Tom Sarjant - Eleanore Louise Cummings - Smeleanor Graves

Introduction: What is a British Film?

Mamma Mia

Tom Sarjant:

Set on a colourful Greek island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs. A young woman about to be married discovers that any one of three men could be her father. She invites all three to the wedding without telling her mother, Donna, who was once the lead singer of Donna and the Dynamos. In the meantime, Donna has invited her backup singers, Rosie and Tanya.

The film has both British and American actors so isn’t in that way British. The story line doesn’t portray British stereotypes – it is a romantic comedy based on Abba songs which is not British, it’s Swedish.

The cast is a mix between British and American and some other nationalities such as Swedish actors/actresses. There are some very famous names on the cast such as Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth as well as other less well known actors/actresses.

The Director of Mamma Mia! is Phyllida Lloyd. She also directed Gloriana in 2000. Phyllida Lloyd (born 17 June 1957) is an English director, best known for her work in theatre. In 2006, Lloyd received two academic honours: Oxford University named her Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre, and she was awarded an honorary degree from Bristol University. She was also named one of the 100 most influential gay and lesbian people in Britain by the Independent.

In 1999 Lloyd was offered the chance to direct the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!, which became a hit, not only in the West End and on Broadway, but worldwide. She directed the 2008 cinematic adaptation, which marked her feature debut. By the end of 2008, the film had been certified as the biggest grossing British film of all time at the UK box office. It was also certified as the UK's biggest-selling DVD of all time.


4. The style of Mamma Mia is different to the conventional film. It is an adaptation of a musical and a mix between a musical and a film. It is a happy film in terms of atmosphere and has a light hearted story line. The film is clearly popular with many age groups and social classes as it smashed many British records in terms of sales. However it is not characteristically British.

Eleanore-Louise Cummings:

The genre of Mamma Mia is romantic comedy musical. The other films it reminds me of is The Producer which also fit into this category.
The following things connect to why it is a musical romantic comedy:
The Following are Production companies financed Mamma Mia :
Universal Pictures (presents) , Littlestar Productions (as Littlestar), Relativity Media (in association with) , Playtone, Internationale Film production Richter.#
Most of the filming was done on the small Greek island of Skopelos (during August/September 2007),[8] and the seaside hamlet of Damouchari in the Pelion area of Greece. On Skopelos, Kastani beach on the south west coast was the film's main location site.[8] The producers built a beach bar and jetty along the beach, but removed them both when they left.[8]
Other parts of the film were produced on the 007 stage at Pinewood Studios, where lighting and temperature could be controlled. Production offices for the film were based at Pinewood Studios.
The part of the film where two of the characters miss the last ferry to the island was filmed at the old port of Skiathos.
Both composers, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, appear in minor, uncredited roles in the film. Andersson, dressed as a fisherman, plays the piano in "Dancing Queen" as the cast dances; Ulvaeus is a Greek god (with lyre) showering the girls with gold dust during the closing credits.
Actress Meryl Streep had taken opera singing lessons as a child, and as an adult, she had previously sung in several movies, including Postcards from the Edge, Silkwood, and A Prairie Home Companion.[9]
The Mamma Mia! trailer was released the week of December 10, 2007 first on Entertainment Tonight, then released to the internet. A high quality version can be found on the film's official site.

Eleanor Graves:


Introduction: What is a British Film?

Task 1:

MAN ON WIRE HUNGER IN BRUGES MAMMA MIA! SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Task 2:

Distribution
Hostess is partnered with Universal Pictures for a blockbuster promotion of Mamma Mia

Where and how was it promoted?
Hostess(R) is partnering with Universal Pictures for a blockbuster promotion that brings together America's favorite smart snacking sweet treat – Hostess 100 Calorie Packs – and one of the most anticipated theatrical releases of the summer – the musical romantic comedy Mamma Mia! In connection with the film's theatrical release, Hostess is offering the chance to win a Mamma Mia!-themed grand prize that includes a VIP trip to Las Vegas for six with travel and accommodations, $1,000 spending money, VIP backstage passes to the Las Vegas stage version of the musical and more. In addition, 10,000 first prize winners will receive "Movie Money Tickets" with over 200 winners per day

Exhibition:
Mamma Mia was released in London 30 June 2008, it released over 5 million copies since being released in November 2008 on DVD, 10 copies being sold every second. The competition was The dark knight,
On November 24, Mamma Mia! became the fastest-selling DVD of all time in the UK, according to Official UK Charts Company figures. It sold 1,669,084 copies on its first day of release, breaking the previous record (held by Titanic) by 560,000 copies. By the end of 2008, The Official UK Charts Company declared it had become the biggest selling DVD ever in the UK, with one in every four households owning a copy (over 5 million copies sold).[36] The record was previously held by Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl with sales of 4.7 million copies.
On November 26, 2008, Mamma Mia! became the best-selling DVD in Finland, by selling 110,000 copies and is the first DVD to earn a platinum award in that country.
In the United States the DVD made over $30 million on its first day of release.[37]
By December 31, 2008, Mamma Mia! had become the best-selling DVD of all time in Sweden with 545,000 copies sold.[38]
The DVD was released as a single-disc edition and a two-disc special edition.


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