Sydney was circus. Athens was art.

what kind of arts do you like? Do you have any art education?

Apart from the arrow in the Barcelona OC, what else do people remember? I mean, truly remember from that OC?
Interesting as an idea the arrow may have been, it was NOT a true lighting of the cauldron. A cauldron is supposed to be lit by the torch of some athlete in some imaginative way and not by an archer who holds no torch and tosses a flaming object from far away.

In that respect, regarding the concept whereby an athlete with a torch in his/her hand lights a cauldron, Barcelona failed completely and totally missed the point for the sake of impression. On the positive side however, the Barcelona OC with arrow, managed to create a strong impression that we still remember. From that point of view it is a "success". Nevertheless, I find it naive (to say the least) that just because of a flaming arrow, (a tiny tiny fraction of the overall ceremony that only took second amidst the 2 or 3 hours that a ceremony lasts), some consider the Barcelona OC as "wonderful" when no one hardly remembers anything else (the 99%) from that OC.

It is an indication of how simplistically some rush to judge and evaluate things by seeing the tree and missing the forest.

what kind of arts do you like? Do you have any art education?

U choose a wrong person to debate mate..U r talking to an art historian...:cheers:

I like acts which are unique for their aesthetic, with clear forms and well matched colours.

what kind of arts do you like? Do you have any art education?

Visual arts and graphic design

U choose a wrong person to debate mate..U r talking to an art historian...:cheers:

I like acts which are unique for their aesthetic, with clear forms and well matched colours.

Yeah, me too. I like clear forms with a touch of some complexity here and there. Asian art, although beautiful, depresses me because it is so exaggeratedly ornamented and overtly elaborate (Indian, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian). It sits in my stomach. I think that most of those who voted for Beijing come from oriental cultures and love too much ornamented stuff. In that respect, the Beijing OC was "amazing". The masses love spectacles based on, as we say in Greece: "gyfto-baroque" art (the vulgar "baroque of the gypsies") that impresses the disadvantaged

Lean taste is for the few. Lean taste is chic and chic is for very special :lol:

It's like comparing Versace kitch (and we all know who buys Versace stuff...it is called nouveau riche) with the lean lines of Armani (those who have taste ...often old money with class)

Would you consider the statues used in the Athens ceremony to be "kitsch" and "exaggeratedly ornamental" if they had been painted in bright colors, as they actually were in fact?

Of course what Athens used was "lean-lined" and aesthetically minimal (and very effective), but it was a modern interpretation of Greek statuary, designed to appeal to the particular aesthetic Athens was searching for. The minimalist, monochromatic statues we see in museums are beautiful. But they are not accurate, a fact which Athens decided to ignore.

U choose a wrong person to debate mate..U r talking to an art historian...:cheers:

I like acts which are unique for their aesthetic, with clear forms and well matched colours.

so, what kind of arts do you like?

It's like comparing Versace kitch (and we all know who buys Versace stuff...it is called nouveau riche) with the lean lines of Armani (those who have taste ...often old money with class)

Armani is inspired by East Asian Chan/Zen esthetic, Versace is truly European.

Apart from the arrow in the Barcelona OC, what else do people remember? I mean, truly remember from that OC?It was largely an elaborate play on the roles of fire and water in the City's history, mythology and culture. Most costumes featured patterns and colors reminiscent of artistic tiles. A transforming ship that "sailed" across a sea of dancers in blue costumes mimicking the Mediterranean waves. Meanwhile, there was a main stage at the end of the stadium with the grand arch, embodying the typical European form of plazas. Once all the athletes were present a huge Olympic flag (largest at that time?) was brought out, literally presenting the theme that they were all competing under one banner (the common "one world" theme). I know some kids were singing and I think Freddie Mercury and Placido Domingo were among the celebrity singers.
Interesting as an idea the arrow may have been, it was NOT a true lighting of the cauldron. A cauldron is supposed to be lit by the torch of some athlete in some imaginative way and not by an archer who holds no torch and tosses a flaming object from far away. You must be kidding me. If you're throwing this lighting ceremony out then you can throw out LA, Atlanta, Beijing and many others, I'm sure, as the torch proper did not actually touch the cauldron proper.

But seriously, that doesn't matter. What is critical is that the cauldron is lit via the flame that has been carried from the original source in Greece. And in most cases it's not as if the torch itself is touching the cauldron, but rather the heat from the torch's flame igniting the fuel within the cauldron. As such, if that flame makes that ignition via some elaborate maze lined with explosive powder, by passing over the fuel by an arrow, or by simply being waved over the cauldron by an aging athlete, it's all the same thing: The Olympic flame lighting the Olympic cauldron.

If that still is unacceptable with you, then I suggest you take it up with the IOC, who'll remind you it's all symbolic anyway.

Would you consider the statues used in the Athens ceremony to be "kitsch" and "exaggeratedly ornamental" if they had been painted in bright colors, as they actually were in fact?

Of course what Athens used was "lean-lined" and aesthetically minimal (and very effective), but it was a modern interpretation of Greek statuary, designed to appeal to the particular aesthetic Athens was searching for. The minimalist, monochromatic statues we see in museums are beautiful. But they are not accurate, a fact which Athens decided to ignore.

as if you said something groundbreaking...no matter what you say, the Athens OC was "lean" and without fanfares

Armani is inspired by East Asian Chan/Zen esthetic, Versace is truly European.

My point was not who each designer is inspired by, but an allegory of pompous taste vs leaner one

It was largely an elaborate play on the roles of fire and water in the City's history, mythology and culture. Most costumes featured patterns and colors reminiscent of artistic tiles. A transforming ship that "sailed" across a sea of dancers in blue costumes mimicking the Mediterranean waves. Meanwhile, there was a main stage at the end of the stadium with the grand arch, embodying the typical European form of plazas. Once all the athletes were present a huge Olympic flag (largest at that time?) was brought out, literally presenting the theme that they were all competing under one banner (the common "one world" theme). I know some kids were singing and I think Freddie Mercury and Placido Domingo were among the celebrity singers.
You must be kidding me. If you're throwing this lighting ceremony out then you can throw out LA, Atlanta, Beijing and many others, I'm sure, as the torch proper did not actually touch the cauldron proper.

But seriously, that doesn't matter. What is critical is that the cauldron is lit via the flame that has been carried from the original source in Greece. And in most cases it's not as if the torch itself is touching the cauldron, but rather the heat from the torch's flame igniting the fuel within the cauldron. As such, if that flame makes that ignition via some elaborate maze lined with explosive powder, by passing over the fuel by an arrow, or by simply being waved over the cauldron by an aging athlete, it's all the same thing: The Olympic flame lighting the Olympic cauldron.

If that still is unacceptable with you, then I suggest you take it up with the IOC, who'll remind you it's all symbolic anyway.

Of course the Barcelona CO had some central theme...no doubt about it. [I]t was an Opening Ceremony afterall. By the way thanks for reminding us because honestly, I and people I've asked could not remember a thing from Barcelona

Now, regarding lighting the cauldron, even in Beijing, it was the very hand of the spectacular runner that set the fire and not an arrow or whatever

Of course the Barcelona CO had some central theme...no doubt about it. [I]t was an Opening Ceremony afterall. By the way thanks for reminding us because honestly, I and people I've asked could not remember a thing from BarcelonaYou're welcome. I recall enjoying it and select images but wish I could recall more. Surely it must be available somewhere in this day and age.
Now, regarding lighting the cauldron, even in Beijing, it was the very hand of the spectacular runner that set the fire and not an arrow or whateverHave to disagree. The runner lit in essence a very long fuse while the cauldron itself was a good 20 meters from him and his torch. Hence the reason the flame moved up the structure. See the picture below.

http://i3.sinaimg.cn/2008/en/photo/2008-08-09/U3134P461T74D6247F1661DT20080809002555.jpg

If you still disagree then I suspect you're stretching the definition of cauldron. In my humble opinion, anyway. More importantly, why does it matter to you that the person be in immediate proximity to the cauldron? What's lost in the meaning of the gesture?

