The Opening Ceremony - Olympics 2012

[Albion Edd]

Thanks. Bum, the song I liked isn't there I don't think. Heard a great song and didn't know who it was by. Had "here she comes again " in the lyrics.

This one? Great tune


I thought the whole thing was fantastic, although agree with others, they should left out McCartney, it was a very predictable ending.

 

[Landgull]

Ali brought a tear, heart warming.

Same here.

 

[Silk]

This one? Great tune


I thought the whole thing was fantastic, although agree with others, they should left out McCartney, it was a very predictable ending.

Yes!!! Genius, thanks.
McCartney is generally awful these days, but I think "Hey Jude" was absolutely the right song. And who else would you ask to sing it.

I ignored the Arctic Monkeys when everyone was raving about them. I can see this was a mistake. I thought they were brilliant.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Thought Danny Boyles concept was very good. I for one loved the idea that the NHS had a central role as its one of our greatest institutions, both socially and philosophically and needs to be protected. Delete Paul at the end and you have a good show.

Oh yeah and cut out the Royals and let us finally grow up as a country.

 

[severnside gull]

For "leftie, multi-cultural crap" (Aiden Burley, MP for Cannock and erstwhile Nazi cross-dresser) it was pretty bloody good wasn't it

 

[The Large One]

I f***ing loved it.

Understandable. I thought it was superb.

 

[The Large One]

I just thought I'd add those 'drummers' were playing plastic buckets supplied by my step-daughter's company.

As such she got to watch the rehearsals.

Apparently, some of the song line-up changed at the last minute because they couldn't get PRS permission for their use.

 

[Stat Brother]

A tweet from an American podcaster, that I listen too:-

Tom Reynolds ‏[MENTION=14113]tom[/MENTION]reynolds
Holy shit you put Mr. Bean in the Olympics!?!? I will love you forever London.

 

[Hillian1]

Wasn't going to watch but changed my mind, bloody brilliant, fantastic, superb, I quite literaly sat spellbound through it all and even had a tear during "Abide with me".

Macca let the side down a bit I thought but 10 out of 10 overall.

 

[clapham_gull]

For "leftie, multi-cultural crap" (Aiden Burley, MP for Cannock and erstwhile Nazi cross-dresser) it was pretty bloody good wasn't it

Preparing for a life outside of Westminster I'd imagine. I watched it from a hotel in Greece. The locals were very confused and the English guests not that approving. I think they were expecting Brucie and the Red Arrows. The little I saw was stunning. Very rarely proud to be British but I was watching that.

 

[W.C.]

Wasn't going to watch but changed my mind, bloody brilliant, fantastic, superb, I quite literaly sat spellbound through it all and even had a tear during "Abide with me".

Macca let the side down a bit I thought but 10 out of 10 overall.

I forgot about 'Abide with me'. Bit of a dirge I always think when it gets droned out at the cup final. Was beautiful last night.

 

[Westdene Wonder]

When you see how much it cost for a nation that is cutting back on health,education etc,etc all that was required was the competitors marching backed up with a band,we shall be paying off the cost for years.The great majority of us will only see it on TV so it makes little difference where it is based,so let someone else pay for it.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

A tweet from an American podcaster, that I listen too:-

Tom Reynolds ‏[MENTION=14113]tom[/MENTION]reynolds
Holy shit you put Mr. Bean in the Olympics!?!? I will love you forever London.

That Mr Bean moment alone will have delighted half the world. Fantastic touch!

 

[bob monkhouse]

When you see how much it cost for a nation that is cutting back on health,education etc,etc all that was required was the competitors marching backed up with a band,we shall be paying off the cost for years.The great majority of us will only see it on TV so it makes little difference where it is based,so let someone else pay for it.

I'm guessing your a glass half empty kinda guy

 

[Brixtaan]

Preparing for a life outside of Westminster I'd imagine. I watched it from a hotel in Greece. The locals were very confused and the English guests not that approving. I think they were expecting Brucie and the Red Arrows. The little I saw was stunning. Very rarely proud to be British but I was watching that.

This is what I want, foreign opinion. Anyone else got any? it would be much appreciated.

 

[BadFish]

Thought Danny Boyles concept was very good. I for one loved the idea that the NHS had a central role as its one of our greatest institutions, both socially and philosophically and needs to be protected. Delete Paul at the end and you have a good show.

Oh yeah and cut out the Royals and let us finally grow up as a country.

The Daily Mail hated it so it must have been good.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2180124/Olympics-opening-ceremony-NHS-disgracefully-glorified.html

 

[Southwick_Seagull]

A tweet from an American podcaster, that I listen too:-

Tom Reynolds ‏[MENTION=14113]tom[/MENTION]reynolds
Holy shit you put Mr. Bean in the Olympics!?!? I will love you forever London.

Hope TCGTE do a whole episode on it.

When you see how much it cost for a nation that is cutting back on health,education etc,etc all that was required was the competitors marching backed up with a band,we shall be paying off the cost for years.The great majority of us will only see it on TV so it makes little difference where it is based,so let someone else pay for it.

The opening ceremony cost £27m. 27 million people watched it, not bad for a quid each. You can't even buy an Andy Carroll for what it cost to put that on last night.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

I did click that it would be a "Damp Squib" - yeah i was 1 Billion % wrong as it was fantastic - Danny Boyle is a genius for the show he created.

The Daily Mail hated it too, so i love him even more - although he did include "Im forever blowing bubbles", but we'll gloss over that.....

 

[1066familyman]

That Mr Bean moment alone will have delighted half the world. Fantastic touch!

Well said !

Timeless International humour that we can rightly be proud of is our Mr.Bean. Putting him in where they did too was a master stroke, showing we don't always take ourselves too seriously.

I loved the opening ceremony and we sat round as a family late into the night watching it. Highlights for me was Mr.Bean and the lighting of the cauldron. The cauldron itself was simply stunning but I especially loved the fact that the old stagers gave it over to the Youth to light the flame, that's exactly as it should be for me. Perfect choice in Steve Redgrave too. Very proud of celebrating The NHS too, again, one of the things that makes me feel proud of our nation. In fact, I was so bowled over by the whole ceremony I even smiled at Queenies role in the whole thing with the funny James Bond moment, and that's coming from a staunch anti-royalist.

My only low points was The Artic Monkey's and Paul McCartney. Neither of those are to my taste but that's music for you, all subjective.

I bloody love The Olympics me, and that opening ceremony did us all proud I reckon.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The Daily Mail hated it so it must have been good.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2180124/Olympics-opening-ceremony-NHS-disgracefully-glorified.html

That paper really does scrape the barrel:

'The letters ‘NHS’ dazzled in bright red, like some triumphant advert. All around pranced self-indulgent nurses who had volunteered to take a few days off to be part of the ceremony.

Children lay in their beds as Mary Poppins figures danced and JK Rowling read some bedtime tales.

And how long did this shameful propaganda last for? A whole 15 minutes at the top of proceedings before viewers dozed off to the procession of banana republics and far-flung destinations nobody has ever heard of or even cares for.'