rarely if ever make for great cinema."Spice World" was probably a horrible embarrassment even to the most ardent fan of the Spice Girls (and even more so to the group themselves). The various Beatles films have been praised for their visual style and occasional wit, although I suspect that they will prove a closed book to anyone who is not interested in the Beatles' music. The same applies to "ABBA: The Movie". It deals with ABBA's tour of Australia (a country in which they always enjoyed great popularity) in 1977. It is not, however, a straight documentary, although it probably should have been. Scenes of the band playing concerts in various Australian cities are combined with a feeble plot line about a radio DJ trying to get an interview with them, about which the less said the better. What any ABBA fan will want to watch it for is the music. Anyone who is not an ABBA fan will probably not want to watch it at all.

Even ABBA fans may be surprised by some of the music on offer here. Of course, when the film came out the group still had several years of stardom ahead of them and some of what we now think of as their greatest hits, such as "Chiquitita" and "The Winner Takes It All", were still to be written. Even so, the selection of songs may strike some as being slightly eccentric. We get to hear some more obscure offerings such as "When I Kissed the Teacher", "Tiger", the banal "Rock Me" and the shrill and strident "I'm a Marionette", these last two both qualifying for a place on any compilation album of ABBA's greatest misses, but there is no "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Take A Chance On Me" or "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do I Do", all of which had been written by 1977.

Nevertheless, we do get to hear most of ABBA's other great songs from the first half of their career- "Waterloo", "Fernando", "Mamma Mia", "Thank you for the Music", and a number of others. And, more importantly, we get to hear them performed in the original versions, not (as they were in the film version of "Mamma Mia") murdered by the likes of Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, whose ability to kill a song stone dead proves that he is just as deadly an assassin as his best-known character. And for those whose interest in the group is not purely musical I can report that both Agnetha and Frida were at the height of their beauty in 1977 and both spend much of the film wearing their trademark scanty costumes. 6/10

melody of you

Forget the plot of the movie-it is banal and uninteresting,the jokes are shallow.Concentrate about the concerts footage of the film and the brilliant music which has already become a pop classic.I have been an ABBA fan since childhood and surprisingly I still think it to be one of the best musical groups in the second half of the 20th century.This film allows you to listen to one of their less-known songs not included in any of their 8 albums-"Get on the caroussel".It was one of the four songs from the musical"The girl with the golden hair".However it was later dropped and only the three others remained in "The Album"-1977.It is very similar to another song from the same album-"Hole in your soul".This film was planned as a documentary about their supersuccessful Australian tour in March 1977 and should have been made that way.Still ,watching ABBA on stage and (more rarely ) offstage is enough to justify watching the film.Long live Agnetha,Bjorn,Benny and Annifrid!!!

Categories

Related Videos

Abba - elokuva (1977) Online

User reviews