Of course the Barcelona CO had some central theme...no doubt about it. [i]t was an Opening Ceremony afterall. By the way thanks for reminding us because honestly, I and people I've asked could not remember a thing from Barcelona

Now, regarding lighting the cauldron, even in Beijing, it was the very hand of the spectacular runner that set the fire and not an arrow or whatever

I remember a thing about Barcelona. In fact, I remember a lot of things! I was totally surprised because there is nothing like it on any "events" I have seen before. It was totally amazing. The lighting of the cauldron was mind-blowing. I was totally mesmerize. The theme song was amazing! I forgot the name of the music but the choir was brilliant singing it.

Barcelona - 4.5/5

Anyone know the name of the Barcelona theme song?

I was actually disappointed of Atlanta Opening Ceremony except when Ali lighted the Cauldron. I never seen him since the 1980s.

3.5/5 - Atlanta

The Sydney was actually good but I was disappointed of the lighting of the Cauldron. The delay really disappointed me. I don't like the singing either. It was boring. But I remember the girl and she was amazing!

4/5 - Sydney

The Athens was actually spectacular. The pool was amazing with the Olympic Rings on fire was amazing! I like the torch part but I was expecting something better. I like the Stadium but I thought they are going to go back with the classical Ancient Greek-like structure.

4/5 - Athens

But I voted for Beijing. It was just way too spectacular. Now, Li Ning, the 4-time Gold Medal Olympian will not be remember for his acomplishments or victories but he will always be remember for lighting the Cauldron! It was just the best! The drums were amazing! The Tai Chi formation was spectacular! The only part they have to work with is the song. I don't like the girl lip syncing. I don't like the theme song either but it was good. Overall, it was amazing!

4.5/5 - Beijing

I remember a thing about Barcelona. In fact, I remember a lot of things! I was totally surprised because there is nothing like it on any "events" I have seen before. It was totally amazing. The lighting of the cauldron was mind-blowing. I was totally mesmerize. The theme song was amazing! I forgot the name of the music but the choir was brilliant singing it.

Barcelona - 4.5/5

Anyone know the name of the Barcelona theme song?

I was actually disappointed of Atlanta Opening Ceremony except when Ali lighted the Cauldron. I never seen him since the 1980s.

3.5/5 - Atlanta

The Sydney was actually good but I was disappointed of the lighting of the Cauldron. The delay really disappointed me. I don't like the singing either. It was boring. But I remember the girl and she was amazing!

4/5 - Sydney

The Athens was actually spectacular. The pool was amazing with the Olympic Rings on fire was amazing! I like the torch part but I was expecting something better. I like the Stadium but I thought they are going to go back with the classical Ancient Greek-like structure.

4/5 - Athens

But I voted for Beijing. It was just way too spectacular. Now, Li Ning, the 4-time Gold Medal Olympian will not be remember for his acomplishments or victories but he will always be remember for lighting the Cauldron! It was just the best! The drums were amazing! The Tai Chi formation was spectacular! The only part they have to work with is the song. I don't like the girl lip syncing. I don't like the theme song either but it was good. Overall, it was amazing!

4.5/5 - Beijing

Some things in the Beijing opening Ceremony were undoubtedly amazing...like the drums (I think that the world will remember the drums for decades to come). I also loved the papyrus/scroll...wow! what an incredible concept that was. In Athens I will never forget all my life the dozen or so of torch bearers flying out of the athletes after they had gathered in the middle of the stadium (an idea first practiced in Athens 2004 and which Beijing used as well) and they flew with their torches towards the globe upon which the cities of the world where the flame had passed from were written. That was SPECTACULAR. And of course DJ Tiesto :banana:

The Eurovision song contest held in Athens in 2005. Watch it and notice the sphere flying above the crowd and it had men upon it. Already before the middle of the video...also notice the two presenters how the fly on the stage and the flood light falling upon them Does it ring any bells?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P56N3VPGqnI&feature=related

sigh......this thread should be locked, seriously I like all the opening ceremonies.

Apart from liking the Beijing 2008, I really do like the Greek one, it looks so magical like one of those Greek mythology stories that I used to watch on cartoon.

Athens show was so weak and they couldn't even reflect the rich Hellenic culture. It was just dull and even behind Sydney. But Athens closing ceremony was fantastic.


U know, sometimes less is more. If they decided to show million of ancient greek stuff like sculptures vases temples in pictures, videos etc etc, in order to make the image rich, the visual result would be so messy...they decided to be minimal and they achieve to have filled and visually wonderful and rich images of the stadium, even when the action was about only one single person at the sea. I remember the scene where a little boy was alone at the paper-boat. Noeone else was at the sea-stage, he "travelled" alone and when he smilled, it was a strong enough image for 80,000 spectators to start clapping at the rythm of his hand-greeting...

The continue was also minimal but the images was breathtaking. The cycladic head rising from the sea represented all the prehistoric civilizations of Greece, the classic statue which was inside into the head represented the next period of Greece, etc. The image would no way be so strong if another 23,863 acts were taking place at the same time around the statues.And finally all the "statues" from the Clepsydra went to the center to watch the their common thing, which despite all their differencies make them unique in the universe, the DNA of the human being... It was meaningfull and so emotional. The director managed to create such an elegant show. Music also helped a lot. Sorry but I can't imagine the "300" of Sparta in a virtual war against the Persians into the stadium. It would be so kitsch.

On the other hand, the closing ceremony was a nightmare for me....it was like eurovision.

Photo from Beijingupdates.com. Thanks 286350692, who went to the ceremony and posted these photos


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as if you said something groundbreaking...no matter what you say, the Athens OC was "lean" and without fanfares

lol, what? Groundbreaking? I was merely pointing out a fact about a change made by the Athenian OC. You immediately got defensive and chose to interpret it as a criticism of the ceremony. It was not; I enjoyed the Athens OC very much and thought it very well done. My point was that all OC organizers have changed things to suit their plans, and that your preference for lean, spare statues was not shared by the civilization that made the statues.

.....I know some kids were singing and I think Freddie Mercury and Placido Domingo were among the celebrity singers.

Alas, Freddie died in 1991. I think the spectacle would have appealed to him, though....

U know, sometimes less is more. If they decided to show million of ancient greek stuff like sculptures vases temples in pictures, videos etc etc, in order to make the image rich, the visual result would be so messy...they decided to be minimal and they achieve to have filled and visually wonderful and rich images of the stadium, even when the action was about only one single person at the sea. I remember the scene where a little boy was alone at the paper-boat. Noeone else was at the sea-stage, he "travelled" alone and when he smilled, it was a strong enough image for 80,000 spectators to start clapping at the rythm of his hand-greeting...

The continue was also minimal but the images was breathtaking. The cycladic head rising from the sea represented all the prehistoric civilizations of Greece, the classic statue which was inside into the head represented the next period of Greece, etc. The image would no way be so strong if another 23,863 acts were taking place at the same time around the statues.And finally all the "statues" from the Clepsydra went to the center to watch the their common thing, which despite all their differencies make them unique in the universe, the DNA of the human being... It was meaningfull and so emotional. The director managed to create such an elegant show. Music also helped a lot. Sorry but I can't imagine the "300" of Sparta in a virtual war against the Persians into the stadium. It would be so kitsch.

On the other hand, the closing ceremony was a nightmare for me....it was like eurovision.

