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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:
LRDtheFeministDragon · 28/07/2012 11:12

pit of whinge - you mean the olympic cauldron?

I so, so seriously expected that to segue into Harry Potter.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 28/07/2012 11:13

SP - in seriousness, I think she was falling asleep? She is pretty elderly, and the sound of her voice when she got up to speak sounded to me as if she was very sleepy.

DitaVonCheese · 28/07/2012 11:13

I love the fact they included the NHS. I spent the day in hospital yesterday receiving wonderful care and the NHS being included was one thing I wanted to see in the opening ceremony. They are amazing and we should be really proud of them.

Is your idea of a "free" health service one that no one pays for at all? Confused How on earth would that work?

c4rnsi1lk · 28/07/2012 11:13

Ha yes I bet Danny Boyle had David cameron in mind with the nhs bit!

HellonHeels · 28/07/2012 11:14

Crowded House?! They're an Australian band surely? Wink

Thought it was fantastic. My take on the NHS bit was that it was a protest against its current demolition / huge shout out of support. To give you an alternative New Zealand perspective, my mum (a New Zealander) was on the phone to me this morning from back home saying how much she'd enjoyed it.

And what the hell is wrong with wearing jeans?

c4rnsi1lk · 28/07/2012 11:14

Yes I felt a bit sorry for the queen- she looked very tired.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 28/07/2012 11:14

(I do love the irony that the people who loved the ceremony and think we're unpatriotic for criticizing it, are also, um, dissing the Queen. For being elderly. Is that patriotic?)

kate2mum · 28/07/2012 11:19

... waiting for someone to tell me to bugger off back to NZ, but my English DH refuses to move "to a country where we would all have to live upside down and make friends with the three people who haven't immigrated to Australia".

OP posts:
BrianCoxhasSmellySox · 28/07/2012 11:20

I know she's the Queen and has shed loads of money, but she is also an elderly lady.

My nan is the same age, she is in bed for 8pm most nights! That poor woman had to sit through that - even I gave up at 11pm, in bed by 11.15. DD tried to sit it out (she's 8) and fell asleep just before TeamGB came out.

The Queen was probably trying every tactic possible to stay awake.

Olympicnmix · 28/07/2012 11:20

Great:
the pastoral idyll & industrial revolution with Sir Kenneth playing Izzy reading the Tempest
Evelyn Glennie & the drummers
Mr Bean/Simon Rattle were fab
Daniel Craig & Queen inspired
NHS loved - would have liked to have seen a greater nod to classic characters of children's lit beyond dementors, the child catcher and Mary Poppins though
Chaos Choir
The whole torch relay into the stadium and the lighting of the cauldron with those conch shells was just beautiful

Could really have done without the Arctic Monkeys or Macca and I wasn't overly enamoured of the whole 'love story' in and out of the crowded house. Keane, Adele, RollingStones would have been my personal choice, because of their powerful stage presence.

But overall it was a great show.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 28/07/2012 11:21

Btw, I love this - I've just spoken to my parents, who lack all cultural awareness and didn't recognize Daniel Craig as James Bond.

They have only just realized he wasn't some random palace servant.

They were so utterly confused.

NarkedRaspberry · 28/07/2012 11:23

Arctic Monkeys over Keane any day.

lighthousekeeping · 28/07/2012 11:23

I really loved the music. I hated the NHS segment. There, Ive said it.

Maybe its because they employ me and Im not feeling the love for them at the moment.

I thought it wasnt child friendly. The children complained that it was boring and took themselves off to bed.

NarkedRaspberry · 28/07/2012 11:24

Grin at palace servants wandering around in black tuxes. The 'Mr Bond' didn't tip them off?

Sunnywithachanceofshowers · 28/07/2012 11:24

I was determined to hate the ceremony but loved it. Apart from Macca, obviously. At points I found it quite moving, and loved the torch. So YABU and have a Torch

bignutbrownhair · 28/07/2012 11:27

Oooooh, someone thinks that the opening ceremony was shit, I didnt see that one coming. Yawn. Next.

Macca was cringing though as usual

LRDtheFeministDragon · 28/07/2012 11:27

narked - you'd think! No, they had no clue. And were consequently somewhat bemused by the helicopter.

They recognized Paul though, so may be the only two people on the planet for whom 'Hey Jude' was a highlight. Hmm

BigBoobiedBertha · 28/07/2012 11:29

Love the sport, the whole idea of the Olympics and we have tickets for a couple of events which I am really looking forward to but truthfully, I find the whole opening/closing ceremony thing a total waste of time and money.

No I didn't watch it (except for about 20 minutes of people trudging round the track with flags with the most awful backing music) and from what I read/hear I don't think I missed out.

I probably can't say whether the OP is unreasonable or reasonable on that basis but I reckon she is right, just have the lighting of the flame, a bit of a speech and over in 30 minutes tops, to get on with the real event.

hhhhhhh · 28/07/2012 11:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Goldenbear · 28/07/2012 11:31

TBF kate2mum, Britain is world Famous for it's music industry and whatever you think of Macca's performance he was a member of a band called, 'The Beatles'- don't know if you've heard of them? quite a famous British export!

redlac · 28/07/2012 11:33

Keane? Great stage presence? Hahahaha

Iamsparklyknickers · 28/07/2012 11:34

I'm still a bit mixed about it - it might be shock thoughGrin

Dp still hasn't seen it and I was trying to explain it to him, I can't say I'm embarrassed at all, it was certainly original and very British in a Monty python, pink floyd kinda way...... I had wtf moments, laugh moments, awed moments, lump in the throat moments and cringe moments (cheers macca - I think the cauldron melted his face and vocal cords), all in all I liked it I think. Some really memorable moments which is no mean feat for a 3+ hour performance from volunteers.

Couple of things - the queen was not able to see the gb athletes from where she was when the camara cut to her - it's a big stadium lay off the poor woman, the German guy was waving and at a push the official Olympic salute is very heilesque.

ThePigOnTheWall · 28/07/2012 11:35

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DitaVonCheese · 28/07/2012 11:37

Was it supposed to be child-friendly? It started at 9 pm Confused

Also OP the bloody opening ceremony wasn't about sport, apart from the endless athlete parade it was about Britain and our sense of humour and exports and history and strengths. And stuff. Awesome. Shove the sport, I've seen all of the Olympics I want to see.

BrianCoxhasSmellySox · 28/07/2012 11:39

Wow, such vitriol!?

It's a difference of opinion and a discussion about why it was good/why it was shite.

People are allowed differing opinions.

No need to start swearing at people because they dare to hold a different viewpoint than your own.

How rude Biscuit

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