Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/ The Cougar
With the emanating success of Taylor Swift: The Era’s Tour, she announced the premiere of her concert film starting Oct. 13th.
During a period of strikes, Swift struck an unprecedented distribution agreement with AMC and other theaters and complied with SAG-AFTRA’s strike standards, not crossing the picket line.
During the film’s premiere at AMC Theaters The Grove in Los Angeles on Oct. 11th, Swift announced early access to showings of the film on Oct. 12th in America and Canada, due to unprecedented demand.
On its first day of presales, the film was met with significant ticket demand, amassing a record of over $26 million in total presales. It has become the highest-grossing concert film of all time with $95 million to $97 million in its domestic debut and $130 million globally, as well as one of the biggest opening weekends of the year.
The ticket prices are set at $13.13, for children and seniors and $19.89 for adults, referencing her lucky number and her most awarded pop-album.
Fans were encouraged to sing, dance, dress up in Era’s Tour attire and make friendship bracelets, according to a press release by AMC theaters.
“We actually went Thursday night and our theater was empty! There were only like 8 people in total and it was super chill!” said retailing and consumer science senior Karyme Garza. “We watched it in Dolby and the experience was amazing, it felt like we were back at the concert. We were also able to get popcorn buckets and cups!”
Many theatres like AMC, Regal and Cinemark offered limited edition tour-themed items like popcorn buckets, cups and other merchandise.
“It was actually kinda nice that there were only a few of us because I wanted a more relaxed experience rather than the whole theater dancing and screaming, which is totally fine,” Garza said.
She had attended the concert in March and wanted to sit down and hear Swift sing at the Eras movie this time.
“My theater was jumping, dancing, screaming along it was so cool and I loved the vibes!” said political science and history sophomore Gerardo Angulo. “We exchanged friendship bracelets before and after the show and it was so cool to relive the moments we had at the actual eras tour.”
Garza and her friends opted for more comfortable outfits and chose to wear their Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) cardigans. Similarly, Gerardo and his friends dressed as Swift’s Lover and Reputation albums.
Angulo said the price of the tickets was worth the experience because of the sound, visuals and atmosphere.
“It wasn’t the eras tour, but it felt like it all over again with the music, the lights, everything,” Angulo said. “I went in blind expecting the thing to be like Miss America, the documentary, but it was literally the tour all over again which was so cute.”
Angulo even deleted his TikTok and Twitter to avoid spoilers about the surprise songs that were included in the film.
“I started crying uncontrollably,” Angulo said. “It definitely was the surprise of the surprise songs that I loved the most because it felt like I was there listening to them live.”
This concert film was a chance for many fans to re-experience the Eras Tour or experience it for the first time if they were not able to secure tickets.
“I think my favorite part was being able to do it all over again with my best friend and her sister since we all went together to the Eras tour,” Garza said. “It was nice reliving it with them.”
The movie will continue to run from Thursdays to Sundays in theatres, mimicking a concert-like experience, until Nov. 5.
