ABBA: The Movie (1977)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers:

Robert Caswell (written by)
Lasse Hallström (writer)

Release Date:

23 December 1977 (Finland)

Genre:

Music

Plot:

An incompetent radio DJ tries to get an interview with the Swedish pop group during their famous week-long 1977 tour of Australia.

Plot Keywords:

ABBA | Interview | Radio | Concert | Disc Jockey

Cast

Anni-Frid Lyngstad	...	Anni-Frid
Benny Andersson	...	Benny
Björn Ulvaeus	...	Björn
Agnetha Fältskog	...	Agnetha
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

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Australia | Sweden

Language:

English | Swedish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-3 (2005) | Finland:S (1977) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:PG (Ontario) | France:U | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Québec)

Filming Locations:

AAMI Stadium, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Company:

Polar Music International

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Lasse Hallström]sitting in the background on a park bench when the DJ is interviewing a man about Abba. Being in the far left part of the screen, he can only be seen in the letterbox version.

Quotes:

[Ashley, seeking an interview, waits nearby as ABBA get into their limo]
Ashley Wallace: Can I ...
Bodyguard: [cutting him off] No, you can't.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ebba the Movie (1982)

Soundtrack:

Fernando

Everybody Loves Abba... Right?

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.