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Opening Ceremony


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Just a small bit of "behind the scenes" for one element of the opening ceremony: An amateur video showing the boat with the torch and David Beckham aboard passing Tower Bridge during the opening ceremony - what is interesting (and something I didn't really notice when I watched the ceremony) is that floating set of OIympic Rings which are folded later in the video:



And two more videos with pyrotechnics - this time the big fireworks at the end of the opening ceremony, taken from outside the stadium.

The professional (albeit slightly edited version):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLXXlH4AQHQ

And the amateur version:

Amazing fireworks. I wonder how London wants to top them two days from now for New Year's Eve - besides maybe by duration. ;)

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Re PANDEMONIUM and the rising smokestax effect. I saw the new Cirque du Soleil movie yesterday, and guess what? The very impressive, for me, "rising smokestax" effect at London's Opening was apparently "inspired" by a similar sequence in The Beatles LOVE show at The Mirage. (Altho the Cirque show uses more the rectangular Mary Poppins-type chimney stax rather than the tubular industrial ones used by Danny Boyle's troops...but still, the appearance effect is the same seminal idea.

LOVE opened in 2007, a year even before Beijing.

09.jpg

Just emailed my LOCOG contact to chide him on this 'discovery.' He worked on the design & texture of the smokestax. Still have to hear from him.

More on a review of the Cirque movie and how it has so many ties to Olympic ceremonies, later.

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I don't really see why the fact that one element of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony bore some similarity to one part of a Cirque show matters that much.

It doesn't detract from the overall quality of the show although not many people seem to think that the show demonstrated much quality judging by most of the comments around here.

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It is weird, if you want bad reviews of the ceremony you come on here, if you want the positive response you go anywhere else on the internet. Its purely subjective. For me it was an incredible show, a show better than I ever dared dream of. Sure there were a few things I think could have worked better but the concepts and humanity of it was incredible. The music was inspirational and the imagery spot on.

Just watched the ceremony on the BBC DVD (and I cried again) The underground workers are shown building the wheels that then turn above the stadium floor. There are a few new shots the most impressive in my view are the ones shot behind the drummers on the Tor with the stadium behind them looking incredible. There were also more of the procession, the womens rights section and the Jarrow march.

For me the house section with the decades of music/tv and film works better in this version when it comes to the climax and the reveal of Tim Bernes-Lee the footage used is far superior in this the Directors cut.

Also the rising of the cauldron is shown more and a lot better than was shown on the night. I highly recommend if anyone gets chance to watch it with the Danny Boyles commentary for lots of insights.

It was an amazing show, the choice of Danny Boyle was spot on. There were some very talented people allowed to create a vision of what they wanted the show to be. I know there are folks on here that really didn't enjoy it, that amazes me really, but such is life. I know for one 2012 was the most incredible year of my life, Im glad I was lucky enough to create so many memories that will live with me forever.

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Good point there cormiermax,..

I would have loved to seen more of 'London'... Just such a rich history. British culture has been so dominant for the last 1000 years. Can't squish it all into two hours.

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I think it was a show loved by Brits, found to be mediocre by everyone else.

Actually, I think it's more a case of a show loved by some Brits and loved by some others too whilst some Brits and some others were not so keen!

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I don't really see why the fact that one element of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony bore some similarity to one part of a Cirque show matters that much.

It doesn't detract from the overall quality of the show although not many people seem to think that the show demonstrated much quality judging by most of the comments around here.

I like to give every Ceremony the benefit of the doubt...that it unveiled something new, and original, and groundbreaking. That whatever new effect it used pushed the envelope of Ceremonies to an even greater edge. Thus, it does take your (my) wind out a little when you discover that such a stunning effect as the 'rising of the smokestax' in the said sequence, has had its roots elsewhere. That it wasn't all that original and groundbreaking after all -- and that the original use be given proper credit. That's really my whole point.

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As corny as it sounds, I think watching the DB commentary on the bluray set makes you appreciate the ceremony more.

I think before I was *fond* of the ceremony, with some bits that I watched many times, and a few bits I thought were a tad under par. But listening to the whole ethos and concept that DB and FC had for it, you do sort of understand it a little bit more.

So I echo those who say try and watch the bluray.

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Yeah, every Brit iv talked to also loved it. International reception has been mixed though.

And surely that's the most important thing, that the hosts were happy. They're paying for it, after all. I also found it was pretty postively viewed by all the Brits I talked to in the UK - even friends who were usually Oly-sceptics.

It's a bit like Sydney's for me. I'm sure it's dated now, it has certainly been bettered. But it's always going to be the one that touched my soul closest.

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Bias aside, I think Sydney's still remains the best combination of raw humanity and mass human spectacle. It was as far as you could go in terms of the basic, large scale mass people power production. I think the huge swing towards technology in Athens reflected this, even Beijing and London with their respective people driven productions, still relied in advanced technology far more than Sydney did. 2000 was a great end to the era started by Moscow in 1980.

