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 (as Bob 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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Taglines:

The MUSIC! The SONGS! The MAGIC! The COLOUR! The MAGNIFICENCE!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

Sweden Australia

Language:

English Swedish

Release Date:

February 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abba

Filming Locations:

Football Park - Turner Drive, West Lakes, South Australia, Australia

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$38

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

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

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.

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Goofs

Throughout the film, Ashley pursues ABBA through the cities of Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne in that order. The actual tour went in the order of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

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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.

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Alternate Versions

Available in three different final soundmixes! One mono, and two different in stereo, one with only three frontchannels, and one with a fourth surround channel.

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Connections

Featured in ABBA in Pictures: The Photographer's Story (2014)

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Soundtracks

Please Change Your Mind
Written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus
Performed by Nashville Train

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!