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Posted

Except for the cauldron glitches, indoor, and outdoor due to the rain, and today's tragic death...

Overall it was a very beautiful opening. Great performances by Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams (Nelly looked hot! :D )Excellent performance by Sarah McLachlan. Fantastic performance by K.D. Lang; she played one of my and my dad's favourite songs. And it was great to see her perform in these ceremonies as she did in Calgary in '88. With today's sad event, I thought Hallelujah was perfect. And then there was the mad fiddler Ashley MacIsaac. I thought that whole fiddler and tap dancing segment was different, but highly entertaining!

The First Nations welcoming with the welcoming poles was great. I loved it.

The snowboarder at the beginning, the projections, all fantastic. Donald Sutherland's narrations were great. They picked a good voice.

And the torch bearers. Great choices for all five. And in some small ways I have connections to three of them...

Steve Nash - went to high school with a good friend of mine.

Rick Hansen - a 3rd cousin of a fellow classmate of mine I went to school with since kindergarten.

Nancy Greene - a hero of mine since I was little and in the Nancy Greene Ski League. I got to ski with Nancy at Sun Peaks Ski Resort and have a great chat with her. Very fine lady.

Great choices for the flag bearers!

And it was great that the flags were lowered to half mast in remembrance of Nodar and that there was a moment of silence for him. My thoughts and prayers are with the Georgian team and Nodar's family. Such a tragic loss at such a young age. :(

And my final thought:

The best opening ceremonies for a Winter Olympics that I have seen in my lifetime. Well done Vancouver! Well done! B)

Posted

I have to disagree, Although there where a few bright moments, in my personal opinion the rest was just anti-climactic. Very disappointed tonight, I think it was a mixture between the high dependency on lighting effects and the fact it was indoors that ruined it for me. Even if the cauldron would have fully deployed I still find it fairly ugly and the way Gretzky was trucked away to the second cauldron afterward made it seem sloppy. Definitely not Atkins best work.

  • Like 1
Posted

I loved it during Wednesday's dress rehearsal and it was even better on TV. My only demerits are:

  • O Canada: HORRIBLE version
  • The cauldron cock-up (of course; Atkins is 0/0 at OG when it comes to cauldrons)
  • Half th

e final torchbearers

Where was Cindy Klassen? Why does Marc Gagnon get blanked again and again? He's the most successful male Canadian Olympian athlete EVER! Gretzy never got a medal; neither did Nash. How about Cassie Campbell--a hockey player with 2 gold and a silver medal?

Things they nailed:

  • Canada's story
  • The Aboriginal parts--substantive, not superficial
  • All the songs except O Canada
  • The visuals
  • Olympic flag bearers
  • And

the highlight...the spoken word poem! Canada is the WHAT in what's new!

But really, I'm pleased and proud!

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Posted (edited)

I enjoyed watching it - it was beautiful - there were few great moments (esp. the "whales"), but I was missing something - there was nothing what really surprised me - nothing what made me "speechless" (altough the blowing whales were amazing)...

It was a nice and quiet Opening Ceremony with very beautiful poetic scenes, but I believe this OC will have a hard time to be remembered in eight/twelve years: there was no real surprise, which dropped my jaw (in German you can use "drop my jaw due a surprise") - that is exactly what makes the difference to my favourite OCs of Barcelona, Lillehammer, Sydney, Albertville or Salt Lake City...

the highlight...the spoken word poem!

... that was really something new, but I have to admit that reminded me too much on a preaching missionary at a TV-church-service - and I stopped listening (by the way you have to keep in mind that not everybody does speak English)

(and I have to add that a part of my fathers family are missionaries)

Edited by Citius Altius Fortius
Posted

See, I loved the poem. It was presented so minimally, just the author/reciter, but that was it's power to me. And the words of poem itself were touching, amusing and said something about the Canadian psyche. And it also somewhat gently self-deprecating and self-mocking, something which I can admire in any culture.

