They had booked for a long time, and for them, it was a bit like the Big Night. Friday, from 6 p.m. in some cinemas, 8 p.m. for others, the singer’s many fans jostled at the doors of the 144 theaters in France – and 8,500 around the world – who programmed “Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour”. A documentary on the current tour of the 33-year-old musiciana phenomenon of album sales (in digital or physical media) across the planet, and which will only be visible during fifteen sessions over four weekends.
But this Friday evening, after an early date of 24 hours in the United States, time for the first screenings of the film in France. A godsend for the most addicted, in particular for those who were unable to get a ticket for the six sold-out French dates of this tour scheduled for next May and June in Paris and Lyon.
A few minutes before the screening, we feel impatience building in the square in front of the Gaumont Champs-Élysées cinema in Paris (8th arrondissement), particularly among Sarah, 17, who is waiting for a friend with the phone in hand. She does not go unnoticed, with her sequined dress, the same as one of those worn by the star on stage: “I have a ticket for the concert in May at the Arena, I bought the outfit for That. So I’m celebrating it this evening. I bought my tickets three weeks ago, I don’t mind seeing the film before the concert…”
Alana, a 19-year-old Parisian, admits to having less luck: “I didn’t manage to get tickets for the tour which goes through Paris. Thanks to the film, we say to ourselves that it’s a bit like we’re going there anyway. We hope there will be a good atmosphere and, if so, we will sing! » Same case for Inès and Diane, both 16 years old: “We didn’t have places for the May concerts, so this evening we want to sing, we booked two weeks ago for that. »
A packed house and fans singing along to the songs
The much-hoped-for atmosphere will take hold from the first minute of the screening, while fans, who paid a little less than 20 euros, were also able to purchase buckets of popcorn and cups of popcorn at the cinema counter. effigy of the “Eras Tour”. The room is packed, and straight away, the spectators repeat the words of the songs, clapping and shouting at the end of each track, as if they were really at the concert… It will go on like this for 2 hours 49 minutes.
On the screen, they are amazed, spectators ultimately more privileged than those who attended the three dates of the show at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles where the recording was made. Because this tour of Taylor Swift only takes place in gigantic stadiums, and, despite the giant screens placed on site, die-hard fans from high up should not see much of it. In the cinema, on the other hand, the camera follows the star closely. We thus make the most of this insane concert, with its immense glass stage where images are projected and which advances into the middle of the audience, its special effects, its incredible choreographies with sometimes thirty dancers surrounding Taylor Swift.
The singer wanted this show to be total, distilling the hits from all her albums in chronological order. With each opus, its change of atmosphere – pop, dance, country…, scenography, outfits. She rolls out her flagship songs: “Miss America & The Heartbreak Prince”, “Fearless”, “We are never getting back together”, “Style”, “Shake it off”, “Mastermind”… When she begins those very pop and stirring songs from the album “1989”, the audience at the Gaumont Champs-Élysées stands up in unison and dances.
The anonymous people are in fusion with their idol, who gives a lot, exudes phenomenal energy for almost three hours even though she already has 75 dates behind her. Incredible Taylor Swift, who regularly addresses her followers, jumps, dances, smiles constantly. Seeing her like this, happy, we understand better her global success: beyond a hit maker and an exceptional singer, she is a beast of the stage. Better still, aware of this capture that she wanted to offer to those who were unable to attend the concerts, she constantly plays with the camera.
“I loved the crazy staging on screen and the atmosphere”
At 11 p.m., the end credits finished, everyone found themselves on the Parisian avenue, out of breath as if they had just come out not of a cinema but of SoFi Stadium. Delphine, 32, from Puteaux (Hauts-de-Seine), can’t believe it: “I booked three weeks ago. I have VIP tickets for the show in May, it ruined me, but I still wanted to see the concert in the cinema to practice! I sang, danced a little. My favorite passage was Styles. I loved the crazy staging on screen and the atmosphere in the room. »
Lauren, a 31-year-old Briton, doesn’t hide her joy: “I couldn’t get tickets for the show, so I told myself that at least I would watch the film. It’s cool to see her up close thanks to the cameras. She performed the songs that I like the most, Enchanted with her magnificent blue dress, and those from Midnights, my favorite album. The atmosphere was great, I had never seen an audience singing like that standing up in a cinema. » A few meters away, Lydie, 17, has stars in her eyes and too many voices: “I sang non-stop with my friends, I am so happy to have experienced that. This film is an opportunity, we see it so well on stage that it’s almost better than a real concert…”
“Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour”, musical documentary by Sam Wrench. 2:49. Broadcast in the Pathé network and other theaters (144 in total) for fifteen screenings over four weekends since October 13. Reservations: www.pathelive.com
