Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” Concert Film Captures the Magic of Her Record-Breaking Live Spectacle
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The post Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” Concert Film Captures the Magic of Her Record-Breaking Live Spectacle appeared first on Consequence.
The Pitch: It’s perhaps the easiest sell of all time: What would happen if we took an enormous, record-breaking, joyfully communal tour, professionally recorded it, and tossed it in theaters? Taylor Swift is a mastermind, indeed, but Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour was a true no-brainer.
Following an exceptionally buzzy premiere and some last-minute early access screenings, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour officially opened in theaters on Friday, October 13th. It’s already on pace to become the most profitable concert film in history.
While social media has already been flooded with videos of some of the more performance-inclined fans, this writer’s experience was delightfully average. Fans stayed seated throughout the two hours and 48 minute run time, save for the finale of “Karma.” Some attendees sang along, but never so loud that it distracted from the viewing experience — and maybe some of this is due to the fact that Nashville’s Belcourt Theater attracts longtime fans of cinema, like the trio of folks in their 60s beside me who were there “just to see what the fuss was all about.”
(Cinema) Style: Whether attendees had floor seats, watched the concert from the nosebleeds, or haven’t been able to see “The Eras Tour” at all in-person, the film offers an entirely new perspective. Filmed at Los Angeles’ mammoth SoFi Stadium, the theatrical experience takes viewers closer than even the best seats would have allowed. It’s particularly gratifying watching the dancers up close, whose melodramatic facial expressions during “The Man” and gorgeous technique in the duo performances of “Lover” are on full display here.
The costuming and detailed sets shifting from era to era are part of what made “The Eras Tour” such an immersive experience, and the camerawork again puts the craft in the spotlight. Swift, of course, looks and sounds great, beaming at the sold-out SoFi crowd throughout the show.
Ready For It: Picking a standout era is a fool’s errand and really comes down to personal preference, but for this writer, it’s always the evermore portion of the show — I could’ve stayed in the spooky, witchy, cauldron-filled portion of the concert for the entire run time and left happy. The only true problem with the concert film is the same one that appeared in the live version of the tour each evening, and it’s the lack of time spent with Speak Now and Swift’s self-titled debut record. Thankfully, one of the surprise songs included here is “Our Song,” as much a bop now as it was in 2009.
Shaking It Off: There’s something that can’t quite be replicated about being in a stadium full of people, but transferring that energy to a dedicated theater of fans comes pretty close. Swift has remained squarely in the center of the cultural conversation for one reason or another since “The Eras Tour” launched, but what the concert film is able to authentically capture is the root of her fame. The reason the fans at the show love her is obviously not who she’s dating, or the costume changes, or the spectacle — although all those things are fun, too. But it really is all about the music. By the time “Long Live” is playing through the credits, it’s nearly impossible for even the biggest hater to remain sour.
In the canon of great concert films, many are about stellar choreography. Swift knows that’s never going to be her greatest strength (although, again, her incredible dancers bring plenty of energy), and the structure of the show inherently makes the incredible songs she’s written over the years the primary focus here. The fact that a handful of moments were cut — “cardigan,” perhaps most egregiously — and the film still stretches to nearly three hours without feeling like it drags says everything that needs to be said.
The Verdict: Go see it. Have a glass of wine, if you want. Maybe even two! Enjoy the experience of seeing something fun in a theater with other people who like the same thing as you. Life is now.
“The Eras Tour” Film Setlist:
Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince
Cruel Summer
The Man
You Need to Calm Down
Lover
Fearless
You Belong With Me
Love Story
willow
marjorie
champagne problems
tolerate it
…Ready For it?
Delicate
Don’t Blame Me
Look What You Made Me Do
Enchanted
22
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
I Knew You Were Trouble
All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
the 1
betty
the last great american dynasty
august
illicit affairs
my tears riccochet
Style
Blank Space
Shake It Off
Bad Blood
Our Song
You’re On Your Own, Kid
Lavender Haze
Anti-Hero
Midnight Rain
Vigilante Shit
Bejeweled
Mastermind
Karma
Long Live
Trailer:
Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” Concert Film Captures the Magic of Her Record-Breaking Live Spectacle
Mary Siroky
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