I COULDNT AGREE MORE WITH YOU POTIZ. the OC of Athens encapsulated thousands of years of Hellenic evolution (statues coming out of other statues etc) and the DNA. I mean, it was a stunning OC and it is sad that some did not manage to be moved by it or get the message. Overall the world was stunned by Athens and by posting (I cant do it now...maybe someone else can) the international press comments on it, one sees that it wasnt "less" than Beijing's...it was only four years ago and people remember it less while Beijing's visions reverberate fresher in their minds. Aftearll, either OC was great for it was different (although it was Beijing's that had adopted many Athens 2004 elements) since they exposed completely different cultures and histories.
I'm leaving on holidays today (believe it or not to Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat there) so whoever can, may post the int'l press triumphant comments on the Athens OC. Otherwise I ll do it upon my return.
Now, the Closing Ceremony of Athens was TERRIBLE and STUPID. Only the beginning with the wheat spiral was nice and also the part where young people were using musical instruments made out of tools used in sports(that was great). Overall, the rest of it was total CRAP. Unfortunately.
If you asked me, my favorite and MOST FUN Closing Ceremony was Sydney's. It was a real party and very amusing.

lol, what? Groundbreaking? I was merely pointing out a fact about a change made by the Athenian OC. You immediately got defensive and chose to interpret it as a criticism of the ceremony. It was not; I enjoyed the Athens OC very much and thought it very well done. My point was that all OC organizers have changed things to suit their plans, and that your preference for lean, spare statues was not shared by the civilization that made the statues.



Alas, Freddie died in 1991. I think the spectacle would have appealed to him, though....

colorless or not, the statues' lines are LEAN, especially the more "primitive ones of the Cyclades" and mind you that colors in Classical statues were usually limited on the lips (mainly for female ones) the clothes and the hair. This by any means did not change their elegance

I must say though. The swimming pool is incredible and of course the modern architecture of China. Its skyscrapers simply ROCK...and so do Bangkok's, if I may add.

Asian countries, no matter how poor or rich they may be, they have skyscrapers and luxury airports that make those of much richer European countries seem less impressive. Asians are so much into "impressing" than the Europeans. I do love Asian skyscrapers, but I would never like to live there. Again, I cant avoid not to make comparison between the Athens and Beijing OCs...The first, ven if it was very hi-tech, was a "down to earth" romantic feast for the eyes and mind, the second is a an Asian determination to impress and it did, just like its skyscrapers and airports). Beijing's airport, by the way, is the best I ve seen (in photos of course) in the world. I also love Seoul's Incheon airport and the new of Bangkok, which I will see live for the first time in 13 hours as I'm flying to Cambodia from Athens via Bangkok. I can't wait to see Bangkok's new airport. :banana:

I COULDNT AGREE MORE WITH YOU POTIZ. the OC of Athens encapsulated thousands of years of Hellenic evolution (statues coming out of other statues etc) and the DNA. I mean, it was a stunning OC and it is sad that some did not manage to be moved by it or get the message. Overall the world was stunned by Athens and by posting (I cant do it now...maybe someone else can) the international press comments on it, one sees that it wasnt "less" than Beijing's...it was only four years ago and people remember it less while Beijing's visions reverberate fresher in their minds. Aftearll, either OC was great for it was different (although it was Beijing's that had adopted many Athens 2004 elements) since they exposed completely different cultures and histories.
I'm leaving on holidays today (believe it or not to Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat there) so whoever can, may post the int'l press triumphant comments on the Athens OC. Otherwise I ll do it upon my return.
Now, the Closing Ceremony of Athens was TERRIBLE and STUPID. Only the beginning with the wheat spiral was nice and also the part where young people were using musical instruments made out of tools used in sports(that was great). Overall, the rest of it was total CRAP. Unfortunately.
If you asked me, my favorite and MOST FUN Closing Ceremony was Sydney's. It was a real party and very amusing.

especially with the crazy lawn mower guy

sigh......this thread should be locked, seriously I like all the opening ceremonies.

Apart from liking the Beijing 2008, I really do like the Greek one, it looks so magical like one of those Greek mythology stories that I used to watch on cartoon.


If you see the previous flame posts in this thread, many of them are written by people from Greece and some lives in England and Australia. I mean, what's up with that?

By the way, anyone want some scorpion in a stick? Only worth $0.15. I love the food here in Beijing! They are all cheap! I can get a family dinner for only $10.00!!!

By the way, anyone want some scorpion in a stick? Only worth $0.15. I love the food here in Beijing!

:eek:Whoa! Neat trick, but seems a culinary challenge...






;)

Does somebody have a video of Sydney?

Does somebody have a video of Sydney?
In looking for Barcelona footage yesterday I found some highlight reels from most ceremonies on the Olympic's own web site. Who'da thunk?!! :)

Sydney's is one of the options on the right. Enjoy. :cheers:

http://www.olympic.org/MULTIMEDIAGALLERY/Video.aspx?Language=uk


Edit: After viewing that version a great deal of the ceremony is missing. The theatrics about the island culture and the little girl "swimming" through the ocean are not shown. Disappointing, actually. Although they make up for this gaffe by leaving the pick-up trucks out of the Atlanta OC video! :D

Second part of Beijing olympic game opening ceremony

(by 286350692, beijingupdates.com)


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All the fanfare and the spectacular production of the Beijing ceremony has not been without some very real costs, and some very real questions. Aside from the lip-syncing "pretty" girl (a matter of "national interest" according to the Chinese government!!!), and the enhanced-for-TV fireworks, there is also the case of the female dancer who fell and is paralyzed, possibly never to walk again. The Chinese government called this tragedy a "broken bone."

It is events like these which not even a $300 million budget could prevent, and which go a long way towards removing the luster of the Beijing Opening Ceremonies.

All the fanfare and the spectacular production of the Beijing ceremony has not been without some very real costs, and some very real questions. Aside from the lip-syncing "pretty" girl (a matter of "national interest" according to the Chinese government!!!), and the enhanced-for-TV fireworks, there is also the case of the female dancer who fell and is paralyzed, possibly never to walk again. The Chinese government called this tragedy a "broken bone."

It is events like these which not even a $300 million budget could prevent, and which go a long way towards removing the luster of the Beijing Opening Ceremonies.

just some personal opinion:

1. about the "lip-syncing" girl, two girl's names are both on the program menu of the opening ceremony(everybody who attended had one) and the name of the girl who sang the song is in front of the "pretty" girl. and they both joined the ceremony on 08/08(see pic below). I think the opening ceremony is not part of the real olympic sports games. It is an entertainment party. It is the director's right to show the audience something as perfect as possible, just like a movie. These 2 girls did it together and nodody try to keep it as a secret(they are both super star in China now). It is not the "pretty' girl's solo concert. If your bought her concert ticket and what you heard was another girl's voice, then it is wrong.

http://www.photofans.cn/uploads2008/08/userid74513time20080809094858.jpg
(photofans.cn, by acici)


2. All the firworks really happened and if you intend to make people believe that the entire firework show was fake, then nobody can stop you.:nuts:


3. About the dancer, again, nobody want to keep the accident as a secret. Right after the OC, Zhang yimou and his team members went to hospital to see her. Zhang told the media the only thing can make him happy is seeing her stand up again. It was just an accident during the rehearsal and now people all over China are hoping she will be all right.


4. I know many people here think China take the OC as a show-out party and the budget is unlimitted, that's not true. After the opening ceremony, Zhang yimou had an interview by media. He said:" many people think we can get as much money as we want, that's not true. You can't say, oh my idea is so great, give me more! no! and the total cost of the opening and closing ceremony of Beijing olympic game is less than the opening ceremony of 2006Doha Asian game alone.

Finally, the 2008 olympic game is not only Chinese government's game, all Chinese people are so excited and they are proud to be the host and so far they did a good job.

2. All the firworks really happened and if you intend to make people believe that the entire firework show was fake, then nobody can stop you.:nuts:
.

