Olympic Opening Ceremony

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I thought it was kinda boring, but I loved the dig at the US on healthcare!

[PeppyGPhiB]

I think people forget what most opening ceremonies are like. Beijing was the exception. Most OCs have been like this one - a history of the host country. Beijing was spectacular, but it also bothered me since there were plenty of stories about what hard-asses the country's leadership were regarding everything. being. perfect. I recall that during the dress rehearsal, someone didn't like the way some of the costumes looked, so they had all-new costumes made within something like 14 hours. You just knew that many of the people involved probably weren't having much fun, and those re-made costumes were basically made under slave labor circumstances. It was huge and stunningly beautiful, but too perfect for me because you got the sense that any errors - whether it was a prop that fell apart or an out-of-place drummer - would have been viewed very harshly by the government. I worried about anyone that made any missteps, and that tarnished it for me.

On the other hand, I loved Vancouver's ceremonies and this one because you could see that the participants were having fun, including the people who planned them. Vancouver's CC, with the Mounties who did the can-can and giant inflatables, was hilarious, and totally Canadian. I can't wait to see what this Closing Ceremony is like!

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I think people forget what most opening ceremonies are like. Beijing was the exception. Most OCs have been like this one - a history of the host country.

I had no problem with the history aspect of it. I agree, that's exactly what it should be about. However, the way it was put together was strange, many things needed too much of an explanation, and things like the texting portion of it has nothing to do with the country's history.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I had no problem with the history aspect of it. I agree, that's exactly what it should be about. However, the way it was put together was strange, many things needed too much of an explanation, and things like the texting portion of it has nothing to do with the country's history.

I agree the texting thing was weird. I liked the rural-industrial storyline, though, especially with everything transforming right before our eyes.

I remember thinking the Salt Lake City OC was reeeeeally hokey. Covered wagons and prairie dresses. "Waltzing Matilda." The 1980 men's hockey team that beat the USSR. The U.S. flag from the top of the World Trade Center being carried into the arena. Now, I don't find all of that hokey, but imagine what people in other countries were thinking. Now imagine what the U.S. reaction would have been if we heard that the BBC cut out the flag memorial bit from its broadcast - that is what NBC did at this OC in London.

[Tulip86]

I just love all the countries in their stylish uniforms. Loved the US,Italy, Netherlands (only they can pull off orange and cobalt in one outfit) Belgium was great as well. Spain looked like Fast Food employees.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by KDCat

I loved it. I think it's the best opening ceremony that I've ever seen. I'm a huge Anglophile and the "just so BRITISH" was absolutely fabulous.

What I loved: the opening hymn: "Oh, Jerusalem" is a very traditional hymn in Britain. Every kid in Britain knows it, the way we know "America the Beautiful" or something similar.

I loved the kids' choruses showing all four countries in the UK.

I loved the industrial forging of the Olympic ring and the rings rising to the center of the stadium.

I loved that it included a ton of Brit Lit, including Shakespeare and J.K. Rowling and Peter Pan.

I loved that it included so much British pop music.

I loved that all of the flags were planted on a hill together. I also loved that the hill symbolized Glastonbury Tor, which is where King Arthur is supposed to buried and is the mythological heart of Britain.

I loved that the cauldron was made of petals, one petal for each team at the Olympics.

I loved the Queen for having a sense of humor and agreeing to the Bond sequence.

I loved the flame coming up the Thames on a boat.

I loved the rings and fireworks on London Bridge.

I loved the construction workers lining the tunnel as the flame came in. The ceremony did a very, very good job representing every aspect of British society from the Queen to the workes who built the stadium.

It wasn't the extravaganza that Beijing was, but it was perfect.

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I agree with all of this.

I actually loved the opening ceremony, particularly the love story/decades dance.

I also liked the tearing away of the earth and the rising of the smokestacks.

The whole thing was just so BRITISH... I can't describe it any better. And I guess I'm a bit of an anglophile.

Pretty much what y'all said.

The Queen and James Bond alone put the ceremony at the top of the awesome scale for me.

All other opening cermonies have had lots of explanation. I wonder if Americans thought we wouldn't need as much explanation of things British.

Originally Posted by ellebud

Frankly, mediocre at best. The National health service more importent than Britian's contribution to World World 2? Seriously?

I can see downplaying World War II when you're playing host to all nations, including Germany, Italy and Japan.


I'll be honest -- the only thing I remember about the Beijing ceremony is drums.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I remember thinking the Salt Lake City OC was reeeeeally hokey. Covered wagons and prairie dresses. "Waltzing Matilda." The 1980 men's hockey team that beat the USSR. The U.S. flag from the top of the World Trade Center being carried into the arena. Now, I don't find all of that hokey, but imagine what people in other countries were thinking. Now imagine what the U.S. reaction would have been if we heard that the BBC cut out the flag memorial bit from its broadcast - that is what NBC did at this OC in London.

