The culture of fandom, though beloved and valued by many, is often criticised by the general and online public. The notorious nickname ‘fangirl’ usually denotes a derogatory attitude towards fans who are overly-invested in their favourite artists, or works of art. This attitude has extended recently in response to the growing popularity of live action musicals; from the Mamma Mia films to the most recent release of Wicked. Fans of music-based cinema have been criticised for their behaviour in the movie theatre.
One of the most prominent examples of this, in recent times, was the premier of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in late 2023. This film, being a massive success upon release, produced a plethora of controversy in the media. Many fans went into the cinema with similar expectations and plans as they would with the concerts; lots of friendship bracelets, dancing and singing, and general excitement all around. Many movie-goers left the theatre incredibly unhappy – with some even demanding refunds and complaining above fellow patrons – due to the behaviour of the die-hard Taylor Swift fans.
These complainants naturally flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to express their dissatisfaction; one such person stated that“If you want to do this you do it in your house when it’s on digital, but if you go to the cinema you respect others and don’t create such a spectacle.” These comments align with the universal social rules of cinema: that one is to stay quiet, enjoy the film, and look the other way when someone sneaks snacks out of their bag.
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It seems that fellow fans were happy to indulge in the interactive nature of the film, forgoing the traditional rules of the cinema, and instead embracing the community-driven style of concerts
Many others, however, enjoyed this aspect of the movie’s premiere, with one describing how “The concert film was a blend of hits and deep cuts for the fans. We stood, we sang and even though our showing wasn’t overly busy, we had a whale of a time.” It seems that fellow fans were happy to indulge in the interactive nature of the film, forgoing the traditional rules of the cinema, and instead embracing the community-driven style of concerts.
And the stars of these musical-movies have certainly been adding their two cents to the debate. With the recent release of Wicked, a very anticipated and well-loved film adaptation of the original musical, a new wave of interactive cinema has arrived. This has led to a similar public reaction as that of the Taylor Swift situation, with many fans agreeing that“You wouldn’t sing at a Broadway show, so why would you sing at this movie?” One movie theatre chain, AMC, even banned singing alongside the film, providing a sign that stated: “At AMC Theatres, silence is golden. No talking. No texting. No singing. No wailing. No flirting. And absolutely no name-calling. Enjoy the magic of movies.”
Cynthia Erivo – one of Wicked’s leading ladies – insisted, however, that this interactive style is what the film promotes and celebrates. The actress, upon being questioned about the controversy, and whether the fans were entitled to enjoy the film as they liked, stated: “Good. I’m OK with it. We spent this long singing it ourselves — it’s time for everyone else to join in. It’s wonderful.”
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more and more films such as these emerging – films that deviate from the traditional realm of silent-cinemas and broach new genres of theatre and performances
Perhaps the compromise is to provide options for both crowds; sing-along showings for the veteran fans to enjoy their favourite songs together, and quiet cinemas for movie-goers who wish to sit in comfortable silence and enjoy the film together. Either way It seems, as Erivo alluded to, that there is a new age of cinema going. With more and more films such as these emerging – films that deviate from the traditional realm of silent-cinemas and broach new genres of theatre and performances – we may need to accept that the old rules don’t apply any more.
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