ABBA: Super Troupers

Years ago, when a friend asked if there was any music that I would be embarrassed to admit I liked, my immediate reply was: “ABBA.” But it wasn't really true; I loved ABBA, and not with the kind of ironic, laugh-at-it-not-with-it condescension that passes for “liking” them nowadays. With a production sheen to match Phil Spector's or Brian Wilson's, and those wonderful Benny Andersson-Bjorn Ulvaeus songs with their Teutonic folk melodies and irresistible Euro choruses, ABBA's records were and are some of the finest pop music ever made--all of which comes across on this splendid, thoroughly entertaining documentary. Made to coincide with the fifth anniversary (in 2004) of the popular Mamma Mia! musical, ABBA: Super Troupers features new interviews with all four members--even the elusive Agnetha (although she doesn't make it to London for the anniversary celebration, which would have been the first time all of them had appeared together since the group's demise in the early ‘80s). In addition, the film boasts some surprisingly high quality footage from their pre-ABBA careers (Benny rocking out with the Hepstars in '67 is priceless), plenty of early ABBA stuff, generous excerpts from their videos and live shows, discussion about their outrageously silly costumes and bravura record-making techniques, and even some fairly frank talk about the Bjorn-Agnetha and Benny-Anni-Frid marriages and divorces. It's all good, but ah, the music…two dozen tunes, with many--such as “Fernando,” “I Have a Dream,” “Voulez-Vous,” and “Knowing Me, Knowing You”--nothing less than transcendent. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, DVD extras include two full interviews with Bjorn and Anni-Frid, as well as the finale medley from Mamma Mia!, with cast members singing ABBA songs--nicely done, but ain't nothing like the real thing, and ABBA: Super Troupers has it in spades. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)