Olympics Ceremony - What Do You Think it MEANS

[Pickgo]

Was the first part an ecological comment - bucolic, green and pleasant land ruined by belching chimneys and dark satanic mills?

Was the NHS stuff a clever way to support it? - Who'd dare ruin it now when it has so clearly been identified as a national iconic institution in front of the WHOLE world?

Was it primarily a celebration of mediocrity? Pop culture exposed in all its chavvy crashness?

Or a relaxed, fun take on modern Britishness?

Obviously yes the NHS was a political statement along with the CND, unions, etc.

It's Danny Boyle (sp) everything was a statement. Including the rather dosturbing memorial wall and the Asian mañana boy who seemed to dance into death, perhaps symbolic of the 7/7 bombers being someone's son too?

Overtired clearly that meant disturbing and "man and" not mañana

It means £27,000,000 has gone into a couple of back pockets and a few fireworks because the performers were unpaid volunteers.

izzy Was the vox pop tho bro innit? An expression of the people by the people. Bet all the 'props' easily cost the £27m.

But did you identify with it as something to do with you?

Were the hammy idyllic scenes of our past a p---take? Including the women cathching apples in their aprons? (Where was our Will S by the way?)

Was it a crass rendition of popular perceptions of nationhood dressing up what is actually primarily a commercial event for multimational sponsors?

The NHS was founded the same year as the last time London hosted the Olympics.

Again, it didn't cost £27m. It cost under £10m. Big difference. Where are you getting £27m from?

Have now seen screens cost under £10m, whole thing was £27m. Apologies.

The daily mail mot likey

When I watched it, there were elements that were 'spectacular' and theatrical (in a good way). Chuckled at HM & Bond, Mr Bean; loved the rings being forged out of steel; gawped at the dark satanic mills rising out of the stadium floor; and thought the inclusion of the (hands-off-our) NHS a popular touch.

Thought the whole text message romance-a-thon was a bit of waste of time & energy, and if that's the only thing that the WWW is for, then god help us.

Despite enjoying big chunks of the show, a large part of me felt like I was inside some ad executive's head at a 'brainstorm Britishness' meeting. Much of the content could have been thrown out by a bunch of 15 year olds in an English lesson. One commentator writes that it's the story of how Britain survived the industrial revolution and war to become a modern, technological society today etc., but the 'history' conveniently forgot how GB's wealth was also derived from the resources plundered from countries in its empire.

Or maybe I'm missing the point, and it was just supposed to be a dumbed-down circus?

a large part of me felt like I was inside some ad executive's head at a 'brainstorm Britishness' meeting

Think you've hit the nail on the head there lego

I want to know what the rest of the world thought.

As an American I sat through quite a bit of it going 'huh?' while my British husband chortled and laughed and enjoyed it.

Based on my FB timeline, a lot of my American expat friends were like me and their spouses were like my husband, where British.

I did appreciate Mr Bean and Bond and the Queen and some of the music as great.

A good part of it was self congratulatory WE ARE BRITISH boring, though.

I too thought it was a bit too British.Other countries wouldnt have had much of a clue what was going on half the time,and certainly without commentary.Also i think I am right in thinking that other open ceremonies inluded other countries directly a lot more.After all there are over 200 countries competing,not just team GB.

It seemed to me to be trying to say clap clap we are British,but to me ended up saying,we are not as good as the Chinese.

The BBC has a quote from the Washington Post about the ceremony. I think its a good summary, and rather nice, even if a little critical. If its reflective of the rest of the world, then I'm happy with it.

The Washington Post stated: "If the opening ceremonies of the London Games sometimes seemed like the world's biggest inside joke, the message from Britain resonated loud and clear: We may not always be your cup of tea, but you know - and so often love - our culture nonetheless."

I have a problem with that Washington Post statement though.It is like saying we like Americanism,but dont necessarily like the Americans.

Exactly, amillion.

And as an American in Britain (well, NI) I often don't like your culture. Probably more often than I like it.

And I live here!

It was a great ceremony and it was representing Britain through the ages and things that Britain are about. It was vey well done so will people atop analysing it and give praise when it's due.

Okay.

As an ex-theatre professional, I am greatly impressed by their belief in their mechanicals and fire starting. I was also impressed by the fact that not one of those people got paid to do that good of a job.

Other than that, it is was self-congratulatory British smugness.

How's that, mumeeee? Did that meet your approval?

Like Tee, I'm American, and I was similarly confused by some of it! (even though lived in London for many years)

I was a bit surprised because London is such an amazing world capital, with people from all over the globe, so I was expecting something a bit more universal, not something that needed translation so much.

The NHS is great but does anyone else in the world care about it?

I read they had a replica of the Windrush ship in there -- you could have done a big set piece around that, recreated the Notting Hill Carnival, things like that.

I did like a lot of it though

mumeeee,but where was the rest of the world.It was much like they didnt exist.
Agree that the technicalites went well.
Oh,and I'm British by the way.Doesnt mean I block everyone else out though.

I've found that Olympic Ceremonies are usually mostly about the country they are held in that is what they are supposed to be about.

I think that the NHS piece was pure politics, Sweet NHS nurses looking after sick children (picture of Labour) bad old Voldemort (torys) coming in to sell off NHS, then Mary Poppins, (the nanny state), coming in to rescue (labour again)

Agree with mumeee the Beijing one wasn't aboutbanyone other than the Chinese. At least we had all our cultures represented

were you disappointed that Danny B did not put Eton college in? It is very influencial in our country