On Oct.13, 2023, Taylor Swift released her highly-renowned “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” to theaters internationally as a film experience. The film has been a success, raking in approximately $96 million at the American box office according to CNN. According to Time, the movie also has made over $30 million at the box office globally, making it the highest grossing concert film in history. Swift herself produced the film and partnered with AMC Theaters for the film’s distribution.
I was fortunate enough to attend both the tour live in Atlanta, Georgia as well as attend the film on opening night on Oct. 13 in Durham. I was promptly greeted with the exact same energy I felt in Atlanta this past April for the tour—lines out the door, smiling individuals of all ages, joyful bracelet trading and costumes based on each of Swift’s eras. My friends and I dressed up as well, and in line for the Swift themed cups and popcorn buckets, we traded friendship bracelets with Swift references to everyone in sight. AMC staffers in the ticket booth passed out small posters and bracelets reading “AMC” to fans.
Inside the theater, there were trivia questions on the screen about Swift’s music and prior film endeavors before the film began. The lights dimmed and loud cheers could be heard across the theater, the start of high levels of fan interactions. Fans cheered at the start of new eras, singing and dancing in their seats. The cameras from the tour captured the many different elements of the tour, including live audience reactions, onstage visuals and the perspective of Swift and company themselves. The film illustrated how small a major stadium can seem in a film that is two hours and 50 minutes.
As Swift belted 2006’s “Our Song” and 2022’s “You’re On Your Own, Kid” as acoustic surprise songs onscreen, my friend and I wrapped our arms around each other, taking in the moment. The music of Swift has been a constant in our lives since we were young girls, the same age as many child fans in our theater. In many ways, the film is symbolic of how Swift’s music has grown and evolved alongside her fans. While Swift has shifted from country music to a more pop aesthetic, viewers of the film are still able to view all the different phases of her career.
At the end of the film, credits rolled to 2010’s “Long Live,” showing tour bloopers and fan footage. Fans around me were still cheering, and I had one thought: there is no limit to what Taylor Swift can do.
By Kat Whetstone, Contributing Writer
Photo courtesy of Kat Whetstone