I was half watching a doc about Abba and how their musical Mamma Mia came about. I was surprised to discover that a movie version has been made with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Julie Walters. Meryl in particular was surprising with her singing talent. I thought she did a great job belting out Winner Takes It All
Pierce, who also did very well with the singing vocals, reminded me of fellow Bond Roger Moore, when he signed up for Andrew Llyod Webbers Aspects Of Love on the West-End stage. Though Roger had a decent singing voice he had used on tv variety shows, he realised with light Opera he was out of his depth and pulled out at the last minute. To be fair though I image singing on a film set is far less streessful, though still demanding, than having to perform on a live stage
Colin Firth said that if someone had offered him the role back in the 70s, he would have been to embarrassed to accept, feeling that it would be unmanly for a bloke to publically say he was an Abba fan
Meryl Streeps a great singer, Oh Mamma Mia
Oh, Colin. 
It's going to be strange to hear other people sing the songs, but I'm probably going to see it anyway, with my friends. We used to listen to Abba all the time a few years ago so it'll be fun.
When they staged this show in Sweden they had translated the song lyrics, not with regard for the content of the text, but so that the choruses would sound like the English ones. That brought some very strange results. When they're advertising Mamma Mia the movie here now, they say, "finally, the songs are in their original language!" Thank goodness.
It's going to be strange to hear other people sing the songs, but I'm probably going to see it anyway, with my friends. We used to listen to Abba all the time a few years ago so it'll be fun.
When they staged this show in Sweden they had translated the song lyrics, not with regard for the content of the text, but so that the choruses would sound like the English ones. That brought some very strange results. When they're advertising Mamma Mia the movie here now, they say, "finally, the songs are in their original language!" Thank goodness.
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Moraldo Rubini
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Re: Meryl Streeps a great singer, Oh Mamma Mia
Meryl Streep is a swell singer. She was originally slated to star in the movie version of Evita, but the project kept getting swept to the side and then Madonna got picked up for it. I've always wondered how the Streep version would have been. I once heard her sing a heart-breaking rendition of "Goodnight, My Someone". She's also done musical theatre, including Kurt Weill's Happy End. This gal can do it all.stuart.uk wrote:I was half watching a doc about Abba and how their musical Mamma Mia came about. I was surprised to discover that a movie version has been made with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Julie Walters. Meryl in particular was surprising with her singing talent. I thought she did a great job belting out Winner Takes It All
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Moraldo Rubini
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Yesterday, I took my daughter to see "Momma Mia!"
We had a great time. It isn't going to make you forget "Singin' in the Rain" or "Cabaret," but it is very enjoyable. the "Dancing Queen" number will just make you smile. If you enjoyed the music of Abba, then you will enjoy "Momma Mia!" (The songs are not the originals. They are sung by the movie performers. Sometimes, this means lyrics have been rewritten.) It is good to see Streep having a good time. Christine Baranski is a gem, and Pierce Brosnan is very enjoyable.
Still, this movie points out why they don't make musicals that much anymore. There is no musical lingua franca in America these days. People who were too cool for Abba, those who liked funk and progressive jazz, will no doubt find "Momma Mia!" a hideous experience, like the guy who reviewed it in "The New Yorker" and complained about people bursting into song and how phony it all was. This is a movie you go into knowing that you will like the music or that you will hate the music. There is no middle ground.
One thing that bugged me about the movie: at two points, the bridegroom waves a cigar around as a prop for his bachelor party, and later Christine Baranski pretends to smoke a joint. At the very end of the credits, there is a warning that smoking is not endorsed by the film and that smoking is hazardous to one's health. And no one lit up in the movie!
We had a great time. It isn't going to make you forget "Singin' in the Rain" or "Cabaret," but it is very enjoyable. the "Dancing Queen" number will just make you smile. If you enjoyed the music of Abba, then you will enjoy "Momma Mia!" (The songs are not the originals. They are sung by the movie performers. Sometimes, this means lyrics have been rewritten.) It is good to see Streep having a good time. Christine Baranski is a gem, and Pierce Brosnan is very enjoyable.
Still, this movie points out why they don't make musicals that much anymore. There is no musical lingua franca in America these days. People who were too cool for Abba, those who liked funk and progressive jazz, will no doubt find "Momma Mia!" a hideous experience, like the guy who reviewed it in "The New Yorker" and complained about people bursting into song and how phony it all was. This is a movie you go into knowing that you will like the music or that you will hate the music. There is no middle ground.
