Benny Andersson's film and TV composing work
Supposedly, Stig Anderson, suggested to Ingmar Bergman that Bjorn and Benny write
music for his films... Well, that never happened but B&B did write a couple of songs for two films in the early 1970's
and Benny has written small bits of music for a number of
obscure mostly Swedish film/TV projects since 1987. Unlike most film composers , Benny doesn't get too heavily
involved in the cumbersome process of matching music to the actual footage. Most of the films are hard to find, and much
of the music is unreleased or impossible to find. The obscurity of Benny's film work is frankly kind of irritating,it would
nice if Benny would make some effort to release his work here properly. A compilation of the original recordings of his
film work would probably solve this problem...Some of his film music has shown up on his solo albums (often in different
versions than the version heard in the film)-and thus those albums are the easiest places to currently find Benny's film work..
1. Seduction of Inga (1969) Swedish film
Benny's (and Bjorn Ulvaeus) wrote music for this, though apparently only a few songs. The
songs included are She's My My Kind of Girl" (which can be found on the Ring
Ring album) The Inga Theme (which can be found on the 2006 remaster of Lycka and a few other bits...This is soft-porn film that was finally released in 1971 under various names.
2. Ture Sventon-Privatdetektiv (1972) Swedish film...
Bjorn and Benny (and Stig Anderson ) wrote Jag Är Blott En Man for this movie...The movie starred Jarl Kulle, who also performed Jag Är Blott En
Man. Ture Sventon was remade as a Swedish Tv -movie in the 1980's...
3. ABBA-The Movie (1977) Swedish/Australian film
This of course, featured Benny's and Bjorn's music, and other movies
and videos have followed with ABBA music, but the films that follow feature music Benny composed specifically for them. The
film was directed Lasse Hallstrom.
4. Mio min Mio (1987) ...( Land of Faraway, The ) Swedish/Russian film
Most of the tracks are written by Benny's orchester/conductor Anders Eljas This
is yet another very hard to find ABBA related record release,this album features Bjorn and Benny's composition -'Mio Min Mio"
performed here in it's Swedish version by Gemini. Most of the other tracks are written by Benny's orchester/conductor Anders
Eljas. The Swedish version of -'Mio Min Mio".was big hit in Sweden...You can also get the song in it's English version on
their 1987 Geminism CD.
Track listing Original Soundtrack album for MIO
MIN MIO" -Hard to find Swedish release 1987
Performed by THE SOVIET
FILM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Conducted and arranged by Anders Eljas
Track listing...
MIO OVERTYR-Mio Overture
(Anders Eljas)
DRAKFLYGNINGEN-Kite Flying
(Anders Eljas)
HEMMA VÄNTAR TANT EDLA-Aunt Edna's Waiting At Home
(Anders Eljas)
BOSSE
RYMMER-Bosse Runs Away
(Anders Eljas)
RESAN TILL LANDET I FJÄRRAN-The Journey To The Land of Faraway
(Anders
Eljas & Benny Andersson)
HERDENS FLÖJT #1 - the Shepard's Flute #1
( Benny Andersson)
KATOS VIND -Kato's Icy Wind
(Anders Eljas)
MORGONLJUSETS BRO -The Bridge of the Morning Light
(Anders Eljas)
LANDET UTANFÖR -the Land Outside
(Anders Eljas)
MIRJAMIS TILLFÅNGATAS -Miramis
is Captured
(Anders Eljas)
JATKEN PÅ MIO OCH JUM-JUM-The Hunt for Mio and Yum Yum
(Anders Eljas)
HERDENS FLÖJT #2 - The
Shepard's Flute #1
( Benny Andersson)
SVÄRDET -The Sword
(Anders Eljas)
MOT RIDDAR KATO - Inside Kato's castle
(Anders
Eljas)
TILLFÅNGATANA HOS KATO -Prisoners of Kato
(Anders Eljas)
MOT FÄGELSEHÅLAN To The
dungeon
(Anders Eljas)
SVÄRDET TILLBAKA -Return of the Sword
(Anders Eljas)
SISTA STRIDEN
The Final Battle
(Anders Eljas)
ÅRTERFÖRENINGEN The Reunion
(Anders Eljas & Benny Andersson)
MIO MIN MIO Mio My Mio (Bjorn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson) performed by Gemini |
5. Den Hemliga vännen (1990) (the Secret Friend) Swedish film
A 90 minute film by Swedish actor/director/screenwriter Marie-Louise Ekman that included some music
composed by Benny Andersson.. The film explores the relationship of a husband and wife after the wife attempts to poison the
husband. The film stars Ernst-Hugo Järegård. Supposedly "Stockholm at Night"
fron Benny's NOVEMBER 1989 album was used here,
6. Gulburen (1990) Swedish TV program
A mini series lasting 270 minutes directed by Bjorn Melander featuring some music by
Benny Andersson.