All the fireworks happened but some of them shown at the tv (like the steps etc)were from the rehearsals or computer processed in order to look better on tv and the sky to be clear.

All the fireworks happened but some of them shown at the tv (like the steps etc)were from the rehearsals or computer processed in order to look better on tv and the sky to be clear.

You handily forgot to mention the saftety reason.

You handily forgot to mention the saftety reason.

IF somethig may cause safety problems os is too dangerous, u simply haven;t to do it in an olympic opening ceremony. Otherwise ceremonies will be in the future like cinema movies. Prerecorded imaginery and dangerous acts, explosions, travels to moon etc. etc. But this is meaningless...IMO opening ceremonies are wonderfull because shows what people can actually do in reality in a live show. If u can't do something due to safety reasons or because doeasnt seems very weel on live coverage or whatever.....just let it to the movies producers and watch it at the cinema... :ohno:

IF somethig may cause safety problems os is too dangerous, u simply haven;t to do it in an olympic opening ceremony. Otherwise ceremonies will be in the future like cinema movies. Prerecorded imaginery and dangerous acts, explosions, travels to moon etc. etc. But this is meaningless...IMO opening ceremonies are wonderfull because shows what people can actually do in reality in a live show. If u can't do something due to safety reasons or because doeasnt seems very weel on live coverage or whatever.....just let it to the movies producers and watch it at the cinema... :ohno:

Sorry I still don't understand your point.

Do you mean we should have just let the pilot filmed it live ? and what if the helicopter crashed during the filming ?, what should we do ? call a movie producer and do some effects for it ?

ye I think you're right, I think Beijing should have let Greece trying to film live fireworks on helicopter first and if it does not crash then Beijing will then emulate it.

You lot just have a lot of reasons to say that it was not good, ok we know Athens was the best. Clear and settled.

Sorry I still don't understand your point.

Do you mean we should have just let the pilot filmed it live ? and what if the helicopter crashed during the filming ?, what should we do ? call a movie producer and do some effects for it ?

ye I think you're right, I think Beijing should have let Greece trying to film live fireworks on helicopter first and if it does not crash then Beijing will then emulate it.

Ηad u really tried to understand my point or at least to read my whole post? Of course we shouldn't have left the pilot filmed it live. I am just wondering what's the meaning of having pre-recorded shots in a ceremony. If something is too dangerous or difficult to have it live, for me it s better not to have it at all. The value of the ceremonies is in how beautifull images people can actually create live and not in how beautifull prerecorded images we can give.

Imagine the powerfull countdown of Beijing if it was prerecorded. Maybe they would have left it to happen live into the stadium for the specators there, but the image at tv would be prerecorder in order to seem perfect. It would had any meaning for the tv viewers if the saw a video of the countdown and leaving the people believing that it is live?

Or imagine how "beautiful" it would be to watch in 2012 a totally pre-recorder show at London's opening, because it will contain dangerous acrobatics or fires shows or whatever having safety issues.. Maybe they ll do the same show at that time inside the stadium for the stadium-specators, but in order to have a faultless image for the rest of the planet, they will broadcast a prerecorded show for the tv-spectators....

It's cute that so many people have such negative image of the Atlanta Games...even though the ceremonies featured performances by Jessye Norman, Gladys Knight, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Trisha Yearwood, B.B. King, Boys II Men, Wynton Marsalis, Faith Hill, Tito Puente, and a few others. Not too shabby...

I don't remember much about the OC, and I should say that that kind of thing doesn't really interest me much...but I do remember the music, the huge puppets and elaborate costumes, the Greek portion (something about buidling a temple), the colors and lights, Theresa Edwards, and Muhammad Ali lighting the cauldron. The trucks and cheerleaders took away from the overall quality, but all in all it was just a bunch of choreographed bullshit VERY similar to all the other OCs - no better, no worse.

Some people love to jump on the bandwagon in assuming that the entire 2 weeks in Atlanta was a joke...but they'll grow up some day and learn not to assume. Most of the criticsm comes from people who don't really know anyway. All that said, the Athens OC was my favorite because I love ancient history Greek mythology...but I can't remember but maybe 1 or 2 specifics about it.

The best ever opening ceremony was in Beijing 2008...but I think the closing ceremony would be amazing too!

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/olympic-torch-17.jpg



What is so unique about that? Other than its simplicity, there's nothing much to remember about that. It looks like a high-tech billy club -- that's all.

And please don't give me that spin about the cauldron. It was a reefer-needle and was about the only design that could fit into that little space between the 2 pasted-on roofs.

Nearly all of the Athens 2004 was a paste-up job.

There is NO comparison.

Athens had a few great moments, but for the most part hokey and irrelevant. For example, what did the DNA thing have to do with the lake? Or the pregnant woman carrying a radioactive fetus? Or the man trying to keep his balance on that revolving block? What did these things HAVE to do with the Olympics or Greece as host nation?

The Klepsydra was beautiful to look at, but essentially boring. Above all, Athens 2004 was very STATIC and joyless!! No spontaneity or great bursts of joy in it -- considering it was supposed to be a homecoming.

I'm glad Beijing has topped that.

It is nice, beautifull, great, spectacular or anything but original and different!
It is inspired from Atlanta cauldron, no doubt. Same colour, same shape.

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/3483/kn0010035pr.jpg http://i3.sinaimg.cn/2008/en/photo/2008-08-09/U3134P461T74D6247F1661DT20080809002555.jpg

Very, very similar, like many elements in this AMERICANIZED opening ceremony, like the cheesy musical acts, coreographies, children calling for easy emotions...

I am dissappointed. I bet Herzog and De Meuron are ashamed about this thing above their greatest piece of work.

The cauldron should be a part of the stadium, not a strange thing on it. Why didn't the chinese called Herzog and the Meuron to design the cauldron, like the greeks did calling Calatrava?!

Very, very similar, like many elements in this AMERICANIZED opening ceremony, like the cheesy musical acts, coreographies, children calling for easy emotions...

I am dissappointed. I bet Herzog and De Meuron are ashamed about this thing above their greatest piece of work

It's ok, thanks for your comment anyway. I hope Rio will win the 2016 bid and do better than Beijing.

Nearly all of the Athens 2004 was a paste-up job.
Before you go into more thoughtless comments (like the one above) can you please provide some reasons for this view you have. Athens 2004 was an amazing Olympics that truly showed the spirit of the Olympic games and what it really means to be an "Olympian".

I am not going to put down any other Olympics, and I believe Beijing has done an amazing job of hosting the games. Some other Greek forumers have some complexes against the Beijing games, and I don't get why. I guess they have some "everyone is out to put us down" mentality which I don't understand. In any case, this ridiculous fanaticism needs to be stopped. As to do thoughtless comments like yours.

Please tell me where else can you watch Olympic events in ancient Olympia, th true home of the games? Where else can you watch events in the stadium that hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896? Where else do you have the olive branch put on your head as was done in ancient Olympia? The Athens Olympics were an amazing show that brought the spirit of the games to life. I am happy to see that Beijing is carrying on in a great way.....

As a final note to Athens (which we shouldn't even be talking about, this is a Beijing thread). I will leave everyone with a video from the opening ceremony. It is extremely meaningful to me as a Greek, and hopefully if you look into the true meaning of this you will understand what having the Olympics in Greece actually means.....

cnjNhtQ1jI8

^^ but so far no Chinese forumers here actually tried to put down Athens. We (or I) really like Athens one.

^^ but so far no Chinese forumers here actually tried to put down Athens. We (or I) really like Athens one.

Don't worry. Australian and USA forumers are doing a good job at this point. Epsecially USA will never forgive a tiny and poor spot at the map called Greece for organizing a much better (and much much more safe) event in a much better stadium than Atlanta did.

