London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Drop by and talk about anything you want. This is where all cheese-related discussions should go
User avatar
empath
Posts: 13531
Joined: 28 Nov 2007, 17:20
First Video: How to Talk Like a Pirate
Location: back in the arse end of nowhere

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby empath » 28 Jul 2012, 08:55

Well, I liked what they did, but yeah - my Inner Whovian felt a tiny bit let down...
Image
Image
Image
User avatar
WBAGNR
Posts: 954
Joined: 07 Jan 2010, 09:57
First Video: Crime and Punishment
Location: Birmingham, UK

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby WBAGNR » 28 Jul 2012, 09:13

Elomin Sha wrote:
WBAGNR wrote:I don't understand this love-in for Tennant...

If you don't know.
There was an episode where Tennant's Doctor arrives in 2012 just before the Olympics to save an alien creature. After a torch bearer is injured by a bolt of lightning Tennant picks up the torch and lights it.


Is that the one with the annoying whispering girl and him saying someone from Papua New Guinea would win the shotput?

If so that's a very tenuous reason for him to light the torch.
iamafish wrote:copping a feel is just the gentlemanly thing to do


My travel blog
User avatar
Metcarfre
Posts: 13676
Joined: 08 Jul 2008, 13:52
First Video: Not Applicable
Location: Vancouver, B.C.

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Metcarfre » 28 Jul 2012, 09:19

IMO it would have been silly to have an actor light the torch. ...Not that much of the rest of the ceremony wasn't silly.
*
User avatar
Geoff_B
Posts: 11637
Joined: 06 Apr 2011, 13:13
First Video: Installation Anxiety
Location: Harrow, London
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Geoff_B » 28 Jul 2012, 10:15

We are talking about the same ceremony that had ROWAN ATKINSON as MR BEAN in CHARIOTS OF FIRE are we not? David Tennant would have been quite tame in comparison.
Twitter|Google+|Tumblr|Facebook|Steam|Skype: gmbridges

I survived spaMEGAdon and all I got was this lousy signature joke.

#TeamMonica, #TeamMaki, #TeamTavis
User avatar
empath
Posts: 13531
Joined: 28 Nov 2007, 17:20
First Video: How to Talk Like a Pirate
Location: back in the arse end of nowhere

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby empath » 28 Jul 2012, 10:59

And Mary Poppins saving kids from a giant Voldemort? (so I'm told, I tuned in somewhere after that part)
Image
Image
Image
User avatar
Fezzul
Posts: 2550
Joined: 10 Aug 2011, 06:45
First Video: Toothy Smile
Location: New York

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Fezzul » 28 Jul 2012, 15:07

No, you got it right. Voldemort and Mary Poppins.

The David Tennant thing is just because we're Whovians. It would have been a cool thing, and anyone who saw the episode would go "Hah!"

The point was, we knew it was a bit silly, and didn't really expect to happen, but it would have been cool.

Is it better for it to be athletes? Almost certainly. Do I still lament what could have been? Of course.

Was actually a bit pissed off today when I read the Washington Post article that basically said of the ceremony: "Yeah it was really shit and I didn't get." I just thought, "No it fucking wasn't." Then later I thought: "It wasn't perfect, but it was pulled off with gusto and it's a lot better than the cheesy, pre-packaged, 'Allo Guvnor! Tea and crumpets!' Britain we could have ended up having on show. And as someone who was cynical enough that he was planning not to watch the Ceremony at all, and then ended up watching the whole thing, I would say it had some entertainment value. I'm just glad they managed to capture the quote-unquote "spirit" of England without making me want to cringe." Is what I thought.
-----------------------------------------
And that's the news. Skeptics remain skeptical.
User avatar
elvor
Posts: 1184
Joined: 26 Apr 2009, 00:36
First Video: It's Very Simple
Location: Bath, UK

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby elvor » 28 Jul 2012, 23:50

Fezzul, as usual, is bang on the money.
User avatar
Jenelmo
Posts: 572
Joined: 30 Apr 2012, 06:26
First Video: Friday nights: Untap
Location: Denmark

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Jenelmo » 29 Jul 2012, 01:56

I did not get to see all of it as i was doing other things at the same time, but i liked it, i though that it was better than the last opening in china.
Yes the other one was grander, and there was some cheesy bits, but all in all it was a very British way of doing it.
There must always be a Stark in the Moonbase
User avatar
empath
Posts: 13531
Joined: 28 Nov 2007, 17:20
First Video: How to Talk Like a Pirate
Location: back in the arse end of nowhere

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby empath » 29 Jul 2012, 03:35

Aye, Fezzul aptly sums up my feelings about the opening ceremonies, too.
Image
Image
Image
User avatar
Jasbraman
Posts: 59
Joined: 12 Jul 2009, 15:18
First Video: The Lich King's New Wrath
Location: Great Britain
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Jasbraman » 29 Jul 2012, 10:03

Let's be honest, ALL olympic opening ceremonies are silly. At least the British one tried to inform people about our history and culture...albeit in a very bizarre manner.

