The stage and screen success of Mamma Mia has given the Abba machine a turbopowered boost – not that one of the most durable of pop catalogues was ever in need of it. A fanbase hungry for any new shiny product needs to be addressed, so all manner of archives have to be plundered, hence this DVD.
The “live” tag is misleading, however, as the main draw here is an hourlong TV special from 1978, filmed without an audience and seemingly over a lengthy afternoon and evening to allow the players to change into ever more outlandish glam sci-fi stage gear after each song. The setlist of hits writes itself, and is only occasionally punctuated by brief intros explaining the origins of certain tracks.
Two behind-the-scenes documentaries, from 1978 and 1980, follow the group on the conventional promo trail, answering banal questions in press conferences (“What were you like when you were younger?”) and donning oversized headphones in Tokyo radio stations. A nice enough addition to the shelf, but nothing special.
