ABBA: The Definitive Collection
List Price:
Our Price: $17.57
You Save: $7.41 (30%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $16.99 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: ABBADVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 136 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-07-30
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Polydor / Umgd
Movie Reviews of ABBA: The Definitive Collection
Movie Review: Sound Bites
Summary: 4 Stars
Lasting impressions of ABBA's 35 videos stem from a flawed, but favorable collection. A cursory glance at every video reveals careful attention to detail and above par visuals, especially given the primitive stages of video production during their era. Realizing their career span was from 1973-1981, they were ahead of the game in more than their syntho-techno sound. Noting that their last album was released the same year that MTV started and before Flock of Seagulls and Human League became popular, you begin to appreciate how ground-breaking they truly were. Don't expect Peter Gabriel-type experimentation, yet experiment is what they did.
ABBA's videos go through the whole gamut: Soft focus and sharp focus, stiff production with matching moves and fluid photography with flowing motion. Special effects alternate with still life scenes. Going out on a limb, I'd say their costumes were vibrant and alluring, way ahead of the stereotypically seventies' cheese curve. Sometimes the videos are effective; at others they're not.
Here are some of the highlights: (SPOILER ALERT: Without a plot, some may, nevertheless, want to stop here and make their own discoveries.)
1. "Waterloo," their groundbreaking first Euro hit is flashy fun. A white backdrop frames their bold costumes. The lip-synching is out of step, but they're only destined to improve. (Bjorn wears heavy make-up, and he looks like Liberace.) 8/10
2.) "Ring, Ring" is a "Waterloo" carry over. Glittery, sexy costumes. Lip-synching is corrected. 8/10
3.) "Mamma Mia" has great pop appeal, and the band makes an emotional commitment. More vibrant, the close ups of faces and musicianship are hallmark. 9/10
4.) "S.O.S." is artful and thoughtful. Sometimes stiff, sometimes flowing, but Agnetha is always engaging. 7/10
5.) "Boom-a-rang" is spirited and playful. Less stiff, more fun, and more natural. Significantly, Bjorn looks better without make-up. 9/10
6.) "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" is soft and sensual. Frida is especially spirited. 7/10
7.) "Fernando" is heartwarming. A camp-fire sing-a-long. Good simple ensemble. 9/10
8.) "Dancing Queen" features ABBA onstage. The dancers in the audience aren't the Swedish equivalent of `American Bandstand,' but Frida and Agnetha sure can bump and grind. 6/10
9.) "Money, Money, Money" employs solid imagery, a correct dramatic tone, excellent lighting, and it's all in synch with the beat. Perhaps their most professional video. 10/10
10.) "Knowing Me, Knowing You" is not as fluid, but it's structurally solid. Facial focus is done like they were competing with The Beatles' album covers. 6/10
11.) "That's Me" Great non-hit song. Siren looks to match voices. Leftovers from "Money, Money, Money" show rare formula, however. 7/10
12.) "The Name of the Game" Impromptu black and white scenes outshine the stagey color ones. Benny always looks like he's having fun. 8/10
13.) "Take a Chance on Me" Sometimes sexy, sometimes silly. `The Brady Bunch' photo ensemble? What were the producers thinking? 6/10
14.) "The Eagle" is visually inventive. Colorfully done in discoth?que neon, not psychedelic. 7/10
15.) "One Man, One Woman" I love this maudlin song. Two faces form as one. I get it, but it gets garish in places. 5/10
16.) "Thank You for the Music" Stage performance like on daytime variety shows. Nice seeing kids singing in the audience though. A precursor of MTV 6/10
17.) "Summer Night City" needs to be more fluid, but the women are pros here. Alluringly sexy. At times blurry, but when it`s playful, it works. 6/10
18.) "Chiquitita" is friendly and festive, sweet and simple--a sharp focus reaction to the last video. 8/10
19.) "Does Your Mother Know?" Natural and exuberant. Bjorn takes the lead, and the supporting cast could be on `Swedish Bandstand' if there was such a show. 10/10
20.) "Volez Vous" an extension of "Does Your Mother Know?". More nightclubbing with the two leading ladies. 8/10
21.) "Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie," shows us the studio process. Insightful, fun, and never a stiff moment! 10/10
22.) "On and On and On" is a theatrical slide show. Not fluid, not a good experiment. Good subject matter, though. 4/10
23.) "The Winner Takes It All" Pensive yet spirited. Scenic, too. They've got the cameras and acting skills on their side. 7/10
24.) "Super Trooper" looks like a `Dynasty' episode at times. The carnival scenes are shot perfectly. 7/10
25.) "Happy New Year" Great color ensemble. Pensive, sage, and celebratory. Video camera work in the MTV era. 9/10
26.) "All Is Said and Done" soft and clear shots. Unremarkable, lazy video. 5/10
27.) "One of Us" Clearest video. Thoughtful, but not inventive enough. 6/10
28.) "Head over Heels" tells a tale. Bjorn gets best actor. Funny, Playful, and Effective. 10/10
29.) "The Day Before You Came" is artsy, well-framed, and foreshadows Agnetha's solo career. 8/10
30.) "Under Attack" is filmed nicely like a detective noir, but is partly unrealized. 6/10
31.) "When I Kissed the Teacher" backs up to `The Arrival' era (1976). Solid concept, but a little stiff. 6/10
32.) "I Have a Dream" is done in Swedish. Never take their English speaking hits for granted. Beautiful native rendition. 8/10
33.) "Happy New Year" alternative Swedish version. 9/10
34.) "All Is Said and Done" alternative Spanish version! 6/10
35.) "Dancing Queen" the royal version. Is that Queen Elizabeth in the audience or the Swedish royalty? The powder wigs make the affair stiff, but the group is properly relaxed. They did need to redo the original, but they could have done something better than this. 6/10
Overall, do check this collection out. You'll enjoy listening to and watching these vintage videos.
