Mamma Mia! The Movie

Infobox Film
name = Mamma Mia! The Movie


caption = Teaser poster
director = Phyllida Lloyd
producer = Judy Craymer
Gary Goetzman
Executive producers
Benny Andersson
Björn Ulvaeus
Rita Wilson
Tom Hanks
writer = Catherine Johnson
starring = Meryl Streep
Amanda Seyfried
Pierce Brosnan
Colin Firth
Stellan Skarsgård
Dominic Cooper
Julie Walters
Christine Baranski
music = Benny Andersson
Björn Ulvaeus
Stig Anderson
cinematography = Haris Zambarloukos
editing = Lesley Walker
distributor = Universal Pictures
Playtone
Littlestar
released = July 3, 2008 (GRE)
July 10, 2008 (AUS,UK, NZ)
July 11, 2008 (SWE)
July 18, 2008 (TR) (US)
July 24, 2008 (ISR)
September 19, 2008 (UA)
runtime = 108 min. [cite web |url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/abd7c1a77cb637d380257471002c166a?OpenDocument |title=BBFC Certificate |accessdate=2008-06-24 |format= |work=BBFC]
country = UK, USA, Germany
language = English, Greek, French
budget = $52,000,000
gross = $519,925,960
preceded_by =
website = http://www.mammamiamovie.com
amg_id = 1:385390
imdb_id = 0795421

"Mamma Mia! The Movie" Is a 2008 stage-to-film adaptation of the 1999 West End musical also titled "Mamma Mia!", based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music also composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson. The film did very well at the box office and had the largest opening weekend of any musical film in U.S. history. Like the stage musical, the film's title originates from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia". It was produced by Universal Pictures in partnership with Playtone and Littlestar.cite web |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795421/companycredits |title=Mamma Mia! (2008) - Company Credits |accessdate=2008-04-05 |format= |work=IMDb.com ] It was released on July 3, 2008, in Greece, [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795421/releaseinfo Mamma Mia! (2008) - Release dates ] ] July 10, 2008, in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, July 11, 2008, in Sweden,, July 16, 2008, in the Philippines, July 18, 2008, in the United States and Canada, September 10, 2008, in France and on July 24, 2008 in Israel, October 3, 2008, in Italy.

Meryl Streep heads the cast of the film, playing the role of single mother Donna Sheridan. Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård play the three potential 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 select theaters [ [http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/08/mamma_mia_singalong_edition.html "Universal Unleashes "Mamma Mia!: The Sing-Along Edition" on Unsuspecting World", "New York", August 20, 2008] ] .

Plot

20-year-old Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) lives with her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) on the small Greek island Kalkairi where Donna runs a hotel called Villa Donna. Sophie is planning to marry her fiance Sky (Dominic Cooper)and wants her father to be present to "give her away," but does not know who he is. After reading Donna's diary from 20 years ago, she concludes he is one of three men: Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), Harry Bright (Colin Firth), or Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgård). Without telling her mother and fiancé, Sophie mails invitations to all three ("I Have a Dream"), and hopes to find out which is her father. Sophie tells her two best friends, Ali (Ashley Lilley) and Lisa (Rachel McDowall) about her potential fathers ("Honey, Honey"). All three men come to the island, thinking Donna asked them to come, and Sophie hides them upstairs in the old goat house,getting them to agree not to reveal she wrote to them pretending to be her mother Donna. Other guests have also arrived from the harbor:Donna's longtime friends, single,fun-loving writer Rosie (Julie Walters) and rich two-time divorcée Tanya (Christine Baranski).