I also think nobody has any right to be dissapointed that David Tennant didn't light the flame, just because you hear a three second soundbite of TARDIS engine noise from Dr Who. Besides, this is the Olympics, not the BAFTAs.

That being said I also agree with Fezzul. I also really liked the bit with all the Air Benders.
"Where the shitting crikey is my nose?"
User avatar
TheRocket
Posts: 8429
Joined: 30 Nov 2006, 01:17
First Video: Those Games That We Played
Location: Lake Titicaca
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby TheRocket » 29 Jul 2012, 11:12

Jasbraman wrote:Let's be honest, ALL olympic opening ceremonies are silly.



^THIS. I appreciate the Olympics even though I don't avidly partake in watching. But all the mascots, hype and opening ceremonies always are silly and come with a bunch of people whining about how much it cost or how much better it should have been. To me they are just kind of tacky ways to showcase the stereotypes of your country.
Walk in like DeNiro, and leave like Brando.

You're living proof that Darwin was a moron.
User avatar
Dutch guy
Posts: 5200
Joined: 11 Feb 2008, 17:12
First Video: History of Halo
Location: Southern Dutch Colonies

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Dutch guy » 29 Jul 2012, 11:13

Air benders?? I'm not sure what you are referring to.
THE DUTCH!! THE DUTCH AGAIN!!!!!
Elomin Sha wrote:Dutch guy is the King of the Dutch.
User avatar
Merrymaker_Mortalis
Posts: 7226
Joined: 24 Feb 2010, 19:19
First Video: ENN's First Episode on Escapist
Location: Wales

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Merrymaker_Mortalis » 29 Jul 2012, 12:55

I really like the ceremony.
It will look shit to people channel surfing.

I was a little emotional through some bits. And the Cauldron was just, amazing. It didn't line up perfectly but I didn't care. I love shit like that. Starts of ambiguous and then it fits together.
User avatar
Jasbraman
Posts: 59
Joined: 12 Jul 2009, 15:18
First Video: The Lich King's New Wrath
Location: Great Britain
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Jasbraman » 29 Jul 2012, 13:45

Dutch guy wrote:Air benders?? I'm not sure what you are referring to.

the bit with the big orange sun and the bald guy and the little kid in yellow with all the people dressed like Air benders in the background!

the Jazz Doctors were pretty cool too.
"Where the shitting crikey is my nose?"
User avatar
Deedles
Posts: 4043
Joined: 29 Nov 2010, 13:19
First Video: Man Cooking
Location: A shoebox on Kashyyyk.
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Deedles » 29 Jul 2012, 13:52

Oh, the part where that woman sang Abide By Me, right?
Hurp-De-Durp!
User avatar
Merrymaker_Mortalis
Posts: 7226
Joined: 24 Feb 2010, 19:19
First Video: ENN's First Episode on Escapist
Location: Wales

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Merrymaker_Mortalis » 29 Jul 2012, 13:59

I didn't recognise the Welsh Famous song that was sung in the montage in the beginning. Perhaps because it was the English Words.
User avatar
tak197
Feito Com Fruta
Posts: 9010
Joined: 13 Mar 2007, 19:20
First Video: How To Talk Like A Pirate
Location: Stroudsburg, PA
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby tak197 » 29 Jul 2012, 14:18

TheRocket wrote:
Jasbraman wrote:Let's be honest, ALL olympic opening ceremonies are silly.



^THIS. I appreciate the Olympics even though I don't avidly partake in watching. But all the mascots, hype and opening ceremonies always are silly and come with a bunch of people whining about how much it cost or how much better it should have been. To me they are just kind of tacky ways to showcase the stereotypes of your country.



Merrymaker_Mortalis wrote:I really like the ceremony.
It will look shit to people channel surfing.

I was a little emotional through some bits. And the Cauldron was just, amazing. It didn't line up perfectly but I didn't care. I love shit like that. Starts of ambiguous and then it fits together.


Oh I totally agree with all of this. Even I got emotional at bits during the opening, and I'm in the US. The meaning behind the cauldron was really cool too, that all 204 countries come together for one massive event. (Plus the camera shot from inside the cauldron pipes after they hit the afterburner was amazing, like the whole thing was molten.) "Second Star to the Right and Straight On Til Morning" was very sentimental for me, because of all the memories of children's lit that they listed.

Siobhan is right, when it comes to the Olympics, the cultural program in the ceremonies are always a huge cheese fest. It's all basically "look at us and how awesome we are, LOOK AT IIIIIIIIIT!" sort of thing. I personally loved the comedy bits at the closing in Vancouver for that reason.