Posted

See, I loved the poem. It was presented so minimally, just the author/reciter, but that was it's power to me. And the words of poem itself were touching, amusing and said something about the Canadian psyche. And it also somewhat gently self-deprecating and self-mocking, something which I can admire in any culture.

Bang on SR! That poem was brilliant, and for the first time ever during an OC I've seen I felt pride for a country that I don't come from. This wasn't arrant American jingoism, Chinese middle kingdom bias or French artsy fartsy BS, this was a Canuck with a sense of humour and of place using his poetry to tell the world what being Canadian was aboot. Okay. maybe its not meant for domestic consumption but that poem made me marvel at our Canuck cousins...good stuff!

Posted

Here's the text (Thanks to Olympian):

"We Are More" by Shane Koyczan

When defining Canada

you might list some statistics

you might mention our tallest building

or biggest lake

you might shake a tree in the fall

and call a red leaf Canada

you might rattle off some celebrities

might mention Buffy Sainte-Marie

might even mention the fact that we've got a few

Barenaked Ladies

or that we made these crazy things

like zippers

electric cars

and washing machines

when defining Canada

it seems the world's anthem has been

" been there done that"

and maybe that's where we used to be at

it's true

we've done and we've been

we've seen

all the great themes get swallowed up by the machine

and turned into theme parks

but when defining Canada

don't forget to mention that we have set sparks

we are not just fishing stories

about the one that got away

we do more than sit around and say "eh?"

and yes

we are the home of the Rocket and the Great One

who inspired little number nines

and little number ninety-nines

but we're more than just hockey and fishing lines

off of the rocky coast of the Maritimes

and some say what defines us

is something as simple as please and thank you

and as for you're welcome

well we say that too

but we are more

than genteel or civilized

we are an idea in the process

of being realized

we are young

we are cultures strung together

then woven into a tapestry

and the design

is what makes us more

than the sum total of our history

we are an experiment going right for a change

with influences that range from a to zed

and yes we say zed instead of zee

we are the colours of Chinatown and the coffee of Little Italy

we dream so big that there are those

who would call our ambition an industry

because we are more than sticky maple syrup and clean snow

we do more than grow wheat and brew beer

we are vineyards of good year after good year

we reforest what we clear

because we believe in generations beyond our own

knowing now that so many of us

have grown past what used to be

we can stand here today

filled with all the hope people have

when they say things like "someday"

someday we'll be great

someday we'll be this

or that

someday we'll be at a point

when someday was yesterday

and all of our aspirations will pay the way

for those who on that day

look towards tomorrow

and still they say someday

we will reach the goals we set

and we will get interest on our inspiration

because we are more than a nation of whale watchers and lumberjacks

more than backpacks and hiking trails

we are hammers and nails building bridges

towards those who are willing to walk across

we are the lost-and-found for all those who might find themselves at a loss

we are not the see-through gloss or glamour

of those who clamour for the failings of others

we are fathers brothers sisters and mothers

uncles and nephews aunts and nieces

we are cousins

we are found missing puzzle pieces

we are families with room at the table for newcomers

we are more than summers and winters

more than on and off seasons

we are the reasons people have for wanting to stay

because we are more than what we say or do

we live to get past what we go through

and learn who we are

we are students

students who study the studiousness of studying

so we know what as well as why

we don't have all the answers

but we try

and the effort is what makes us more

we don't all know what it is in life we're looking for

so keep exploring

go far and wide

or go inside but go deep

go deep

as if James Cameron was filming a sequel to The Abyss

and suddenly there was this location scout

trying to figure some way out

to get inside you

because you've been through hell and high water

and you went deep

keep exploring

because we are more

than a laundry list of things to do and places to see

we are more than hills to ski

or countryside ponds to skate

we are the abandoned hesitation of all those who can't wait

we are first-rate greasy-spoon diners and healthy-living cafes

a country that is all the ways you choose to live

a land that can give you variety

because we are choices

we are millions upon millions of voices shouting

" keep exploring... we are more"

we are the surprise the world has in store for you

it's true

Canada is the "what" in "what's new?"

so don't say "been there done that"

unless you've sat on the sidewalk

while chalk artists draw still lifes

on the concrete of a kid in the street

beatboxing to Neil Young for fun

don't say you've been there done that

unless you've been here doing it

let this country be your first-aid kit

for all the times you get sick of the same old same old

let us be the story told to your friends

and when that story ends

leave chapters for the next time you'll come back

next time pack for all the things

you didn't pack for the first time

but don't let your luggage define your travels

each life unravels differently

and experiences are what make up

the colours of our tapestry

we are the true north

strong and free

and what's more

is that we didn't just say it

we made it be.

Posted

well done vancouver. ignore the naysayers even if its one of your own. pat yourselves at the back. you did great. a touch of modernity while showing what canada is all about. well done. a very modern opening ceremony. just ignore the malfunction.

Posted

lol - I don't know - that is a result of the live chat - maybe I should shut up now ;)

# 126

Don't worry, Mate, continue. It's a High Holy day for a GamesBidder. Highlight of the gamesBids year. And it keeps me out of the top 10. I was embarassed I was leading the post count earlier today.

Posted

5 / 10

showed how projections can be great and how it can also overwhelm.

too much maple leaves.

there's no doubt the poet and the poem was good, i just think it dragged the segment way past its limit.

the totems at the start really looked like ice zombies.

Posted

I don't know what to think of the poem, really. It was nice, I guess. I wouldn't put it in my high points list nor in my low points list for the matter.

Posted

its canada, its the land of the maple leaf. the falling maple represented autumn. i guess you simply didn't get that part at all.

Posted (edited)

Don't worry, Mate, continue. It's a High Holy day for a GamesBidder. Highlight of the gamesBids year. And it keeps me out of the top 10. I was embarassed I was leading the post count earlier today.

How do you find out how many posts you have made in the past 24 hours?

Edited by micheal_warren
Posted

Must be an adapted form of this though--much shorter

Posted

Many peoples were saying how the winter olympics as gone too big... and losing the spirit... In that sense the olympic ceremony was really emotional, central on value, i felt a return too the old ways to make a ceremonies. A simple, beautiful ceremonies.

A few things I`m kind of sad.... I think the flag holder jacques villeneuve should have been replaced by gaetan boucher. First of all gaetan was the most decorated canadian athlete from 1984 to 2002, and because he was the inspiration of so many canadians currently olympians. When journalist talk to him about the situation he answer in the best way. Hope vanoc will try to found a way to recognize him before the closing ceremonie.

Second of all: the ceremonie had "no real end"... and I think this is what was missing... gretzky left for a long (too long journey) to lit the outside flame. The ceremonie miss that climax end... when the music, the flame, the fireworks and the open stadium give a picture of 1000 works.. Went he left I taught the show was still on... until i realize the ceremonie was done, we were just saying something extra.

But I am really satisfied... was intelligent... and most of all really went well with the death of that olympian. The ceremony was really focus on emotions not about the "wow factor" and for that i think this simple ceremony was grabing this sad emotion. I dont think beijing will of been able to deal with that kind of situation because those ceremonie was at a different level.

I think Vancouver was the best winter ceremonie overall but turin add an overall best segment.

Posted

It was ok but I feel like I just watched 3 hours of canadian self fellatio. I guess thats no different from past cereomnies but the patriotism was more apparent and compromised the artistry.

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Posted (edited)

It was ok but I feel like I just watched 3 hours of canadian self fellatio. I guess thats no different from past cereomnies but the patriotism was more apparent and compromised the artistry.

Canadian Self-Fellatio? :D

Bet that leaves a bad taste in the mouth...or maybe with a hint of bacon and maple syrup

Edited by eusebius65
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Posted

its canada, its the land of the maple leaf. the falling maple represented autumn. i guess you simply didn't get that part at all.

I know that, but as i said it had too much. I thought they would go beyond that.

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