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Athens 2004 - 10 Years Anniversary


kevzz

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On the other hand, you undoubtably went from the airport into Athens on the new highway funded with Olympic money.

Nobody needs a veledrome, but good airport to city links will always be appreaciated.

yes the highway was excellent and very fast! Although the taxi driver was driving at 160kmph at midnight when I arrived.

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yes the highway was excellent and very fast! Although the taxi driver was driving at 160kmph at midnight when I arrived.

Infrastructure upgrades are probably the lasting positive legacy for Athens 2004. The international airport, the metro, the new highways, the subsequent reduction in air pollution - my Greek friends credited all these developments with the Olympic Games. Definitely something to bear in mind for the future, too.

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Athens is my favorite opening ceremonies for summer. While Beijing is great, the problem for me with 2008 it seems lacking some spirit. Just my 2 cents.

Three opening ceremonies stand out in my book: Athens was special because of its passion and convincingly professed love for the Olympic Games as a concept and dream come true. Sydney stood out for its carefree, cosmopolitan and culturally rich presentation of Australian life - and believable frontier spirit. Finally, London had a beautiful narrative about the transformation of life in the United Kingdom over the centuries - coupled with a consistent message about inspiring future generation of sportsmen.

Beijing was technically well-executed and artistically interesting - however, it appeared too perfect and too scripted at times. Just as one was about to immerse oneself in Chinese culture and history (per se, a very intriguing and rewarding area all by itself), the viewer was sharply reminded of the country's status as an authoritarian dictatorship. From what I remember, German TV went quite overboard in its excoriation of the Chinese - so much so that it looked positively condescending. But yes, Beijing had precision, but little passion or heart.

I suppose lack of passion is a risk Rio 2016 will not be running!

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I suppose lack of passion is a risk Rio 2016 will not be running!

Agreed. I expect Rio's OC to be one of the best, and my new favourite after Athens'. Athens' OC is the one I keep watching without getting sick of it, unlike Beijing or London (though back then I really enjoyed London's OC).

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I think Athens 2004 resonates even more strongly today with me, especially bearing in mind the travails and tough times Greece has gone through recently. Yeah, the Brazilians will put on a great show - and I'm sure that I'll be learning a lot about Brazil itself, though I'm thinking of travelling there in the near future!

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Same here. I'm even applying for a job in Brasil and would be really excited to get it so I could see the Olympic Torch Relay like I did in Oxford in 2012, and would try to go to Rio for the Games, at least see the marathon if I don't get any tickets.

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Not exactly sure where to post this, but I'm so excited to just find out that Dimitris Papaioannou is the artistic director the Baku 2015 (1st European Game) opening ceremony! Really looking forward to see how he will do it this time, compared to Athens 2004 which in my mind still remains the best opening ceremony ever. Opening ceremony on 12 June 2015. Hope they get live broadcast here in UK.

I didn't even know there's such Games, and of this appointment. Only saw it on Dimitris' tweeter post some months back!

http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1023003/baku-2015-appoint-renowned-artist-to-direct-opening-ceremony

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Athens was sublime, and the Azeri people and nation have a fascinating and long history, especially as traders across the Silk Road.

COULD be great!

Agree!

I'm kind of hoping Tokyo adopts a 2004 style of ceremony - I think Japanese history and culture would lend itself well to it, as opposed to some cumbersome and OTT Beijing style show with thousands of actors.

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  • 8 months later...

Update!
Some more short Athens 2004 Opening Ceremony spectator videos may or may not have been put on YouTube recently by Katarzyna Bartos. "May or may not" because several of them are definitely the same videos which were put on YouTube a few years ago by Mago Ogam, many of which are available only to those who know the URLs. Given that Mago Ogam also ripped off an earlier video, it's all getting very confusing, so here's a list of all the ones I know about, in order of shooting (prefaced K for Katarzyna, M for Mago, full names for others). First, the two compilations we discussed back in 2014:

The whole-Olympics one: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsrnhc_%CE%B1%CE%B8%CE%AE%CE%BD%CE%B1-2004-o%CE%BB%CF%85%CE%BC%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%AF-%CE%B1%CE%B3%CF%8E%CE%BD%CE%B5%CF%82-%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BD%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B7-athens-2004_sport

The one with the Tiësto soundtrack:


= M: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VRXbqn-MIY

K Part 1 (in bus on way to stadium):


K Part 2 (walking on way to stadium):


K Part 3 (preshow views of audience):


M (preshow Mexican wave): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrJVvbzYJko
= K Part 4: www.youtube.com/watch?v=093luDGDi4U

K Part 5 (countdown):


M (welcome to athens):


M (Zeibekiko / drummers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8m83YvPsIQ
= K Part 6: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPnfnqgCxuM

K Part 7 (rings):


M (rings):


M (fireworks after Greek flag raised): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yiw7NvtmBGU
= K Part 8: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj1wbh1re04

M (Cycladic head emerges): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXeF2agBxdA
= K Part 9: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oienal9OOmc

M (DNA projection): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3s3Dv5LC-k
= K Part 10: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFXNvQyfXjY

M (marshals assemble for parade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNRt3zLC9hA
= K Part 11: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieQlzCEXaK4

M (cauldron lit):

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