I did see that there were bits that NBC edited out that I missed. Some futuristic rocketman thing, and the memorial to the 7/7 victims.
Image
Image
User avatar
Metcarfre
Posts: 13676
Joined: 08 Jul 2008, 13:52
First Video: Not Applicable
Location: Vancouver, B.C.

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Metcarfre » 29 Jul 2012, 14:57

Merrymaker_Mortalis wrote:I didn't recognise the Welsh Famous song that was sung in the montage in the beginning. Perhaps because it was the English Words.

Bread of Heaven
*
User avatar
Jasbraman
Posts: 59
Joined: 12 Jul 2009, 15:18
First Video: The Lich King's New Wrath
Location: Great Britain
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Jasbraman » 30 Jul 2012, 01:08

The futuristic rocket man thing was during the history of music bit, where they played some stuff from Ziggy Stardust (I think). Also, the Arctic Monkeys were kind of bad. They could have gotten a much better band to play.
"Where the shitting crikey is my nose?"
User avatar
Merrymaker_Mortalis
Posts: 7226
Joined: 24 Feb 2010, 19:19
First Video: ENN's First Episode on Escapist
Location: Wales

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Merrymaker_Mortalis » 30 Jul 2012, 01:40

The Arctic Monkies are probably the most current band that represents a huge influential music movement of Brit Pop two decades ago. That's my reasoning. Still, it was quite surprising.
-
And "This is the first time in Olympic History where all Competing Countries has female athletes"

*Cuts to various live shots of random females in the stadium, not necessarily from the countries where they were suppressed*

I understand the intent of the camera direction, but it came off very patronising in my own opinion. CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE A WOMAN! or THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A WOMAN!.
User avatar
CommanderKeen
Posts: 475
Joined: 03 Dec 2008, 23:51
First Video: Halo: The Future of Gaming
Location: Vancouver
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby CommanderKeen » 30 Jul 2012, 02:12

The opening ceremonies are traditionally a "Hey, welcome to our country. This presentation will give you an idea of our culture, because it may be different from yours." Britain has really transformed itself since the the end of the Empire and because it's not politically correct anymore to acknowledge the MASSIVE influence is has on the rest of the world. Great Britain doesn't get to toot its own horn, the other night it did. The closing ceremonies are traditionally a lot more fun hence things like giant mounties and hockey players at Vancouver's closing, so I would expect more pop-culture references there.

Poppins defending against the dark lord? There were many other villains from children's literature there. Cruella de Vil and Captain Hook I saw as well.


As for Tennant not lighting the torch, to be perfectly honest despite the fandom, no one would have understood why. Especially an international audience that would ask the question "Doctor Who?" unironically.


From a technical standpoint. I was blown away. But I would also expect that for 27 million dollars. (or pounds I'm not sure on the currency) Funny what happens when you fund the arts.
CSt
Posts: 117
Joined: 03 Aug 2011, 08:32
First Video: cHustle: Arms Race
Location: Europe

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby CSt » 30 Jul 2012, 02:47

CommanderKeen wrote:From a technical standpoint. I was blown away. But I would also expect that for 27 million dollars. (or pounds I'm not sure on the currency) Funny what happens when you fund the arts.


It's pounds not dollars, you'll have to convert that yourself. Especially impressive compared to the chinese ceremony which cost more than double that.

Although (and I say this with affection) to completely engulf the english spirit the ceremony missed everybody standing up and declaring it would be rubbish. Once before it started and once after it finished.

@MrParivir: :wink:
User avatar
Merrymaker_Mortalis
Posts: 7226
Joined: 24 Feb 2010, 19:19
First Video: ENN's First Episode on Escapist
Location: Wales

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Merrymaker_Mortalis » 30 Jul 2012, 03:21

I thought the middle was a bit boring. The History of British music. It was a good idea, but I thought the visuals didn't captivate me like the Industrial and Political History of Britain, NHS and Children's literature and the finale.

It was the weak link and I spent most of my time face down playing my DS listening because of combo of those two were more awe-inspiring.
User avatar
CommanderKeen
Posts: 475
Joined: 03 Dec 2008, 23:51
First Video: Halo: The Future of Gaming
Location: Vancouver
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby CommanderKeen » 30 Jul 2012, 03:29

You gotta remember that the history of music bit was more a "how did britain get from being a post-war country to the one it is today." It was also a reflection on the average British family going out for the night.

The Chinese ceremony also killed people in rehearsals. Just sayin'
User avatar
Geoff_B
Posts: 11637
Joined: 06 Apr 2011, 13:13
First Video: Installation Anxiety
Location: Harrow, London
Contact:

Re: London Olympics Opening Ceremony

Postby Geoff_B » 30 Jul 2012, 04:43

Rowan. Atkinson.

That. Is. All.
Twitter|Google+|Tumblr|Facebook|Steam|Skype: gmbridges

I survived spaMEGAdon and all I got was this lousy signature joke.

#TeamMonica, #TeamMaki, #TeamTavis

Return to “General Discussion”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 37 guests