2012 Summer Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

[Sudds3]

Here is a link if you missed the first 5 minutes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XangyItirJY

So, what did the Industrial Revolution have to do with forging the Olympic Games? Nothing? I can't think of anything! I know that themOlympics were founded in Greece a very long time ago, but what did the London Industrial Revolution have to do with the Olumpics? Or is it just to show that they are proud of what came from the revolution, and then had to tie in the Olympics somehow! Someone please explain this to me!

Feel free to discuss the rest of the ceremony like the Hospital scenes with the evil British characters, like the 100 ft tall Voldemort (way too cool), and the evolution of music through the ages scene too!

Thanks everyone!

May the best country win! Good luck!

[Desuetude]

I didn't really get that bit either. I think it was just trying to fit in British history. To be honest I was ranting at the TV the whole way through that bit, as were most people on facebook.

[Sudds3]

Hahaha I know! Everyone is like " what the fuck is going on right now?" but I thought it was very cool either way, and it must have been very very expensive!

[Mortal Coil]

The modern Olympics didn't become a tradition until the industrial revolution was underway. That's the link.

[Sudds3]

The modern Olympics didn't become a tradition until the industrial revolution was underway. That's the link.

Tradition, like they weren't every 4 years, well 2 I suppose, kind of tradition?

[Iron Man]

Traditionally, isn't the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics in a certain country supposed to reflect that country or something? I'm not a doctor or anything, but if it had to do with the Olympics themselves, then what did the running around the wall high up on a rope in the Beijing Olympics, or apologetic Canadians have to do with Vancouver? Essentially, it is that country's way of giving the world a brief history lesson.

[Destructive Impulse]

From what I saw I didn't really like it. It wasn't too classy in my opinion and didn't come close the the spectacular ceremonies of Beijing. I particularly didn't like Mr. bean in the orchestra. Idk I've never liked him to begin with. i did like the symbolism of the young athletes being lit but I felt as if it was unfair to the athletes that these 7 kids no one has heard of got the honor of lighting the torch. Still though it was the coolest torch I've seen.

[ImCoolBeans]

Traditionally, isn't the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics in a certain country supposed to reflect that country or something? I'm not a doctor or anything, but if it had to do with the Olympics themselves, then what did the running around the wall high up on a rope in the Beijing Olympics, or apologetic Canadians have to do with Vancouver? Essentially, it is that country's way of giving the world a brief history lesson.

This.

It was of major cultural importance to the British, and the world, so of course it was incorporated in the ceremony. Other countries make it as cultural as they can - what would make this different? I thought it was great, I don't really see what there is to complain about here - a country welcomed in the Olympic games with a culturally enriching ceremony.

[HowlingSnail]

Nice to see that you Americans didn't enjoy it... I personally loved it. It had great intergration of British history and popular culture. I'd never predicted Rowan Atkinson, and the Queen with James Bond was certainly a surprise. The only dissapointment for me was Boris Johnson not making an appearence. You'd think that he would at least have turned up.

[Christheman]

that was the worst ceremony ever in my opionon

[FullyAlive]

that was the worst ceremony ever in my opionon

Why? Was that because you didn't understand it? Or was there some other reason?

[EdwardBi15]

I loved it!!

[Neptune]

Where was the Voldemort statue at? The start, middle, end? I don't feel like watching the whole 2 hours...

[markus]

I thought it was brilliant

[FullyAlive]

Where was the Voldemort statue at? The start, middle, end? I don't feel like watching the whole 2 hours...

It was in the NHS bit, i'm going to say about an hour in? I could be really out

[Giles]

The whole thing was... OK?

The initial setting was pretty good and the industrial revolution stage was good but lasted far too long. I can understand the NHS tribute thing, but even that was far too drawn out, they could have halved it and it would have held my attention much longer. Voldemort looked tacky as all hell, with all the money and effort they put into most of the ceremony you'd think they could afford to get a decent looking Voldemort.

[Sudds3]

The whole thing was... OK?

The initial setting was pretty good and the industrial revolution stage was good but lasted far too long. I can understand the NHS tribute thing, but even that was far too drawn out, they could have halved it and it would have held my attention much longer. Voldemort looked tacky as all hell, with all the money and effort they put into most of the ceremony you'd think they could afford to get a decent looking Voldemort.

Why did Voldemort look tacky? I would love to see you do a better job at creating a 100 ft tall Voldemort that shoots sparks out of its wand, has glowing eyes, and can fit into a tiny tiny space! I know that you didn't say you could do better, but I feel it was great! Just the way they moved it and the way it completely over looked all of London giving the feeling that the kid was really trapped in the nightmare and couldn't escape no matter how far away she went, because Voldemort would be able to find her! I really liked him, can you explain why it was so tacky? I am quite interested in your reasoning

[Sol90]

Very good performance. I loved simon rattle.

[Giles]

Why did Voldemort look tacky? I would love to see you do a better job at creating a 100 ft tall Voldemort that shoots sparks out of its wand, has glowing eyes, and can fit into a tiny tiny space! I know that you didn't say you could do better, but I feel it was great! Just the way they moved it and the way it completely over looked all of London giving the feeling that the kid was really trapped in the nightmare and couldn't escape no matter how far away she went, because Voldemort would be able to find her! I really liked him, can you explain why it was so tacky? I am quite interested in your reasoning

Maybe tacky wasn't the right word. But it certainly didn't look good enough compared to the rest of the ceremony. The farmland, industrial era and the large tree all looked incredibly well made and then in the middle of the ceremony there's just this large floating Voldemort that was just waving around doing pretty much nothing in the middle.

[LouBerry]

They. Had. A. One. Hundred. Foot. Lord. Voldemort. I personally think it was amazing, even though that was the only part that I paid attention too.

[Christine.]

I'm pretty sure its because the industrial revolution was a big part of the history of London. Its not about the history of the Olympics, but the history of the city and country

[Sudds3]

Maybe tacky wasn't the right word. But it certainly didn't look good enough compared to the rest of the ceremony. The farmland, industrial era and the large tree all looked incredibly well made and then in the middle of the ceremony there's just this large floating Voldemort that was just waving around doing pretty much nothing in the middle.

Ohhhh,vthat makes sence! I would actually have to agree with that, but given the fact that they had to fit it into that giant bed...I'm still pleased with it. But it did not look as good as everything else did, everything was so complete and well done, and he was just kind of there. I did really like how his wand shot out sparks though, that was too cool

[InfinantSilence]

Nice to see that you Americans didn't enjoy it... I personally loved it. It had great intergration of British history and popular culture. I'd never predicted Rowan Atkinson, and the Queen with James Bond was certainly a surprise. The only dissapointment for me was Boris Johnson not making an appearence. You'd think that he would at least have turned up.

I am American and I loved it. Even tho I can't remember much of the Beijing Olympics. I especially loved the music to the first part.

[georgiamay]

Of course this opening ceromony is going to be different to the others we've seen, isn't it obvious? It's meant to show the culture and history of the host country, and seeing as each country has a completely different culture, they're going to be very different.

I don't see how you can hate it. I didn't think it was amazing, I didn't enjoy it as much as the beijing one, but it was still good. It was very British, which is what it was meant to be. I'm not exactly patriotic, but the ceromony at least made me see how much the country has done.