Search - Abba The Ultimate Review 3DVD Set on DVD

Some Interesting Commentary & Rare TV Appearances Makes This

E. Valero | Woodbridge, Ontario Canada | 12/27/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

""ABBA: The Ultimate Review" is a 3 DVD collection that asks several experts; music critics, performers etc to evaluate ABBA's individual albums and their most famous singles. The third DVD is a critical look at ABBA as a live stage band and features some interesting archival footage from their live TV performances/concerts.

This collection may appeal to the die-hard ABBA fans because it does feature some rare television performances and interviews that have not appeared in any of ABBA's recent DVD releases. They show very little of ABBA's actual promotional videos (the ones that have appeared on countless DVD's and videotapes) and concentrate more on their rare appearances; "Abba-Dabba-Doo", "ABBA in Japan", "ABBA in Germany"...etc. However, the actual ratings of the original albums are what may surprise several of their most passionate fans. I was pleased to find that ABBA's much loved "Arrival" (considered to be one of ABBA's finest studio albums by many fans and music critics) received a perfect 5 star review and that the runners up; "Waterloo", "The Album", "Voulez-Vous" and "The Visitors" all received no less than 4 stars. What was surprising is that their 1975 album titled "ABBA" received a lower rating (3 stars) than their 1974 effort, "Waterloo" (4 stars). Many fans and critics agree that the 1975 LP was superior to their previous record in almost every way. But the biggest surprise came when the much loved "Super Trouper" album received only a 3 star rating therefore reducing it to the same level as ABBA's first studio album "Ring Ring". That doesn't make sense to me.

For the most part, several of the people interviewed do nothing but praise ABBA for their talents (Benny/Bjorn are praised for their songwriting abilities and Agnetha/Frida are admired for their considerable vocal talents) and their contribution to the world of popular music. However there were some errors in research and evidence of sloppy work. One of the things that bothered me was that they referred to ABBA's 1977 hit "The Name of the Game" as "What's The Name of the Game?" It may be a minor issue but there is more to come. When analyzing the "Voulez-Vous" album, they concentrated mostly on "Summer Night City" and "Gimme Gimme Gimme", 2 great songs but they were not a part of the original 1979 studio album (In later re-issues of "Voulez-Vous" these 2 songs were inserted as bonus tracks but what about the other songs that made up this particular record originally? "Angeleyes"? "I Have a Dream"? "If It Wasn't For The Nights?" etc). When making reference to "One of Us", one of ABBA's last glorious recordings, they chose to play, not ABBA's original but another version sang by some unknown singer that sounded inferior to ABBA's and did not do the song justice. Another annoying bit on this documentary was when one of the experts referred to the 1974 song "Honey Honey" as "Money Honey" (wrong). This same individual later makes reference to "Frida's vocals" in "The Day Before You Came" (wrong again) when it is in fact Agnetha who sings the lead in that track.

Another complaint is with the third DVD; "ABBA: In Performance". It features some fantastic footage of ABBA singing live and doing it very well and the reviews/comments from the experts and host only confirms what ABBA's fans knew all along; that they were a fantastic live band but when the interesting footage is shown, we don't get to hear the wonderful vocals because the "experts" do not stop talking over the footage and/or the footage is shown briefly and/or shown considerably reduced so the initial magic is lost. However it is still interesting because ABBA did a lot of television performances that have never been released on DVD and unless you have "YOU TUBE" you may never get to see these wonderful mini-concerts.

"ABBA: The Ultimate Review" is somewhat informative, somewhat interesting and when the group is revealed doing their thing, always compelling. But it may not be to everyone's liking. A lot of these commentators do nothing more than confirm what ABBA fans have been saying for the last 30 years, that they were amazingly talented musicians who crafted and performed ravishingly beautiful music enhanced by rich, intricate vocal harmonies. We don't need a panel of 10 people to tell us this. However, if you have the extra cash to spend, this 3 DVD collection is worth it if only for the rare archival footage, especially the live performances.
"

A need to know history

E. H. Brown Jr. | 08/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A well made review of the history of ABBA. Who was involved, when things happened, and why. Lots of behind the scenes looks. Many interviews with people close to the group as well as historians and writers. Really gives a good overall look at a really good group."

ABBA Ultimate review 3 dvds

Gina M. Lara | United States | 02/05/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love it and enjoy it. I recommend for ALL true ABBA fans. This is three dvds that are usually sold seperately. Just buy this one and you save yourself a lot of money. They are done by ABBA and they are in them all."