Mamma Mia!, promoted as Mamma Mia! The Movie, is a 2008 romantic comedy film adaptation of the 1999 West End musical of the same name, based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson. Produced by Universal Pictures in partnership with Tom Hanks' and Rita Wilson's Playtone and Littlestar,[2] it became the highest-grossing film musical of all time breaking the 30 year old record of Grease. The title originates from ABBA's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia". Meryl Streep heads the cast, playing the role of single mother Donna Sheridan. Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård play the three possible fathers to Donna's daughter, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried).
On August 29, 2008, Mamma Mia!: The Sing-Along Edition, with lyrics to the songs highlighted on the screen, was released in selected cinemas.[3] Mamma Mia! became the highest-grossing film of all time in the United Kingdom, surpassing Titanic.[4][5]
Plot
On a Greek island called Kalokairi, 20-year-old bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) posts three wedding invitations ("I Have a Dream") to three different men. From across the globe, they set off for the wedding.
Sophie's two bridesmaids arrive and she reveals that she found her mother's diary and learned she has three possible dads: New York-based Irish architect Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), Swedish adventurer and writer Bill Andersson (Stellan Skarsgård), and British banker Harry Bright (Colin Firth). She invited them without telling her mother, believing that after she spends time with them she will know who her father is ("Honey, Honey").
Villa owner Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep) is ecstatic to reunite with old sisters and former Donna and The Dynamos bandmates, wisecracking author Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy multiple divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski), and reveals her bafflement at her daughter's desire to get married. Donna shows the villa, rumored to be built on the legendary fountain of Aphrodite, and explains her precarious finances to Rosie and Tanya ("Money, Money, Money").
The three men arrive, and Sophie smuggles them to their room and explains that she, not her mother, sent the invitations. She begs them to hide so Donna will have a surprise at the wedding: seeing the old friends of whom she "so often" favorably speaks. They overhear Donna working (humming "Fernando") and swear to Sophie they won't reveal her secret.
Donna spies them and is dumbfounded to find herself facing three former lovers she could never forget ("Mamma Mia"), and is adamant that they leave. She confides in Tanya and Rosie ("Chiquitita") a secret she has kept from everyone — she is uncertain which of the three men is Sophie's father. Tanya and Rosie rally her spirits by getting Donna to dance with the female staff and islanders ("Dancing Queen").
Sophie finds the men aboard Bill's yacht, and they sail around Kalokairi ("Our Last Summer") and tell stories of Donna as a carefree girl. Sophie musters up the courage to speak with her fiancé Sky (Dominic Cooper) about her ploy, but loses her nerve. Sky and Sophie sing to each other ("Lay All Your Love on Me"), but are interrupted when Sky is kidnapped for his bachelor party.
At Sophie's bachelorette party, Donna, Tanya, and Rosie perform as Donna and The Dynamos ("Super Trouper"). Sophie is delighted to see her mother rock out, but becomes nervous when the festivities are interrupted by the arrival of Sam, Bill and Harry. She decides to get each of her three prospective dads alone to talk.
While her girlfriends dance with the men ("Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"), Sophie learns from Bill that Donna received the money to invest in her villa from his great aunt Sofia. Sophie guesses she must be her namesake and Bill is her father. She asks him to give her away and to keep their secret from Donna until the wedding.
Sophie's happiness is short-lived as Sam and Harry each tell her they must be her dad and will give her away ("Voulez-Vous"). A shocked Sophie can't tell them the truth and, overwhelmed by the consequences of her actions, faints.
In the morning, Rosie and Tanya reassure Donna they will take care of the men. On Bill's boat, Bill and Harry are about to confide in each other, but are interrupted by Rosie.
Donna confronts Sophie in the courtyard, believing Sophie wants the wedding stopped. Sophie says that all she wants is to avoid her mother's mistakes and storms off. An upset Donna is accosted by Sam, concerned about Sophie getting married so young. Donna confronts him and both realize they still have feelings for each other ("SOS").
Down on the beach, Tanya and young Pepper (Philip Michael) continue their flirtations from the previous night ("Does Your Mother Know").