One thing that bugged me about the movie: at two points, the bridegroom waves a cigar around as a prop for his bachelor party, and later Christine Baranski pretends to smoke a joint. At the very end of the credits, there is a warning that smoking is not endorsed by the film and that smoking is hazardous to one's health. And no one lit up in the movie!
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Lzcutter
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Finally saw Mamma Mia this evening. What a fun film. Mr Cutter and I had no idea it would be this much fun.
Everyone looked like they were just enjoying making the movie and it shows on the screen. Streep is luminous and Walters and Baranski are dynamite as her former back-up singers. The men were great. Brosnan may not have much of a singing voice but he sure had chemistry with Meryl.
The Greek chorus is a hoot. The homage to Titanic is hysterical and the big Dancing Queen number had the audience cheering by the end of the sequence.
It may not be high drama but it sure as heck was fun!
Everyone looked like they were just enjoying making the movie and it shows on the screen. Streep is luminous and Walters and Baranski are dynamite as her former back-up singers. The men were great. Brosnan may not have much of a singing voice but he sure had chemistry with Meryl.
The Greek chorus is a hoot. The homage to Titanic is hysterical and the big Dancing Queen number had the audience cheering by the end of the sequence.
It may not be high drama but it sure as heck was fun!
Lynn in Lake Balboa
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
Lzcutter, I had the same reaction. They seemed to have had fun making this movie, and the fun was infectious! I particularly enjoyed Meryl Streep's performance. I think she was brilliant, actually - especially since the sound people left her voice sounding a bit flawed, like in The Winner Takes it All. I think that made it more real, and much more effective. I also liked the Slipping Through My Fingers number, and of course Dancing Queen. Christine Baranski is really funny.
The beginning of Mamma Mia seemed a bit awkward to me. At first there was a lot of screaming and giggling among the main characters, which made it difficult for me to warm up to them at the very first moment. However, the movie picked up pace, everything became better and more enjoyable and in the end it was jut glorious feel-good.
MikeBSG, you're right about the reviews. When I first heard they were making a film of Mamma Mia I knew the reviews were going to be mixed (although in Swedish papers they were mostly positive. It's ABBA after all). I read Roger Ebert's review, he didn't like it and he brought up the point at once: that he simply doesn't care for ABBA. If you don't, you're probably not going to like Mamma Mia. If you can't accept people bursting into song, then you've got a problem with the whole idea of musicals, and this film is not for you.
Apparently a woman in a British paper also suggested that a lot of reviewers had a problem with an entire film dedicated to, and glorifying, older women and everything feminine. I've been following the reception to films like Sex and the City, and in that case, many reviewers registered surprise that this blockbuster for women was such a success. Maybe something similar happened with the critical reception to Mamma Mia. I don't know. I think some of the criticism has merit. Even though I thought the movie was wonderful and uplifting, not everyone is going to get the same thing out of it. If you love musicals I think you should give Mamma Mia a try though.
The beginning of Mamma Mia seemed a bit awkward to me. At first there was a lot of screaming and giggling among the main characters, which made it difficult for me to warm up to them at the very first moment. However, the movie picked up pace, everything became better and more enjoyable and in the end it was jut glorious feel-good.
MikeBSG, you're right about the reviews. When I first heard they were making a film of Mamma Mia I knew the reviews were going to be mixed (although in Swedish papers they were mostly positive. It's ABBA after all). I read Roger Ebert's review, he didn't like it and he brought up the point at once: that he simply doesn't care for ABBA. If you don't, you're probably not going to like Mamma Mia. If you can't accept people bursting into song, then you've got a problem with the whole idea of musicals, and this film is not for you.
Apparently a woman in a British paper also suggested that a lot of reviewers had a problem with an entire film dedicated to, and glorifying, older women and everything feminine. I've been following the reception to films like Sex and the City, and in that case, many reviewers registered surprise that this blockbuster for women was such a success. Maybe something similar happened with the critical reception to Mamma Mia. I don't know. I think some of the criticism has merit. Even though I thought the movie was wonderful and uplifting, not everyone is going to get the same thing out of it. If you love musicals I think you should give Mamma Mia a try though.