Mamma Mise-en-Scene!

  I decided to comment on the mise-en-scene of the 2008 movie, "Mamma Mia!" I made this decision because this is one of my favorite movies and I think the setting, lighting, costumes, and staging are quite remarkable. For those unfamiliar, Mamma Mia takes place in the Greek Islands and features Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep) who is preparing for her daughter's wedding. Her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), secretly invited three men from her mother's past in the hope of one of them being her real father. Mamma Mia is a jukebox movie-musical that is based on the songs of the Swedish pop band ABBA. 

The movie opens in the dark of night on the island, and pictures Sophie mailing letters to her potential fathers. Deep Space is used in this opening scene. This opening sequence has the song “I Have a Dream” playing under it, and contains a variety of wide, low, follow, and cameo shots. Sophie is looking from the letters to the open ocean. Deep Space is used in this frame because it stresses the distance that she has had with her real father all her life, but these letters are a chance to reconnect them. Here there is the use of Low-Key Lighting. From a dark, night scene playing in the frame, the shots then cut to a sequence of the “three fathers” traveling to Greece. The change in this shot showed heavy contrast in lighting, from very dark and glittery to bright and busy, as well as showing a shift from a calmer setting to a more chaotic one. 

As the beginning of the movie progresses, the audience can see that the movie starts to consist of High-Key Lighting -- which is common for musicals. Given that the movie is set on a beautiful Greek Island, most shots are filled with bright and soft colors that illuminate the essence of each scene. This brightness of the lighting and setting aligns similarly with the costumes. The wardrobe all represent the characters well, filled with a mix of overalls and shorts, flowy tops, a variety of bathing suits, and more. Most iconic from the film is the flashy disco outfits that include sequins, hotpants, and platform shoes. The costumes move not only with the characters but with the music and lively dance breaks. 

This moves us to comment on the staging of the film. As it is a musical, a large portion of the movie is filled with a performance style of very stylized-acting. All the actors move very freely but also with lots of power and expression. The choreography and blocking arrange by the actors guide the audience to understand the progression of the story and the impact it has on the characters.