Very, very similar, like many elements in this AMERICANIZED opening ceremony, like the cheesy musical acts, coreographies, children calling for easy emotions...

I am dissappointed. I bet Herzog and De Meuron are ashamed about this thing above their greatest piece of work.

The cauldron should be a part of the stadium, not a strange thing on it. Why didn't the chinese called Herzog and the Meuron to design the cauldron, like the greeks did calling Calatrava?!

They won the international design competition for the stadium, remember?

Very, very similar, like many elements in this AMERICANIZED opening ceremony, like the cheesy musical acts, coreographies, children calling for easy emotions...?!

Didnt seem very american to me, or european for that matter. There was little of the terrible modern art that blights events in those areas and instead the focus of a single very talented director with great large scale vision.

Very, very similar, like many elements in this AMERICANIZED opening ceremony, like the cheesy musical acts, coreographies, children calling for easy emotions...

I am dissappointed. I bet Herzog and De Meuron are ashamed about this thing above their greatest piece of work.



Well, the Chinese have restored Olympic ceremonies where they should be: grand AND AMERICANIZED!! Those were the GRANDEST Olympic Ceremonies by far -- and I have been watching Olympic Ceremonies for 30+ years now -- so I know what I speak of. They have set the benchmark for all future Ceremonies.


The cauldron should be a part of the stadium, not a strange thing on it. Why didn't the chinese called Herzog and the Meuron to design the cauldron, like the greeks did calling Calatrava?!

If you knew a little about the business of stadium design AND Ceremonies conception, then you would know that Herzog and de Meuron design stadia -- NOT Ceremonies. So they wouldn't know what to do. The Lighting sequence (cauldron design and all) in Beijing was conceived under the guidance of the Master Cauldron-Lighter schemer, Australian Ric Birch, who has worked with Los Angeles, Barcelona, Sydney and Torino Ceremonies preivously. And the Cauldron ties in beautifully with the theme of the Ceremonies (the scrolls) and of the Torch Relay as well.

(and much much more safe) event in a much better stadium than Atlanta did.

Safe? Baloney.

- what do you call the Brazilian marathoner being accosted on the Athens race course by that crazy priest?

- what about the guy in the tutu who also crashed secruity in the Athens diving pool?

You call that safe? The "fields of play" are supposed to be 'secure zones' -- not a PUBLIC PARK which is NOT an Official venue?

Better stadium? One which only sat 70,000 vs. 85,000 for Atlanta? And unlike most of the venues of Athens 2004, only 2 or 3 venues in Atlanta have fallen into disrepair. But the people of Atlanta are enjoying their Turner Field stadium very much -- regardless of what you think.

\ Those were the GRANDEST Olympic Ceremonies by far -- and I have been watching Olympic Ceremonies for 30+ years now -- so I know what I speak of. .
:hilarious:hilarious:hilarious:hilarious:hilarious


Despite the fact that the cauldron looks like Atlanta's, actually it does fit to the stadium very much, because it looks like a part the edge of the roof .

Safe? Baloney.

- what do you call the Brazilian marathoner being accosted on the Athens race course by that crazy priest?


I call him alive. As all the visitors who came to watch the games in one of world's safest countries, Greece.


Better stadium? One which only sat 70,000 vs. 85,000 for Atlanta? And unlike most of the venues of Athens 2004, only 2 or 3 venues in Atlanta have fallen into disrepair. But the people of Atlanta are enjoying their Turner Field stadium very much -- regardless of what you think.


Capacity doesn't make a stadium good or better. "Mine is bigger" is out of my culture.

Also in Athens, 4 years after the games only 2-3 venues haven't yet any special use. Look at other threads to inform yourself. But it is too bad that the same happens in Atlanta, 12 years after 1996. They had 12 years to look for owners and they haven't found any? I am sure Athens in 2016 will have a use for all their stadia :lol::lol::lol:!!!

Somataki,

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ha, ha, ha! I got more :lol's than you!! Your views are really quite distorted and you ABSOLUTELY don't know what you're talking
about!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I call him alive. As all the visitors who came to watch the games in one of world's safest countries, Greece.




Capacity doesn't make a stadium good or better. "Mine is bigger" is out of my culture.

Also in Athens, 4 years after the games only 2-3 venues haven't yet any special use. Look at other threads to inform yourself. But it is too bad that the same happens in Atlanta, 12 years after 1996. They had 12 years to look for owners and they haven't found any? I am sure Athens in 2016 will have a use for all their stadia :lol::lol::lol:!!!

are you trying to say that Atlanta isnt using their stadiums? Im very confused here.

omg, you sould not judge things you dont understand. cube is considered the symbol of earth, ring any bells? (earth in Beijing OC, with men walking around it) just a copy of Athens OC. As for dna and pregnant woman... i wont try to explain you. Way deep stuff for you. just be happy and watch kong fu moves and shinny disco balls... sorry... drums.

A video with some OC highlights found on youtube:

b36ZzKIumew

And a model video for 2004's Clepsydra, made from the director 1 year before the ceremony:
qoq2A_FohwM

Why do people keep on posting random videos of Athen's OC? Do they think we haven't seen it?

omg, you sould not judge things you dont understand. cube is considered the symbol of earth, ring any bells? (earth in Beijing OC, with men walking around it) just a copy of Athens OC. As for dna and pregnant woman... i wont try to explain you. Way deep stuff for you. just be happy and watch kong fu moves and shinny disco balls... sorry... drums.

Baloney.

Don't YOU GO TELLING ME what I can and CANNOT interpret!! Who asked you? I am as much ENTITLED to view any Ceremony as the next person -- even more so because I have viewed Olympic Ceremonies for over 30+ years and I have worked in 2 Ceremonies, including in one of the bids for Beijing.

And what are your credentials, pray tell? :ohno:

Safe? Baloney.

- what do you call the Brazilian marathoner being accosted on the Athens race course by that crazy priest?

- what about the guy in the tutu who also crashed secruity in the Athens diving pool?

You call that safe? The "fields of play" are supposed to be 'secure zones' -- not a PUBLIC PARK which is NOT an Official venue?

Better stadium? One which only sat 70,000 vs. 85,000 for Atlanta? And unlike most of the venues of Athens 2004, only 2 or 3 venues in Atlanta have fallen into disrepair. But the people of Atlanta are enjoying their Turner Field stadium very much -- regardless of what you think.

I dont think the organisers should be blamed for that marathon incident. Beijing tried to avoid such an incident by increasing security for a similar event (road race). Whilst they managed to avoid a similar incident the cycle race was devoid of any atmosphere which the cyclist complained about.

The Athens stadium has had many great uses including the Champions League Final.

I must say though. The swimming pool is incredible and of course the modern architecture of China. Its skyscrapers simply ROCK...and so do Bangkok's, if I may add.

Asian countries, no matter how poor or rich they may be, they have skyscrapers and luxury airports that make those of much richer European countries seem less impressive. Asians are so much into "impressing" than the Europeans. I do love Asian skyscrapers, but I would never like to live there. Again, I cant avoid not to make comparison between the Athens and Beijing OCs...The first, ven if it was very hi-tech, was a "down to earth" romantic feast for the eyes and mind, the second is a an Asian determination to impress and it did, just like its skyscrapers and airports). Beijing's airport, by the way, is the best I ve seen (in photos of course) in the world. I also love Seoul's Incheon airport and the new of Bangkok, which I will see live for the first time in 13 hours as I'm flying to Cambodia from Athens via Bangkok. I can't wait to see Bangkok's new airport. :banana:

First of all, you post too much. That says to me that you are a self-righteous pretentious prick. Second of all, do not impose your self perceived superiority on us by saying that asian culture is over the top and that it's pompous and lacks class. Who are you to judge another culture? You even said yourself you know little about asian culture. So I think you shouldn't judge something that was based off asian culture.

