"Mamma Mia!" Becomes Highest-Grossing Film Ever Released in the U.K.

[iamchanging9]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:09am

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/124372.html

thoughts?

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:21am

disgusting.

[iamchanging9]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:23am

i don't think i would go as far to say it's disgusting, but it is quite sad that it has outgrossed such a phenomenal film.

mamma mia is fun, titanic is a masterpiece.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:29am

Im from the UK and horrified that its done as well as it has grrrrr, its still playing in some cineams despite been out on DVD for the past few weeks

Oh and by the way, i would not class Titanic as a masterpiece

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 12:06pm

Ugh.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 12:07pm

Why can't the English learn to speak?

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 12:10pm

I don't know what upset me more, the moment this became the highest-grossing movie musical of all time in the U.S., or the moment a couple months later when High School Musical 3 took its spot.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 12:43pm

I enjoyed Mamma Mia much more than Titanic anyway. Mamma Mia acknowledges that it is silly fluff. Titanic is silly fluff masquerading as some sort of epic/romance/action/disaster/non-fiction/fictional technological wonder. The special effects and the music are about the only likeable things about Titanic. Mamma Mia was exactly what I expected and it delivers. It could have been filmed better, but I wasn't disappointed. I can't say the same for Titanic.

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 5:41pm

I wasn't a particularly big fan of the film version but have seen the London production of Mamma Mia a couple of times, (especially because my Mum loves it) and I really enjoyed experiencing it in her company.

It's a fun, feelgood musical and I know lots of people who aren't regular cinema or theatre-goers who went to see the film (some more than once). I grew up with Abba music, as did many, many people in the UK, and it never dates for me. It's perfectly-written, beautifully-harmonised pop music and I don't think it will ever go out of fashion here (or in many countries around the world).

Personally I'd always recommend the stage version and the Original Cast Recording over the film and the soundtrack - but then again I don't know why anyone who likes Abba music wouldn't prefer Abba's versions of their songs anyway? :-/

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 5:48pm

You are disgusted that more people saw Mamma Mia than Titanic, why? The thing that disgusted me was the London production of Mamma Mia itself after seeing the B'way production.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 6:05pm

but then again I don't know why anyone who likes Abba music wouldn't prefer Abba's versions of their songs anyway?

Two reasons: People like to hear songs by their favorite artists performed by other people just to get a different spin on the material. Those who have seen the film/show, ABBA fans or not, enjoy the nostalgia of hearing the tunes in the perspective of the show itself. The songs are mostly sung in a completely different style from the original recordings. ABBA was not known for their acting skills.

The thing that disgusted me was the London production of Mamma Mia itself after seeing the B'way production.

Why? I saw the original cast in London shortly after it opened and it was wonderful. I later saw the pre-Broadway tour and enjoyed it just as much. I do prefer the American accents and comedic stylization, but I didn't have a problem with the London production. What happened?

[Scripps2]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 6:12pm

Whilst agreeing entirely with Tiggosaurus' explanation of how consistently popular ABBA has been in the UK since the 1974 Eurovision song contest, you also have to realise that in the UK Julie Walters is bigger than Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and many other Hollywood stars who aren't in the film. She is enormously popular, held in huge affection and provides guaranteed ratings on television and box-office in the cinema and theatre.

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 6:14pm

When I saw a vid of the London production from 2002 it just rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't like the lack of a track for the taverna, the cast IMO lacked in comparison to the cast I saw last month. Did London have the megamix in 2002? I know they do now but I wasn't sure because my vid cut off before the curtain call.

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 6:24pm

"Two reasons: People like to hear songs by their favorite artists performed by other people just to get a different spin on the material. Those who have seen the film/show, ABBA fans or not, enjoy the nostalgia of hearing the tunes in the perspective of the show itself. The songs are mostly sung in a completely different style from the original recordings. ABBA was not known for their acting skills."

I'm quite open to hearing different interpretations of popular songs - it's part and parcel of being a fan of musical theatre in my opinion! I never said I disliked the stage production of Mamma Mia - quite the opposite in fact - but as far as listening to Abba music o/s the confines of the theatre or cinema goes: give me the original versions any day. I don't think the acting skills of any of the members of Abba is relevant in the slightest to the point I was making. I can appreciate 'cover versions' but still prefer the originals surely!?

(Btw, can someone please clue me in on how to italicise on this board? I've tried a couple of things which work on other message boards but not on here). :-?

[Salene]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 10:24pm

< i > like this < / i >

- remove the spaces.

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 4:41am

Thank you Salene! I was using the wrong brackets.