Selling over 5 million copies since its release in November 2008, the movie, based around Abba songs, is now owned by one in four British households and beats previous record holder Pirates of the Caribbean.
The DVD sold over 1.6m copies on the first day of release alone, surpassing the previous Day 1 sales record held for 10 years by James Cameron's 1998 epic Titanic which sold 1.1 million units on the first day of release in the UK.
About Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia is the movie version of the smash-hit musical of the same name, which has been seen by over 32 million people worldwide since its stage debut in London nine years ago.
Ingeniously crafted around timeless Abba songs like Voulez-Vous, Money Money Money and the Winner Takes it All, Mamma Mia! is a fun, feel-good tale of love, laughter and friendship.
Cast of Mamma Mia!
An excellent cast of actors rather than singers were chosen for the key roles including Meryl Streep as Donna, relative newcomer Amanda Seyfried as her daughter Sophie, Julie Walters as Donna’s friend and Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan as Donna’s former boyfriends and possible father of her daughter.
There has been much criticism of the vocal ability of these actors even though the entire cast worked for many months on perfecting their singing roles. Meryl Streep stands out not only for a superb acting performance but also for her exceptionally strong voice in singing Abba songs requiring a wide vocal range to achieve perfection.
Why is Mamma Mia so Successful?
The success of the Mamma Mia! DVD follows on from the UK box office where the film has become the biggest grossing British movie of all time. British audiences love fun-packed feel-good movies which probably explains why this musical, a genre often difficult to translate well onto the big screen, has been such a smash hit. That and the UK’s love of the Swedish pop group Abba whose popularity continues more than 30 years after the band burst onto the scene by winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974.
The numerous Abba tribute bands, which pack dance floors at big parties have helped to keep Abba in the public limelight but ultimately, the power of the songs, the neat storyline, stunning scenery and an all star cast have made the movie a must-have DVD for many British households.
Other UK Top DVD’s for 2008
Mamma Mia! pushed the Curse of the Black Pearl into second place and also Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of The Ring and The Two Towers. The strength of the Abba-inspired movie has also made the soundtrack the highest-selling compilation album of 2008.
For more information on Mamma Mia! including where to buy the DVD and how to purchase tickets for the smash-hit musical worldwide can be found on the official Mamma Mia! website.
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