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It is weird, if you want bad reviews of the ceremony you come on here, if you want the positive response you go anywhere else on the internet. Its purely subjective.

Please show me anyone here on this board who gave the ceremony a completely bad review. Yes, maybe one reads more critical points here than you do when you ask Joe Public - but is that really such a surprise? We are Olympic aficionados, some here have enough knowledge about Olympic ceremonies to fill books with it. Many here have been watching different Olympic ceremonies (either live, live on TV or in retrospect on TV or the internet) for years. So it's no miracle that we do compare the ceremonies constantly and find weaker points Joe Public who maybe watches his first Olympic opening ceremony ever (at least with bigger attention than he did at previous ceremonies) probably doesn't notice at all.

And after all, you're right regarding that it's purely subjective. Some people prefer the avantgardistic, artistic and philosophical approach of Dimitris Papaioannou at Athens 2004, others prefer the colourful, less intellectual and more entertaining approach of Ric Birch at Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000, and there are others who prefer the mix of entertainment and deep meaning provided by Danny Boyle at London 2012. We will never find just one uniform opinion about an Olympic ceremony on this board, and this is actually what makes this board so interesting. What should we discuss about if we hadn't our individual opinions and approaches anymore?

I can only recommendyou (since this already led to your temporary departure from this board) not to take it all too seriously and to accept other opinions even on topics you (understandably) feel very proud and therefore sensitive about. Of course, as citizen of a host nation, one almost always has a different opinion than foreign viewers who watch such a ceremony from a certain distance (geographically as well as patriotically). But everyone is entitled to his opinion, and since the world is not uniform, opinions inevitably can't be either.

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Im still yet to actually talk to anyone that wasn't blown away by the ceremony.

Fly over for a visit.

There were some wonderful moments, but also quite a few disorganized looking head-scratchers. It wasn't terrible, but I have yet to speak to anyone on this side of the pond who really loved it.

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Yeah everyone iv talked to locally was disappointed by it, some even going as far as to say it reminded them of the MTV music awards... I wouldn't go that far, although the texting segment... ugh. Just so inconsistent.

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It is weird, if you want bad reviews of the ceremony you come on here, if you want the positive response you go anywhere else on the internet.

Im still yet to actually talk to anyone that wasn't blown away by the ceremony.





There are dozens of forums where London OC was criticised much more harshly than here...

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I sort of feel the need to publicise the ceremony by saying it was directed by an Oscar wining director

took precedence over appointing the right man for the job.

I still love the meadow set though.

I agree about the set for "Green and Pleasant." It was delightful. I just wish we'd seen more of it!

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I think it was a show loved by Brits, found to be mediocre by everyone else.

Well, I am not British, but I love the OC of London 2012 - I wasn't able to see all the details of the show, since I sat in the stadium and watched it in person....

Many people sayed that they were not able to understand parts what was shown during the OC - it worked for me - I couldn't understand all what the stadium speaker said or what was shown on the screens, but e.g. the scene with the house "sent" my memory right back to some sunday mornings, when I was visiting Lee in Manchester and we sat on the floor of the living room and ate some breakfast and watched some TV and we talked all the world and his brother...

Attending both ceremonies in London 2012 made me aware that it is something completely different to watch an OC on TV or being in the stadium. For me the opening ceremony was an introduction into the "British mind" - it was a welcome from the British people to the world...

The closing ceremony was a big party - they celebrated the end of very succesful Olympic Games with thousands of people from around the world - the stadium floor was decorated with famous London sights...

My personal "problem" is that it is very difficult for me to "rank" the ceremonies of London into my "ceremony charts", since I watched all the others on TV only...

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Being there in person was the greatest moment of my life, I was glad to share some of the day with you Martin.

I loved it, everyone I know loved it, thats good enough for me.

And I certainly dont think it was perfect, there was a lot of things I think could have been done better, but that doesnt mean I still cant love it, anyone that says one of these massive shows has ever been totally perfect is a loony as far as Im concerned.

The reason I left this forum is because to leave the amazing event that was London 2012 after witnessing it first hand then coming on here and reading comments on here that in no way bore any resembelence to what I had and was witnessing made me think being on here was a pointless exercise.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I dont have to come on here to read them do I. As everyone is entitled to their opinion, please dont critisise me for expressing mine.

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Not at all Davey, I completely understand your opinion. I think perhaps the ceremony was directed in a way where the British public would better understand it. To an outsider though, as many have said it didn't really make much sense. I also think this is the first time a ceremony has been directed in such a way, it isnt a bad thing as the tax payers who funded it loved it, but those of us outside looking in where left largely unsatisfied, if not disappointed. It was my least favourite ceremony over all, but it certainly wasn't an embarrassment and the British should be very proud.

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Well, I am not British, but I love the OC of London 2012 - I wasn't able to see all the details of the show, since I sat in the stadium and watched it in person....

I think it was in large part due to you being in the stadium, thats just a guess but I know if I was there in person I probably would have loved it too!

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