It's OKAY if you didn't like it. I didn't quite get the Athens OC. Maybe that's partly because I come from a supposedly "pompous and kitch" culture which apparently has a disdain for class. I know a lot of people who thought the samething that I thought. It was a well done OC but lacked anything that catches the eye and was very monotone. Should I say that Greek culture is boring, monotonous and unspectacular?

Btw, I'm not a Beijing OC fanboy. I saw faults as well. I think it did rely on mass performances too much. But that's not a Chinese thing. It's an Asian thing. Seoul had a lot of mass performers in its OC as well. And I wished it could've focused more on Chinese history and culture. As I think I've said before, I think Athens and Beijing are tied for me. Both were technological masterpieces. I enjoyed Athen's subdued but artistic and effective style. I enjoyed Beijing's stunning visuals and its underlining themes. Both were by far the most culturally enriching ceremonies I've seen. That's expected coming from two of the world's longest and richest cultures.

Very, very similar, like many elements in this AMERICANIZED opening ceremony, like the cheesy musical acts, coreographies, children calling for easy emotions...

I am dissappointed. I bet Herzog and De Meuron are ashamed about this thing above their greatest piece of work.

The cauldron should be a part of the stadium, not a strange thing on it. Why didn't the chinese called Herzog and the Meuron to design the cauldron, like the greeks did calling Calatrava?!

The cauldron's design is similiar to the Olympic torch that was used in the relay. It is just a big version of the Olympic torch, but not inspired by Atlanta at all.
The design is very good and is consistent the overall theme of other parts of the opening ceremonies.

1. Beijing 2008 50%
2. Athens 2004 20.45%
3. Barcelona 1992 9.38%
4. Sydney 2000 8.81%
5. Athens 1896 1.70%

It is nice, beautifull, great, spectacular or anything but original and different!
It is inspired from Atlanta cauldron, no doubt. Same colour, same shape.

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/3483/kn0010035pr.jpg http://i3.sinaimg.cn/2008/en/photo/2008-08-09/U3134P461T74D6247F1661DT20080809002555.jpg

What a horrible ugly monstrosity of a cauldron Atlanta had.......:bash:

I like Beijing's a lot, I just wish it were a big bigger, or stood out a bit more from the actual stadium....

Safe? Baloney.

- what do you call the Brazilian marathoner being accosted on the Athens race course by that crazy priest?

- what about the guy in the tutu who also crashed secruity in the Athens diving pool?

You call that safe? The "fields of play" are supposed to be 'secure zones' -- not a PUBLIC PARK which is NOT an Official venue?
Was anyone hurt during these two events that happend in Athens? Did the perpetrators of these actions have in mind harming any athletes? These "incidents" you mention have about the same level of danger as a streaker running on to the pitch of a world Cup football match, which if you look at the incidents themselves were basically on the same level as that....

Surely nothing that can be compared to a terrorist attack in Atlanta....


Better stadium? One which only sat 70,000 vs. 85,000 for Atlanta? And unlike most of the venues of Athens 2004, only 2 or 3 venues in Atlanta have fallen into disrepair. But the people of Atlanta are enjoying their Turner Field stadium very much -- regardless of what you think.

Although you have alreay proven how little you know about what you're talking about I guess you are bent on continuing your rant....

While I wont argue that many venues used during the Athens Olympics haven't been used enough since the end of the games, your attempt to stretch it to the Olympic stadiums is quite ridiculous. You should read up a bit before making these statements....

The Olympic Stadium of Athens (OAKA) is used by two football clubs (AEK, Panathinaikos) who along with weekly league games also play European matches at OAKA. The stadium also hosts yearly rally and track and field events, and in 2007 hosted the Champions League final (football).

An AEK match at OAKA.....
http://www.greeksoccer.com/forums/uploads/1164159226/gallery_1_2_8084.jpg


I also gave a response to another one of your posts (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=24118024&postcount=326), I would appreaciate an answer to that too. Then again, judging by the immature nature of your posts I probably can't expect to hold a mature dialogue free of bias with someone like you....

Well, this thread is a troll-caller for sure.

First: We don't compare different things
Second : We don't compare different things made by countries which have totally different dynamics and global impact
Third:We don't compare different things made by countries with different history and though aesthetics.
Forth:We don't compare different things made by different countries in different times (Yes, I mean the 9/11 and Athens was the first Olympiad after that tragic event)
Fifth: For god's sake, we don't compare fresh things like the current Olympiad with older ones. If you want a more unbiased comparison then you've to wait till 2011.

Now, fireworks wise the best one was the co-Olympiad, USA-Iraq 2003. Dubya and Saddam were genuine organizers...

sigh......this thread should be locked, seriously I like all the opening ceremonies.

Apart from liking the Beijing 2008, I really do like the Greek one, it looks so magical like one of those Greek mythology stories that I used to watch on cartoon.

I agree :cheers: And I wish the best to the Chinese and their Olympiad :okay:

The cauldron's design is similiar to the Olympic torch that was used in the relay. It is just a big version of the Olympic torch, but not inspired by Atlanta at all.
The design is very good and is consistent the overall theme of other parts of the opening ceremonies.

I know the cauldron is inspired by the torch - maybe a giant torch.

I didn't said it was inspired by the Atlanta Cauldron. I said it is similar, it looks like the Atlanta ugly cauldron because of the curly design and red colour.

Yes, it is following the theme of the opening ceremony - what we saw inside the stadium, but does it follow the archtecture of the stadium? That's my point of view: it should be a part of the stadium, not a strange thing to it.

So, they should asked the original archtects who designed the stadium to make it, like the greeks did calling Santiago Calatrava, the designer of the Athens olympic stadium roof, to design their cauldron.

As long as the magnificent chinese stadium has this big STEEL structure, maybe the cauldron should follow it. What do you think?

Then again, judging by the immature nature of your posts I probably can't expect to hold a mature dialogue free of bias with someone like you....

Uh-huh Boring.

Considering you've insulted me even before I replied. Pfffffffffft I say to you.

athens will always be the best.

with the technology keeps improving, 20 years from now the opening of beijing will be ordinary. i hope london will make it more something heartfelt.

with the technology keeps improving, 20 years from now the opening of beijing will be ordinary.

And Athens' old-fashioned stagecraft won't? :ohno: :ohno: :ohno:

Moscow 1980, was a most great opening and closing ceremony, after that, in this order: 2) Beijing 2008, 3) Barcelona 92, 4) Athens 2004, 5) Seoul 88, 6) Sydney 2000, 7) Los Angeles 84, 8) Montreal 76, 9) Atlanta 96.

In my opinion, of course...

Uh-huh Boring.

Considering you've insulted me even before I replied. Pfffffffffft I say to you.

I've insulted you? I simply made a remark on the nature of your posts. Again, you back off having an actual conversation in favor of little spats. I have made the real posts, you have showed your level of maturity, the posts speak for themselves. All I ask of you is to actually read up on what you write about, or else I will have to correct you again....

Puritans stay away!! :lol::lol::lol:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1416/565175652_41ed51bb00_o.jpg

http://www.hybridfx.com/images/belly.jpg

I'm going to f'ing knife someone in the face if you spam pictures of the Athens OC again. It doesn't contribute to the discussion at all. You're just making yourself look worse.
And look, nakid menz and womenz, how classy...

Puritans stay away!! :lol::lol::lol:


http://www.hybridfx.com/images/belly.jpg

Interesting photo :crazy2:


And look, nakid menz and womenz, how classy...

Nudity for some cultures may be a huge taboo issue, for some other not. For someone's culture maybe be something vulgar and cheap, for someone others may be something wonderfull and admirable. Greeks are very familiar with nudity and the nudity was the absolute expression of the human perfection in their culture. Don't forget the thousands greek naked sculptures at the museums and also the fact that in the ancient olympics the athletes were totallly nude and of course, shameless.