Sophie comes clean to Sky and asks for his help. He reacts angrily to his fiancée's deception and Sophie turns to her mother for support. As Donna helps her daughter dress for the wedding, their rift is healed and Donna reminisces about Sophie's childhood and how quickly she's grown ("Slipping Through My Fingers"). Sophie asks Donna to give her away. As the bridal party walks to the chapel, Sam intercepts Donna and begs her to talk. She reveals the pain she felt over losing him ("The Winner Takes It All").
During the wedding, Donna tells Sophie that her father is present but he could be any of the three candidates, whom Sophie admits to inviting. Sam reveals that although he left to get married, he didn't go through with it and returned, only to find Donna with another man, so he married his former fiancée (and later divorced her). Harry confesses that Donna was the first (and last) woman he loved as he is gay. The three men concur that they would be happy to be one-third of a father for Sophie. She tells Sky that they should postpone their wedding and travel the world as they have always wanted. Sam suddenly proposes to Donna ("I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"). She accepts and they are married.
At the wedding reception, Sam sings to Donna ("When All Is Said and Done"), which prompts Rosie to make a play for Bill ("Take a Chance on Me") which in time prompts Harry to do the same for a local guy. All the couples present proclaim their love ("Mamma Mia" reprise), as their raucous dancing causes the ground to crack and erupt with water from the fountain of Aphrodite. Sophie and Sky bid farewell to Kalokairi and sail away to a new life together ("I Have a Dream" reprise).
During the principal credits, Donna, Tanya, and Rosie reprise "Dancing Queen", followed by "Waterloo" with the rest of the cast. Finally, Amanda Seyfried sings "Thank You for the Music" over the end credits.
Cast
Musical numbers
The following songs were included in the film, of which 17 are on the soundtrack album:
- "I Have a Dream" - Sophie
- "Honey, Honey" - Sophie, Ali, and Lisa
- "Money, Money, Money" - Donna, Tanya, Rosie, and Greek Chorus
- "Mamma Mia" - Donna, Sophie, Ali, Lisa, and Greek Chorus
- "Chiquitita" - Rosie, Tanya, and Donna
- "Dancing Queen" - Tanya, Rosie, Donna, Greek Chorus, and Company
- "Our Last Summer" - Harry, Bill, Sam, Sophie, and Donna
- "Lay All Your Love on Me" - Sky, Sophie, Sky's Bachelor party friends.
- "Super Trouper" - Donna, Tanya, and Rosie
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" - Sophie, Donna, Tanya, Rosie, Ali, Lisa and Greek Chorus
- "The Name of the Game" - Sophie (deleted scene)
- "Voulez-Vous " - Whole cast
- "SOS" - Sam, Donna, and Greek Chorus
- "Does Your Mother Know" - Tanya, Pepper, Guys, and Girls
- "Slipping Through My Fingers" - Donna and Sophie
- "The Winner Takes It All" - Donna
- "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" - Sam, Donna, and Company
- "When All Is Said and Done" - Sam, Donna, and Company
- "Take a Chance on Me" - Rosie, Bill, and Company
- "Mamma Mia!" (Reprise) - Company
- "I Have a Dream" (Reprise) - Sophie and Company
- "Dancing Queen" (Reprise) - Donna, Rosie, and Tanya
- "Waterloo" - Donna, Rosie, Tanya, Sam, Bill, Harry, Sky, and Sophie
- "Thank You for the Music" - Sophie
The soundtrack album was released July 8, 2008 by Decca. Because the film is based on a stage musical, the songs are new renditions, not performances by ABBA. Many of the songs have been changed, with some words altered to better fit the plot, or have sections spoken as dialogue, or were rearranged for orchestral backing, with guitar and Greek bouzouki (as in the final performance of "I Have a Dream").
The prologue of "I Have a Dream", "Chiquitita", "Waterloo", the reprises of "Mamma Mia" and "Dancing Queen" and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" were filmed, but are not included on the soundtrack. Sophie and Bill's song "The Name of the Game" was cut from the final version of the film. The scene is included in the deleted scenes of the DVD release and the song remains on the soundtrack. "Thank You for the Music" appears as a hidden track, 38 seconds after "I Have a Dream" finishes (4:53).
