The Last Video

Filmed: March & April 2004

Location: Independent Studios AB, Saltsjö-boo, Sweden and London, England

Broadcast: Wednesday 12 May 2004, Eurovision

Release status: Released on The Last Video DVD

Shown in: Europe

Additional information

The four ABBA members reunited (kind of) in the humorous film Our Last Video, where they each filmed a (silent) appearance lasting just a few moments each.  The film was shown during the interval of the Eurovision Song Contest's Semi-Final on Wednesday 12 May 2004 to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of ABBA's Eurovision win. Most of the script of the film was made up of ABBA song lyrics.

Agnetha and Frida filmed their parts separately although they were edited to look like they appeared together. Björn, Benny and Agnetha filmed their parts in Stockholm while Frida filmed hers in London.

The Last Video is the film about four hopeful musicians (a set of ABBA puppets made by Henson Creature Shop Limited who made The Muppets) in search of a record contract. They pay a visit to the Big Record Company Boss and his oily assistant, performing one hit after the other, cheered on by their manager. But things don't really work out as planned and as they leave, "the real ABBA" arrive (in footage taken from ABBA - The Movie) in the lift as the puppets leave.

Songs featured were:

  1. Take A Chance On Me
  2. Dancing Queen
  3. Waterloo
  4. The Winner Takes It All

The film was produced by Radical Media UK and filmed at Independent Studios AB at Saltsjö-boo, outside of Stockholm; and directed by Calle Åstrand. Apart from the puppet versions of Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Frida (which in reality are about 50cm tall), the film starred:

  1. Loa Falkman (Swedish singer and actor)
  2. Sissela Kyhle (Swedish actress and comedian)
  3. Robert Gustafsson (Swedish comedian)
  4. Rik Mayall (British comedian)
  5. Per Svensson (Swedish actor)
  6. Micke Nyqvist and Cecilia Frode (Swedish actor and actress)

There were also a couple of very interesting 'extras':

  1. Eddie (the Iron Maiden 'mascot')
  2. Cher.

The film crew were:
Executive Producer – Luke Beauchamp
Producer – Jeanette Albertsson
Writer & Director – Calle Åstrand
Director of Photography – Göran Hallberg

Rik Mayall died in 2014.  He had appeared on the same episode of Wogan in 1986 as Benny when he appeared with Gemini.

Robert Gustafsson had appeared on Allsång på Skansen with Benny the previous year (2003).


The ABBA puppets were seen again at the ABBAWORLD exhibition which in London in 2010 and then became a permanent display at ABBA - The Museum in Stockholm.

Cher's appearance was a total surprise and there's never been any background revealed as to how her appearance came about. She was in concert at the Globe Arena in Stockholm on 15 June 2004 but her appearance would have already been filmed by then.  She was in the UK touring between 9-22 May but that's also a bit late. Thirteen years later, in 2017, the news broke that she would be participating in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again singing Fernando. So maybe she's just a fan!

Released on DVD:
Monday 19 July 2004 - released on DVD, UK (reached No.9 in DVD chart)
Tuesday 24 August 2004 - released on DVD, Canada
Tuesday 31 August 2004 - USA
Monday 6 September 2004 - Spain
Monday 13 September 2004 - New Zealand
Also available officially in The Netherlands, Germany (reached No.2), Sweden (reached No.4) , Mexico & Australia.

The DVD release included a short behind-the-scenes film on The Making of The Last Video which showed how the Agnetha and Frida footage was blended together as they filmed in front of a green screen.  Also included on the DVD were the PROMO videos to Take A Chance On Me, Dancing Queen, Waterloo and The Winner Takes it All (ie. the songs featured in The Last Video). The featurette ended with a little scene between puppet-Björn and puppet-Benny about what they would do after ABBA.

Our Last Video

Receptionist:
I’ve been cheated by you since, I don’t know when. So, I made up my mind. This must come to an end. (Mamma Mia)

Record company boss (off screen): You better watch out! Ooh, I said you better watch out. (Watch Out)

Receptionist: Sir, there’s a band here to see you.

Boss (off screen, over intercom): Well, send them in.

Boss: What do you want?

Manager: I have a dream. I mean, they, they have a s-s-song to sing, yes. (I Have A Dream)

Doll Agnetha: Hej hej.

Doll Björn: Hello.

Doll Frida: Hi.

Doll Benny: Hi.

Boss: Well, rock me. Give me that kick now.

Assistant: Yeah, Rock him. (Rock Me)

Manager: Yes. Well. Come on Björn.

Doll Björn: ett, två, tre, fyra

(Take a chance on me)

Receptionist: I do, I do, I do. I do. But it’s true, I do, I do. (I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do)

Man in purple suit: I work all night, I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay.

Couple in blue and yellow: Ain’t it sad? (Money, Money, Money)

(Dancing Queen)

Receptionist: Ring Ring. (Ring Ring)

Woman in blue & yellow: If you’re looking for someone who might be right for you.

Man in blue & yellow: Call us, Get two for the price of one. (Two For The Price Of One)

Boss: I’m not charmed, you’re not groovy. (Doll ABBA: ) But, I will give you one more chance. (Doll ABBA: <Ah!>) (Dream World)

Assistant: Are you sure you wanna hear more? I mean, it’s not the style we’ve been looking for. (That’s Me)

Manager: Okay, here we go again. You know the start, and you know the end. (Voulez-Vous)

Assistant: Thank you sir?

Boss: shut up!

(Waterloo)

Man in blue & yellow: What’s that noise?

Woman in blue & yellow: What’s the dreadful rumble? (Soldiers)

(Waterloo continued)

Boss: Oh, thank you for the music. For the songs you’re singing.

Assistant: Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing.

Boss: So, thank you for the music. But no thank you. I don’t think they’ll ever be big enough (Thank You For The Music)
Assistant:

(The Winner Takes It All)

Receptionist: Hasta mañana till we meet again. Don’t know where, don’t know when. (Hasta Mañana)


(The Winner Takes It All)

Doll ABBA: Good luck!

Thanks to Micke Andersson, Robin Andersson, Lex Corbach, Carl Magnus Palm, Paul Campbell, "Ice" Wallis, Marcus Tustin, Jon Axelrod, Ian Cole, Robert Verbeek (RIP) and ABBAMAIL (no longer online) for 99% of the information. Thanks to Robin Andersson for identifying the Swedish actors.
YouTube link c/o AbbaVEVO

Got any information to add?
Spotted a mistake?
Contact me at abbaontv@yahoo.co.uk