There was a time in the mid- to late-1970s when the biggest group in the world was not the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, or KISS. In fact, it wasn't even some dirty, rebellious rock group, but a band of four Swedes named Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid that were known as ABBA. These two then-happily married couples sang pop songs that went on to hit the charts, songs about dancing queens and soldiers named Fernando. The boys wrote the songs, while the girls brought sexiness and style in their music.

They were loved and even today, they are still loved. Even though the group never officially disbanded, they simply stopped recording in 1982 and have never done a reunion concert to date, their music resonates all over the world, thanks to numerous compilation albums, most notably the mega-selling "ABBA Gold," appearances on tons of film soundtracks, a live touring cover band (dubbed Bjorn Again), a motion picture 'Mamma Mia!' and lots more tribute acts playing around the world. ABBA has sold over 200 million albums worldwide and the number just keeps increasing. ABBA was a cult as ABBA Mania and so was the Beatles as Beatlemania.

This DVD sees the feverish madness of their March 1977 Australian tour was captured on film in Swedish director Lasse Hallstroem's film, which remains as one of the precious few opportunities to experience the band live on stage.

In the film, we follow radio disc jockey Ashley Wallace as he tries to hunt down the group for an exclusive, in-depth interview. Will he make it or not...? This part of the film is really interesting and is neatly interwoven into the action, with Hallstom's cameras following the Australian who tries to clinch an exclusive interview with the band as they tour his native country. This proves to be a problematic task, with the security surrounding Abba continually thwarting all his efforts as he attempts to get close to the elusive Swedish foursome. A great way to experience the frenzy that surrounded one of the biggest bands in the world during the 1970s, Hallstrom's film affords some glorious screen time to the music of Abba, while also encompassing a look at the media circus which slavishly followed them around.

Experience the excitement of ABBA's music and the mania that surrounded them in this very first DVD release of ABBA - The Movie. Most of the movie is showing them performing on stage, not one minute older today than 30 or 40 years ago, happy, energetic, strong, harmonious in a loud way and making everyone around happy, then and now.

The film has been fully restored and comes with remastered surround sound.

Don’t miss out the booklet that comes with the DVD pack on the Making of the Movie, with some great snapshots of the band on the set and filming the movie.

Rating: *****

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira