B.C. Swifties who couldn't see Eras concert in person super excited about the film

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour movie isgiving eager fans who couldn't score tickets toa live show either due to prohibitivedistances or costs a chance to see the cultural juggernautperform for a fraction of the cost.

Its a dream come true for superfan Carol Hanssonwho started a social media group dedicated to Swift fans in Prince George, B.C.

Hansson is organizing a viewing party Friday night after missing out on tickets to one of the megastar'slive events.

"I am veryexcited to share the movie with my fellow Swifties," Hansson said.

Frenzied fans plan to dress in elaborate outfits, sing their hearts out and exchange friendship bracelets like they do at the Swift's shows, which still have dozens of dates across the globe on the calendar.

Hanssonwill be donning an outfit inspired by Swift's LoverEra concert tour tothe screening.

"She's a musical genius, she's able to convey her passion and her feelings and her thoughts through her music in such different ways," Hansson said.

Swift's concert movie is proving to be a fairy tale for Canada's largest cinema chain too.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,hit Canadian theatres Thursday andgenerated $6.2 million in pre-sales for Cineplex Inc., making it the Toronto-based company's most successful event for pre-sales.

The chain managed to find space for the film to screen at 120 theatres Thursday after Swift moved up the release by a day, but its four-week run will see the movie make it to 150 cinemas throughout the country.

Small townconcerns

Shaun Aqualine,co-owner ofthe Gem Theatre in Grand Forks, B.C., saidcommittingtofour weeks of screenings is a "big gamble," due toconcerns the small town of 4,112people won't be able to support the month-long run.

"Its sort of a hail Mary. We said yes and we are hoping that yes was the right choice," Aqualine said."The terms are set and you either said yes, or no."

Music fans flocking to theatres for concert movies

1 year ago

Duration 2:16

Musician Devin Townsend and the Rio Theatre's program director, Rachel Fox, sing the praises of concert movies with CBC's The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn, as Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour opens in theatres in the U.S. and Canada having broken ticket presale records.

One of the terms for theatres is the slightly higher-than-normalticket price which Swift setat $19.89, a nod to herbirth year and the title of her multi-platinum 2014album.

Despite his concerns, ticket sales for thefilm so far make up 57 per cent of all ticket sales at the theatre, which is currently screening 10 films.

Concert movies popular

Concert movies have been a popular genre for decades, with the most lucrative being Justin Bieber's2011 film Never Say Never. Cameras followed the then-16-year-old pop star on his 2010 concert tour the filmraked in $73 million U.S. according to Billboard.com, followedcloselyby Michael Jackson's This Is It.

The Talking Head's classic film Stop Making Sense captures the band performingat Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in 1983. A remastered version will be playing to three sold out shows at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver starting Friday night.

The Rio's director Rachel Fox saidbig screen concert films are wildly popular becauseaudiences feellike they are fully taking part in a live event as opposed to viewing on a smart phone.

"Its a communal experience with a jolt of joy," Fox said. "You feel like you are at a concert."

And that's the best part of the experience for Hanssontoo.

"I feel ecstatic, excited and joyous. Tonight is going to be amazing and I'm so ready forit," she said.