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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
ken0eddie0kennedy · 28/07/2012 10:02

Like to see you do better op. it was great.

SecretNutellaMedal · 28/07/2012 10:03

In my opinion, you are spouting a load of horse crap.

It was amazing until Hey Jude.

Cloudbase · 28/07/2012 10:03

I have been moaning about the Olympics for weeks, possibly even years, I have been the world's biggest Olympic curmugeon to be honest.

But when I saw the scene with Daniel Craig and the Queen I cracked a little - it was charming and funny. Then the opening ceremony itself just utterly surpassed my expectations. I thought it was wonderful and magical and by the end of it I was completely won over and feeling more than a little bit proud and tearful tbh.

I even watched some of the rowing this morning....Grin. Having said that, I managed to miss Macca - was it dreadful? What did he do?

rainydaysarebad · 28/07/2012 10:04

If you're not proud of the NHS and the fact that people in our country (rich or poor) can have emergency treatment or see a doctor without worrying about not being able to afford it, then kindly fuck off to another country. The NHS and all the nurses and HCA's and doctors that work for it ARE infact angels, who work hard.

That's a horrible comment you made there.

The opening ceremony was brilliant, apart from McCartney at the end...'nuff said.

SkinnyVanillaLatte · 28/07/2012 10:04

Imo opinion Macca was there not because he has a fine singing voice nowadays (clearly) but because he is who he is. I enjoyed a sing song,and obviously the crowd did.

kate2mum · 28/07/2012 10:05

Yeah, where was the doctor?? Someone else like Mr Bean that the rest of the world recognise.

NHS isn't free by the way, we pay for it every month in taxes.

I am not British, but NZealander, and have lived here for 20 years and I think I can say that the private playlist of a hip north london dad is not terribly interesting... would have been fine for a domestic event, like the jubilee, but this was global.

OP posts:
Kayano · 28/07/2012 10:07

It's free at the point of use, so you don't need to pay a fee, or worry that you don't have medical insurance, they won't leave you to die if you are not covered.

swiftybaby · 28/07/2012 10:07

It was amaze balls you misery

dyzzidi · 28/07/2012 10:08

Danny Boyle is not a hip north London dad he is from Bury in Lancashire!

I would like to see how you would have filled three and a half hours of tv.

I think it was amazing and considering most of the people were volunteers it looked like a very proffessional show!

TubbyDuffs · 28/07/2012 10:08

The playlist was bloody brilliant!

I managed to stay up until 2.30am watching (we are 3 hours behind timewise) as I thought it was fantastic.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 28/07/2012 10:09

OP you are being ignorant.

redlac · 28/07/2012 10:10

Fuck off! The music was ace. I am not a hip London dad and I bloody loved it. If they had added the cure and the smiths it would have been perfect

Idontknowhowtohelpher · 28/07/2012 10:12

dd2 was convinced she'd heard the sound of the tardis during the opening ceremony. I didn't hear it but I've just googled and lots of other people heard it too!

weblette · 28/07/2012 10:12

I loved it, my kids loved it. YABU

Hopandaskip · 28/07/2012 10:13

I also thought it was a terrible unattractive mess for most of it. Much of the music sounded like my 16 yr old scanning through radio stations while I'm trying to drive. Loved the flame ceremony though.

Heartbeep · 28/07/2012 10:13

Bet he's an even cooler dad today!

Thought it was very good, British (as opposed to English with highlights of the other countries) without pandering to popular celebs (which is what i thought it would've been- & what I think most other directors would've done) the only thing I thought was wrong with it was David Beckham having such an important part of the ceremony, I'm sure others will disagree about old goldenballs. He and Bradley wiggins should've swapped places.

Haven't seen the PM footage but he was dire at the jubilee concert.

I was really expecting it to be terrible & thoroughly embarrassing for the nation but it wasn't.

emmieging · 28/07/2012 10:14

Bollocks OP. The ceremony was clever, witty, charming and most importantly TOLD A STORY, unlike for example Beijing, which was simply extravagance and expense for the sake of it. Let's face it, any first world country could put on something that LOOKS spectacular these days. Lighting, fireworks and special effects can look amazing, but it takes creativity to put together the kind of thing we saw last night.

I think you missed the point of it OP. Oh and the music was great, though to my mind there were some gaps - how about some radiohead, Coldplay (surely among britains greatest bands) and , a bit more of a nod
to the new romantic era . Oh and of course macca was a total and utter embarrassment.

But the actual 'story' , the themes and ideas- sheer brilliance .

KatieisScarlettinSpandex · 28/07/2012 10:14

I got up and did a sad, albeit energetic, mum-dance at Dizzee Rascal (sp?)

"Nothin crazy bout meeeeee"

ken0eddie0kennedy · 28/07/2012 10:14

Ern the music was very fitting. Sex Pistols, The Jam, Eurythmics, Beatles, Stones, the Who, etcetc. All very important music - how on Earth can you say it wasn't interesting. Guess you're not that 'up' on your music. I am & I thought it was perfect.

ken0eddie0kennedy · 28/07/2012 10:14

That was to the op.

WorraLiberty · 28/07/2012 10:16

What Kayano said at 09:55:12

If the miseries can't STFU, they could at least contain their whining to the same great big whingy, whiny, miserable, joyless thread instead of spamming Mumsnet with it.

RobinSparkles · 28/07/2012 10:16

Well, I liked it. There was always going to be music, it's kinda needed to put on a show, IMO.

It wasn't just about the music though. It showed a lot of what Britain has overcome throughout the years - the industrial revolution, war etc. Films that have been produced, tv programmes, technology...

So YABU but I suppose you can't help it if you didn't like it.

annalovesmrbates · 28/07/2012 10:16

You didn't have to watch it, your TV does have an 'off' switch, so why didn't you use it. Stop spreading your misery around and let people enjoy it. You must be a misery to live with.

OLimpPickMeddles · 28/07/2012 10:16

I disagree completely! The music was fantastic; from all eras (Elgar to Eurythmics (got that from the paper this morning); Abide with Me to Bowie; the inclusivity of Kaos deaf/hearing choir, Dizzie Rascal, Nimrod, Chariots of Fire.... what's not to like?

Oh, and yes, of course we pay for the NHS in out taxes - but OP would you rather experience the chaos of the US system, or possibly India, where a prem baby died recently because her parents could not afford the £2 to keep her incubator on...[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/9432219/Baby-dies-after-Indian-hospital-removes-her-from-incubator-over-2.30-cost.html here]][

Itsjustafleshwound · 28/07/2012 10:17

I liked its quirkiness - I like the fact that it avoided some of the bleeding obvious.

The problem is that sometimes the omissions are easier to spot and it is so asy to pick holes - it was a huge brief, of course it would be personalised, and I am so pleased that there was no attempt to emulate Beijing spectacle

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