THE MUSIC! THE SONGS! THE MAGIC! THE COLOUR! THE MAGNIFICENCE!

After directing several ABBA videos, Lasse Hallström made this hybrid between concert movie and comedy that was seen in some corners as the band’s version of A Hard Day’s Night (1964).

The story plays out in Australia where ABBA is touring; as we follow them perform in one venue after the other, a radio DJ (Hughes) desperately tries to set up an interview, talking to all kinds of actual fans in the process.

At its best when we get to see ABBA in concert, scenes that really show their brilliance. But the DJ’s mad chase is mostly silly and it would have helped if ABBA had made themselves more available to the filmmakers (and us).

1977-Sweden-Australia. 97 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Lasse Hallström. Screenplay: Lasse Hallström, Robert Caswell. Cast: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Robert Hughes (Ashley Wallace), Bruce Barry.