London Olympics, Summer Games 2012

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by MakubeX2

The events in Beijing can never be replicated. What happened was that the CCP used Beijin 2008 to throw a "coming-out" party to show that China is currently at a high point and spared no expenses at doing so.

London 2012 is still good considering the current Euro Debt crisis and all.

Well, in terms of scale, Beijing's showing was not particularly larger. Britain's showing had just as many large props and a lot of cast members (whole thing cost 28 million), I just think they used their resources in what felt too much like marketing, and too little about portraying the Olympian spirit of brotherhood. Not only that, but a lot of it felt a bit too local. There was a lot of stuff there that would go completely over the head of foreigners (mostly British pop culture), while I felt the Chinese showing focused on more universal appeal. As an example, Mary Poppins is certainly famous in the English speaking world, but how well known is she outside of it?

The Chinese effort felt like Art, the British effort had some artistic moments(the first section particularly, and the lighting of the torch), but felt more like shallow entertainment with a lot of celebrity plugs.

[Paranoid Android]

No UK did well for a nation that already hosted the Summer Olympics and and for a nation who's not a huge introverted mystery to western nations.

China had a lot history and a lot to content to work with for their first Olympics. I kind of feel bad that somewhere will have to be after Beijing 2008 and unless they're some extinct ancient civilization resurrected from the dead, it's not gonna be as entertaining.

I disagree about the presence of propaganda being stronger in this one. But let's just leave it at that. Really not interested for discussion and I don't even take my opinion on that seriously.

Originally Posted by MakubeX2

London 2012 is still good considering the current Euro Debt crisis and all.

Yeah it didn't exhibit any signs of low budget, but I really disliked how expensive that semi-lame stadium is. If it was some super extravagant out-of-this-world design for that cost then okay. I'm not sure what they spent all that money on. Cheaper disassembly? I recall they are shrinking the stadium after the olympics.

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Possibly stupid question: Those kids singing were not live right? It should be night time in the UK? It was mid afternoon here and I kind of thought 'wait is this live?'. If it's live, that would be an amazing feat.

[MakubeX2]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

The Chinese effort felt like Art, the British effort had some artistic moments(the first section particularly, and the lighting of the torch), but felt more like shallow entertainment with a lot of celebrity plugs.

It's like I said, the Chinese had put in a lot more effort in trying to impress the world in 2008 to show things have changed in China

London 2012 was a lot more laid back. I think what the Brits is aiming for is to just trying to entertain and make the world forgot just for a moment about how things really sucks currently.

[RRW]

it does feel weaker than Beijing one for sure. i think the reason is they relying to much to nostalgia to the local people and forget that this is a global event.

Industrial revolution, James bond and mr bean is good showing for "what UK give to the world"

but some of the part like GOSH and famous music & show will make non-UK watcher think "what is that? why they showing it there?"

[Paranoid Android]

Originally Posted by RRW

Industrial revolution, James bond and mr bean is good showing for "what UK give to the world"

but some of the part like GOSH and famous music & show will make non-UK watcher think "what is that? why they showing it there?"

I don't know, if that's what the image they want is then sure. But if it were up to me, I'd use the ceremony as a way to break the stereotype.

[JagdPanther]

I like how they had a moment of silence, so to speak, for World War I, but was there anything for World War II? If there was, I either missed it or it hasn't been shown on the US tape-delay yet.

[RRW]

Originally Posted by Paranoid Android

I don't know, if that's what the image they want is then sure. But if it were up to me, I'd use the ceremony as a way to break the stereotype.

i don't think you should break stereotype because it give country a identity. unleash of course it a bad or false stereotype.

Originally Posted by JagdPanther

I like how they had a moment of silence, so to speak, for World War I, but was there anything for World War II? If there was, I either missed it or it hasn't been shown on the US tape-delay yet.

you mean the dance with sun looking thing? it for 7/7 event. while i know what it mean. i don't see how dance is related to that tragedy

[DonQuigleone]

I just think it could have been a lot more universal. Also, Britain has changed a lot since their last Olympics, with many immigrants entering the country. They could have showcased some of their culture, and also the culture of other parts of the British Isles. Would it have killed them to have some Scottish pipers?

[Yu Ominae]

Most certainly cool was the Queen parachuting during the opening ceremonies.

In fact, an Australian official interviewed by BBC said he like that stunt, but commented on the lack of Doctor Who.

Otherwise, Feng Tianwei of Singapore wasn't listed in the Olympic website as a competing athlete unless she's meant to be the flag bearer only.