While Donna is making repairs to the hotel she cannot afford ("Money, Money, Money"), there is a tremor and the dolphin mosaic in the courtyard floor splits. Donna hunts flooring supplies in the goat house, hears noises upstairs, and peers inside the trap door and window. Recognizing the men she had dated,Donna panics,but tries to take another peek at them("Mamma Mia"), but cannot get inside the locked room. Finally, she climbs to the rooftop, and then falls through the top door(opened by a member of the Greek chorus whom Donna and the other characters apparently cannot see). Donna, unable to handle the memories, asks the three men to leave the island, so they simply stay in the harbor on Bill's boat. Seeing the three men has sent Donna into shock, her two friends, Tanya and Rosie, try to reassure her ("Chiquitita"). Donna explains the 3 potential fathers are on the island, and comments, "it's like a hideous trick of fate," when some bystanders instantly laughed. Tanya and Rosie ponder the quiet bystanders, and Rosie mutters, "It's very Greek" Tanya and Rosie look at the Greeks then follow Donna into the house (Greek comedy).

However, Donna's depression continues, so Tanya and Rosie remind her of her free-spirited past ("Dancing Queen") and Donna rebounds; they all sing together and dance through the streets, joined by many women and girls of the town, dancing down to the harbor pier(former ABBA member Benny Andersson appears playing the piano in this scene). Sophie visits the three men on Bill's boat and convinces them to stay for her wedding after hearing all three men's memories of Donna ("Our Last Summer"). When she hears Sky, she jumps into the sea and swims to him on the beach. There, they discuss their meeting and their love for each other ("Lay All Your Love On Me"), but Sky is ambushed by his buddies for the bachelor party.

That evening, the three women, at a hen party, recreate their old 80's style musical duo, Donna and the Dynamos ("Super Trouper") to entertain at the bachelorette guests. The three men come to the party, and the crowd separates, singing and dancing ("Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"). Sophie talks to Bill, and he realizes he could be her father. She asks him to give her away at the wedding. The masked guys from Sky's bachelor party invade the hen party in a wild dance ("Voulez-Vous"). In the commotion, the other two men also conclude that they could be the father, and separately, each tells Sophie that he will be the one to give her away at the wedding. Surrounded by her mother, her fiancé, and all three potential fathers, Sophie faints over her dilemma.

To avoid contention between the three men, Sophie instead asks Donna to give her away. Harry, feeling responsible for missing 20 years of Sophie's life, insists that Donna accept a very large monetary gift to cover the "cost of the wedding" (and more). While talking to Sam, Donna, making more repairs, attempts to seal the cracks in the central-courtyard dolphin mosaic, but the caulking nozzle splits, further thwarting her efforts of the day. Donna must rush to other preparations. Sam and Donna have tried to talk to each other, but each have concealed their feelings, love, and each laments their love separately ("SOS"). Meanwhile, Tanya rejects the playful advances of Pepper and some of Sky's other friends ("Does Your Mother Know").

After confessing to Sky that she has invited all three potential fathers, Sky says that he is unsure of what he wants to do about the wedding. Sophie rushes up to Donna and asks her if she will help her prepare for the wedding and she agrees; whilst preparing, they both reminisce about the times before being engaged ("Slipping Through My Fingers"). Donna, still unaware of Sam's true feelings, and rushing to the hilltop wedding, tells Sam to stop talking to her("The Winner Takes It All"). Then Donna runs to the hilltop. Sam is stunned.

During the wedding ceremony, Donna finally mentions the "father" issue, and the secrets begin unraveling: all three potential fathers publicly claim be Sophie's father and agree to happily take a 'third' each. Sophie and Sky decide to postpone the wedding,as Sky wanted all along,and to take a trip around the world together. Sam proposes to Donna, revealing that after falling for her two decades previously, he had to go back to England to break off his engagement. But when he came back to Kalokairi,one of her friends told her she was off with another man(Bill). He went home and got married anyway. But that was a mistake and he is now divorced. He argues that if they marry right away,the wedding party is not wasted. Donna agrees to marry Sam ("I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"). Sam and Donna celebrate with their newfound family and friends ("When All Is Said and Done"). At the wedding, Harry tells Donna she was the first and last woman he ever loved, infering he is gay and pointedly looks at a local lad.

During the after-wedding party, Rosie reveals she is strongly attracted to Bill ("Take a Chance on Me") he does not reciprocate at first, but eventually gives in. One issue remains to be resolved: as the crowd dances in the courtyard, the central dolphin mosaic breaks open, in a tremor, and a tall spray rains over the party.

