wingspread Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 Well that was yet another disappointment. It looked very under-rehearsed and under-conceptualised. I want to see in my lifetime a closing ceremony that is as stunning (but not necessarily as long) as an opening ceremony, and one that has no local pop music performances for a change. Because, really, the international TV audience doesn't care that much about local music and hours of lip-syncing. Sydney's was kinda okay. Athens' was excruciating. What the hell happened to the scroll narrative? And what happened to that giant painting? PFFT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexus Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 I also wasn't too impressed with the closing, then again, I never am. Athens' was disappointing, little international appeal (and I'm Greek), Sydney was cheap and kitsch, Atlanta was, well, i think we were all glad it was coming to an end etc etc. Maybe I am biased, but I thought that the extinguishing felt much more sentimental in Athens, I didn't get the air bridge thing - what's worse, it got me excited as I expected a plane to appear from somewhere.. But it never came Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rav3n Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 Well that was yet another disappointment. It looked very under-rehearsed and under-conceptualised. I want to see in my lifetime a closing ceremony that is as stunning (but not necessarily as long) as an opening ceremony, and one that has no local pop music performances for a change. Because, really, the international TV audience doesn't care that much about local music and hours of lip-syncing. Sydney's was kinda okay. Athens' was excruciating. What the hell happened to the scroll narrative? And what happened to that giant painting? PFFT. The scroll narrative returned on the extinguishing of the flame. But anyway, yep i wonder wtf happened to the giant painting? I guess it will be kept on a olympic museum as a reminder of the games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zainhasan15 Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 NOTHING CAN REPLACE THE MAGIC OF GREEK WATER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatsh Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 the CC at the begining was good, but after beijing beijing, wo ai beijing, it started to get boring. the closing ceremony needed end with a song full of energy like BBWAB, for atletes and public retire from stadium with joy and happiness, but instead the last song was boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downtownBLUE Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 Closing ceremony-wise, I agree they tend to be afterthoughts but I think the most "fun" act in any Olympic closing for me are the Osmond-Dinos from SL2002. I thought it was very creative to entertain the audience during commercial breaks. Sadly, I wish the Beijing CC was more "fun" or as imaginative. It was the same old same old. And the air bridge thing was kinda hokey. I thought Torino's playing of "Volare" when they handed the flag over was much more subtle, tasteful yet along the same lines. London... Well... Dull, but I thought the Transformer bus was cool to watch change (but where's Optimus Prime?!). Well, if London has any problems coming up with an OC, they can always outsource it to China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingspread Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 The scroll narrative returned on the extinguishing of the flame. Well yeah, but I was hoping for a much stronger presence of the scroll narrative. I really wanted to see the finished painting fly up in the stadium, with the short performances centered on that element. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 I must admit to being a little disappointed with London's little segment - I liked the idea of the double-decker and the queue (two very British things!) but the lighting and the sound were dreadful - It was so difficult to see or hear the performers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwebb Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 for those freinds from UK, is the hair style of the London mayor always like that? Style isn't really the word I'd use. His hair really just sits on the top of his head. Rather like my own, except I hope I don't look as dishevelled as that. But to answer the question, his hair is always like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its a bid of magic Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 Got to admit I did have a chuckle at dishevelled Boris walking down to the podium and bantering away to nobody in particular. He is a bit of a comical figure. Whether that's a good thing or not, I don't know lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 What can I say, I didn't want to be a party pooper last night, but I found the CC distinctly underwhelming. And I often like the closings better than the opening _ Athens, for example, I think did a great closing with more warmth than it's opening. Beijing's I just found a boring mish-mash. Sory, but a huge letdown after how spectacular the opebning was. And the London handover? Like I said, my expectations were pretty low. It didn't exceed them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexus Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 Got to admit I did have a chuckle at dishevelled Boris walking down to the podium and bantering away to nobody in particular. He is a bit of a comical figure. Whether that's a good thing or not, I don't know lol I thought in a very subtle way, Londons Mayor was hilarious, seeming kind of lost, constantly putting his hands in his pockets and then quickly removing them and saluting what seemed to be a particular individual among the 100 odd thousand! He looked like he wanted to busrt out laughing at the whole spectacle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevzz Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 I thought in a very subtle way, Londons Mayor was hilarious, seeming kind of lost, constantly putting his hands in his pockets and then quickly removing them and saluting what seemed to be a particular individual among the 100 odd thousand! He looked like he wanted to busrt out laughing at the whole spectacle. Tucking his hands into his jacket's pocket is his signature pose. He even used the silhoutte of it in his mayoral campaign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ard72 Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY20?? Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 NBC's just up to the fireworks after the "memory tower" segment, and I have to say - how boring. What a yawn! I'm contemplating whether or not I should go to bed now. London's handover was okay - I liked what they had in mind, it just looks like they had trouble executing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattygs Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Closing ceremony-wise, I agree they tend to be afterthoughts but I think the most "fun" act in any Olympic closing for me are the Osmond-Dinos from SL2002. I thought it was very creative to entertain the audience during commercial breaks. Sadly, I wish the Beijing CC was more "fun" or as imaginative. It was the same old same old. And the air bridge thing was kinda hokey. I thought Torino's playing of "Volare" when they handed the flag over was much more subtle, tasteful yet along the same lines. London... Well... Dull, but I thought the Transformer bus was cool to watch change (but where's Optimus Prime?!). Well, if London has any problems coming up with an OC, they can always outsource it to China. True, again, keep in mind tho - the winter hosts have it far easier in relation to the ceremonies. Of course they will never have the budget of the summer Games - but they can bring the stadium more into both ceremonies. They can play around with their ceremonies stadium for 16 days after the opening takes place - due to the fact that there will be no competition taking place in there for the most part. They can ad far more elaborate opening ceremony style props, and have rehersals which are a must if you want to have a far bigger performance. The summer event pretty much has 7 or 8 hours to make themselves at home. I have a feeling that perhaps the ceremonies team has put more effort into the Paralympic Opening ceremony - keep in mind, its not that common to have the same team executing 4 ceremonies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faster Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 They sucked, NEXT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micheal_warren Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 What can I say, I didn't want to be a party pooper last night, but I found the CC distinctly underwhelming. And I often like the closings better than the opening _ Athens, for example, I think did a great closing with more warmth than it's opening. Beijing's I just found a boring mish-mash. Sory, but a huge letdown after how spectacular the opebning was.And the London handover? Like I said, my expectations were pretty low. It didn't exceed them. That is exactly what I thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiFreak Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 And the London handover? Like I said, my expectations were pretty low. It didn't exceed them. I think the London portion would've been more lively if Becks would've had his wife there singing with the rest of the Spice Girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 What a bizarre, mechanical, kitschy Closing Ceremony -- as old-style proletariat spectacle as the Opening was breathtaking and tasteful. And the 'joy' which didn't really seem genuine or forthcoming was due to the music that was quasi-western, semi-Chinese and neo-Eurovison -- totally neither here nor there. And the 'Memory Tower' or Tower of Babel...Oy! What were they thinking? It was like a beehive with a swarm of mindless bees. And London's bit -- somehow Melbourne and Manchester seemed to do it better. Heck, the Atlanta handover and Izzy was a little more energetic than this totally forgettable London portion. Other than the electronic umbrellas, it was totally underwhelming/ I guess that sets the bar lower for London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Tickle Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 The London bit for me was 50/50. Great version of the national anthem. Good animation using the bus as a link was a good idea. I loved the bus but thought they needed more dancers, they were lost. The girl could have waved & smiled getting off the bus. The bus transforming was great but the skyline made out of hedgerow looked naff, I was let down by what was inside considering how cool it looked transforming. It was the wrong song choice, hated the dress and she looked so static. David Beckham bit was ok, bit quick. I wanted once he had kicked that ball for hundreds of balls to be then kicked off all with an invitaqtion on them to 2012 for the athletes. I loved the umbrellas, but it needed a shot front on so we could read them. I was in the mall, I cant believe the rest of the world didnt get to see images of it, 40,000 in the mall it was breathtaking!!!!! Handovers are very difficult, this certainly wasnt the greatest but it wasnt the worse. I liked Sydneys but apparently it got panned by the critics. Prepare for the press onslaught LOL. All I know is the country are now very excited about the games, Im sure the support will dwindle over the next 4 years, but what I liked about the London segment is it said. You do it your way, we're gonna do it our way. I liked that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattygs Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 I think the London handover would have been alot better if they had a larger space to work with, but unfortunately, the trend of past closing ceremonies is to conduct the majority of it on a stage surrounded by the athletes. It was just abit hap-hazard, with the bus parked off in a little corner. I think if the bus had gone into the middle of the arena, maybe with a street map projected onto the field , ala Melbourne, a few more dancers - there would have been more symetry and impact . It was just like a few people off to the side decided to park up and have a lil dance around ./ And i think that was lost on people too, you just couldnt get any feel for the choreography. The lighting was also bad, the effect of the landmark hedge didnt work, you couldnt even really tell it was a hedge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micheal_warren Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 mattygs makes a good point.... They didnt have a lot of space to work with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Tickle Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 True, the bus would have looked better up on that central stage at the centre of the athletes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Tickle Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 They have loaded up the amination to the London website now if anyone wants to have another look http://www.london2012.com/blog/2008/08/25/...pening-clip.php I am quite amazed the handover hasnt been slated by the majority of the press, apart from the Telegraph as far as I can see. Everyone is on such a high though, the athletes are returning on their golden jet at 2pm so the fun aint over yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts