ABBA: The Movie (1977) > Reviews > A little piece of movie history

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Educational Value	Good
How good is the content?	Excellent

Advantages:	Great music, early Hallstrom
Disadvantages:	plot isn't too exciting

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Abba fans and movie buffs alike will enjoy "ABBA the Movie". It was directed by Lasse Hallstrom, who was soon summoned to Hollywood and is now one of the world's finest movie directors. His latest work has included Oscar nominations for "The Cider House Rules" and "Chocolat".

As a young director in Sweden, Hallstrom made his name directing the ABBA videos for world wide release. In 1976 he followed the group on tour to film a documentary, added a simple plot, and made "ABBA the Movie".
The film was a huge box office success in 1977 when it was first released. It follows Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Frida on their tour of Australia where they received a sensational reception. There is plenty of live concert footage, featuring many of their greatest songs.

Hallstrom has described this experience as a "film school" for him, as the budget was huge and he could experiment with the latest technology. The special effects look tame today, but in 1977 his camera work caused a stir. Look out of the "elevator" scene during the Eagle song - this effect was later used in the Superman movie.

This is a great film. Catch it on TV (numerous "ABBA nights" on various channels) or buy the video, for a little piece of movie history !