Opening Ceremony

[Madscouser]

Anyway... back to putting this episode in amnesia mode.

Easier just to put the whole '96 games in amnesia mode in my opinion.

[baron-pierreIV]

Easier just to put the whole '96 games in amnesia mode in my opinion.

Maybe for u; but NOT for me. I was part of it. So I will defend it to my dying breath (warts and all).

And what have U participated in, pray tell?

So, just watch it. OK?

[JMarkSnow2012]

@baron-pierreIV: "I had completely forgotten on purpose Ali's appearance in London." ... "(Did it have to do with the Inspire a Generation theme of 2012? )"

I'll get back to you on that one-




just when you think you've comfortably forgotten it again ....

[Sir Rols]

Oddly enough, the intrusion wasn't as sudden as it appeared. This was typical of the over-ambitious but extremely clever nature of this segment. Watching on our TVs (or the stadium screens) we saw a family going about the normal activities of a weekend evening- and to make a point about how normal everything was, we were shown extracts from TV shows and films showing the same activities. First there was the family getting ready to eat, accompanied by clips on the subject of mealtime, from British TV shows, an internationally popular Spanish TV show, and the celebrated poor-house mealtime from "Oliver Twist". Then there was mum trying to part her son from his Nintendo for the duration of the meal, accompanied by a similar scene from "Modern Family" (and a brief quote of a typical boy's reaction from a British comedy series), followed by the family prayer (not well shown on TV) and a matching scene from Disney's "Bedknobs and Broomsticks". Then as the two teenage sisters tried to get out of the house in their clubbing clothes, came matching scenes from a British soap, "Modern Family", a British comedy series, and "The Cosby Show". The kissing montage near the end of this segment applied the same principle: the Brits did not invent mealtimes, or teenagers, or love (although the montage does remind us that the Brits did show an "interracial" romance, with onscreen kiss, on one of its most popular prime-time shows, years before America's awkward Star Trek moment).

I actually didn't mind the Frankie and Johnny segment. Thought it was a good run through the past few decades of British pop music. Though, that happened again and was done better in the closing ceremony. The TV clips did jar though. Okay, I get they related to the action, but I still thought it was jarring to see US TV show clips (I didn't even realise they showed a Spanish show). I would have thought there was enough classic British TV to do it all without taking overseas clips.

IMO, there are no 'best' and no 'worst' Opening Ceremonies, just as there are no 'best' and no 'worst' Olympic Games!

There are some you like and there are some you don't like as much. For many of us, they are all pretty much the same. In the end, as with so much else in life, it just boils down to whatever floats your boat.

Nobody is ever going to be persuaded otherwise, one way or the other.

Exactly. And while I do expect a board like this is all about debating our favourites etc, it does seem to strike me there's a hint of overdone outrage in some quarters that anybody could enjoy the OC, as well as the opposite - a lot of people too defensive when others express it wasn't to their taste. Personally, I enjoyed London's, smiled throughout and it's one of my favourites, but it did have its flaws.

And I do think it's a bit of a tough and pointless order to compare and rate different ceremonies from different eras. Most are of their times and do date... quicker than we expect. The likes of Moscow and Barcelona were spectacles of their time, but look quite clunky and cheesy in parts to re-watch today. Sydney's will always stay in my heart as an emotional fave, but that's also beginning to show it's age. In so many cases, it'll all come down to what brings back our fondest memories, whether a ceremony was the first we ever watched and enchanted us and got us passionate in the Olympics, whether it was at a good time personally or not and so on.

[baron-pierreIV]

@baron-pierreIV: "I had completely forgotten on purpose Ali's appearance in London." ... "(Did it have to do with the Inspire a Generation theme of 2012? )"

I'll get back to you on that one-

Not necessary. We don't have to prolong the topic. He is NOT one of my favorite athletes.

[JMarkSnow2012]

@Sir Rols : "The TV clips did jar though. Okay, I get they related to the action, but I still thought it was jarring to see US TV show clips (I didn't even realise they showed a Spanish show). I would have thought there was enough classic British TV to do it all without taking overseas clips."

