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In the office of a travel agency in the city of Skopelos, a pair of thongs thrown by Pierce Brosnan was hanging on the wall, decorated with light garlands.
For nearly a decade, obsessive ABBA and Mamma Mia maniacs place to pose for photos by the iconic Havaianas. But the size of Brosnan no longer attracts crowds on the beautiful island of the Aegean Sea where the film was sold at 460 million pounds sterling.
They recently took him to Denmark with the guide who found them in the villa of the actor in 2007
And while some of the 4,700 inhabitants can mourn their loss, most are too concerned about another devastating blow to the island's esteem. For when the long-awaited sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, hits the cinemas on Friday, Skopelos can no longer claim to be the island of Mamma Mia.
(Image: Phil Harris)
Must Now Share the Honor with Vis in Croatia, Which Seduced Filmmakers, Apparently Thanks to heavy tax relief from the government.
Now, the big-hearted Skopeletians – who helped Meryl Streep feel dizzy to sing his torch song on this dizzying cliff under the wedding chapel – hate to hear the phrase The Winner Takes It All. Because they pray, Mamma Mia's tourists will continue to take a chance with them
"It was very disappointing for us that filming is not taking place here," says the local mayor , Christos Vasiloudis. very sad. When the second part of a drama takes place, she should surely be in the same place. But it was perhaps much cheaper in Croatia
(Image: Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)
"This will not affect our tourism, however We still have so many visitors who want to see Mamma Mia's chapel and filming locations.
"But Skopelos has always been a beautiful island with a traditional character – houses, music, friendly people – which explains why the producers chose us last time.The island is the movie – the film is not the island. "
Some may say that Mr. Mayor is a Super Trouper and give a positive spin to the loss of business. But, while visiting Skopelos this week, I discovered that it's not just Money, Money, Money.
Yes, the locals made a mint from the first shoot, working as extras or drivers. crew. And travel agencies continue to cash, with bus and boat trips to the filming locations, all recorded by ABBA
(Image: Phil Harris / Daily Mirror) feeling hurt that Meryl, Pierce, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, and Amanda Seyfried did not have the chance to "go home". Or that their proud and sunny island can not shine once again in cinemas around the world.
Mary Diamantis, 53, president of the local hotel badociation and owner of the Delphi hotel, said: "We have never cashed" A man opened a Mamma Mia cafe in 2009, but it's closed after a year.
"Most visitors do not want it – just the untouched beauty that they have seen in the film – or to get married in the novel from the place.
" We had 150 to 200 weddings each year since 2009. "
I took a bus trip with Dolphin Tours to the movie sites, from from the chapel of Agios Ioannis, where Donna married Sam after her daughter Sophie was cold-footed when marrying Sky.I tried to sprint the 220 stairs horribly steep and narrow like Donna [Meryl] [19659002] But after five minutes, I sent an SOS for water and oxygen
"It took four hours to Meryl Streep for here the first time she is terrified by the heights, "revealed my guide Yiannis. "There was no ramp at the time, so it took five hours to get it down."
Many fans are disappointed to see that the real chapel is tiny. filmed at Pinewood Studios in the UK. But Yiannis said, "Real fanatics scream with excitement when they see it."
"I had a group of 25 people from Argentina and a woman in her 50s crying:" It's the highlight of my life. "
Half Alagiozidis, 55, and his daughter Tanya, 24, visited the chapel during their vacation in Melbourne, Australia
( Phil Harris / Daily Mirror) [19659007] Read More
"I'm a big fan of the movie," said Demi. "But I like the fact that Skopelos is so authentic, like the fictitious Kalokairi, I do not want fridge magnets or ABBA wigs." She and all the other tourists we met did not know that the sequel had been filmed in Croatia
"It's a shame for locals who have not found work this time," says Don, 54, from Scotland. But I think people will always want to come here to the first Mamma Mia Island. "
Another leg of the tour was Kastani Beach, where Sophie and Sky sang Lay Your Love on me, and Randy Tanya tried to seduce
(Image: Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)
The wooden pier and bar built for the film were dismantled later, but now the beautiful beach was destroyed A successful snack bar full of tourists
Back in the city of Skopelos every City residents have fond memories of 2007, when the magic of Hollywood arrived on their island. A taxi driver told me that he was taking a beer with Pierce, a restaurateur shows me an autograph from Meryl and a shopkeeper says that she was an extra in the movie.
And they are really emptied for being pushed back this time.
At Skopelos Village Resort, where the stars stayed in 2007, a staff member sighed, "Everyone is very sad. But since the financial crash of 2009, the taxes are too high and the government would have wanted too much money from the filmmakers. "
He shows me the visitor's book with messages from Meryl, Pierce and Colin, who apparently loved the margaritas, and in the bar, there is a Mamma Mia shrine, with movie posters and snapshots of the "relaxing" cast after too many. woman asks me if i saw the new movie, but i just saw all the trailers.
"But they must surely use our views on the island in this movie?" she said, "Will not the fans notice? And this place Vis could never be so beautiful. "
(Image: Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)
Later, a driver – who asks me not to use his name – tells me a little Earlier this year, he led a team around the island that "secretly" filmed views and locations of the original film.He swore that they were working undercover for Here We producers. Go Again.
And, despite their financial loss, the locals want to believe it
because, when all is said and done, they know that Skopelos is still the island of Mamma Mia.
And , after seeing myself, I do, I do, I do, me too
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