If there is one artist who’s fans will challenge traditional movie etiquette, it’s Taylor Swift. As if shutting down Ticketmaster wasn’t enough, Swifties have taken over the theaters, creating what has become a controversial experience for all movie-goers. Treating the film as if it’s the real tour, fans are singing, dancing, and even bowing hand-in-hand at the end of the film.
I’ll be the first to say, I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of Taylor Swift. Not an anti-fan, but certainly not one to spend my life savings on a nosebleed ticket to her tour, or even to spend significantly less to see her tour on film. I also list movie-clappers as my second most-hated type of people – runner-up only to plane-landing-clappers. That being said, I’m all for the total disregard of “movie etiquette.” Dance. Sing. Clap. I don’t care. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last year of soaking up pop culture, it’s to let the Swifties Swift. They’re going to do it anyway.
If you want a peaceful experience with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, you can wait until it’s available for purchase or rental on whatever streaming service you prefer. If you want to see the film that badly in theaters, come with the expectation that you’ll have a fairly interactive experience. Actually, embrace it. I totally understand the appeal of treating this film like the real thing if you couldn’t win the Ticketmaster battle to attend her actual concert or if you couldn’t afford to attend the real deal. Or if you just want to experience the real thing again. I personally have never seen a film in theaters with an interactive audience, but after seeing how much fun Swifties have had viewing the film in this interactive setting, I would love to give it a try. That’s not to say I believe movies in general should be interactive, as some should definitely be viewed the traditional way. I can’t really imagine Oppenheimer as an interactive experience, for example. But a film about a concert… why not? You’re supposed to dance, sing, cry, or express whatever feelings you feel at a concert, so why not do it at a film about a concert?
I may not be the biggest fan of Taylor Swift’s music, but I am a fan of the community she has managed to create because of it. Between the notorious friendship bracelet exchange and the intricate Eras Tours outfits that so clearly took hours to make, Swifties are exceptional at making their fandom unlike any other. It’s honestly beautiful the way her fans have come together and have taken something so traditional and made it their own unique experience. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is just another opportunity for Swifties to share their love for the artist, as well as each other, with one another, and I’m all for it.
