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AIBU?

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To think the Opening Ceremony was truely appalling and here's why

500 replies

kate2mum · 28/07/2012 09:49

Danny Boyle - a cool dad in jeans who thinks of the world through the prism of music of his youth. He sees everything through music.
Had Viv Westwood been in charge, for example, the history of the UK would have been seen through fashion.
But, no, a billion people have to listen to the personal playlist of a Nick Hornbyish (oh, they are friends!) music trainspotter.

Shame if you don't see the world through that sort of music - but I guess you had to be there, and DBoyle probably was.

Tribute to NHS!!! Sorry, but I didn't know everyone who works for the NHS were all angels and volunteered for free instead of working for one of the biggest employers in the country. And just remembered this event is about SPORT and the way it can transform, so why oh why demonstrate 100's of "sick" children - to demonstrate how "caring" the NHS is.

Then children's literature done by the man who bought us Trainspotting - initially I thought the scene was still about the NHS turning into a nightmare, but NO, the best way to illustrate childrens' literature is to show how truely scary it is! Yes, reading can be terrifying and books are a fearful place. Not a place of safety, or unlifting, not inspiring, not poetic, just a nightmare (where were all the positive characters???).

Only people Danny Boyle's age would thing Mary Poppins was appropriate..

My children fell asleep; they could have cut most of it, had David Beckham ride in on a motorbike, light the flame, and then have some fireworks.

Lighting designer was good though.

OP posts:
OurPlanetNeptune · 28/07/2012 15:44

Typical British attitude here bash others in order feel good about themselves: Beijing was spectacular. But there were masses of cultural references in their ceremony that I guess people criticising can't be arsed to look up.

Look it up. Seriously. There were some very beautiful dignified messages

Fair enough if you loved the OC last night but your ignorance is evident when you start bashing Beijing.

TheEnthusiasticTroll · 28/07/2012 15:55

i dont think people are particularly bashing beijing as a result of ignorance, I think beijing is being used as comparison for how inclusive the Uk performance was and that is very representative of The Uk probably in comparison of how beijing was represented both culturaly and politicaly as a country through the opening ceremony they put on.

NarkedRaspberry · 28/07/2012 15:58

China is a country that forces women to have late term abortions. I don't think we need to criticise their choreography to have the moral high ground.

mellen · 28/07/2012 15:59

I thought the ceremony was amazing. What a brilliant image of Britain to choose to project - an inclusive country where everyone matters. Fab Smile

Sirzy · 28/07/2012 16:07

I loved the NHS bit, the NHS is fantastic and it was good to see it being involved

princelypurpleparrot · 28/07/2012 16:09

I was there and thought it was amazing. I've watched it again today and still think it was amazing. I thought the NHS section was lovely as it really is one of the greatest institutions in the world, and is getting royally fucked at the mo. I had a few friends who were performing and the hours they put in was phenomenal.

The sound in the arena from the drumming was just brilliant. And the music section was my favourite bit. He had a bit of everything in there.

Would write so much more if I wasn't on my phone. But Danny Boyle is a genius as far as I'm concerned, sod all you miserable netsayers Grin

thebody · 28/07/2012 16:10

Narked, good point, think it was absolutely fantastic, macca needs putting in a home for the bewildered but otherwise fantastic.

Beckham in a speedboat, can he get more sexy?

Thumbwitch · 28/07/2012 16:11

You want "appalling" you should read what NBC did to their coverage - now fair enough, I didn't get that the montage of people who had died included victims of 7/7 but it seems that others did - and NBC decided in their wisdom not to show it, instead cutting to an interview with their favourite swimmer. Bit bloody rude really. :(

SageYourOracle · 28/07/2012 16:15

Here Kate2Mum- have my first ever Biscuit

Felt proud last night.

NHS is amazing. My DD wouldn't be here (and neither, probably, would I) if it weren't for them.

Go GB!!