Donna concludes it was Aphrodite,the Greek goddess of love,influencing events all along. The closing scene of the film shows Sophie and Sky sailing to the horizon to begin their life together,leaving Sam and Donna to live happily ever after on the island("I Have a Dream").

After the closing scene, there is another of Donna and the Dynamos performing the ABBA song "Dancing Queen" over the credits. Next, the entire cast sings "Waterloo". Finally, Sophie sings "Thank You for the Music" as the ending credits roll.

Cast

* Meryl Streep as Donna Sheridan, Sophie's mother, owner of the hotel "Villa Donna." [cite news |first=Andrew |last=Gans |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Playbill News: Meryl Streep to Star in Mamma Mia! Film |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/104803.html |work=Playbill |publisher= |date=2007-01-11 |accessdate=2008-03-09 ]
* Amanda Seyfried as Sophie Sheridan, Donna's daughter and Sky's fiancée. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1086543/ Amanda Seyfried ] ]
* Julie Walters as Rosie, one of Donna's best friends, an unmarried author who likes to have fun.
* Christine Baranski as Tanya, one of Donna's best friends, a rich two-time divorcée.
* Pierce Brosnan as Sam Carmichael, Sophie's possible dad #1 and an American architect. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors=BBC Staff |title=Brosnan set for Abba show movie |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6428471.stm |work=BBC |publisher= |date=2007-03-07 |accessdate=2008-03-09 ]
* Colin Firth as Harry Bright, Sophie's possible dad #2 and a British banker.
* Stellan Skarsgård as Bill Anderson, Sophie's possible dad #3, a Swedish sailor and travel writer.
* Dominic Cooper as Sky, Sophie's fiancé, designing a website for the hotel.
* Philip Michael as Pepper, Sky's best man who likes Tanya.
* Ashley Lilley as Ali, a close friend of Sophie.
* Rachel McDowall as Lisa, a close friend of Sophie.
* Benny Andersson (cameo) as Piano player during "Dancing Queen"
* Björn Ulvaeus (cameo) as Greek god
* Rita Wilson (cameo) as Greek goddess
* Other production crew members (cameo) as Greek gods and goddesses

Musical numbers

The following songs were included in the soundtrack of the film, but only 17 are on the soundtrack album (omits "Chiquitita" as well as "Waterloo" and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"):

# "I Have a Dream" - Sophie
# "Honey, Honey" - Sophie
# "Money, Money, Money" - Donna, Tanya, and Rosie
# "Mamma Mia" - Donna
# "Chiquitita" - Tanya and Rosie
# "Dancing Queen" - Donna, Tanya, and Rosie
# "Our Last Summer" - Sophie, Sam, Harry, and Bill
# "Lay All Your Love on Me" - Sky and Sophie
# "Super Trouper" - Donna, Tanya, and Rosie
# "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" - Cast
# "The Name of the Game" - Sophie and Bill (deleted scene on DVD)
# "Voulez-Vous" - Cast
# "SOS" - Sam and Donna
# "Does Your Mother Know" - Tanya, Pepper, and the Guys
# "Slipping Through My Fingers" - Donna and Sophie
# "The Winner Takes It All" - Donna
# "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" - Donna, Sam, and Company
# "When All is Said and Done" - Sam and Company
# "Take a Chance on Me" - Rosie and Bill
# "Mamma Mia" (Reprise) - Cast
# "I Have a Dream" - Sophie
# "Dancing Queen" - Donna, Tanya and Rosie (end credits)
# "Waterloo" - Cast (end credits)
# "Thank You for the Music" - Sophie (end credits)

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 the ABBA band. Many of the songs have been changed, with some words changed to better fit the plot, or have sections spoken as dialogue, or were rearranged for orchestral backup, with guitar and Greek bouzouki (as in the final performance of "I Have a Dream").

The songs "Under Attack", "One of Us", and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" were removed from the movie's script while "Thank You for the Music" has been removed from the show's narrative and instead placed during the closing credits. "Under Attack" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" appear in the film as instrumentals during scene activity, and the wedding march is a version of "Knowing Me, Knowing You" performed by a brass ensemble.

