Olympic Opening Ceremony
- Thread starter ChroniC
- Start date
Man of Honour
Best part was the forging of the olympic rings! Mr Bean was great too!
There were other parts that were so cack and filler, such as the voldemort stuff. Skipped through those on the old iplayer
There were other parts that were so cack and filler, such as the voldemort stuff. Skipped through those on the old iplayer
I thought the music was one of the highlights. Underworld and High Contrast did a fantastic job.
I couldn't watch it on the night due to being at work, however I caught it on BBC iPlayer.
Thankfully it was minus all the innane twaddle spouted by the Commentators, which I think made for a better viewing.
I must admit at the beginning I thought that Danny Boyle wouldn't be able to pull it off but I think he did a Sterling job.
Some great music and visuals. Music may be a matter of personal choice, but lets not forget that although the show highlighted Great Britains achievements it really was more about showcasing London to the world - sure it is in the UK, but it is Londons Games.
Standout moments were the bird like creatures on bikes - very impressive when seen from above. The Queen bit was quite funny, though I would have liked to have heard her saying "Ah, Mr Bond I've been expecting you" as she was stroking a Corgi on her knee
Thankfully it was minus all the innane twaddle spouted by the Commentators, which I think made for a better viewing.
I must admit at the beginning I thought that Danny Boyle wouldn't be able to pull it off but I think he did a Sterling job.
Some great music and visuals. Music may be a matter of personal choice, but lets not forget that although the show highlighted Great Britains achievements it really was more about showcasing London to the world - sure it is in the UK, but it is Londons Games.
Standout moments were the bird like creatures on bikes - very impressive when seen from above. The Queen bit was quite funny, though I would have liked to have heard her saying "Ah, Mr Bond I've been expecting you" as she was stroking a Corgi on her knee
Associate
I loved it, a great mix of music atmosphere and showing some of the many things that this tiny little island has done to shape the world we live in.
The only people I know who didn't like it, dislike it more out of princaple rather than any issue with the actual content.
I loved the torch handover to the new generation and the Main Olympic flame made up from 205 parts from each competing country.
The only people I know who didn't like it, dislike it more out of princaple rather than any issue with the actual content.
I loved the torch handover to the new generation and the Main Olympic flame made up from 205 parts from each competing country.
Jeez wouldn't it be terrible if we all thought the same....
The stupidity of the proposition is only under lined further by the fact that the people using it will only accept one answer as the right one.
Cant think of a single opening ceremony that integrated the competing countries into the cauldron or other Olympic symbol or that celebrated youth. Really do think these games will change how future countries do it, where just scale isnt the watch word, nor so abstract...
ps3ud0
ps3ud0
Soldato
The birds on the bikes were the "doves" as a symbol of peace (iirc).I couldn't watch it on the night due to being at work, however I caught it on BBC iPlayer.
Thankfully it was minus all the innane twaddle spouted by the Commentators, which I think made for a better viewing.
I must admit at the beginning I thought that Danny Boyle wouldn't be able to pull it off but I think he did a Sterling job.
Some great music and visuals. Music may be a matter of personal choice, but lets not forget that although the show highlighted Great Britains achievements it really was more about showcasing London to the world - sure it is in the UK, but it is Londons Games.
Standout moments were the bird like creatures on bikes - very impressive when seen from above. The Queen bit was quite funny, though I would have liked to have heard her saying "Ah, Mr Bond I've been expecting you" as she was stroking a Corgi on her knee
Soldato
- Joined
- 8 Mar 2007
- Posts
- 10,938
I thought it was in French for practical reasons, that being the biggest ovations are going to be after the English announcement hence they do it in French first so the crowd reaction comes at the end of the whole announcement and not half way through drowning out the translation.
Soldato
Completely epic...listen through and tell me otherwise! 
Soldato
when did the do the torch was it before or after the countries came on or during the countries?
I've taped it but want to know what to fast forward to on the old sky player
I've taped it but want to know what to fast forward to on the old sky player
Soldato
It's taken me a bit of thinking, but I've decided I liked them.
It was a nice comment about Britain through the ages.
Fireworks were pretty good, we were never going to compete with Syndey, and there were some genuine comic moments.
