Saronne Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Confession time. Although I'm not a great fan of the Olympics( as stated in the earlier post - 'Alternative Olympics') I confess that I watched the opening ceremony last night and was totally blown away! I thought it was weirdly wonderful and unabashedly British. As a Yank who's now lived in the England for many years, I thought it represented U.K. in a very colourful, modern and humorous way. Well done to Danny Boyle. No doubt others may have different opinions! Saronne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Ditto! Excellent! JAmes Bond, the Queen, Mr Bean, Tellytubby Hill, JAmes Barrie, Isambard K Brunel........ This could only be Britain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Loved the Industrial Revolution bit, with the forging of the rings. Living in Steel City, it really meant something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I loved it too, & I am no great fan of the Games. I thought the cauldron was spectacular,in particular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I wasn't sure at the start as it was hard to see everything and work out what was going on. However, I ended up really enjoying it (especially the comedic bits ) and I agree, the cauldron at the end was spectacular . The forging of the rings was inspired too . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I, too, enjoyed what I saw of it (went to bed at 10.00pm as it had been a long day!) However, I fear a trip to the optician's is called for as I spent about half an hour puzzling as to why Harry Enfield was wandering round in a huge top hat Mr Bean was inspired and I loved HM parachuting out of the helicopter-not!!! HM didn't look amused tho! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I found it a bit weird and disjointed really - the forging of the rings was inpressive however. Its just a shame it was on so late - we gave up about 40 mins through the teams coming out as it was going to be well past midnight before they had finished that! All in all i guess it was pretty much what I was expecting but previous years have been better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I am sorry but I think it is all a waste of money, however I thought I would enjoy the opening but had to swich it off. I found it all a bit sureal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovemarmite Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 i am anti olympics but thought i would try and keep a clean mind and watch. I fell asleep on the sofa by 20 past 9. From what i saw i didnt think much of it. Amazing event in logisitics, but thats about it. it was the brunel;s in their top hats dancing that really put me off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I generally find anything like this to be a rather thin veil over a lot of behind the scenes political and social manoeuvring. Was it impressive..? Yes (some elements of it). Dare I say, would it have been even more so if I were there..? Yes. However, and forgive me for sounding like a militant lefty here, but I am: Is the whole affair worth in excess of £12billion..? No. Will we make up for the loses that people have suffered as a result of being evicted from the London homes, in the quest for additional cash by London's private landlords..? I doubt it. Did it actually come over as representative of the entire UK..? I don't think so, and Seb Coe's speech alone implied that he thinks nothing of it as an international affair, rather, a local affair... not even national. I watched it, because I am an academic, and feel I have to in order to be critical of it. After having done so... a couple of things just left me wondering: Northern Ireland represented by the song 'Danny Boy'..? (Complicated one, I know) Great Ormond Street Hospital as representing what's left of the NHS..? A hospital that nearly had to consider closing because it was once down on charitable donations, and actually receives very little by way of NHS funding. OMG... I could go on, and no doubt alienate myself totally... apologies. In a nutshell... I found the whole thing rather esoteric... and hard work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I thought it was all great and I was really proud ...but...Paul McCartney we had to leave the room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Well I don't mind admitting that I thoroughly enjoyed it! I'd have been really hacked off if all that money had been spent on something that was dire! Loved the comedy bits - my kids were a bit bemused by it, but even they enjoyed the Mr Bean bit Wasn't the Danny Boy song in keeping with the other songs though? I thought they were all rugby anthems? I liked that GOSH was included - not for the political aspect, but because it involved the children. The whole thing was dazzling, the only downside was rolling out Macca at the end and him singing over the pre-recorded track! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I loved it all & felt really proud! The countryside was amazing when it all started being carried away, to make way for the industrial revolution. Some brilliant choreography going on everywhere. Some scary stuff going on with the kids in their beds! Loved watching every country come in & their costumes. I was disgusted at HM - picking her nails when Great Britain entered the stadium. I wish she's have shown a bit more enthuthiasm & have smiled! Loved the comedy with Mr Bean, James Bond & even Beckham tearing down the Thames. I think it is time for McCartney to give up now! It was dire! Has he had a stroke or been dabbling in dodgy pills? He looked & sounded terrible. We were guessing all through, what the copper kettles were for. We thought they would slot together to make a huge torch / horn. Absolutely stunning cauldron! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I didn't enjoy it. I really thought I would and waited in anticipation> I lasted about 15 minutes before I was bored stiff. OH likes million pound drop so we watched that and turned over in the breaks to catch occasional glimpses, Didn't see Mr Bean or James Bond bits. The couldron at the end was good. I did say to OH it was a waste of money. Think I'll look for the Mr Bean bit on You Tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I was disgusted at HM - picking her nails when Great Britain entered the stadium. I wish she's have shown a bit more enthuthiasm & have smiled! I don't blame her to be honest, the poor woman is well into her 80s, just finished a punishing jubilee tour schedule, is probably exhausted, then had to sit through 3 hours of the opening ceremony (not a royal event) just to say two sentences to open the games. I'm surprised she didn't nod off altogether to be honest! They could easily have got Charles/Wills to open the games and saved the Queen yet another engagement after her gruelling tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I thought it was all great and I was really proud ...but...Paul McCartney we had to leave the room. Someone on fb said he'll still be droning on until the closing ceremony LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I have to agree with Stu about the NHS bit as I work for them I liked the cauldron and the teams best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I watched it all. I can't help myself. I Love the Olympics. The coming together of all nationalities regardless of which country they represent, they come together to put aside there differences to compete .I love sports . I used to run , hurdle and long jump for Leeds when young, played badminton , tennis and loved netball , i swam with passion till i discovered sub aqua. I can't help it . The location isn't really important nor is the opening ceremony ...just so long as for a short while athletes can get together and do what they do best . In the past athletes have come from poor nations with nothing but the clothes they stood up in and other athletes have lent them there training clothes or equipment just so they can compete .......only this happens at the Olympics. I enjoyed the ceremony as those factories, and the miners coming out of the earth are what kept most of this country in work, and the mills of Yorkshire, the deepest of poverty and slums which made industrialist rich . The forging of those rings could have been Sheffield . The one and only down , was Macca . Please don't let him into the closing ceremony . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 They could easily have got Charles/Wills to open the games and saved the Queen yet another engagement after her gruelling tour. Unfortunately, they couldn't have. It is in the contract between the IOC and the host city: the head of state must open the Olympics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 I didn't realise that was the case. In which case I suppose she didn't have a lot of choice. I still think she must be exhausted though after her jubilee tour and did remarkably well to sit through yet another event (even if she did manage to look bored at entirely the wrong moment ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Well I have already set up my stall as being a cynic and olympic abstainer..but I did get roped into watching the opening ceremony. We missed the opening bit, mostly due to my apathy about the whole thing but of what I saw I thought the light show was very good, Danny Boyle is out of his tree , the NHS bit was weird, (good point Stu about GOSH) ,and the middle bit was just unwatchable. (Did everyone get the product placement in the the Arctic Monkeys' set though? that was slick!). The teams entering the stadiums went on and on and on and on (am I alone in thinking the American team had deliberately gone for some sort of paramilitary look with their berets...bizarre!) We did sit it out to the bitter end, assisted by a nice bottle of white which made it seem funnier than it actually was I am sure! Paul McCartney was dire..... he gets my vote for Olympic Cryogenic Champion! The final fireworks were ok...but imo the money for the whole thing could have been much better spent.. Just got to get through the next three weeks now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 It certainly was spectacular. I missed the beginning which I had really wanted to see and joined it at the industrial revolution bit. The forging of the rings was very good as was the cauldron. However the NHS bit was dire and so was Paul McCartney. He should decline any further offers I though it was a pity that the cameras went to the Queen when she was looking at her nail. She is remarkable for her age and most people in their eighties would not be able to sit there for so long, so late at night. I am sure I could not do it I am a lot younger Was it worth the money ......time will tell if the Olympics does anything to boost the country's economy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathybc Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 I was lucky enough to go to the rehearsal on Monday...spent the rest of the week almost bursting with not being able to tell anyone about it and excitement of seeing the full spectacle. Had a party at my Uncle's on Friday night, he hired a massive screen. The detail and explanations were good, but the atmosphere of actually being there was hard to top. But have been glued to the TV watching diving this afternoon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janepie33 Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 I thought it was all great and I was really proud ...but...Paul McCartney we had to leave the room. Yes. Poor old Paul. He should just stick to playing the piano. I felt quite embarrassed for him. DD heard him practising at the stadium the night before and she told me "He is old and he can't sing". I was outraged and told her so. Had to admit later that she was right! PS LOVED the opening ceremony! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Poor Queen, she had just skydived in. Hair looked immaculate though, dress unruffled, shoes still on. Not bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