Millions of Hispanic viewers round the world (including quite a few in Britain itself) probably did realise, and appreciate, that they showed a Spanish show! Of course there was enough "classic British TV" but if thepoint was to emphasise the universality of some situations, then the showing of well-known non-British TV clips was an interesting approach.


@baron-pierreIV (re my offer to remind him later about the appearance of The Greatest at the London OC): "Not necessary"

Nor is eating strawberries and cream, but .....

[baron-pierreIV]

@baron-pierreIV (re my offer to remind him later about the appearance of The Greatest at the London OC): "Not necessary"

Nor is eating strawberries and cream, but .....

Kinda far out comparison u make...

[volshy]

Thanks to a Twitter friend who found this:


Dame Evelyn Glennie talking about performing at the Opening Ceremony and watching the video of the ceremony afterwards:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hcr67http://

Might only work for UK listeners though.

[baron-pierreIV]

Might only work for UK listeners though.

Good. After all, nobody outside of the UK knows who...what that...dame is. So, shouldn't be of too much relevance to outsiders.

That's exactly the same mentality you guys keep harping on...oh, here's another British/BBC viewpoint. Look, listen, take some pointers! Stop being so f*cking Brit-centric! The rest of the world looked in on 2012 but didn't NECESSARILY have to see it thru BBC-colored glasses. I hope the Russians and the Brazilians come on here in the next 4 years and lay this sh*t on you thick the way you roast-bif have been doing it. Sorry; am not an Anglo-phobe (I can't have enuf of British dramas and whodunits on my PBS station)...but u guys, especially the new ones, don't know when to undersell it.

[illustrado]

Good. After all, nobody outside of the UK knows who...what that...dame is. So, shouldn't be of too much relevance to outsiders.

That's exactly the same mentality you guys keep harping on...oh, here's another British/BBC viewpoint. Look, listen, take some pointers! Stop being so f*cking Brit-centric! The rest of the world looked in on 2012 but didn't NECESSARILY have to see it thru BBC-colored glasses. I hope the Russians and the Brazilians come on here in the next 4 years and lay this sh*t on you thick the way you roast-bif have been doing it. Sorry; am not an Anglo-phobe (I can't have enuf of British dramas and whodunits on my PBS station)...but u guys, especially the new ones, don't know when to undersell it.

just to clarify,i think he meant that the link to the video might only work for people in the uk because uk and us channels tend to block programs (mostly videos) from their website for people who are not from these countries.

the rant however was uncalled for :-(

[paul]

Good. After all, nobody outside of the UK knows who...what that...dame is. So, shouldn't be of too much relevance to outsiders.

That's exactly the same mentality you guys keep harping on...oh, here's another British/BBC viewpoint. Look, listen, take some pointers! Stop being so f*cking Brit-centric! The rest of the world looked in on 2012 but didn't NECESSARILY have to see it thru BBC-colored glasses. I hope the Russians and the Brazilians come on here in the next 4 years and lay this sh*t on you thick the way you roast-bif have been doing it. Sorry; am not an Anglo-phobe (I can't have enuf of British dramas and whodunits on my PBS station)...but u guys, especially the new ones, don't know when to undersell it.

Give it to em tiger....Baron, you really should have your oatmeal before comming on here.

The “special relationship” may truly be over….pitty!

[volshy]

Good. After all, nobody outside of the UK knows who...what that...dame is. So, shouldn't be of too much relevance to outsiders.

That's exactly the same mentality you guys keep harping on...oh, here's another British/BBC viewpoint. Look, listen, take some pointers! Stop being so f*cking Brit-centric! The rest of the world looked in on 2012 but didn't NECESSARILY have to see it thru BBC-colored glasses. I hope the Russians and the Brazilians come on here in the next 4 years and lay this sh*t on you thick the way you roast-bif have been doing it. Sorry; am not an Anglo-phobe (I can't have enuf of British dramas and whodunits on my PBS station)...but u guys, especially the new ones, don't know when to undersell it.

You've told me & others not to take all this stuff so seriously, and that you're here mostly to have some fun. In which case, I'll ignore you.

Maybe you should take notice of your own advice.

[paul]

(sp) pity.

[volshy]

just to clarify,i think he meant that the link to the video might only work for people in the uk because uk and us channels tend to block programs (mostly videos) from their website for people who are not from these countries.

the rant however was uncalled for :-(

thanks Illustrado - that's exactly right. With it being BBC Radio, the chances are with it'll be only UK listeners who are able to listen to it.

And there was me, stupidly thinking that on the GamesBids Forums' London 2012 Summer Games, Opening Ceremony subforum (open to a worldwide audience) that maybe, just maybe that someone here may be interested in hearing from one of the professionals (a profoundly deaf drummer/percussionist) who played lead the drums for "And I Will Kiss"... on how it was to be there, participate and ultimately watch it back for the 1st time.

A strange thought, but then hey, that's me.

[paul]

You've told me & others not to take all this stuff so seriously, and that you're here mostly to have some fun. In which case, I'll ignore you.

Maybe you should take notice of your own advice.

I think he is just having fun, that's how I took it.

[volshy]

(sp) pity.

Thanks to a Twitter friend who found this:

Dame Evelyn Glennie talking about performing at the Opening Ceremony and watching the video of the ceremony afterwards:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hcr67http://

Might only work for UK listeners though.

As Illustrado says, when I saw "Might only work for UK listeners though" = the radio broadcast stream might only be operate for people living in the UK unless other methods are used, eg proxies.

[Mr Tickle]

U gotta love Dame Evelyn I was so glad she was there doing her stuff. I could have done without Muhammed Ali too to be fair.

I think I may just watch it all again tonight. : )

[volshy]

U gotta love Dame Evelyn I was so glad she was there doing her stuff. I could have done without Muhammed Ali too to be fair.

I think I may just watch it all again tonight. : )

You know, you might just be right there Davey.

[baron-pierreIV]

just to clarify,i think he meant that the link to the video might only work for people in the uk because uk and us channels tend to block programs (mostly videos) from their website for people who are not from these countries.

I UNDERSTAND that. And obviously, if it doesn't work in a certain territory, then you will know.

My point too is that if non-Brits didn't post intervening replies, then this would appear to be an entirely pro-BBC thread. I mean the event is LONG over. Not everyone saw it via the BBC's eyes and that was fine by most people. So, per our (the Brits' words), other broadcasts didn't do it just. Well, so what? That's your interpretation.

As AthensFan said: it's "...NOT other people's job to search for the questionable, so-called 'best' telecast." And you know what? Not every one agrees that BBC gave the "best" telecast.

BTW, to you was a "rant." To me it was a response from an inane post. That's what a chat forum is about,

@volshy. Yeah, we can all go on IGNORING each other...and post will-nilly, hither-thither. Makes for great continuity in a discussion thread.

[JMarkSnow2012]

@baron-pierreIV: "My point too is that if non-Brits didn't post intervening replies, then this would appear to be an entirely pro-BBC thread."

Hang on- I'm a Brit and I've been pretty consistently anti-BBC !



http://www.mediaite.com/tv/how-to-ruin-an-olympic-opening-ceremony/

[illustrado]

I UNDERSTAND that. And obviously, if it doesn't work in a certain territory, then you will know.

My point too is that if non-Brits didn't post intervening replies, then this would appear to be an entirely pro-BBC thread. I mean the event is LONG over. Not everyone saw it via the BBC's eyes and that was fine by most people. So, per our (the Brits' words), other broadcasts didn't do it just. Well, so what? That's your interpretation.

As AthensFan said: it's "...NOT other people's job to search for the questionable, so-called 'best' telecast." And you know what? Not every one agrees that BBC gave the "best" telecast.

BTW, to you was a "rant." To me it was a response from an inane post. That's what a chat forum is about,

@volshy. Yeah, we can all go on IGNORING each other...and post will-nilly, hither-thither. Makes for great continuity in a discussion thread.

yeah, i think you just lost me

[volshy]

I do KNOW the details...but (i) this is an internet chat forum...I come here for fun...NOT always serious discussion;

Mark (& Volshy), I was messin' with your heads re my comment on the smokestax and the "fans." Don't take everything I post too seriously! As I said, I come here for a lot of fun...not all seriousity!!

BTW, to you was a "rant." To me it was a response from an inane post. That's what a chat forum is about,

@volshy. Yeah, we can all go on IGNORING each other...and post will-nilly, hither-thither. Makes for great continuity in a discussion thread.

I make a very short post a link to an interesting and entertaining retrospective interview with a key London2012 Opening Ceremony performer and I give a friendly caveat that those outside the UK may not be able to listen to it and this is classed as an "inane post" ? By someone who asks not to take everything they say here so seriously and who claims they are here "for fun...NOT always serious discussion".

For someone who wants to have some fun you sure go off the deep end from time to time.

There's me thinking that this is the Opening Ceremony subforum of the GamesBids London 2012 Summer Games forum, open even to residents of the UK.

[Olympian2004]

I UNDERSTAND that. And obviously, if it doesn't work in a certain territory, then you will know.

My point too is that if non-Brits didn't post intervening replies, then this would appear to be an entirely pro-BBC thread. I mean the event is LONG over. Not everyone saw it via the BBC's eyes and that was fine by most people. So, per our (the Brits' words), other broadcasts didn't do it just. Well, so what? That's your interpretation.

As AthensFan said: it's "...NOT other people's job to search for the questionable, so-called 'best' telecast." And you know what? Not every one agrees that BBC gave the "best" telecast.

BTW, to you was a "rant." To me it was a response from an inane post. That's what a chat forum is about,

@volshy. Yeah, we can all go on IGNORING each other...and post will-nilly, hither-thither. Makes for great continuity in a discussion thread.

Baron, but what the heck are you talking about?

Since when do we have an overkill of pro-BBC posts in this 207-pages long thread? Volshy did nothing more than pointing out to a clip that might be interesting for those who watched the ceremony and took notice of Dame Evelyn Glennie. He didn't praise the BBC for providing the clip (the clip could have come from any other media outlet, as a matter of fact), he didn't get jingoistic, he did absolutely nothing offensive. That's why I'm completely puzzled why you react with such a meltdown.

And by the way, talking about -centrism (in your case, egocentrism): Not everyone in this thread dances to your tune. If you feel (for whatever unclear reason) offended by posts linking to the BBC, then that's your completely personal problem. But please stop telling other people what they should be interested in and when they have to stop reminiscing about a certain event that is actually only a few months ago. I, for my part, am interested in Dame Evelyn Glennie (who is a remarkable artist) and in what she has to tell about the role she played in London's opening ceremony. Probably I'm not the only one here who thinks that way. And I'm not even British and therefore not endangered of the "Brit-centrism" you believe to have detected in this thread.

Furthermore, even if London's OC wasn't among your favourites, I'm appalled that you as author of a very savvy book about Olympic opening ceremonies shrug Evelyn Glennie off as "whoever that is". When I read such statements, I ask myself whether you really watched the opening ceremony. And even if you don't remind her name, it would have probably been wiser to google her name first before starting that rant that was really uncalled for.

[volshy]

@Olympian2004

Danke schön!

[baron-pierreIV]

Excuse me, Fab. As u said, not everyone "...dances to your tune..." Which is fine...except I am also PART of the thread and discussion, therefore I am within my rights to post my reactions to how the thread is going and AFFECTING me.

As for your telling me to look up this Dame Evelyn Waugh Glenn Closie thing...didn't you just say "...we're not to dance to anyone else's tune..." So, just because someone posted a name I'm not familiar with nor cared to find out more about, SHOULD I have jumped and looked that name up? No. I exercised my personal prerogative NOT to. If that was a CRIME or breach of any contract, well pardon me.

I DON'T TELL you how to react, Fab, so please refrain from doing the same for me. I am PERFECTLY CAPABLE of reacting on my own and I DON'T NEED your or anyone else's guidance. Capisce??