Olympic Opening Ceremony

[€uroMeinke]

I loved the footsteps - makes me wonder what the ceremonies looked like from the international space station.

[Morrigoon]

It was exactly what the opening ceremonies of the games should be - a nation's chance to put itself on parade, pulling together all its technological and theatrical prowess to put on the ultimate piece of entertainment, while at the same time evoking a little national pride and speaking towards understanding between all nations.

In terms of Nation On Parade, I don't think China could possibly have done any better. I'm not sure anyone could. (Helps to have thousands of years of history, of course)

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

iSm: try this link
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/sha...D_OCB_HL_L1621

Waaaa, won't play. Bah.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by JWBear

My only complaint is that the music during the March of Nations was boring and repetitive. I mean... 20 repeats of the same bagpipe number? Come on... why?

Yeah, bagpipes were a severely poor choice. Yikes.

My favorite opening ceremony ever. Beautiful, powerful, meaningful. Absolutely brilliant use of LED technology.

Favorite moments include the footprints (yeah, they'd BETTER have the most awesome fireworks ever), drums, the mountain and water painting, movable type of course, horizontal runners.

I'm still a little perturbed that Bush is there, but I think the ceremony and NBC did a pretty good job of framing the argument in favor of this kind of engagement. There's a lot of fiction, optimism, glossing over, but they presented the idea that the people really do want to be part of the world and that the totalitarian rule that keeps them isolated understands this, wants to foster it, but is just doing so slowly, cautiously and methodically, perhaps with a few stumble along the way. It's what the world better hope really is happening. And seeing that message being presented by them on such an epic scale gives some credence to that hope I suppose.

I still think Bush could have made the point without showing up. He's the first sitting President to do so. He didn't have to be there, he's not expected to be there. It's no disaster that he was, but it would have been a better choice, imo.

[innerSpaceman]

He didn't much look like he wanted to be there. The cameras caught him looking bored more than a few times. (Laura, to her credit, always looked poised and attentive when the same cameras caught her husband nodding off or looking at his watch.)


I hope I didn't come off too critical about the ceremonies. Though they didn't quite "gel" for me as very few of the very best did, they were nonetheless completely awesome and I enjoyed everything (except whatsherface, the singer more vacant than the men's room at Lilith Fair).


But, yeah, great pyrotechnics from China? Yes, but expected. Hoards of lockstep-unison-human performers in, oh, China??? Yeah, fantastic, but ... ya know, China.


And don't get me wrong. I LOVED the elements that screamed CHINA. As many of them did. That they screamed China and were also madly entertaining was fantastic.

[€uroMeinke]

And when was the last time you saw goose stepping military? Man, that takes you back.

[BarTopDancer]

I have it TIVOed until tomorrow night. If someone can tell me how to burn it to DVD, and I have the proper configuration, I will.

TIVO is on my network.
Does not have a DVD burner.
Computer does.
Computer is on the network.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Waaaa, won't play. Bah.

Probably going to have to download Silverlight

[BarTopDancer]

I love the parade of nations. They all look so proud, and happy.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

We loved the ceremonies as well. We watched the entire show, all while nibbling on pot stickers, mu shu pork, chow mein and mixed veggies with "beijing soy sauce" (thanks, Trader Joe's!) I tried to find some Tsing Tao beer but was unable to, so we settled for sake and Sapporo.

The entire spectacle was amazing, for all the reasons already stated. Although, I must say, that we couldn't help but being a little unsettled by some of the sections that accentuated the military. Still, those were few and far between, but just enough to notice and comment on. Overall, I though they proved themselves to be gracious and welcoming hosts (all of the political backstory aside.)

The footprints, the lighting of the torch, the moving boxes, the LED technology, and mostly, the happy faces of the athletes from around the world as they anxiously await the opportunity to prove themselves - all of it combined to create a wonderful opening ceremony and I'm glad that we watched it in its entirety.