Nudity for some cultures may be a huge taboo issue, for some other not. For someone's culture maybe be something vulgar and cheap, for someone others may be something wonderfull and admirable. Greeks are very familiar with nudity and the nudity was the absolute expression of the human perfection in their culture. Don't forget the thousands greek naked sculptures at the museums and also the fact that in the ancient olympics the athletes were totallly nude and of course, shameless.

That's not what I meant. I have no problem with nudity. I'm not that big of a prude. But those pictures provide nothing to this discussion. All somataki(and some others) have been doing was spamming random pictures and videos of the OC. Ya, just shove it down our throats and we'll love it even more. :nuts:

What a horrible ugly monstrosity of a cauldron Atlanta had.......:bash:

I like Beijing's a lot, I just wish it were a big bigger, or stood out a bit more from the actual stadium.... Your jealousy is way too obvious. You lost the 1996 games you should be over it already

It is nice, beautifull, great, spectacular or anything but original and different!
It is inspired from Atlanta cauldron, no doubt. Same colour, same shape.

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/3483/kn0010035pr.jpg http://i3.sinaimg.cn/2008/en/photo/2008-08-09/U3134P461T74D6247F1661DT20080809002555.jpg
They're totally different.

http://www.hybridfx.com/images/belly.jpg

The radioactive fetus. So she got f*cked by an alien? That's the only message I can glean from this portion of the Athens ceremony -- and DON'T anyone deny it.

Athens Olympic stadium is very beautiful and comparing it to Atlanta stadium is an insult to common sense. Not to mention the historic value of it since it hosted 2 Champions League finals and the most important fact, this stadium actually hosted the Olympics, unlike Atlanta where stadium doesn't even exist anymore (its baseball ballpark now, not actual olympic stadium). Enough for someone who isn't biased and arrogant asshole like some previous posters.

Athens Olympic stadium is very beautiful and comparing it to Atlanta stadium is an insult to common sense. Not to mention the historic value of it since it hosted 2 Champions League finals and the most important fact, this stadium actually hosted the Olympics, unlike Atlanta where stadium doesn't even exist anymore (its baseball ballpark now, not actual olympic stadium). Enough for someone who isn't biased and arrogant asshole like some previous posters.

Now that's what I called biased. :ohno:

Why am i biased? For saying how things are? I'm not Greek or American so i can say it from neutral point of view.

^^ You make it sound that unbiased people would just tear down the Atlanta stadium.

The radioactive fetus. So she got f*cked by an alien? That's the only message I can glean from this portion of the Athens ceremony -- and DON'T anyone deny it.
:lol: You aren't that clever, are you?
''The light of a new life''

Your jealousy is way too obvious. You lost the 1996 games you should be over it already

Sorry buddy but I am not one of these jealous Greek nationalist forumers who bash everything un-related to Athens. The Athens stadium isn't even my favorite of all Olympic stadiums, neither is the cauldron (both Barcelona). If you read my posts in other sections I am one of the few Greek forumers avidly supporting the Beijing games.

As for the 1996 thing, I dont even care Athens didn't get it. We wouldn't have been ready for them anyways. Next time think before you write more thoughtless posts about me.

The Atlanta cauldron is a horribly ugly creation basically built on levels of steel like a big diving board. Nothing appealing about it. It is by far the most ugly industrial looking cauldron ever. It's just a matter of opinion.....that most people share with me.

The Atlanta Cauldron is so ugly. What's with the giant lattice tower? Could they at least make it more elegant?

The Atlanta Cauldron is so ugly. What's with the giant lattice tower? Could they at least make it more elegant?

Macdonalds wouldn't give them enough money

Knitemplar.. you are one of the kind... i was right on not explain you anything. but i think you didnt even got what shiny drums of beijing were about. i wonder what you were doing in those 2 OC. Sleeping in your couch with a tone of junk food around you? you are not even funny anymore. go back to your cage.. cave... tree.. whatever.
you have nothing to do with Olympics.. so do not talk about their home land.

Only thing that i thought really amazing...Lighting of the cauldron!! The rest were too long and boring... i just liked the people walking throw the earth, the doves and the entry of the little survivor of the earthkake. There were too many tech and no emotion at all. They should had explore more the rich history of china!!

In case you didn't notice, they did explore teh rich history of china. the scroll, the paper, teh stamp, the dances and teh painting.

he he he he...hard to swallow it, Ozie, huh? I still remember the Ozie press about the preparations of Athens (you people were dying of envy back then) with their belittling comments. In the end Athens came "to you face" and you still haven't recuperated from that shock. Thanks for being one of those who prove right what I wrote above : those who couldnt digest the "Magic" of Athens OC can now find some comfort in Beijing and finally be able to live again with the reality that the Athens Games made history and set new standards. Whether you like it or not, even if Beijing's OC was "better", one thing you cannot deny: The Beijing OC had borrowed several Athens elements (even a retard can see that) but NONE of Sydney :-)

Actually I couldn't pick up any 'borrowings' that beijing got from Athens. Face it. athens was disappointing. I expected more from 'the home fo teh olympics' and I was severely disappointed. Nonetheless, Athens was only disappointing coz i expected more from it but otherwise it was alright, just like any other olympics. Beijing actually did borrow some elements of sydney's like the little girl singing and flying over the stadium.

Exactly as i wrote on my previous posting...The Beijing OC was Over the Edge, but as most citizens of the world are not very sophisticated people (their untrained/unsophisticated eye gravitates towards the massive and the flashy rather than the more beautiful and tasteful). It's all about a matter of having Class...the Beijing Games were made to impress the uneducated masses (especially of China) and stabilise the Communist regime as something "capable" and "strong", the Athens OC was based on touching the emotional and the more refined core of human nature and it succeeded...at least of those who are more educated and have more refined tastes than those who have a taste for the KITCH...and most people in the world are like that...hence the voting in this thread

You said that 'the Athens OC was based on touching the emotional and the more refined core of human nature'. Well, the 'emotional and refined core of human nature' isn't just about what the ancient greeks did millenia back. Other civilisations were flourishing in ancient times as well. China was once the world's most technologically advanced nation. Your argument is flawed because you base it on the subjective emotions you must have felt at the time of writing.

Bejing's opening ceremony wasn't just all flashy glam. Beneath it was a portrayal of periods within China's vast and majestic history, which you obviously failed to pick up. Your comment actually reveals how ignorant and easily taken to offence you are. Nobody said anything against Athens or Greece. I understand that you feel you need to back up your country. I myself am fond of Greek culture and history but you need to realise that you have to understand other people's cultures and histories first before you denounce it. You claim to be cultivated but what comes through is your arrogance and ignorance.

Let me give you an example of the effects of a lack of understanding about other people's cultures. eg. You say that Athens 'succeeded' in touching the artistic and refined core of humanity, but l disagree, because whilst I was watching Athens OC, I didn't think it was all that great. To me it was actually kinda boring, because at the time I was younger and did not understand so much about Greek history as I do now, so all those statues and stuff meant nothing to me.

So therefore, perhaps you should educate yourself first on Chinese history and culture and then rewatch the opening ceremony. You'll understand much more. Guaranteed.