The prologue of "I Have a Dream", "Chiquitita", "Waterloo" and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" were filmed and remain intact but are not included on the soundtrack. Sophie and Bill's song "The Name of the Game" was recently announced as having been cut from the final version of the film. The scene will be included in the deleted scenes of the DVD release. "The Name of the Game," however, remains on the soundtrack. "Thank You for the Music" appears as a hidden track.

"When All is Said and Done", the lead single in North America from ABBA's 1981 and final studio album, "The Visitors", was included in the film as a new song that was not present in the stage musical. "When All Is Said and Done" was ABBA's last top 30 hit in the United States.

In the film, Donna hums the chorus of "Fernando" to herself as she walks into the goathouse. In the stage musical, Donna hums the chorus in the beginning scenes when she begins repairing the tavern, which precedes the song "Mamma Mia!"

Amanda Seyfriend (Sophie) recorded a music video for the song "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" that was released in Europe and other countries.

Production

Most of the filming was done on small Greek islands, including Skopelos and Skiathos (during August/September 2007), and the seaside hamlet of Damouchari in the Pelion area of Greece. At Skopelos, Kastani bay, the tiny west-coast bay, was the film's main location site. The producers had built a beach bar and jetty along the bay, but removed them both when they left.cite web
title = Mamma Mia! - Unfazed by the fuss in Skopelos
publication = The Telegraph | date = 2008-07-15
url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/artsandculture/2229868/Mamma-Mia---Unfazed-by-the-fuss-in-Skopelos.html]

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 character miss the last ferry to the island was filmed at the old port of Skiathos.

Both composers Benny and Björn appear in minor, uncredited roles in the film. Benny, dressed as a fisherman, plays the piano in "Dancing Queen" as the cast dances; Björn 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" and "A Prairie Home Companion". [cite web
title = Meryl Streep the singing and dancing queen - Telegraph Meryl
publication = The Telegraph | date = 2008-07-04
url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/07/04/bfmeryl104.xml]

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 website.

Release

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 2008-07-04. It was the first time all four members of ABBA had been photographed together since 1986. [cite web
author=Sandra Wejbro
title=ABBA återförenades på röda mattan (Swedish)
url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesliv/film/article2836959.ab
publisher=Aftonbladet
date=2008-07-04
accessdate=2008-07-06 ]

Reception

"Mamma Mia!" received mixed reviews from critics". Rotten Tomatoes" reported that 54% of critics gave the film positive reviews based upon a sample of 125 reviews, with an average rating of 5.6/10.cite web | url=http://rottentomatoes.com/m/mamma_mia/ | title=Mamma Mia! Reviews | work=Rotten Tomatoes | publisher=Rotten Tomatoes | accessdate=2008-07-18 ] while IMDb users have given the movie 7.1/10. "The Times" gave it four stars out of five, [ [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4245117.ece Times Online] ] as did Channel 4 which said it had "all the swing and sparkle of sequined bell-bottoms." [ [http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=167267. Channel 4 review] ] 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'. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61UolzFTVPI BBC 5 Live Kermode and Mayo Film Review] ] "The Guardian" was more negative, giving it one star, stating that the film gave the reviewer a "need to vomit". [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2008/jul/10/film.reviews Guardian Review] ] "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.") [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/07/11/bfmamma111.xml Telegraph review] ] , whereas "Empire" said it was "cute, clean, camp fun, full of sunshine and toe tappers." [ [http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/mamma_mia/ Empire review] ]

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 Skarsgard." [ [http://www.variety.com/VE1117937623.html Variety Review] ] Brosnan, especially, was savaged by many critics: his singing was alternately compared to "a water buffalo" ("New York Magazine"), [ [http://nymag.com/movies/reviews/48514/index1.html] ] "a donkey braying" ("The Philadelphia Inquirer") [ [http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/carrie_rickey/20080718__Mamma_Mia___here_we_go_again_-_this_time_on_screen.html] ] and "a wounded raccoon" ("The Miami Herald"), [ [http://www.miamiherald.com/1058/story/607314.html] ] 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." [ [http://charlotte.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/out_of_tune/Content?oid=336031] ]