7. Kom igen Gaby 1990) Swedish documentry
This documentary was directed byPea Holmsqvist it
features some music by Benny Andersson.
8. Duo jag (1991) Swedish Tv projrect
DUO JAG ,Another Marie-Louise Ekman project featuring
some music by Benny... the intrumental title track was found on the b-side of obscure Mono Records single...
9. I
FRU VENNERMANS FAL (1993) Swedish TV program & play
This piece started as a play by Marie-Louise-Ekman and eventually was made for Swedish Tv. Along the way a single was released with two songs...
FRU VENNERMANS SÅNG/DUO JAG Hard to find single release
These two songs (the first co-written by Benny , the second written solely by Benny)
were released as a single. The A-side was performed by Kent Andersson, Gösta Ekman, Dan Ekborg, Johannes Brost and Lakke Magnusson.
The A-side was used in a comedic play by Marie-Louise Ekman and the b-side was used as an instrumental from a 1993 TV version
of I FRU VENNERMANS FALL, also a Marie-Louise Ekman project .This is one of the most obscure of Benny 's recordings. It was
released on his Mono label..
10.Nu är pappa trött igen! (Father Isn't Feeling Well)(1996) Swedish film
This project features Benny's songs "PS" and "Cirkus Finemang". These two songs
can be found on Benny's most recent solo album-Benny
Andersson's Orkester. Another Marie-Louise Ekman project.
11.Sånger från andra våningen Songs from the Second Floor (2000) Danish-Norwegian
film Music released on a hard to find EP-CD
Directed by Roy Andersson (no relation to Benny) this is fairly interesting,and adventurous
film that focus on the dreamlike goings on one day or so in a very surreal place.The fact that Benny found yet another quirky
project to be involved with reminds us that he tends to be the more artisitic half of the Bjorn and Benny creative combine.
Most of Benny's music here is preety subtle, except for a choral number where most of the actors on the screen all of sudden
appear to be singing...even though there doing other things.... It's one of the best moments in the film. I never have
actually got confirmation of what this song is called . One source says it is "Karlekens
Tid" and another "Saknadens Rum".
There is not a soundtrack album but there was a hard to find three song promotional EP released
of Benny's music. The tracks are listed as "Sang1" "Sang 2" and "Sang 3" but their titles when released later
on BAO albums were Sången från andra våningen / " Saknadens
Rum" /Tösabiten . One source said the second song is "Laureen" ..
Sång Från Andra Våningen" , "Lauren ", and "Tösabiten" are found on different later
versions on 2001's Benny Andersson's Orkester and later versions of "Saknadens Rum " and "Kärlekens tid 'are found on the 2004 album- BAO.
A group called Terfel recently performed a new English
version medley of "Saknadens Rum" and "Karlekens Tid", called "Give me my song".
| OTHER VIEWS -Christine Boylan on Sang Fran Andra våningen |
| The music, by ABBA's Benny Andersson, is sneaky, distrustful and sad.
It crescendos into an operatic piece as Kalle (Lars Nordh), a businessman who has just torched his shop for the insurance
money, rides the subway home, covered in ash, surrounded by people who burst into song. The scene is indicative of Andersson's
entire aesthetic: stirring, beautiful and unsettling in its lack of context. |
12.PUDER (Powder ) 2001 Swedish film
Another obscure film by Marie- Louise Ekman. Thia 90 minute farce is about the goings on
of a theatre company that has been forced to make a commercial. Benny Andersson wrote some music for the film-two tracks of
which were released on a promotional CD -"Teater Krokodil'
is a choral piece which has lyrics by Marie- Louise Ekman .The
second track is an instrumenal is simply titled 'Puder'.
13 .Asta Nilssons sällskap (2005) Swedish film
Another obscure film by Marie- Louise Ekman that features music by Benny..
14. Du Levande (You the living) 2009 film release and limited DVD release.
Another Roy Andersson film with Benny's music, apparently the music used was leftover from "Songs
from the second floor"