Rollmops · 28/07/2012 16:19

The first part of the ceremony was rather fantastic, however WHAT was that young couple all about. Why?
Tres representative of Londonium I suppose Hmm

Jinsei · 28/07/2012 16:21

I loved it, but there will always be cynics who are ready to sneer at anything. Hmm

I wasn't sure what to expect, really, but I was concerned that we might embarrass ourselves after the amazing spectacle in Beijing. I couldn't have been more wrong!! I thought the ceremony was fantastic - brave, intelligent, amazingly creative, inclusive, moving and deeply memorable. I loved the fact that it celebrated our freedom to protest and show dissent - such a contrast to the militarised control of the Beijing ceremony. I loved the tribute to the NHS (and the fact that Cameron had to sit through it while watching all the evil characters threatening it!), I welcomed the nod to children's literature and was delighted by the reference to the world wide web - these are surely among our greatest achievements as a nation. I loved Branagh doing Caliban's bit from the Tempest, it was very fitting to include some shakespeare, and what speech could have been more appropriate for the occasion! I loved the signing choir and Evelyn Glennie's drumming. Also impressed and surprised by the inclusion of the lesbian kiss, as it was a bold and daring gesture that underlined the British value of tolerance. The queen and James Bond sequence was truly inspired, and the bit with Mr Bean and Simon Rattle was hilarious. The cauldron was magnificent - I liked the idea of passing the torch on to the next generation, as legacy is supposed to be what these games are all about. Finally, I loved the symbolism of all the petals from the different nations coming together as one. A fitting end to an amazing and uniquely British night.

I am not usually the greatest patriot, and I often feel that we are outshone by other nations, but last night, for the first time in many years, I felt truly proud of being British!

akaemmafrost · 28/07/2012 16:22

My autistic child loved Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean and this led to him asking questions about the Olympics and what it is all about. For that reason alone it gets a thumbs up from me.

For my part I thought it was beautiful and amazing and it brought tears to my eyes frequently throughout. Made me proud to be British.

I don't actually care what anyone else thinks.

Jinsei · 28/07/2012 16:25

Oh, and I loved the fact that there was a role for the construction workers who helped to build the park. It was right that their contribution was recognised

thebody · 28/07/2012 16:36

Can just ask who we're the people on the montage, I think some were 7/7 victims and British 9/11 victims but who were the children?

Very moving.

JamieandTheOlympicTorch · 28/07/2012 16:37

Rollmops

A modern day reperesentation of the Cinderella story. Not sure what the rolled eyes are for.

Thumbwitch · 28/07/2012 16:37

discussing it over here, thebody - it's not 100% clear.

JamieandTheOlympicTorch · 28/07/2012 16:38

representation - lost phone instead of lost slipper.

ExitPursuedByABronzeBear · 28/07/2012 16:43

I thought it was fabulous. In fact, when I woke up this morning feeling like shite after such a late night, I actually laughed out loud remembering some of it - so it must have been good to make me laugh in a morning.

OAM2009 · 28/07/2012 16:43

I loved it Smile Was dreading it but was in tears from the first, heartbreakingly beautiful singing of "Jerusalem" and the other UK childrens choirs.

Feel really, really proud to be British (and I don't normally bang the drum!)

Thought it was very good at saying this is who we are and were. Only in Britain would THE REAL QUEEN pretend to be pushed out of a helicopter by a fictional character! We're bonkers in a good way and we showed that to the world. We're a nation of serious people who have changed the world but we don't take ourselves too seriously Wink

Also thought it was the most beautiful rendition of Abide With Me that I have ever heard. (so I sobbed again)

The only bits that made me Hmm were the idea that we HAD an idyllic, green and pleasant land that we then ripped up to make factories. Doesn't that make us Saruman and the Orcs? Are the Ents coming for us?

And Macca Sad

OAM2009 · 28/07/2012 16:50

Sorry, forgot David Beckham on a speedboar (grrr!) and THE BEST OLYMPIC CAULDRON EVER!!!! x

thebody · 28/07/2012 16:51

Thank u thumb. Also thought abide with me was so very moving and sang do simply and quietly, absolutely lovely.

emmieging · 28/07/2012 16:53

PMSL at the idea that any of us who weren't totally enamoured of the Beijing ceremony must be rather thick and need to 'look up' the cultural references. I'm sure plenty of us were well aware of the cultural references. And well aware of the cultural ommissions too.
The british ceremony had a totally different purpose to the the Beijing one, and whatever ones personal likes and dislikes about it, it had authenticity and honesty in bucket loads. About as far removed from Beijing as could possibly be .

OAM2009 · 28/07/2012 16:55

PPS Sorry, also IMHO, there was a bit of two fingers up to the US, who have recently slated the NHS to get at Obama and tar him as a socialist. To me, the NHS segment said "yes, we are socialists and look at how fab what we made is!" Grin

MrsDimples · 28/07/2012 17:06

YABU

The opening ceremony was a triumphant genius.

exoticfruits · 28/07/2012 17:17

I thought it was great! - I very much doubt if OP could have done better. Hmm
YABU

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