‘Swifties’ flock to film theaters for record-breaking ‘Eras’ movie

By AFP

LOS ANGELES: Taylor Swift followers sporting friendship bracelets and glittery cowboy boots packed into early screenings of the pop megastar’s live performance movie at film theaters throughout the United States on Thursday.

Thanks to the hysteria surrounding the singer’s ongoing and record-setting world tour, a filmed model of her live performance — “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” — is already tipped to be one of many yr’s greatest motion pictures.

Usual cinema etiquette has been thrown out the window, with multiplexes reminiscent of AMC encouraging prospects to bop, sing and even take selfies all through screenings.

“At the top of my lungs, I will be screaming in my seat, and dancing around, and hopefully trading more friendship bracelets,” stated Jamie Concha, 20, at a screening in Los Angeles’ Century City.

“I love every Swiftie. I think we’re all very connected,” she stated, referring to the nickname adopted by Swift’s fiercely loyal fanbase.

Shot throughout three current sold-out Los Angeles reveals, the movie comprises no interviews, commentary or behind-the-scenes footage.

Instead, the movie’s demand depends on drawing followers who missed out on tickets to the precise tour, or wish to relive the phenomenon once more, up shut and alongside fellow obsessives.

In the concession line earlier than the primary screening in Century City, a pair of teenage women arrived carrying a bag full of friendship bracelets, which they handed out to fellow Swifties.

The colourful, beaded equipment have turn into a key a part of “Eras” fandom, with concertgoers creating and swapping bracelets bearing references to their favourite Swift lyrics and quotes.

The Midwest-based Marcus Theatres has even promised “friendship bracelet making stations” at its screenings.

Swift-branded popcorn tins

Almost all of the moviegoers at Century City on Thursday had been to see the dwell reveals already, and plenty of had been planning repeat viewings on the multiplex.

“I’m coming to four screenings, and I saw the concert three times,” stated Amber Eaves, 33.

“It was the best concert experience I’ve ever been to… I was crying the entire time, I had makeup streaming down my face,” stated Kasey Longstreet, 24.

“It was such a special night that I wanted to come back and see it again.”

Domestic opening weekend field workplace estimates are as excessive as $150 million — a file for a live performance movie, and numbers corresponding to this summer season’s reigning smash hit film, “Barbie.”

Theaters — nonetheless recovering from the pandemic, and confronted with a dearth of recent motion pictures because of the continuing Hollywood strikes — had been additionally cashing in on demand for Swift merchandise Thursday.

AMC charged $19.89 — a reference to Swift’s album “1989” — for Swift-branded popcorn tins.

Staff reported followers arriving for the reason that morning simply to buy empty soda cups, on the full worth of $11.99. Some left with the utmost 5 cups allowed per film ticket.

The film had been set to hit screens Friday, however the singer introduced on Wednesday that “due to unprecedented demand,” preview screenings would start a day earlier.

“I’m already going this weekend, but when she dropped this at the last second, I was like, ‘I gotta go after work, oh my god,” stated Eaves.

“It’s just gonna be one of those cultural phenomenons that you can look back and say ‘I was a part of that.'”

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