ABBA Album: “Super Troupers: From Waterloo to Mamma Mia! [DVD]”

I found this 90 minute documentary to be very well done, very well edited and well produced. There aren't really too many revelations from the interviews, but the collection of clips from yesterday spliced together with current footage of the band members was a really nice, nostalgic touch. Especially the moments from the 1974 Eurovision song contest that rocketed their careers put back to back with the footage of them getting ready to go out on stage for Mamma Mia in 2004.

One thing I did enjoy about the interviews were the comments by Agnetha taken from various sources and timed with various events. Some of her quotes are translated from Swedish, some in English. These segments prove to be very useful. They tease her appearance at the Mamma Mia opening, but even without prior knowledge most fans know she wasn't going to show. It's sad because it's so rare you see the members of ABBA together like that. Someday hopefully she will appear with them at least one more time (don't hold your breath).

Other goodies are footage of Benny and Bjorn in their early careers with the Hep Stars and the Hootenany Singers, Frida's solo career before meeting them, ABBA concert footage of "He Is Your Brother" and video clips for "People Need Love" and "So Long". Michael Tretow talks about how they applied Phil Spector's sound methods to their recordings and provides good insight to various topics. The narrator is a little over enthusiastic in his appraisal and tells us how much he wanted to see Frida without her clothes on. I didn't need that much information.

Note on the bonus features: the interviews with Frida and Benny are listed as full, however they just pasted together the clips shown throughout the documentary with a few extra questions. The interviewer is not even heard asking the questions or even seen.

If you didn't believe ABBA was on a par with the Beatles before, you may change your mind after watching this.

As a new fan of ABBA's music I bought this DVD after getting "ABBA-The Definitive Collection" on both a CD and a DVD. The "Super Trouper" DVD shows ABBA during their Australian concert and during their 2004 reunion, minus Agnetha, in London during the opening of "Mamma Mia." At first I didn't think I needed this DVD since I had the other one listed above, but I took a chance and bought it here on Amazon and am thrilled with the contents. If you enjoy ABBA's music, or if you are not yet familiar with their songs, you will enjoy the past and present of ABBA's career come together in this DVD. I can't imagine you being disappointed.

Okay, I admit it; Linda is an ABBA schmuck. After 30 years, they are still getting massive airplay all over the world, and a lot of people who would never have admitted they were into this group years ago are now acknowledging what we collectively always knew: Most everyone loves ABBA, except some of us will never admit it. That's okay, though, because I went through that in my later teens up until my late 30's. For all you closet fans out there, this DVD is a great purchase, because you will finally realize that it's not these four incredibly talented people's fault that they had a chemistry that the public reacted to. Even their manager Stig Andersson, who propelled them to fame, doesn't know why they took off in the way they did. Let me ask all you naysayers the all-important question: if this group was so disposable, how is it that their music is still so popular after 3 decades, and they have not only enjoyed a revival, but the music has made a great stage production? It's true: Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulveus are very good songwriters with their sesibilities about them at all times. Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-frid Lyngstad, their former wives and partners, were beautiful vocalists together, and what they had between them was something very special while it lasted. Also, they have never had a reunion since their breakup in 1982, and they don't intend to. The heartless hit machine rep they've suffered from is not only a joke, but this DVD will show you just how human and talented they really were and are.

One thing I have been struck by from this particular DVD is how warm, intelligent, and humble Bjorn Ulveus is, and how much more likable and full of life Frida, rather than pretty blond pinup girl Agnetha, actually is. This DVD is full of lots of surprises for the naysayers and lots of treats for those of us who knew these Swedes were talented, personable beings who simply disliked touring for all the reasons anyone who never toured could understand. The interviews are fun, the footage priceless, and the music rich and melodious. Most of all, you will pull this DVD out of your player with a smile on your face and realize you never have to dress like you did at any time the group was together again! This is 90 minutes of pure, poppy fun.

Not much new here for the ABBA fanatic, but a very good weaving together of some great archival footage and a interesting narrative that puts it all in perspective. I don't think you have to be an ABBA fan to enjoy it. Like VH1's Behind the Music specials on other artists, this special about ABBA will just suck you in.

If you love, or even like ABBA, you should invest in this DVD. Excellent!