ABBA: The Movie (1977)

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

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers:

Robert Caswell, Lasse Hallström

Stars:

Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus

Cast

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

Storyline

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...

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Plot Keywords:

abba | interview | australia | radio | disc jockey | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

Australia Sweden

Language:

English Swedish

Release Date:

1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abba

Filming Locations:

Adelaide Airport, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 5,347,122 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Polar Music International, Reg Grundy Productions Pty. Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo 3 Channel Stereo Mono Dolby Digital (DTS 5.1)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

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."

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Quotes

[as Ashley is about to leave the radio station]
Ashley Wallace: Are you sure you want *me* to do this documentary?
Radio Station Manager: Don't use that word - this is not a documentary, it's an event. This is going to be world-wide.
[echo on "-wide"]

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Connections

Edited into ABBA: Our Last Video Ever (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Why Did It Have To Be Me"
Written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
Performed by ABBA
Published by Union Songs AB

User Reviews

No Story Great Music

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!