My thoughts on MAMMA MIA!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 9:57pm

Irredeemably awful in every respect, but so remarkably endearing that you forget you're watching what's possibly one of the cheesiest movies ever made.

But perhaps that's what they were going for. At which point, I must applaud Phyllida Lloyd, Catherine Johnson, and Anthony Von Laast for sticking with their original vision and not selling out to Hollywood. What they've created is a movie musical so bad that it's good.

You think to yourself that it can't get any cheesier - but then they do something to top it in cheesiness! And you can't help but grin and laugh like a doofus because the creators and actors don't give a crap about convention or cheesiness or goodness or badness. It was awful, but I loved every minute of it.

Except the dialogue. The dialogue scenes were painful - and the fact that they added dialogue and development was even worse. But damn ABBA has to create such infectious music that you can get past the 15 minutes dialogue between each song in the first half. The 2nd half is still song after song after song - the same problem I had with the show - but here it's better because it's feeding the desire for less dialogue, more song.

No, Pierce Brosnan can't sing - and whenever he starts to sing he got a HUGE laugh at the theater where I saw it. Meryl Streep can - she's not a strong singer by any means, but she's more then passable and you can tell she had a great time. Surprisingly good performances from Colin Furth and Christine Baranski and Dominic Cooper; hilarious turns from Stellan Saarsgard and Julie Walters.

To quote Mel Brooks "what knockers" on Amanda Seyfried. Almost as big as her eyes. Kinda creepy having her in the swimsuit with the 3-potential dads, but hey, they gotta balance out Dominic Cooper shirtless somehow. And I'll gladly take it.

You can tell that it's Phyllida Lloyd's screen debut - it has the same color and ring that THE PRODUCERS remake did - only this movie goes somewhere. Except in the dialogue scenes.

Worth $10? Certainly. When you realize that you paid nearly 10x that to see the show.
Updated On: 7/18/08 at 09:57 PM

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 10:03pm

That about sums it up, Yankee.

[bundy5000]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 11:14pm

Carmen:
Critics! Who’d make a living out of killing other people’s dreams? -Debra Monk, Curtains

Mamma Mia ,the movie, I think is trying to do what it kinda did for NYC during Fall of 2001. It took every single possible emotion good/bad and turned it into "WHO GIVES A HOOT I AM HAVING A BLAST".. It is like a 9 teen yr old girls slumber party. Life is only as fun as you make it. And Mamma Mia clearly delivers that. You can feel like you have wasted $6.50 and an hour and a half. Or you can experience a moment where you are JUST plain happy your alive.

It is just one of those things in your life to lift your chin up. You don't have to love it, you don't have to like it, you just have to make it work for you somehow.... maybe no word can describe it.

You want to be happy? BE Happy!
For once Life isn't what you have or haven't achieved. It is a DAMN DANCEFLOOR to be who you want to be and still be accepted but most of all LOVED!

When All Is Said And Done, ABBA has done something that no other group EVER will achieve. And that is an aura of radiant happiness and beauty. A Chance to open the doors to.....(well that is for you to decide)

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 12:13am

PERFECTLY said, yankee! The movie is VERY CLOSE to the stage version, with just minor changes- but every scene is EXACTLY the same as the show! ommission of 1 song and addition of a new song!

Yes, Its cheesy but DEFINITELY ENJOYABLE! It weird to see them sing but after 20 minutes I get used to it and enjoy every minute of the movie!

MAMMA MIA succeeds by achieving its primary goal~which is basically to ENTERTAIN!

J*

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 12:28am

I completely agree with your sentiments, Yankee.

I really feel like this is what they were going for. Honestly, if they had tried to tone it down for the film I don't think it would have worked.

I felt like I was watching a modern day Greek fable. It had just the right mixture of fantasy and reality that allows for some of the absurdity that exists in this movie.

If anyone goes into this movie expecting to take it seriously then they are seeing the wrong movie.

Just like the stage show, this movie is meant to be an escape and it completely draws you in and makes you forget about everything else in life. It transports you. And, what's more, it manages to carry a message.

This movie, to me, is like a box of Cracker Jacks: It's sweet, it's a little nutty and gets stuck in your teeth. But, amongst the hodgepodge lies a prize.

[christhefish]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 12:47am

I just got back from a showing...

I now know how people who saw Xanadu at the movie theatre must have felt.

It's like I just overdosed on pop rocks and coolaid

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 12:51am

There's a difference between "so bad it's good" and "so bad it's dreadful."

The "Xanadu" movie is the latter.

"Mamma Mia" is the former.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 12:56am

What song did they add, and what song did they take out?