We're not discussing Salt Lake's opening ceremonies. I'm not even sure I remember them.

And I didn't even know any of it was cut out until now. But I'm not sure what this has to do with liking the ceremony anyway.

Again, I agree that they should show their history.. I just didn't care for the way they did it. Too many things needed to be interpreted, and giant babies and texting teenagers aren't what I think of when I think of London.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I had no problem with the history aspect of it. I agree, that's exactly what it should be about. However, the way it was put together was strange, many things needed too much of an explanation, and things like the texting portion of it has nothing to do with the country's history.

I disagree on the texting. The riots last summer were organized almost completely over BBM. The UK, especially London, is extremely "digital," if that makes sense. I thought it was a fun nod to how things are now.

[AXOmom]

Like MysticCat I have to say that I don't remember much of the opening ceremonies for most Olympics and about the only thing I remember from Beijing is the drums. Must be something about drums. I remembered the arrow lighting the torch in Barcelona only after someone on here mentioned it - that was a cool moment.

As for this one - pretty much what's been said. I liked some parts (LOVED Rowan Atkinson, always like Kenneth Brannagh reading Shakespeare and liked the music, particlarly the kids' choirs), but a lot of it - didn't really get. It wasn't quite as confusing as the French opening many, many years back, but I expected weird semi-existentionalist stuff from the French - I guess I expected the English to be a little more... hmm...straightforward about the whole thing. It seemed to me like there were too many ideas and somebody needed to edit it a bit, but I apparently won't remember it in two months anyway, so whatever.


I was reminded of two things while watching:

1) I consider myself pretty good at geography, but despite having seen many, many Olympic parade of nations there are still at least 15 countries I've never heard of that march through.

2) During the opening ceremonies is the one time every four years (because I don't watch the winter Olympics as much) that it sucks to live in a country that starts with a U.

[ForeverRoses]

I think Olympic Opening Ceremonies are supposed to be hokey. It's the rule. I thought this one was fun- and definitely British.

I am old enough to remember when ABC had the Olympics, and in my mind, Jim McKay will forever be the best person at commenting on the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. And FWIW, my favorite opening ceremony was Calgary in 1988. Yup. I'm old.

[Always AlphaGam]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

And FWIW, my favorite opening ceremony was Calgary in 1988. Yup. I'm old.

Well, Barcelona 1992 was one of my favorites, so I'm right up there with you!

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by AXOmom

1) I consider myself pretty good at geography, but despite having seen many, many Olympic parade of nations there are still at least 15 countries I've never heard of that march through.

This! I was talking to my mom last night, and she asked me if I had heard of all the countries named. There were definitely some where I thought, "That's a country? Where the hell is it?"

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

I am old enough to remember when ABC had the Olympics, and in my mind, Jim McKay will forever be the best person at commenting on the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Yes!

My two favorite torch lightings: Barcelona (1992 summer) and Lillehammer (1994 winter).

Originally Posted by Tulip86

I just love all the countries in their stylish uniforms. Loved the US,Italy, Netherlands (only they can pull off orange and cobalt in one outfit) Belgium was great as well. Spain looked like Fast Food employees.

And the UK uniforms looked like something out of a really bad sci-fi movie. What were they thinking?


ETA: I know I keep editing and adding stuff . . . sorry . . . but I just read that NBC omitted an entire performance from the Opening Ceremonies. Just before the Parade of Nations there was a tribute to terrorism victims, particularly those of 7/7. NBC didn't air any of it, but it can be seen here.

[ForeverRoses]

Speaking of the uniforms, the Czech Republic outfits made me laugh. not sure how comfy the Wellies were after standing around for 6 hours though...

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/201...ION0727-5.html

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

ETA: I know I keep editing and adding stuff . . . sorry . . . but I just read that NBC omitted an entire performance from the Opening Ceremonies. Just before the Parade of Nations there was a tribute to terrorism victims, particularly those of 7/7. NBC didn't air any of it, but it can be seen here.

NBC's response to the controversy surrounding their edit was equally as insulting. "Our broadcast is tailored for an American audience." That's why I noted up thread that if we had heard the BBC did that to our 9/11 memorial in the OC for the Salt Lake games, we would have been outraged...and yet NBC thought it was OK to edit in a lame Michael Phelps-Ryan Seacrest interview.

I was also shocked at some of the commentary - from Bob Costas especially - during the OC. He said some really disrespectful things about certain countries during the parade of nations.

NBC has gotten nothing but bad PR over Twitter since Friday. This is going to be a long two weeks for them. It seems they put their whole Olympics strategy together YEARS ago and haven't made any changes to account for social media and all things digital. I really wish ABC or CBS will outbid them at the next opportunity. I'm tried of NBC and their insulting coverage.