Olympics have officially Begun - But...

[kestrelx]

Originally Posted by susie123

It gets worse - the commentator's just said the drummers are not actually banging the buckets/drums... they're made of plastic. So the noise must be recorded.

Oh dear - team GB have just appeared - in outfits decorated with bits of gold foil... The Queen still looking stony faced... not surprised.

She was picking her finger nails and looking at her hands as the team GB burst out onto the scene!

The TV transmission seemed a bit disjointed when it showed footage shot at another location - I take it that this footage was shown on big screens to the live audience in the stadium?

[susie123]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

She was picking her finger nails and looking at her hands as the team GB burst out onto the scene!

The TV transmission seemed a bit disjointed when it showed footage shot at another location - I take it that this footage was shown on big screens to the live audience in the stadium?

Yes Kes - very confusing... There were big screens round the top of the stadium.

Now we have Arctic Monkeys - why? Completely broken the atmosphere - sure the Queen wants to go to bed.

Doves of peace on bicycles now... music is Come Together...

[mobertol]

So it was all pretty naff -my husband didn't understand most of it despite Italian comentary and my attempts at explanation. God knows what they thought about it in Rwanda or Guam or the Congo...

After half an hour of feeling faintly embarassed I began to understand where it was coming from -until it turned from the hard-working ethic of the British Isles to the youth culture of today based on TV and technology.

As Susie said: thank goodness the athletes started to enter into the Stadium at that point - All the world in a Stadium- globalisation in its essence- a celebration of humanity.

[kestrelx]

Originally Posted by susie123

Yes Kes - very confusing... There were big screens round the top of the stadium.

Now we have Arctic Monkeys - why? Completely broken the atmosphere - sure the Queen wants to go to bed.

Doves of peace on bicycles now... music is Come Together...

That's what I thougth why Arctic Monkeys - Kasabian would have been better in my book!

Then after all the high pomp lighting that caldron - up pops Macca like a bad smell - surely they should have something else other than Macca singing "Hey Jude!"

[susie123]

Originally Posted by mobertol

So it was all pretty naff -my husband didn't understand most of it despite Italian comentary and my attempts at explanation. God knows what they thought about it in Rwanda or Guam or the Congo...

After half an hour of feeling faintly embarassed I began to understand where it was coming from -until it turned from the hard-working ethic of the British Isles to the youth culture of today based on TV and technology.

As Susie said: thank goodness the athletes started to enter into the Stadium at that point - All the world in a Stadium- globalisation in its essence- a celebration of humanity.

Dianne, embarrassing is a word I hadn't quite got around to but it's very fitting.

Hope no one minded my running commentary...

The athletes' parade was interesting in that there were so many small countries and groups of islands that one never hears about - and some of the costumes were amazing and very colourful. The best thing was seeing the happy smiling faces of the participants.

We've had the lighting of the flame... I thought the design of the cauldron was stunning and very imaginative - but then I am an admirer of its designer Thomas Heatherwick. Was only thinking yesterday I hadn't heard of him for a while - now I know what he's been up to.

It should all have finished there but it's STILL GOING... nobody seems to know how to pack it up.

We've now got Paul Macartney for heaven's sake... and Hey Jude my least favourite Beatles song. Pack it in Paul, you look and sound terrible, time to give up the day job.

Sue Barker just said she thought it was an immensely funny evening -too true but not quite in the way she meant.

It's over - thank goodness.

[mobertol]

Didn't have the British commentary but like you(Susie) thought the design of the cauldron and the Olympic flame truly represents each nation, though lit through the Olympions of the past nominating a young athlete to carry their light to the new games -very evocative.

Great fireworks -but then I'm a fan.

The representation of Brit music was also well done - even the Sex Pistols represented!

Tried to be too "Hollywood", having the Queen as a Bond girl, though it made me smile, then Beckham speedboating it up the Thames with a winning smile was just too much...no doubt Posh will be having erotic dreams about it tonight...

[Less]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

Now if they reverted back to that sort of performance I might well be interested.

You must be older than me to remember the original Olympic games, I was of course meaning the 'Modern' Olympics.

[Less]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

She was picking her finger nails and looking at her hands as the team GB burst out onto the scene!

The Queen is never allowed out without her gloves on! Has she chewed through the finger tips in embarrased frustration to be able to do that?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

Very funny Margaret...

I was expecting Bilbo Baggins and the hobbit clan to jump out of that grass mound (Glastonbury Tor) but we did have a gold ring that turned into 5 (symbol of the 5 elements) so we got close to Lord of the Rings!

Well there was no Bilbo Baggins and not a sight of a hobbit, were you otherwise engaged

[jaysay]

Thought the lighting of the flame was quite good and a bit different

[susie123]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Thought the lighting of the flame was quite good and a bit different

Yes it was brilliant but made into a complete anticlimax when Paul Macartney appeared afterwards. Should have finished on a high - he was embarrassing.

I didn't realise a law had been passed that he had to be wheeled out on every significant national celebration.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by susie123

Yes it was brilliant but made into a complete anticlimax when Paul Macartney appeared afterwards. Should have finished on a high - he was embarrassing.

I didn't realise a law had been passed that he had to be wheeled out on every significant national celebration.

Just said that on another thread

[susie123]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Just said that on another thread

Yes John too many threads already on this subject.

[Michael1954]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Just said that on another thread

. . . and so did I! We really must stop meeting this way.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Michael1954

. . . and so did I! We really must stop meeting this way.

Um people will start to talk Michael