Box office

When released on July 3 (2008) in Greece, the film grossed $1,602,646 in its opening weekend, ranking #1 at the Greek box office. [cite news | title = Greece Box Office Index | publisher = Box Office Mojo | date = 2008-06-10 | url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/greece/ | accessdate=2008-06-10] The film also 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 Disney and Pixar's WALL-E from reaching #1 in its second week. 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 [cite news | title = Box Office Mojo | publisher = Box Office Mojo | date = 2008-07-19 | url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mammamia.htm | accessdate=2008-07-19] This makes "Mamma Mia!" the record-holder for the biggest sales at opening weekend for a movie musical, surpassing "Hairspray"'s box office record in 2007. As of October 9, "Mamma Mia!" has grossed $377,058,497 internationally and $142,787,205 in the US, for a worldwide total of $519,845,702 all on an estimated budget of $52 million. [cite web
author=
title=Variety.com-MAMMA MIA!
url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117989593.html?categoryId=19&cs=1
publisher=Variety.com
date=2008-07-27
accessdate=2008-07-20] [((cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2008/MAMIA.php|title=Mamma Mia!|publisher=Thenumbers.com|accessdate=2008-10-09]

As of September 7, 2008, Mamma Mia! is the highest grossing movie musical of all time worldwide [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/ Box Office Mojo - All Time Worldwide Box Office] ] , the sixth highest grossing movie of 2008 worldwide [ [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2008&p=.htm Box Office Mojo - Yearly Worldwide Gross 2008] ] , and 60th highest grossing movie of all time

As of October 9, 2008, Mamma Mia! has grossed £64,147,403 in the U.K. making it the second highest grossing film ever in the U.K., behind "Titanic". [cite web|url=http://www.25thframe.co.uk/chartspagetemplate.php?source=ukboxoffice|title=UK all time top grossing films|publisher=25thframe.co.uk|accessdate=2008-10-09]

Themes

The overarching themes in "Mamma Mia!" include extensive use of ABBA music and classical Greek comedy:
* "All ABBA, all hits" - The entire scope of the film, with the musical score and parts of the dialogue, is based on songs of ABBA, plus other music written by former ABBA member Benny Andersson. The songs are not just those which happen to fit the plot, but cover most of the major hits recorded by the band ABBA. Even the song "Super Trouper" was included by presenting it as a staged number, whereas the plot would not have matched the original song lyrics ("When I called you last night from Glasgow...").cite web
author= | publisher=(line 6), LyricsFreak
title=ABBA - Super Trouper lyrics
url=http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/abba/super+trouper_20002993.html
date=2008-08-04 | accessdate=2008-08-04]

* "Classical Greek comedy" - Another major theme of the film is to structure the story as a Greek comedy (see: Aristophanes), including patterns of strophe and antistrophe, a chorus representing the common people, and costumes matched to moods of the characters, including masks and the phallic props typical of Greek comedy.cite web
author=Erik Krasner-Karpen | publisher=Bubble Magazine
title=Mamma Mia and Aristophanes: More in Common than Extreme Gayness
url=http://bubblezine.blogspot.com/2008/07/mamma-mia-and-aristophanes-more-in.html
date=2008-07-24 | accessdate=2008-08-04]

* The Greek chorus is provided by the dual role of the common townspeople or bystanders, causing some doubletakes when others sense hidden messages being mentioned.

Differences from the stage production

*In the musical Bill Austin is Australian; in the movie he is Swedish (like Skarsgård who plays him) and his last name is aptly changed to "Anderson".

DVD and Blu-ray Disc release

"Mamma Mia!" will be released on DVD in Australia on November 6 2008. It will be released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc the UK and US on November 24 and December 16 2008 respectively.

References

External links

* [http://www.mammamiamovie.com/ Official site]
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* [http://madeinatlantis.com/movies_central/2008/mamma_mia_production_details.htm "Mamma Mia!" Production Notes]