"When All Is Said and Done", the lead single in North America from ABBA's final studio album, The Visitors (1981), was included in the film as a new song that was not present in the stage musical. It was ABBA's last top 30 hit in the United States.
Amanda Seyfried (Sophie) recorded a music video for the song "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" that was released in Europe and elsewhere. It is available on the 2-disc special edition DVD and Blu-ray Disc.
Production
Most of the filming was done on the small Greek island of Skopelos (during August/September 2007),[9] and the seaside hamlet of Damouchari in the Pelion area of Greece. On Skopelos, Kastani beach on the south west coast was the film's main location site.[9] The producers built a beach bar and jetty along the beach, but removed them both when they left.[9]
Other parts of the film were produced on the 007 stage at Pinewood Studios, where lighting and temperature could be controlled. Production offices for the film were based at Pinewood Studios.
The part of the film where two of the characters miss the last ferry to the island was filmed at the old port of Skiathos. The part of the film where Pierce Brosnan's character, Sam, leaves his New York office to go to the Greek Island was actually filmed at the iconic Lloyds Building on Lime Street in the City of London. He dashes down the escalators and through the porte-cochere, where yellow cabs and actors representing New York mounted police were used for authenticity.[10]
The "Fernando" Bill Anderson's beautiful yacht (actually a ketch) in the movie was the Tai-Mo-Shan built in 1934 by H. S. Rouse at the Hong Kong and Whampoa dockyards.[11][12]
Both composers, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, appear in minor, uncredited roles in the film. Andersson, dressed as a fisherman, plays the piano in "Dancing Queen" as the cast dances; Ulvaeus is a Greek god (with lyre) showering the girls with gold dust during the closing credits.
Actress Meryl Streep had taken opera singing lessons as a child, and as an adult, she had previously sung in several movies, including Postcards from the Edge, Silkwood, Death Becomes Her, and A Prairie Home Companion.[13]
The Mamma Mia! trailer was released the week of December 10, 2007 first on Entertainment Tonight, then released to the internet. A high quality version can be found on the film's official site.
Release
ABBA appeared together with the film's cast in 2008.
Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog joined Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson at the Swedish premiere of the film, held at the Rival Theatre in Mariatorget, Stockholm, owned by Andersson, on July 4, 2008. It was the first time all four members of ABBA had been photographed together since 1986.[14]
Reception
Mamma Mia! received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 53% of critics gave the film positive reviews based upon a sample of 168 reviews, with an average rating of 5.5/10.[15] The Times gave it four stars out of five,[16] as did Channel 4 which said it had "all the swing and sparkle of sequined bell-bottoms."[17] BBC Radio 5 Live's film critic Mark Kermode delivered an all-singing, all-dancing review, describing the experience as 'the closest you get to see A-List actors doing drunken karaoke'.[18] The Guardian was more negative, giving it one star, stating that the film gave the reviewer a "need to vomit"[19], while Bob Chipman of Escape to the Movies said it was "so base, so shallow and so hinged on meaningless spectacle, it's amazing it wasn't made for men".[20] The Daily Telegraph stated that it was enjoyable but poorly put together ("Finding the film a total shambles was sort of a shame, but I have a sneaking suspicion I'll go to see it again anyway."),[21] whereas Empire said it was "cute, clean, camp fun, full of sunshine and toe tappers."[22]
The casting of actors not noted for their singing abilities led to some mixed reviews. Variety stated that "some stars, especially the bouncy and rejuvenated Streep, seem better suited for musical comedy than others, including Brosnan and Skarsgård."[23] Brosnan, especially, was savaged by many critics: his singing was compared to "a water buffalo" (New York Magazine),[24] "a donkey braying" (The Philadelphia Inquirer)[25] and "a wounded raccoon" (The Miami Herald),[26] and Matt Brunson of Creative Loafing Charlotte said he "looks physically pained choking out the lyrics, as if he's being subjected to a prostate exam just outside of the camera's eye."[27]
Box office
As of April 6, 2009, Mamma Mia! has grossed a worldwide total of $602,609,487 and is the fifth highest grossing film of 2008[1] as well as being the 42nd highest grossing film of all time.[28] As of October 26, 2008, it became the highest-grossing movie musical of all time worldwide.[28] It is also the most successful British-made film of all time,[29][30][31] as well as being the highest grossing film of all time at the UK box office, eclipsing the record previously held by Titanic on the December 16, 2008, some 20 weeks after the film's original release. This is not adjusted for inflation.[32]
It is the third highest-grossing film of 2008 internationally (i.e., outside North America) with an international total of $458,479,424 and the thirteenth highest gross of 2008 in North America (the US and Canada) with $144,130,063.
