Olympics

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 27 Jul 2012, 23:44

Seriously naff. So an appropriate representation of British cultural history.

I did enjoy Mr Bean playing along with Simon Rattle and the LSO.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 28 Jul 2012, 00:05

Just hearing about Mrs Windsor jumping out of a plane with James Bond, on Radio 4. People who jump out of planes with him tend to arrive on the ground without a parachute!

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 28 Jul 2012, 00:24

Yes, that was quite fun.

But seriously, the Olympic flag has just been carried in with a very well chosen bunch of people. Doreen Lawrence, Shami Chakrabati and Ban Ki Moon, hardly the choice of the 1%.

Standuble · Post by **Standuble** » 28 Jul 2012, 01:11

I didn't enjoy the obvious cost implications of the whole event but it's clear that a lot of hard work and passion went into the event from so many people and I liked it because of that.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 28 Jul 2012, 07:38

Danny Boyle discusses the opening ceremony:

He hoped his warm, witty, self-deprecating show would reflect a country trying to "find its level" in the world. "There has to be a modesty … and you can't get grandiose with this job because you are following Beijing, and it's a late call for our nation I think because we are learning our place in the world.

"A hundred years ago we were everything. Obviously the industrial revolution has partly bred that. But there is a change so I hope there is an innate modesty about it as well."

Boyle conceded that some of the predicted international television audience of one billion may miss some of the cultural and historical references. "Some of the audience will be baffled at times, they're bound to be. But hopefully it won't be for long. I hope it feels charming rather than really annoying."

Article continues ...

Personally, I was captivated by:

Out of the stadium's sluices flowed hordes of the new classes created by the industrial revolution: workers in overalls, bosses in top hats, arriving to dismantle the rural scene piece by piece, the meadows and the tilled fields making way for an array of vast chimneys emerging from the once fertile earth to reach the height of the stadium rim, their infernal belching smoke replacing the homely cottage hearth and ushering in a world of steam engines and spinning jennys.

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The creation of the Olympic rings and torch was impressive.

As for the rest of the extravaganza?

Nauseating.

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 28 Jul 2012, 10:38

I quite enjoyed it, but can imagine the rest of the world must have been a little confused.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 28 Jul 2012, 11:24

I was right about the bubbles

Actually it didn't come over on the BBC TV version too well but here's a better piece of film, introduced by Sam the Bubble Man himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dJC8uKX ... r_embedded#!

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 28 Jul 2012, 11:45

biffvernon wrote:I was right about the bubbles
Actually it didn't come over on the BBC TV version too well but here's a better piece of film, introduced by Sam the Bubble Man himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dJC8uKX ... r_embedded#!

Bubblologist!

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 28 Jul 2012, 11:47

Yes, one of my daughters works for him at festivals.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 28 Jul 2012, 11:54

The Guardian - 28/07/12

World's media lavishes praise on Olympic opening ceremony

Danny Boyle's ceremony variously described as 'outrageous', 'inventive and offbeat' and 'the world's biggest inside joke'.

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Washington Post - 28/07/12

They rolled out dancing nurses and smokestacks, poked fun at their weather and gave us Mr. Bean. Amid green and pleasant pastures, they read from the storybook that is Britain, not just Shakespeare but Peter Pan and Harry Potter. And if the Opening Ceremonies of the London Games sometimes seemed like the world’s biggest inside joke, the message from Britain resonated loud and clear: We may not always be your cup of tea, but you know — and so often love — our culture nonetheless.

Article continues ...

mobbsey · Post by **mobbsey** » 28 Jul 2012, 22:31

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19028574

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 28 Jul 2012, 23:09

mobbsey wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19028574

I'm lovin' it - it's the real thing.

madibe · Post by **madibe** » 29 Jul 2012, 00:04

Well, having had a day to discuss and contemplate here is my grist:

Short.

Technically brilliant. Amazing in many respects.

But lets look at the content.

An idylic pastoral scene crushed by industry.
Total lack of owning up to the British Empire's historical actions. Sugar wash.
Some dark stuff...the child catchers...whoa!
Some crappy images wrapped in sugar candy....do we really want people to think of Mary Poppins when they think of the UK... upper crust child care...victorian values etc...
Bloody capatilism as the 'saviour' of the UK.... perhaps Danny was trying to be cynical with all this? Notice the smoke and smog?
A focus on 'post industrial Britain' that was really pretty shite (but probably accurate)... TV, Pop Music and Soaps.

I personally was enjoying it - waiting for the shiny new future that would be portrayed after the industrial meltdown. Instead we got Dizzy feckin Rascal and such.

Paul Mcthingy lost it big style as he got out of step with his backing tape... erm... and he was shite.

Arctic Monkeys had it about right when they opened .... the only thing we can do well is rock and roll. (or some such jist)

The BBC commentary was its usual sychophantic (spelling?) best. And too much of it.

And the biggest tuned bell in the world got rung once. ...

What was with all the video cut-aways? Did the live audience see these?

Best thing...the lighting of the cauldron. Nice... and fireworks; small but tasteful.

So, it has been an interesting day of conversing with people about this...these are our collective thoughts... not just mine.

It's all about sport, init?

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 29 Jul 2012, 00:58

It was cheesy, sugar-coated, expensive bollocks

mobbsey · Post by **mobbsey** » 29 Jul 2012, 01:21

stevecook172001 wrote:It was cheesy, sugar-coated, expensive bollocks

Sounds like the brand name of a popular British snack food... perhaps you could market the concept to Northern Foods?