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 1:00am

Cut:
"Under Attack"
"One Of Us"
"Knowing Me, Knowing You"

Added:
"When All Is Said And Done"

Filmed (then cut):
"The Name Of The Game"

Cut from script but played over credits:
"Thank You For The Music"

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 9:37am

I have both OBCR and the Soundtrack. Waterloo is not on both recordings again, yet its on the stage version and the movie as a paert of ENCORES! I want it!!!!! grr......

J*
Updated On: 7/19/08 at 09:37 AM

[jazzicat]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 9:48am

so sad they cut knowing me, knowing you

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 9:49am

Jay, I just noticed your summer avatar and I love it! Though it's kind of sad that I JUST noticed it.
I haven't seen the film yet, I was supposed to see it Friday afternoon before work but didn't feel like waking up at noon to see it. However, I am going in with no expectations, I just want it to be fun, that's all I ask for. I thought HAIRSPRAY was kind of annoying, I wonder now if I'll think the same of this movie too, hope not. Then again I doubt I'd find Meryl annoying, and I do love her singing voice so much, I mean before being an Oscar-winning actress she starred in a Kurt Weill musical on Broadway, after all.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 9:52am

KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU served as underscoring and the song the band plays when Sophie is walking down the aisle.

WATERLOO also serves as underscoring.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:06am

Ray- Thanks!

Yankee- That's what is it! I knew its KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU was the bride's song! being played by the band.

************SPOILER*****************

Does everyone likes the Encore's part when Merryl Streep was talking to the audience? like kinda having so much fun & seems like kinda drunk in a way, and said, "Do you want some more? " and everyone in the audience (in Boston Common's AMC LOWE Theater in my case) yelled back.... "YEAH!!!!" then they sing Waterloo, then the guys came out with their Elvis over the top costumes.. I almost forgot that they had that on the stage version too! I LOVE THAT PART!!! Pure fun! Pure fluff, but definitely ENJOYABLE!!!

***************END******************

I still want the Waterloo version!!!

J*





Updated On: 7/19/08 at 10:06 AM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:18am

The finale was very cute.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:18am

BTW.... Is it just me or I find that....Collin Firth is hot as a gay man!

There's another cute (third) guy in the ensemble, the guy that's always next to the black guy (in the wedding) you know, Dominic Cooper as the 1st guy they keep showing, then the black guy as 2nd then there's this 3rd guy! sorry cant find his photo.

J*

[heathurrr]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:19am

Yes, it was cheesy as all hell but SO FUN. Fun fun fun.
I left with a big ass smile on my face and it's still here the next morning.
I haven't seen it on stage, but oh boy could I ever picture it as I watched the movie.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:19am

Also .. I thought Sophie's two girl friends are very cute and pretty!

J*

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:19am

I loved how every face in the ensemble was "deer in the headlights."

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:21am

There isn't an Original Broadway Cast Recording of MAMMA MIA! as it was never recorded.

The only English-language recording of MAMMA MIA! is the Original London Cast Recording (and now the film soundtrack).

Also, the first editions of the London Cast Recording didn't include the 3 curtain call songs: "Mamma Mia", "Dancing Queen" and "Waterloo". Those 3 songs were later added to recording so if you purchase it today, those 3 songs are in there.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 10:23am

I haven't seen it on stage, but oh boy could I ever picture it as I watched the movie.


Oh, its EXACTLY the same...even the staging! LIKE....

1. The two greek white wall that keeps turning thru the entire show~which they always climb back and forth.

2. The Dance number of Voulez-Vous with the stage floor lights like a disco floor.

3. (even) the Ending the board walk moving the entire stage and the huge moon at the background~ which is a reminescent of the movie ending.

4. and of course.. the ENCORE part.. its just the audience in the Winter Garden stood up and dance!


J*
Updated On: 7/19/08 at 10:23 AM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 1:24pm

I've seen clips of Collin Furth singing "Thank You For The Music," does he not do that anymore? Well as long as "Money" is in the show, I'm happy.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 1:30pm

He's singing "Our Last Summer" in those clips you're seeing of him on the boat. Though the song DOES appear in the end credits (sung by Amanda Seyfried), the version performed by the 3 possible dads and Sophie was never written for the film-version. This "Our Last Summer" song (and scene) replaces that scene from the stage-version.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9i6DtmGGYqg

Updated On: 7/19/08 at 01:30 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 1:30pm

*****SPOILERS*********


Colin Firth just sing "Our Last Summer" with Sophie in Stellan Skargards' boat. That's it! Its all the three guys singing with Sophie, but started with Colin.

He also has a little part now in "Take a Chance with Me" with his new found Greek boyfriend! lol!

J*

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 1:41pm

Oh thanks, I guess i was just forcing the melody to fit "Thank You For The Music," ha. I'm so excited to see the movie.