In the United Kingdom, Mamma Mia! has grossed £80,334,249 as of January 23, 2009, and is the highest grossing film of all time at the UK box office.[33] The film opened at #1 in the U.K, taking £6,594,058 on 496 screens. It managed to hold onto the top spot for 2 weeks, narrowly keeping Pixar's WALL-E from reaching #1 in its second week.
When released on July 3 in Greece, the film grossed $1,602,646 in its opening weekend, ranking #1 at the Greek box office.[34]
The film made $9,627,000 in its opening day in the United States and Canada, and $27,605,376 in its opening weekend, ranking #2 at the box office, behind The Dark Knight.[35] At the time, it made Mamma Mia! the record-holder for the highest grossing opening weekend for a movie musical, surpassing Hairspray's box office record in 2007.
Awards and nominations
Sequel
Because of Mamma Mia!'s financial success, Hollywood studio chief David Linde, the co-chairman of Universal Studios told The Daily Mail that it would take a while, but there could be a sequel. He stated that he would be delighted if Judy Craymer, Catherine Johnson, Phyllida Lloyd, Benny Andersson, and Björn Ulvaeus agreed to the project, noting that there are still plenty of ABBA songs to use. Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters confirmed for the sequel. New cast members were mentioned: Jessica Lange, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Thompson, Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Michael Gambon, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Arkin and Marisa Tomei.[36]
DVD and Blu-ray Disc release
Mamma Mia! was released in Australia and New Zealand on DVD on November 6, 2008, and was released on Blu-ray on December 3. It was released on both DVD and Blu-ray in the UK and Norway on November 24 and November 26 respectively. It was released in US on December 16.
On November 24, Mamma Mia! became the fastest-selling DVD of all time in the UK, according to Official UK Charts Company figures. It sold 1,669,084 copies on its first day of release, breaking the previous record (held by Titanic) by 560,000 copies. By the end of 2008, The Official UK Charts Company declared it had become the biggest selling DVD ever in the UK, with one in every four households owning a copy (over 5 million copies sold).[37] The record was previously held by Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl with sales of 4.7 million copies.
On November 26, 2008, Mamma Mia! became the best-selling DVD in Finland, by selling 110,000 copies and is the first DVD to earn a platinum award in that country.
In the United States the DVD made over $30 million on its first day of release.[38] To date it has sold 6,318,582 units in the US.
By December 31, 2008, Mamma Mia! had become the best-selling DVD of all time in Sweden with 545,000 copies sold.[39]
The DVD was released as a single-disc edition and a two-disc special edition.
On December 15, 2009, the Mamma Mia! The Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! More Gift Set will be released. The set will include the 2-disc special edition with bonus soundtrack and 32-page collective booklet.
Single-disc features
The single-disc DVD released in Sweden on 26 November contains all of the following:
Two-disc special edition
The widescreen single-disc includes a bonus disc which includes:
- Limited time only digital copy
- Deleted scenes
- Outtakes
- The Making of Mamma Mia! featurette
- Anatomy of a Musical Number: "Lay All Your Love on Me"
- Becoming a Singer featurette
- Behind the scenes with Amanda
- On Location in Greece featurette
- A Look Inside Mamma Mia! featurette
- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" music video
- Björn Ulvaeus cameo
Some 2-disc special editions come with a bonus soundtrack.