Summary of ABBA: The Definitive Collection
For those who love Abba (and if you're reading this, chances are you do, even if you don't know it yet), Abba: The Definitive Collection represents a happy, joyous compilation of the Swedish supergroup's numerous videos. Granted, they all seem to have been filmed on the same soundstage (even the firelit "Fernando"), but they retain their appeal and infectious charm. Fans can thrill to these vintage clips, which provide an opportunity to rediscover who was the most natural in front of the camera (Agnetha), who was the best dancer (Anna-Frid, a.k.a. Frida), who was the most demure (Benny), and who was the worst lip-syncher (Bjorn--always Bjorn). Lass? Hallstrom, later an Oscar?-nominated filmmaker, directed most of the early videos, and it shows in their natural, no-fuss style; it wasn't until Abba tried to make the jump to '80s-style electronica that they faltered in both style and content. In addition to old standbys like "Waterloo" and "Take a Chance on Me," don't pass up the light-years-ahead-of-its time "The Day Before You Came," or the live performance of "Dancing Queen" (in period costume!) at the Royal Swedish Opera. To this we say: Thank you for the music--and the videos! --Mark EnglehartMusic Video & Concerts DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in The Definitive ABBA
Dancing QueenRelease date: 2005-08-30; Published: 2004; DVD
Best price: $7.73
Price in other shops:
Abba - The Last VideoRelease date: 2004-08-31; DVD
Best price: $2.33
Price in other shops:
The Winner Takes It All - The ABBA StoryRelease date: 2002-02-26; DVD
Best price: $10.64
Price in other shops:
Abba - In Concert 1979Release date: 2004-06-08; DVD
Best price: $8.75
Price in other shops:
ABBA The MovieRelease date: 2006-03-28; DVD
Best price: $10.28
Price in other shops:
ABBA: The Definitive CollectionRelease date: 2002-07-30; DVD
Best price: $17.12
Price in other shops:
ABBA Unpluggedby Karl French
Portrait Books; Published: 2005-10-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.30
Price in other shops:
Benny's Road to ABBAby Carl Magnus Palm
Premium Forlag AB; Published: 2004-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $32.84
Price in other shops:
From ABBA to Mamma Mia!: The Official Bookby Carl Magnus Palm
Watson-Guptill Publications; Published: 2000-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Price in other shops:
Abba: The Complete Guide to Their Musicby Carl Magnus Palm
Omnibus Press; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.27
Price in other shops:
Similar DVD Movies
ABBA - Super TrouperRelease date: 2001-10-16; Music CD
Best price: $4.59
Price in other shops:
Abba - The Last VideoRelease date: 2004-08-31; DVD
Best price: $2.33
Price in other shops:
ABBA - ABBA - Gold: Greatest HitsRelease date: 1993-09-21; Published: 1999; Music CD
Best price: $5.81
Price in other shops:
ABBA: Number OnesUNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP DISTRIBUTION; Release date: 2006-12-05; DVD
Best price: $10.96
Price in other shops:
Abba - Super TroupersABBA - SUPER TROOPERS (DVD VIDEO); Release date: 2004-11-23; DVD
Best price: $9.55
Price in other shops:
Abba Gold - Greatest HitsRelease date: 2003-09-09; DVD
Best price: $10.81
Price in other shops:
ABBA - The Definitive CollectionRelease date: 2001-11-06; Published: 2001; Music CD
Best price: $9.87
Price in other shops:
ABBA The MovieRelease date: 2006-03-28; DVD
Best price: $10.28
Price in other shops:
Abba - In Concert 1979Release date: 2004-06-08; DVD
Best price: $8.65
Price in other shops:
The Winner Takes It All - The ABBA StoryRelease date: 2002-02-26; DVD
Best price: $10.64
Price in other shops: