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Where you there? did you watch it on TV etc? What are your thoughts?
Watching right now - we're only 1/2 hour or so into it here in the States.
It's morning here in Asia and i just woke up, so i guess i missed the whole thing.
The airing of the opening ceremonies is just now starting here in the central US. The 1840's smitties have just forged the olympic rings. Jolly good show!
other than Queenie dropping in via helicopter, Mr BEAN was the best part!
That opening pageant was a freakin shambles. And if you are the flag bearer, knowing you will be seen by a BILLION people, take out the damned gum.
I think the queen could manage a smile instead of looking as if her feet hurt. I also couldn't think what place McCartney had in the whole scheme of things. Liked the fireworks.
Douglas, I agree with you on BOTH points; but wasn't sure if it was allowed to say so in here!
Lori & I watched the whole thing on tv almost 4 hours It was good ,great actually . But why end with Hey Jude , my goodness there are so many other great songs . But that was up to Sr Paul I guess Hansi
Leaving aside the aesthetic clangers, I'm always moved by seeing the world represented in one place and not fighting.
Except of course here in the USA they are running advertisements for Stars Earn Stripes during the commercial breaks. This involves lots of shooting. big explosions, and urban combat.
I run to the kitchen or loo during those so I've missed them.
Watched it from the get=go. Loving every minute of it. Britain is just now entering, which of course is the end. The Opening ceremony was totally different from that in China 4 years ago. But it was most interesting and a technical feat. William and Kate....still in love....what more could we ask for? I'm thinking that Rio in 2016 might be my destination. Always wanted to go there and now with a good excuse.........
That is very true Douglas. It is wonderful to see all of the nations standing there together in front of a very enthusiastic audience.
The torch is about to be passed to light and start the games. holding breath.....
In our time zone they just finished the Mary Poppins invasion.
Simply beautiful!!! (a few tears....) Well done London!!!!!!
Paul did look a little haggard tonight for sure. Volunteers did a great job! Mohammed Ali really sad
No I did'nt watch any of it...and won't watch any olympics at all...I firmly believe there should be another channel completely for sport and that normal people can continue thier normal lives withoutb ever having to be bothered by it.
It's 10:30 at night here, and they've just gotten to Norway (plus advertisements every 7 minutes). I've got to get up early tomorrow, so I'll have to pass on the rest of the event.
Well done London,I have been enjoying every moment,loved the smoke stacks and the forging and joining of the Olympic rings. Mr Bean had me laughing out aloud. Then when 'Abide by me' started I howled and wailed like a banshee.I had to turn it off because it made me feel so sad. I will catch up with the highlights later today. C'mon Aussie C'mon
I'm not keen on us hosting the Olympics but I watched it because I like watching historically important events (about the only time I watch telly at all nowadays). I thought it was magnificently conceived and brilliantly put together, especially considering the vast, vast majority of 'actors' and dancers were volunteers. Being a Brit, and keen on history, I 'got' all the references: not sure how that worked for watchers in other countries (nor perhaps for some younger Brits). Maybe that's why you thought it a 'shambles'; the innate narrative theme may have simply been too parochial? A 'shambles' (state of total disorder) it most certainly was not: successfully organising thousands of people (and a few animals) and stupendous stage machinery is no mean feat. But if you don't know (as most in the world do not, and why should they?) much (or anything) about Glastonbury Tor, the Industrial Revolution and its effects on the UK countryside and culture, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, poppies, the Jarrow March, the suffragettes, the Windrush, Great Ormond Street... I'm sure there are people who have never heard of Evelyn Glennie (the woman percussionist) nor realise she is totally deaf (and why should they?).. I thought it reflected our multi-layered culture, and our complex history, very well, with loads of in-jokes and some perhaps rather obscure cultural references. Did you spot the Pink Floyd flying pig on the very first intro video, and the Wind in the Willows characters on the Thames? Or the numerous iconic moments from British film and TV projected onto the 'house' during the 'technology' segment (the bit with Tim Berners-Lee at the end)? The dresses worn by the women who carried the country names during the athletes entrance were printed with faces of those who volunteered to take part but did not get chance. I thought that was a very nice touch, as was the children's singing/signing choir who sang the National Athem (and almost, almost made it sound more chirpy than funereal). But I really could have done without McCartney.
How beautifully explained Leics (Jen) I am so proud of how it all came together and can only imagine the hard work behind the scenes. I have just watched a replay and loved the incredible history unfold... I am a tad confused with GB's Olympic uniform (to me it looked a bit Elton John'ish !!!! I was looking for a bit of red white and blue and only because I am in the dear little colony of Australia and fly the union jack/southern cross proudly. Apart from that and as I said earlier...Well done London. Go for gold Australia.
We had not planned to watch it and was surprised when my husband kept calling me to "sit down and watch it is starting NOW." I was too tired to watch right to the end but thought it was excellent and something for us Brits to be proud of. Thanks to leics for outlining the unfolding story and historical refereneves of the pageantry so brilliantly.
Thank you. I thought it was aimed at us more than the rest of the world, and I understand absolutely why Danny Boyle did what he did...and I understood his message. I think it showed us as we really are now, not as the bowler-hatted, stiff-upper-lipped, snobbish group of 'English' which is so often our stereotype. The history and lives of ordinary folk, in the main: no kings and queens or 'traditional' pageantry. So you saw the intensely-rural UK before the Industrial Revolution, the vast numbers of ordinary people who then struggled and sweated their lives away for the benefit of the minority rich (those chimneys and the ring-forging were seriously impressive), the struggle and losses of those ordinary folk as they grew towards what the UK is nowadays. The team uniform? Agree. But much (all?) was designed by ...well..Stella McCartney. And the 'gold accent' comes from Next. I say no more. You'll see the flag (at least, a version of it) when the athletes compete: telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi...
Keti, there was no particular naval element. The only 'water-y' things were he Windrush (the ship which, in the 1950s) brought the first large group of immigrants from the West Indies) and the Yellow Submarines. No-one was watching the Queen all the time so I've no idea whether she smiled or not. But she is indeed elderly, and I thought she looked very tired as well. She's been travelling round the country a lot this year (on her jubilee tour). And/or maybe most of the music wasn't to her taste? I know my mum (much the same age) wouldn't have enjoyed it one bit! :-)
Britain's history unfolding and very well choreographed but they missed out the wars and the colonisation. Very British,very 'prophar' and simply hilarious at times, like 007 on Her Majesty's Service and, of course, Mr. Bean!
The wars were in there, Anil: the poppies, the uniforms, the video elements...and, in a way, the last segment before the athletes, which was related to the 7/7 bombings in London. As for colonisation: I think the participants well represented the multi-ethnic nature of the UK resulting from that, and the Windrush made a very specific point. But it was a 'tale' of the UK itself, of this country and its people, not of the UK as a power or force in the world (past or present). It simply would not have been possible to include all that as well.
Congratulations. It's always been a pleasure meeting you. more
