Innocent bystanders walking by theaters showing “The Eras Tour” movie might be shocked to hear the scream-singing inside, but for an experienced fan, it was to be expected. What else could you expect from a film of the entire Taylor Swift concert?
I have experienced the concert in person, and being in the theater with a lot of people who love the music as much as I do was like reliving it all over again. After Swift’s endless stream of content she put out in 2023, this movie was the perfect way to end the magical journey, followed by an extended, rentable version, which was an even better surprise.
Prior to this tour, Swift hadn’t been on tour since 2018 for her album “Reputation,” which also had a film of the concert released. In that time, she has written and produced four new albums: “Lover,” “Folklore,” “Evermore” and “Midnights.” This brings her up to 10 studio albums in her career, and “The Eras Tour” covers all 17 years of her music. The extended version of the movie, produced by many people including Swift herself, includes three songs that weren’t a part of the original film in theaters: “Long Live,” “The Archer” and “Wildest Dreams.”
Even though this is not the first movie she has created, it is definitely her most impressive performance. The choreography by Mandy Moore is incredibly detailed and well-thought-out. It shows a story and is different with every era, unlike her “Reputation” concert film that, although amazing, had much simpler choreography. Swift also utilized many elements in her concert such as the big video screens, intricate sets, color changing wristbands for all of the fans and even fire to make the experience entertaining for people sitting in every seat in the stadium. The extended, at-home version of the film is now available on Disney Plus with added songs, such as “Cardigan.” It lets viewers have the experience on their own terms and also helps it reach an audience outside of her die-hard fans. The film’s purpose was to capture the essence of the concert through up-close shots of the infinite amount of details she included. Almost three hours of singing, dancing, and clapping later, my voice was gone, and my feet hurt, but I was able to feel the same adrenaline I did at the concert. All in all, this movie will continue to excite fans until the release of her new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on April 19.