Stars: ABBA

Summary: Tracklisting details not advised.

Uber-pop band Abba has inspired numerous pop culture creations--from the campy Australian movie MURIEL'S WEDDING to an international hit musical. This DEFINITIVE COLLECTION includes more than three dozen remastered music videos. All of their Top 10 hits are here, from "Waterloo" to "Mamma Mia" to "The Winner Takes It All." So join Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn, and Anni-Frid--a dazzling blond quartet--on their journey through pop ascension.

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ABBA were one of the first pop groups to exploit the promotional video as a vehicle for publicising their music across the globe. ABBA--The Definitive Collectionprovides an audio-visual timeline of how their promos developed over a 10-year period from the mid-1970s to the early 80s. The first ABBA videos were simple recordings of the band miming to their songs in a studio ("Waterloo" and "Ring Ring"); then, for "Mamma Mia" and "SOS", the style was replaced by something more adventurous, focusing on the four grouped together in rival pairs. As technology and the group evolved so did their promo films, with more recent examples shot on videotape and incorporating post-production special effects and outdoor locations ("One Of Us" and "Head over Heels"). Director Lasse Hallstrom has since made the transition from these relatively low-budget vehicles to Hollywood success with Chocolatand The Shipping News.

If ABBA's early efforts look a little primitive compared to big-budget modern music promos, the songs themselves now sound even better than ever, having been digitally re-mastered in 24-bit format. As well as featuring the digitally re-mastered promos for the majority of their single releases, exclusive previously unreleased material is also incorporated here, such as the extended original mix of "On and On and On".

On the DVD:ABBA--The Definitive Collectionon DVD squeezes in all 30 videos, plus five bonus tracks which include the promos for the Spanish-language versions of "I Have a Dream", "Happy New Year" and "When All is Said and Done". The video for the never released "When I Kissed the Teacher" is also included, too, as is a camp recording of "Dancing Queen" filmed at a gala tribute for Sweden's King and Queen. The 20-minute picture gallery is an excellent and comprehensive photographic record of the group through the years. Background information about all of the material, is discussed in the accompanying biographical booklet.--John Galilee

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	Full-Motion Interactive Menus, Stills, Photos
Year:	2002
Release Date:	July 29, 2002
Runtime:	168 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	017 445 9
Label:	Polydor
Keywords:	Music, Abba, Collection, Rock, Pop, Performing, Definitive, Arts, Popular
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts