Despite its slightly misleading title, A-Ha: The Movie sadly isn’t a biopic about the Norwegian band, but instead an in-depth documentary that charts the journey that the three-piece have been on. That journey is a very impressive one, the three coming from humble beginnings to go on and sell over 50 million records worldwide, with their song Take on Me being one of the highest selling singles of all time. The scope of their success will surprise many who have always thought of the group as a one or two-hit wonder, but as this documentary proves, the trio have a longstanding career and their popularity shows no signs of waning anytime soon.
Rather than immediately rewind to the start of their story, A-Ha: The Movie spends several moments with A-Ha during their 2018 tour. Footage follows as lead singer Morten Harket, keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, and guitarist and Pål Waaktaar-Savoy, prepare for their next performance. Then comes a few snippets of interviews, which immediately demonstrate that this isn’t just going to be a fluff piece about the band. Each of the three are uncomfortably frank and honest, and when asked the question of whether they will make another album together, Magne is very open in his opinion. When probed he replies simply that it’s “like a hornet’s nest” and that “we’d want to bash each other’s heads in.”
After this revelation, the documentary rewinds back to the very beginning as both Magne and Pål recount about how they met. The pair lived around the corner from one another as children, though it wasn’t until their early teens that they met officially and became friends. The two were drawn together through their shared love of music and they quickly set about forming a band. These early trips down memory lane are accompanied by the usual images and stock footage, but also some animation work. Constructed in the same way as the animation in their iconic Take on Me music video, this sketch inserts younger versions of both into the environment of their youth. It’s a great technique, one that ties the visual style of the piece to the band on a personal level whilst also livening up what could otherwise be some rather dull static shots.
It wasn’t until a few years later that Morten linked up with the band, the story of how the three connected via a shared personal tragedy during a late night walk is incredibly touching. Although Morten didn’t join A-Ha at its genesis, he shares that he discovered his calling, aged five, in the back of his parent’s car. He describes the time in great detail, remarking that in that moment he knew that he had wings to sing. It’s a very poetic description and there’s no denying that Morten has one of the most unique voices in music. That voice gets plenty of screen time as the camera follows through soundchecks and live performances, giving the viewer plenty of time to bask in its beauty.
A-Ha: The Movie doesn’t just talk through the journey from inception to super stardom, it also explores how each band member handled the sudden fame they found. With Morten the more outgoing of the three, and the lead singer, it was him that the media latched onto. He became the de-facto face of A-Ha, regularly being booked for interviews and appearances alone. For some groups this amount of attention on just one member would cause a jealous rift, but both Magne and Pål express relief at having been able to stay in the background. Chats with Morten are a little harder to watch though as the softly spoken Norwegian has clearly struggled with his time in the spotlight over the years. His candid words make it easy to understand why he agreed to sign onto last year’s UK version of The Masked Singer as it was a chance for him to perform without all the expectations that come with his shows.
A further point of intrigue is that co-directors Thoma Robsahm and Aslaug Holm don’t water down the trio’s honesty or behaviour. Their interaction with one another feels like that of brothers. One day they love each other, and the next they can’t stand to be near one another. It’s a fact that the band’s photographer remarks on during a short interview, and it’s this brotherly bond that has clearly kept them tied together. The other aspect that connects them is how each of them is somewhat of an insufferable perfectionist. Each strives for 1000% immaculate and anything less than that causes friction and moods, the cameras picking up several examples. Yet this drive isn’t driven by ego, more about them all wanting to contribute the best they can for this group’s endeavour.
Fans of A-Ha are going to immediately fall in love with this up close and personal access to the Norwegian supergroup. For those unfamiliar with the group there is an Aladdin’s Cave full of interesting facts and stories about the band. How the group joined forces might not be too unconventional, but many other aspects of their journey are. A documentary stuffed full with enough to entertain A-Ha fans at either end of the spectrum, A-Ha: The Movie is an unvarnished study of three men bonded together through their shared passion for music.
A-Ha: The Movie
Summary
Spanning from 1974 all the way through to a final set of interviews in 2020, A-Ha: The Movie is an honest and insightful glimpse into the friendships forged in the kiln of music.
A-Ha: The Movie was reviewed at Glasgow Film Festival 2022.
