# Olympic Ceremony - Impressions Outside UK **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 27, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613 "2012-07-27T22:11:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/61 "2012-07-28T14:12:45Z")
> [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](#): > > That’s probably because Lord of the Rings is pretty much set in the Britain, Yorkshire = the Shire, etc. And the industrial revolution was a direct inspiration for Tolkein. Whenever I read the books or watch the movies it’s the other way round for me - I see visions of Britain’s history in Mordor and Isengard. I like to think it was a nod to LotR though. > > Um, it has nothing to do with ‘socialised’ medicine (christ, are people still on about that?). The NHS is one of our most prized possessions. And it’s one of the most important things that came out of the aftermath of the second world war. It may baffle Americans who have a peculiar relationship with their healthcare system from my perspective, but it makes absolute perfect sense when the whole ceremony was basically a series of important landmarks that changed British society. He was also greatly influenced by his horrific experiences during WWI. It might be an important landmark to you but doesn’t jump out as something that would make an interesting visual spectical. And it didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Coustralee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Coustralee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coustralee)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/62 "2012-07-28T14:37:05Z")
it was very english… at times it was like watching songs of praise. the forging of the rings bit looked impressive… I"m not sure that in those days the population was so racially diverse though. I laughed at the dancing punks bit… and rowan atkinson - but missed most of it thinking it was just music. the bond bit was silly and things didnt reall seem to flow. continually showing the pre-recorded bits was very annoying… ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/63 "2012-07-28T14:41:00Z")
I thought it was great. It seemed like they embraced early on that there way no way to top China, and so it had its own uniquely British character. The choice to include humor was so pitch perfect. Mr. Bean was hilarious. I loved the industrial revolution becomes olympic rings thing. I loved the glowing doves on bicycles. During the course of the opening ceremonies I cried five times. I’m just a sap like that. > [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > Paul McCartney is old and not sounding good and this Hey Jude thing is not working for me. I liked the show overall, though. It was definitely kind of bizarre, but captivating and fun. I thought the cauldron was super cool, though. According to the commentators, he was really choked up, which probably affected his sound quality. Personally I thought he did great, he seemed so comfortable up there and really, it’s hard to think of anything more British than the Beatles. I thought the song choice was perfect, because it has lines like ‘‘you’re waiting for someone to perform with’’ and ‘‘the movement you need is on your shoulder.’’ > [@Loach](#): > > Do not equate those flour sacks with army berets. A soldier takes great pride and goes through a lot of effort to make sure their beret looks nothing like it. Do you think army berets look like they do right out of the store? This was just a stupid fashion choice by Ralph Lauren. Those were really terrible outfits. I don’t know what the hell they were thinking. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/64 "2012-07-28T14:54:40Z")
I missed the ceremony last night. Is there a playlist or sequence or whatever online so I can watch it in order? ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/65 "2012-07-28T14:55:54Z")
> [@Coustralee](#): > > the forging of the rings bit looked impressive.. I"m not sure that in those days the population was so racially diverse though. It’s nowhere near that racially diverse now except in London and a couple of northern towns (which are not really diverse so much as two populations that hate one another). That is one other thing that made it great, it is REALLY annoying a bunch of “political correctness gone mad” wanker retired colonels. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/66 "2012-07-28T15:12:31Z")
Clearly a disaster. 2 of 6’s balloons did not pop. It ruined the whole show. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/67 "2012-07-28T15:19:10Z")
I noticed during the opening video, when they were tracing the Thames from its source, that there was a bit of animation thrown in, showing Rat and Mole (from The Wind in The Willows) in their rowing boat (which flipped over as the camera went by), and Mr Toad watching wide eyed from the bridge overhead. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/68 "2012-07-28T15:20:37Z")
We kinda found it boring. Sorry, but you asked. It wasn’t embarrassingly bad, just a bit tedious and plodding. Not being a fan of Mr. Bean, that was far too long and stupid for my tastes. The young couple story was pointless. I know Muhammad Ali is not only an American sports icon, but world-wide as well. Still, I was a bit mystified why he was brought in to the British ceremony, especially considering his health is obviously not good at all and it seemed almost cruel to parade him out there. Logistically, that Olympic cauldron, is that supposed to stay in the middle of the stadium for the next weeks? Won’t that sort of get in the way of events planned there? Seems an odd location to put it smack dab in the middle of a stadium and not up and off to the side/top or something. Considering the age of most of the athletes, picking grandpa McCartney to sing some old hit these kids have only heard on the Golden Oldies radio channels seemed a bit out of touch. Plus he sounded horrible. I would have assumed Adele would have been a better choice - liked by older farts like myself, but at least someone these kids could have been excited about hearing sing. I think the people who liked this show the best - actually, who LOVED this show beyond words - were the executives at MGM who are releasing the new James Bond film in November - they couldn’t have paid for advertising this grand! Speaking of film - that house with the snippets of film chosen by Danny Boyle? Really? Those were the best snippets of film he could find for a world-wide audience? So yeah, I was underwhelmed. Not horrible, but more like watching your neighbor’s daughter in her 4th grade school pageant; cute, but irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/69 "2012-07-28T16:02:58Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > We kinda found it boring. Who’s “we”? Already said it up-thread, but I thought it was great, including the NHS part. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/70 "2012-07-28T16:09:20Z")