Blu-ray exclusives
- Universal Pictures' U-Control[40]
- Behind the Hits (details and trivia of the music while the musical performance plays)
- Picture-in-picture (access to cast and crew interviews and behind the scene while the movie plays)
References
- ^ a b "Mamma Mia! (2008)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mammamia.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-05.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! (2008) - Company Credits". IMDb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795421/companycredits. Retrieved 2008-04-05.
- ^ "Universal Unleashes Mamma Mia!: The Sing-Along Edition on Unsuspecting World", New York, August 20, 2008
- ^ Mamma Mia! becomes biggest-ever hit at British box office - Telegraph
- ^ Mamma Mia is UK's highest grossing film | Film | guardian.co.uk
- ^ Gans, Andrew (2007-01-11). "Playbill News: Meryl Streep to Star in Mamma Mia! Film". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/104803.html. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
- ^ "Amanda Seyfried". Imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1086543/. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
- ^ "Brosnan set for Abba show movie". BBC. 2007-03-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6428471.stm. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
- ^ a b c "Mamma Mia! - Unfazed by the fuss in Skopelos". The Telegraph. 2008-07-15. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/artsandculture/2229868/Mamma-Mia---Unfazed-by-the-fuss-in-Skopelos.html.
- ^ description of London locations, accessed 28 August 2009.
- ^ "45’ Teak Ketch 1933. Yacht for sale from classic yacht broker in Poole". Sandeman Yacht brokerage Poole. Sandeman Yacht Company. http://www.sandemanyachtcompany.co.uk/details/?id=233. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
- ^ "Tai-Mo-Shan". Coburg Yacht Brokers website. Coburg Yacht Brokers. http://www.coburgbrokers.com/tai.html. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
- ^ "Meryl Streep the singing and dancing queen". The Telegraph. 2008-07-04. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/07/04/bfmeryl104.xml.
- ^ Sandra Wejbro (2008-07-04). "ABBA återförenades på röda mattan (Swedish)". Aftonbladet. http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesliv/film/article2836959.ab. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes. http://rottentomatoes.com/m/mamma_mia/. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- ^ Times Online
- ^ Channel 4 review
- ^ BBC 5 Live Kermode and Mayo Film Review
- ^ Guardian Review
- ^ [1]
- ^ Telegraph review
- ^ Empire review
- ^ Variety Review
- ^ New York Magazine, New York Movies
- ^ Philadelphia Inquirer Movie Review, July 18, 2008
- ^ Miami Herald Movies, July 18, 2008
- ^ Charlotte Film Reviews, July 23, 2008
- ^ a b Box Office Mojo - All Time Worldwide Box Office
- ^ [2] Official Abba website
- ^ Digital Spy
- ^ The Telegraph Online
- ^ "Mamma Mia! beats UK cinema record". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/default.stm. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7785345.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
- ^ "UK all time top grossing films". 25thframe.co.uk. http://www.25thframe.co.uk/chartspagetemplate.php?source=ukboxoffice. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
- ^ "Greece Box Office Index". Box Office Mojo. June 10, 2008. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/greece/. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. July 19, 2008. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mammamia.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
- ^ dailymail.co.uk (2008-10-17). "Baz Bamigboye on a possible Mamma Mia sequel, Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio and much more". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1078332/Baz-Bamigboye-possible-Mamma-Mia-sequel-Kate-Winslet-Leonardo-DiCaprio-more.html. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ Hollywood Reporter - Mamma Mia now biggest selling DVD in UK history
- ^ MAMMA MIA! DVD Takes In 30 Million In First Day Of Sales
- ^ http://nyhetskanalen.se/1.799701/2009/01/09/mamma_mia_slog_dvd_rekord
- ^ "Updated: Mamma Mia! Offers a Blu-ray First, Details Announced | HDR TheHDRoom". Thehdroom.com. 2008-10-29. http://www.thehdroom.com/news/Updated_Mamma_Mia_Offers_a_Blu-ray_First_Details_Announced/3561. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
External links
