Olympic Opening Ceremony?

[The Good Citizen]

Did anyone watch it? What did you think?

As a Brit, personally I loved it!

 

[Barbaloot]

I only saw bits and pieces.. but from what I saw, I think Beijing's opening ceremony was better. Though maybe if I had seen the whole ceremony I would feel differently.

 

[annik]

I read that the big headliners mostly only got paid £1 each! It was so they could draw up a contract or something so they pretty much did it for free. Judging by the comments on the article most people thought that's all Paul McCartney was worth! I did think he was the weakest part personally.

Oh and its been said the whole thing had socialist leanings! I guess I can see that though I don't really care!

 

[Badjedidude]

That **** was ******* weird. Just weird.

I'm not a big fan of crazy-ass artsy Cirque Du Soleil-style dance stuff anyway, but.... *******. Just ******* weird.

Didn't make any sense at all, unless you just wanted to throw in the most butchered, obvious metaphors and themes imaginable.

I agree that Beijing's opening ceremony was a LOT better.

 

[Barbaloot]

Yeah, I ended up watching the whole thing after all... THE DANCING? Who the hell choreographed that? It was so .. embarrassing. I didn't like it at all. I had to re-watch the Beijing opening ceremony to cleanse my brain. Though in fairness, I don't think anyone could have an opening ceremony as good as theirs.

 

[annik]

It made perfect sense!

I think maybe if anything the trouble is it was very British though thats kind of the point of it. Plus one of the dance routine's was a tribute to those who died in the bombings in London a bit of respect might me nice.

I mean we as a nation have a lot to be proud of and I think it reflected that. All wrapped up by an Oscar winning director. Get us.

I don't think it's a case of comparing it to anybody else's everyone does it differently.

 

[thenameIwanthasgone]

Haven't got a television. Don't know anything. Imagine that!

 

[Lost Drifter]

To me it felt more what Hollywood thought of Britain (Harry Potter, Mr Bean, Bond) than what actual Britain is, then again mass unemployment, greasy spoons and second-rate customer service is never that entertaining either. The whole industrial revolution thing has been done to the death and I’m always dubious of over idyllic storytelling (multinational gentlemen strolling around in top hats?) but I have to admit that it got better after the weird lengthy tea-drinking crumpet eating opening.

Still I’ve always preferred the team entrances and all those colourful costumes more than opening ceremonies.

 

[Badjedidude]

Still I’ve always preferred the team entrances and all those colourful costumes more than opening ceremonies.

I agree.

 

[The Good Citizen]

I don't think the UK could have competed with Beijing in terms of scale and cost and I know it was decided quite early on that wasn't going to be the intention. Quite a few elements of their ceremony was CGI which probably catered to the television viewing audience. I doubt their entire cast was volunteered either. I mean it was impressive in a slightly overblown way of what you can achieve if you have all the money in the world which of course Britain, Europe, the US no longer do so we have to be a bit more creative in terms of how we put on a show.

Still regards the dance I think a lot of the elements were representing the dance moves of the average person, like when they played Tiger Feet by Mud, the dancing was more about how your average Brit dances than an attempt at high art, in a way probably poking fun at ourselves which was a theme throughout I think.

Mr Bean and Harry Potter well that’s popular culture but recognisable the world round so its always a trade off between trying to show elements that are essentially British and of the now such as the Artic Monkeys and Dizzy Rascal and those that are more universal such as the slightly over the Hill Paul McCartney thrown in as an afterthought along the lines of "Oh yeah plus we have the Beatles".

I liked the move from the rural to industrialisation. I don’t know how its been done to death, in a British school classroom maybe but really its not every year you perform an olympic opening ceremony so when you do you are going to incorporate the major themes of your country's history such as the Monarchy and the development of many modern sports. It tried to be fairly inclusive too such as the immigration of an Afro-Caribbean population after the war and the women’s suffragette movement it tried to throw a lot of elements in. I also liked the semi detached house and typical family in front of the telly as showing the normal side to British family life. I found it both boastful of what we had achieved as a nation but also self deprecating with an element of humour at ourselves which is in keeping with the British personality really a contrary mix of pride and self awareness.

I also thought the decision to pass the flame to youngsters to light the torch a bit cheesy but a good decision, there was a lot of talk about which individual was most worthy of the task so to do that I think was quite clever and in keeping with the very sentimental Olympic ideal of inspiring the next generation.

I can be as cynical as the next guy but as a Brit I got it and was happy with it and from what I've read generally, though at times a little baffling it was well received in the world's media.

I did hear when the July 7th memorial took place for those lost in the terrorists bombings on the day when we won the bid, some networks saw it as the point to go for an ad break? I don't know if thats true, bit disrespectful if thats the case though.

 

[lonelyfairy]

I watched it and it was awesome! I really liked the James Bond & Queen part, so funny.