It’s difficult to take your criticism seriously if you actually believe the cauldron will stay in the centre of the field. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/71 "2012-07-28T16:14:23Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Who’s “we”? “We” = my partner of 31 years and me. And sorry to piss on the parade, but the OP did ask for opinion on the ceremony, and “we” didn’t particularly think it was all that great. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/72 "2012-07-28T16:14:37Z")
It astonishes me that anyone could describe it as ‘boring’. I watched with a party of 30 people, and we were all mesmerised. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/73 "2012-07-28T16:16:22Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > “We” = my partner of 31 years and me. > > And sorry to piss on the parade, but the OP did ask for opinion on the ceremony, and “we” didn’t particularly think it was all that great. It did sound like your “we” was speaking for the “outsiders” in the thread title. As if you were answering the topic generically, not as a specific “we”. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/74 "2012-07-28T16:17:52Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > It’s difficult to take your criticism seriously if you actually believe the cauldron will stay in the centre of the field. I’ll bite. Enlighten me. So, do they shut off the gas valves and then move it, piece by piece, and re-light it when they move it elsewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/75 "2012-07-28T16:22:10Z")
I liked it. I liked the choice of going allegorical rather than trying to one-oomph the previous place’s oomph, I liked recognizing spots and mental milestones I knew from living in the UK, the fiery rings were spectacular… Having to listen to the commentary from the TVE people was the worst part, but I’m afraid that tends to be so, and it’s most definitely not the Brits’ fault. I watched it with my mother, and was able to explain some “but whys” which the TVE reporters had no information on. Recognizing people (heythatsKennethBranagh!), places, music… was cool. I liked it a lot. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/76 "2012-07-28T16:25:29Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I’ll bite. Enlighten me. > So, do they shut off the gas valves and then move it, piece by piece, and re-light it when they move it elsewhere? Didn’t say how, but yes it will be moved: > [@](#): > > Organisers, however, said on Saturday it would be moved to the side of the stadium in the coming days – within view of the 60,000 spectators – to allow for track and field competitions. > > Its new location is a nod to the 1948 Olympics, when London last staged the Games, and the place where the cauldron stood in the old Wembley stadium, cauldron designer Thomas Heatherwick said. From: [http://www.reuters.com/london-olympics-2012/articles/2012/07/28/controversy-stirs-over-out-sight-olympic-cauldron](http://www.reuters.com/london-olympics-2012/articles/2012/07/28/controversy-stirs-over-out-sight-olympic-cauldron) ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/77 "2012-07-28T16:26:54Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > HM (Her/His Majesty) not HRH (Her/His Royal Highness)! HRH is for princes and princesses. :smack: Wonder why NBC didn’t show the 7/7 tribute? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/78 "2012-07-28T16:28:02Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > We kinda found it boring. > Sorry, but you asked. > > It wasn’t embarrassingly bad, just a bit tedious and plodding. > > Not being a fan of Mr. Bean, that was far too long and stupid for my tastes. > > The young couple story was pointless. > > I know Muhammad Ali is not only an American sports icon, but world-wide as well. Still, I was a bit mystified why he was brought in to the British ceremony, especially considering his health is obviously not good at all and it seemed almost cruel to parade him out there. > > Logistically, that Olympic cauldron, is that supposed to stay in the middle of the stadium for the next weeks? Won’t that sort of get in the way of events planned there? Seems an odd location to put it smack dab in the middle of a stadium and not up and off to the side/top or something. > > Considering the age of most of the athletes, picking grandpa McCartney to sing some old hit these kids have only heard on the Golden Oldies radio channels seemed a bit out of touch. Plus he sounded horrible. I would have assumed Adele would have been a better choice - liked by older farts like myself, but at least someone these kids could have been excited about hearing sing. > > I think the people who liked this show the best - actually, who LOVED this show beyond words - were the executives at MGM who are releasing the new James Bond film in November - they couldn’t have paid for advertising this grand! > > Speaking of film - that house with the snippets of film chosen by Danny Boyle? Really? Those were the best snippets of film he could find for a world-wide audience? > > So yeah, I was underwhelmed. Not horrible, but more like watching your neighbor’s daughter in her 4th grade school pageant; cute, but irrelevant. Although I liked it better than you I kind of agree with all of this. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/79 "2012-07-28T16:42:50Z")
> [@II\_Gyan\_II](#): > > Try this [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4As0e4de-rI) at the Youtube official channel. Even that comes up as restricted content, im in Canada so il have to check who might have it here and check itunes again. Declan ---
**Author:** ![sohvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sohvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sohvan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613/80 "2012-07-28T16:57:32Z")
It was a little hit and miss (giant baby and the “love story” for misses for example), but overall I loved it. It was quite unlike most opening ceremonies. I loved how it was more funny, warm and weird than stuffy and serious. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympic-ceremony-impressions-outside-uk/629613.md?page=5)