For the millions who could’ve never dreamed they’d ever have the chance at the best seat in the house at a Taylor Swift concert, that moment came to movie theaters on Thursday — and it didn’t cost tens of thousands of dollars, just $19.89 ($13.13 for kids).
The massive 2-hour, 48-minute concert movie “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is for all the nosebleeders, the at-homers, the people whose cellphones lost juice or storage space while taking in a show this summer. Whether you got lucky with the chance to see Swift in the flesh and are reliving all the moments or are doing it for the first time now, it is unfathomably close to having the same experience. (It’s also definitely worth it to spring for the extra $5 for the Dolby theaters for the best viewing opportunity.)
Director Sam Wrench should already be fielding Grammy whispers for this epic summation of one of the biggest tours of the year (or decade), capturing every minute detail of the experience with unparalleled precision. From the giant crowd roars to booming acoustics and 360-degree views that would be nearly impossible to achieve from anywhere in the stadium stands, Wrench and his team found a way to create a direct translation of the intense energy brought at Swift’s concerts while also making the star herself become fully 3D (no funny movie glasses even needed).
In much the same way Swift finds muses in jilted lovers, Wrench and his camera crew in the trenches found a muse in her, capturing Swift at her most expressive, physical, amused, dramatic — and to think it was edited in record time for theatrical release across 8,000 movie houses, an incredible feat.
Recorded on the last leg of Swift’s Eras Tour at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, it was captured just weeks ago in early August with the film announcement coming Aug. 31 and, in now standard reaction, upending the industry. The surprise news of the movie alone put the fear of Swift into movie distributors, pushing forward or back release dates of several key flicks — including “The Exorcist: Believer,” which lost some key momentum not releasing on Friday the 13th as planned.
Presales for “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” movie tickets topped $100 million, with projections for $150-$200 million for opening weekend. In the same way Swift was praised for helping boost the economy with her summer tour, she may just do the same with the movie industry — at least the next few weeks before showings are scheduled to wrap up Nov. 5.
Even though the surprise announcement at the L.A. premiere on Wednesday that the concert movie was being pushed up a day was a bit of a dud (screenings in the Chicagoland area had plenty of seats available Thursday night), there’s no less excitement for the weekend with countless sold-out showings.
At AMC theaters, special merch bundles offer collectible popcorn tubs and cups as well as glow wands and totes; everyone who buys a ticket also gets a handout 8”x11” poster as they walk in. AMC has mildly warned fans not to disrupt other patrons’ viewing experience though they expressly encourage dancing and singing throughout this concert film event, which was apparent on night one at the Dine-In in Rosemont. Families came, children singing along to every song, shouting in tandem with the audience in the film as if they were one and the same.
As the movie wrapped up, a final bow, confetti explosions and fireworks appearing on the screen in one final sendoff, the only question was: How will Swift ever top this? Though there’s no doubt she will find a way; we are still living in her Era.