Very very pleased that Tim Berners-Lee got a good homage as such...
kd
It was a nice comment about Britain through the ages.
Fireworks were pretty good, we were never going to compete with Syndey, and there were some genuine comic moments.
Very very pleased that Tim Berners-Lee got a good homage as such...
kd
Associate
After. That was the last bit IIRC.
Soldato
I only saw the first 20 minutes on friday so I finallly got round to the iplayer HD version. Just finished watching, didn't skip any of the 3 hours 50 minutes and it's now 6am. Lucky I'm not working today
Well I thought overall it was amazing. Started off a bit slow. What happened to Paul McCartney at the start of Hey Jude? Seemed to be a sound delay but I'm not sure if that affected him or just the viewers.
What I was most impressed with, regardless of the content, was how it was all so flawless. So many technical things to potentially go wrong and nothing did. I applaud the people behind the show for pulliing it off brilliantly. Most of the music was excellent, I really enjoyed it. Bit disappointed Beckham wasn't actually in the stadium, I'm sure the place would have erupted. The only thing that made me cringe was that they crammed in every british cliche' they could. They were also just showing off, effectively saying we produced all these pop stars, we were the great british empire, we started the industrial revolution, we did this, we did that, so all you countries need to know how awesome we are. On the other hand, it did provide a lot of material to fill up nearly 2 hours of a spectacular show. It lacked the jaw dropping symmetry and perfection of the chinese show. But in it's organised chaos, I do think Danny Boyle's show was still extremely well put together and must have been a logistical nightmare to coordinate. The stadium lighting effects, particularly all those blue pixel lights on stands next to each spectator seat were fantastic and the fireworks were really really good, like the ones during the arctic monkeys song. And what the hell was Ali doing there, does he even know what day it is? They already did Ali in the Olympics before when he could actually hold the torch.
Well I thought overall it was amazing. Started off a bit slow. What happened to Paul McCartney at the start of Hey Jude? Seemed to be a sound delay but I'm not sure if that affected him or just the viewers.
What I was most impressed with, regardless of the content, was how it was all so flawless. So many technical things to potentially go wrong and nothing did. I applaud the people behind the show for pulliing it off brilliantly. Most of the music was excellent, I really enjoyed it. Bit disappointed Beckham wasn't actually in the stadium, I'm sure the place would have erupted. The only thing that made me cringe was that they crammed in every british cliche' they could. They were also just showing off, effectively saying we produced all these pop stars, we were the great british empire, we started the industrial revolution, we did this, we did that, so all you countries need to know how awesome we are. On the other hand, it did provide a lot of material to fill up nearly 2 hours of a spectacular show. It lacked the jaw dropping symmetry and perfection of the chinese show. But in it's organised chaos, I do think Danny Boyle's show was still extremely well put together and must have been a logistical nightmare to coordinate. The stadium lighting effects, particularly all those blue pixel lights on stands next to each spectator seat were fantastic and the fireworks were really really good, like the ones during the arctic monkeys song. And what the hell was Ali doing there, does he even know what day it is? They already did Ali in the Olympics before when he could actually hold the torch.
Soldato
- Joined
- 10 Apr 2004
- Posts
- 13,496
Just watched the whole thing through again.
I was bowled over the first time, and having watched it in HD again I've been bowled over again.
The transformation through the ages was highly impressive.
Bringing Sir Tim Berners-Lee in was a very nice touch indeed.
I was bowled over the first time, and having watched it in HD again I've been bowled over again.
The transformation through the ages was highly impressive.
Bringing Sir Tim Berners-Lee in was a very nice touch indeed.
Mr Bean is instantly recognizable to a global audience... the Queen even more so - persuading the Queen to do some acting for the purpose of a recorded comedy clip is unprecedented and she did it well, it was a funny clip. And the Paul McCartney at the end too...
Who else would you want? The pope flying in in a helicopter-modified pope mobile? Maybe the second coming of Jesus Christ?
Cant think of a single opening ceremony that integrated the competing countries into the cauldron...
ps3ud0
Even better, I read yesterday that after the games are finished; each country gets back their 'bowl', their part of the 'cauldron' and takes it home. A memory of the games, that is brilliant and unique!