Inspired by the flagship songs from the ABBA musical, “Mamma Mia! Was a real commercial hit. So much so that the islands of Skiathos and Skópelos are today invaded by tourists.
Dancing queen!
Film adaptation of the musical of the same title, Mamma Mia! made the bet to take again the cult pieces of ABBA during the plots of the film. As a reminder, this swedish group unleashed passions during the 1970s. Indeed, after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, ABBA enjoyed immense success during the period when disco was raging in nightclubs. Pieces such as Money, Money, Money, Dancing Queen, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) and of course Mamma mia (title of the film released in 2008) have furiously entered pop culture.
The feature film has a gallery of stars such as Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth or even Stellan Skarsgård. Seeing such a casting grow the song obviously made the public curious who rushed into the rooms. Thus, the film collects $ 609 million at the box office for a budget of $ 52 million. A triumph thus, and this, in spite of virulent criticisms towards the film. The success of the film led 10 years later to a sequel entitled Mamma Mia! Here we go again.
Mamma Mia! follows Sophie, a young girl in her twenties who lives on the Greek island of Kalokairi with her mother Donna. This one intends to get married, and decides send three letters of invitation to three men, one of whom she believes is her father. The three individuals therefore return to the island where they fell in love 20 years ago.
Islands that used the success of the film
The filming of the film has all of the paradisiacal location via the beautiful islands of Skiathos and Skópelos. With its turquoise sea, fine sandy beaches and traditional houses, Mamma Mia! has a real postcard decor. Following the success of the film, the two islands have therefore surfed the buzz to attract even more foreign tourists. The church in which Sophie is to be married is thus visited by many couples each year. Weddings are also celebrated on the island. As for the port of Skiathos, it has been welcoming its tourists since 2009 to the sound of the famous Waterloo.
Guided tours called “Mamma Mia Tours” also take non-residents to the main sets of the film. Screenings of the film are also regularly organized.
