2021 Directed by Thomas Robsahm
When "Take On Me" reached nr 1 on Billboard in the US in 1985, the dream came true. Or did it? The band was not prepared for what the success could bring, including tension between the three band members.
Tribeca Film Festival 2021
Everyone on the globe is pretty familiar with the 80s hit song ‘Take on Me,’ but how much do you know about the band behind it: a-Ha? This music doc explores the fame that the iconic song brought the Norwegian band, as well was the troubles.
There is some interesting commentary from the band members as they reflect upon the past 35 years. It doesn’t make for the most entertaining documentary on a band ever, except for maybe the most hardcore fans of the band.
Ok I know ‘Take On Me’ is a banger, but let’s be real: ‘The Sun Always Shine on TV’ is the superior song.
I always preferred The Sun Always Shines on TV, personally.
A documentary of two halves, really. The first half is a pretty dry walkthrough on the formation of the band that contains no stories of any real note or interest. The standard sort of stuff that can't even be of much interest to hardcore a-ha fans, and apparently there are such people!
Then it gets into the second half and actually starts to delve into more interesting stuff that also sheds some light on why the three band members are so low-key and dull in the early part of the film. Because they *are* low-key and dull. Personality traits that really seem to drive their music…
A story of three guys who really don't like each other much anymore, that takes a little too long to tell and feels really all over the place as it plays out. The film would've been better suited if it featured interviews with other musicians, cultural critics, or even fans, but considering the movie pretty much stays footage (interview and archival) of the three a-ha fellas (even their wives are only heard in V.O.), it feels pretty minimal and even claustrophobic. I really liked the animation though, well done there.
I'm not sure why I decided to watch a-ha: The Movie, but then again I've never been one of those persnickety people who required a good reason to watch any movie, no matter how obscure, specialized, or irrelevant.
I would not identify as an a-ha fan. I did own Hunting High and Low on cassette. I will cop to that. But in 1985 I was as indiscriminate a cassette buyer as I am a movie watcher today.
This is not to deny that "Take on Me" was and remains a banger and that its followup single "The Sun Always Shines on TV" was [fire emoji]. I don't even mind a-ha's James Bond song, although I can't remember what it was…
The story of a-ha is so dense that covering it in a 1.5 hour documentary was never going to do it justice. Hardcore fans will probably be left disappointed by the lack of content covering the 2000 - 2015 period while 'not so familiar fans' will be left wanting more backstory on "Take on Me". Aside from these aspects I think it's a well rounded take on the band from Norway. The selection of songs was an almost perfect mix of singles and deep cuts. Hardcore fans probably won't find too many surprises but will definitely find a few gems to appreciate. It gives you a solid perspective of the dynamics of the band but I do feel the overall…
2021 Tribeca at Home Film #21
How does a band stay together after thirty five years without killing each other? Barely, is the answer in "a-ha: The Movie," a documentary on the history of this unlikely pop sensation. Emerging from obscurity in Norway in the seventies to become worldwide celebrities, the film covers their history and the tensions that still exist within the band. Most casual viewers will only be familiar with their gigantic hit "Take On Me," a seminal track that will likely fill anybody's top ten eighties songs list. But this documentary goes into their surprisingly deep catalogue and reveals both the extraordinary talent and divisions the members have gone through. Even for non fans of a-ha, this is a fascinating and inspiring watch. Four stars.
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I’ve known about them my whole life but I just realised that I have only heard like 3 songs
Tribeca 2021 — #11
Despite an early wraparound aesthetic based on the famous music video, only spends a moment on Take on Me. Look, I’d accept a whole documentary about it. Otherwise, pretty dryly presented and typical of music documentaries, everything you expect, and nothing you don’t expect. But from Norway!
Would the a-ha of today be an Eurovision act? I think so.
A-Ha’s absolutely magical “Take on Me” and its stunning art-inspired music video ranks among my favorite songs of all time. I didn’t realize just how little I knew about the first Norweigan band to make it big worldwide, or how little of their catalogue I had explored ahead of time. The fact that I instantly opened my Spotify and downloaded most of A-Ha’s discography as soon as A-Ha: The Movie ended should speak volumes about its overall quality. If you are a longtime fan of the band itself (and the adorable, but humble heartthrob at the center, Morten Harket), I can only imagine the incredibly insightful and deliciously descriptive documentary having its most potent impact.
Read more HERE.
This band are so seriously under rated!
I really wish I was in Oslo watching them right now!
Mostly conventional doc fare. Was left wanting more of that 80s/90s archival stuff; it fails to really capture the culture — the scene — into which they launched their stardom. That's what I wanted to feeeel. The complicated nature of their relationship in their later years is somewhat interesting, but I don't know if interesting enough. I remember so fondly of the Spandau Ballet doc from a few years ago (Soul Boys of the Western World) — I want to say that movie succeeds in ways this one fails, but I'd need a rewatch to be sure. Anyway, I love a-ha, particularly Scoundrel Days — a bad time in the studio, I just learned! — and I wish I knew ahead of time that they were playing Radio City this week.