And why my Philippine team having 11 athletes? It looks like the commentators were right that they weren't doing well since '96 without any major medals.

[james0246]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

The Chinese effort felt like Art, the British effort had some artistic moments(the first section particularly, and the lighting of the torch), but felt more like shallow entertainment with a lot of celebrity plugs.

While I certainly agree with the comparison of art vs. pop, I disagree with the idea that this was less "universal". Specifically, The Opening ceremony is always fairly insular if not outright propoganda for their country. Canada, China, USA, Japan, etc all were extremely nationalistic. The only difference in this particular Opening ceremony was the inclusion of so much popular culture (which, besides the Rowan Atkinson bit (who, btw, is a third cousin ), was fun), but everything else was fairly similar to past recent events.

That being said, i loved the basic idea of all three acts, but each one never quite reached its potential. The opening act was the most beautiful, but the chaos felt very stilted somehow, and the acting was a little too over the top (besides Kenneth Branagh). The second act had the best basic idea (and I loved the giant puppets, especially Captain Hook), but the execution was horrifically flawed, and I felt very cheated that Peter Pan, Harry Potter, Alice, and other characters did not appear to defeat their foes (instead we get silly Mary Poppins (who was already destroyed by The Simpsons for me) yet no Julie Andrews). The third and final act was the best done (and the lead actress was quite beautiful) with some great music, but it also felt the most trite.

[RRW]

the queen face is good photoshop material

[james0246]

Who else thought it would have been hilarious if the Jam song they played during the third act was "Down in the Tubestation at Midnight"? .

[JagdPanther]

Originally Posted by RRW

the queen face is good photoshop material

Spoiler for Space saver:

That is so full of win.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Dhomochevsky

I knew it wouldn't be so easy. Damn you IP overlords!

That's a shame. It carried live coverage of the entire ceremony from the River Thames intro sequence to Sir Paul McCartney's closing song. That's unprecedented, as far as I recall, for Singapore and the region. That's like having the IOC effectively saying, screw all the TV revenue we could be getting, we're going to offer it for free via YouTube. I really hope that would be a sign of things to come in the media landscape.

Speaking about the region, I now remember why the Beijing Games were so much more exciting for me: It was because I could watch the Games in my own timezone. Though I managed to get up (at 4am local time) for the live coverage, and I managed to catch most of the sequences, I dozed off repeatedly through the show and was effectively knocked out by the time the athletes came marching in. I missed the cauldron-lighting and most of the final performance, and just barely managed to catch McCartney sing.

As for the comparisons between Beijing and London's opening, I strongly disagree about the "universal", "artistic" appeal of Beijing's show in 2008. Maybe that's how it would appear to some Westerners but, to most of us in this region, it was an out-and-out attempt to shock and awe, to show the world how mighty China had become. Spectacular Beijing's opening may have been, but it was nothing short of a brash show of capitalist might, deeply ironic given the supposed ideology of China's ruling party.

So yes, though London's opening is very much more low-key, and though I do agree that many parts of it felt forced and awkwardly executed, I felt that the London ceremony had something Beijing's did not: a sense of Olympic sporting tradition dating back to at least 1948 (the last time the Olympics were in London), if not 1908. (I especially loved the symbolism of London's Olympic cauldron.)

Beijing, in comparison, was the mighty Red show-off, the arrogant new-kid-in-the-block keen to show who's boss.

Well, the Games have begun. Time to catch what few events I can over the next two weeks. Lolis have priority.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

That's a shame. It carried live coverage of the entire ceremony from the River Thames intro sequence to Sir Paul McCartney's closing song. That's unprecedented, as far as I recall, for Singapore and the region. That's like having the IOC effectively saying, screw all the TV revenue we could be getting, we're going to offer it for free via YouTube. I really hope that would be a sign of things to come in the media landscape.

Now would they be streaming the events too?

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Now would they be streaming the events too?

Nah, I don't think the IOC would be that altruistic. It would most likely show no more than event highlights.

[kyp275]

them guys carrying the olympic flag needs to learn how to get in steps faster.

If we'd marched like that in bootcamp, our drill instructor would've screamed "GET BACK!" until we get it right

[JagdPanther]

Okay, the Olympic cauldron was pretty dang cool.

[kyp275]

Yup, though the highlight for me was definitely the Queen parachuting

[Spartanz1170]

Originally Posted by kyp275

Yup, though the highlight for me was definitely the Queen parachuting

And the Churchill giving Bond a nod... and confusing him

But just a question do you think Phelps can do it? Become THE most decorated Champion?