Exactly as i wrote on my previous posting...The Beijing OC was Over the Edge, but as most citizens of the world are not very sophisticated people (their untrained/unsophisticated eye gravitates towards the massive and the flashy rather than the more beautiful and tasteful). It's all about a matter of having Class...the Beijing Games were made to impress the uneducated masses (especially of China) and stabilise the Communist regime as something "capable" and "strong", the Athens OC was based on touching the emotional and the more refined core of human nature and it succeeded...at least of those who are more educated and have more refined tastes than those who have a taste for the KITCH...and most people in the world are like that...hence the voting in this thread

You said that 'the Athens OC was based on touching the emotional and the more refined core of human nature'. Well, the 'emotional and refined core of human nature' isn't just about what the ancient greeks did millenia back. Other civilisations were flourishing in ancient times as well. China was once the world's most technologically advanced nation. Your argument is flawed because you base it on the subjective emotions you must have felt at the time of writing.

Bejing's opening ceremony wasn't just all flashy glam. Beneath it was a portrayal of periods within China's vast and majestic history, which you obviously failed to pick up. Your comment actually reveals how ignorant and easily taken to offence you are. Nobody said anything against Athens or Greece. I understand that you feel you need to back up your country. I myself am fond of Greek culture and history but you need to realise that you have to understand other people's cultures and histories first before you denounce it. You claim to be cultivated but what comes through is your arrogance and ignorance.

Let me give you an example of the effects of a lack of understanding about other people's cultures. eg. You say that Athens 'succeeded' in touching the artistic and refined core of humanity, but l disagree, because whilst I was watching Athens OC, I didn't think it was all that great. To me it was actually kinda boring, because at the time I was younger and did not understand so much about Greek history as I do now, so all those statues and stuff meant nothing to me.

So therefore, perhaps you should educate yourself first on Chinese history and culture and then rewatch the opening ceremony. You'll understand much more. Guaranteed.

You said that 'the Athens OC was based on touching the emotional and the more refined core of human nature'. Well, the 'emotional and refined core of human nature' isn't just about what the ancient greeks did millenia back. Other civilisations were flourishing in ancient times as well. China was once the world's most technologically advanced nation. Your argument is flawed because you base it on the subjective emotions you must have felt at the time of writing.

Bejing's opening ceremony wasn't just all flashy glam. Beneath it was a portrayal of periods within China's vast and majestic history, which you obviously failed to pick up. Your comment actually reveals how ignorant and easily taken to offence you are. Nobody said anything against Athens or Greece. I understand that you feel you need to back up your country. I myself am fond of Greek culture and history but you need to realise that you have to understand other people's cultures and histories first before you denounce it. You claim to be cultivated but what comes through is your arrogance and ignorance.

Let me give you an example of the effects of a lack of understanding about other people's cultures. eg. You say that Athens 'succeeded' in touching the artistic and refined core of humanity, but l disagree, because whilst I was watching Athens OC, I didn't think it was all that great. To me it was actually kinda boring, because at the time I was younger and did not understand so much about Greek history as I do now, so all those statues and stuff meant nothing to me.

So therefore, perhaps you should educate yourself first on Chinese history and culture and then rewatch the opening ceremony. You'll understand much more. Guaranteed.

everyone 100 % agree with u, Beijing OC touching everyone heart and more colosal than Athens OC.

Hey! I'm Greek too, but your posting is filled with so much unnecessary emotional "drama"

As for science, although we were among the very few nations who ignited science the way the world has known it, the Chinese had incredible science too with many contributions and so did the Arabs (chemistry and Algebra) once...

so, no need for drama

You say that the Greeks were among the 'very few' who ignited science the way the world has seen it. But that's only because of European domination in the past 500 years due to colonialism. The Greeks are seen to have contributed the most because for those living in Western countries, they learn all about Greece because the greeks influenced the nortehrn euros somuch.

If not for colonialism the world would be a very different place...

Yeah, me too. I like clear forms with a touch of some complexity here and there. Asian art, although beautiful, depresses me because it is so exaggeratedly ornamented and overtly elaborate (Indian, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian). It sits in my stomach. I think that most of those who voted for Beijing come from oriental cultures and love too much ornamented stuff. In that respect, the Beijing OC was "amazing". The masses love spectacles based on, as we say in Greece: "gyfto-baroque" art (the vulgar "baroque of the gypsies") that impresses the disadvantaged

Lean taste is for the few. Lean taste is chic and chic is for very special :lol:

It's like comparing Versace kitch (and we all know who buys Versace stuff...it is called nouveau riche) with the lean lines of Armani (those who have taste ...often old money with class)

Ok look you've already said your fair share. Is it not right if others share their opinions as well without you jumping back at every opportunity because you feel hurt that others do not love Greece as much as you?

As for artistic taste, well that changes with time. A good example is the fact that before the twentieth century, Euros valued pale white skin in their women and that was seen as beauty as only the rich were able to sit back in tehir homes and not tan with outdoor labour. However, with the burgeoning middle class, nowadays, tanned skin is valued in Western countries because only the rich can afford to consistently go on holidays to beaches to tan.

the same goes for art. What counts as art now may not ocunt as art later. For example, only Shakespeare and others in the English canon was considered 'worthy' of study, but now kids at school study films and cartoons. Another instance of the changing evaluation of what is 'art'.

Also, obviously your background has had an influence on you. How teh Greeks think of as art is different to what other civilisations think of as art. So therefore, your argument has no basis, no solid foundation, because 'art' is subjective and changes with time anf influence.

Therefore the fact that you base your arguments on your opinion that Athens was 'art' does not count.

ATHENS 2004 HIT ME INTELLECTUALLY, the presentation of how human knowledge and being formed the world we have to today.. IT WAS A MODERN PERFORMANCE a far greater level than all Olympic performance so far. The use theatrics and rich concepts for their presentation it was well taught.. :banana: yah also hit me terribly on the cycladic head part that was very meaningful!!! i also loved beijing's use of MASS and the olympic rings was awesome also the choreography also the culture.... LOLZZZ the two were completely opposite but in a good way...

Beijing actually did borrow some elements of sydney's like the little girl singing and flying over the stadium.

What about the elements borrowed from Athens ceremony?

-the cable-flying torch racer

-the hole at the center of the stadium from which something came out

-the drumers at the beggining

-the earth and the human at the top of it. It was square in Athens, round in Beijing.

You say that the Greeks were among the 'very few' who ignited science the way the world has seen it. But that's only because of European domination in the past 500 years due to colonialism. The Greeks are seen to have contributed the most because for those living in Western countries, they learn all about Greece because the greeks influenced the nortehrn euros somuch.

If not for colonialism the world would be a very different place...

Which has WTF to do with the thread title?

OMG......if people want to debate Greek vs. Chinese contributions to history please to so in another forum. This is an OPENING CEREMONY comparison!

What about the elements borrowed from Athens ceremony?

-the cable-flying torch racer

-the hole at the center of the stadium from which something came out

-the drumers at the beggining

-the earth and the human at the top of it. It was square in Athens, round in Beijing.


Student better than teacher :banana::lol:

What about the elements borrowed from Athens ceremony?

-the cable-flying torch racer

-the hole at the center of the stadium from which something came out

-the drumers at the beggining

-the earth and the human at the top of it. It was square in Athens, round in Beijing.

Please.

1. Cable-flying Torch Racer? Disneyland has had their 'flying' Tinkerbelle start the fireworks show FOR YEARS!! That is NOT an original idea from Athens.

2. Hole at center of Stadium? Huh? THe ancient Romans were first. Then Lillehammer in 1994 had the trolls come out of that hole. In Atlanta in 1996, Gladys Knight, torch bearer Evander Holyfield and a few other Ceremonial elements came out of the Hole in the Ground. Hardly an original idea for Athens.

3. Drummers? My, my - how short our memory is. Barcelona AND Atlanta opened with HORDES of drummers. It is de rigeur for Summer Opening Ceremonies. As a matter of fact, Atlanta's "Summon the Heros" Drum suite was written by NO OTHER than the lead drummer of the Grateful Dead, Mickey Hart!

4. Earth? Lillehammer again had the earth appear in the shape of an egg. So what's so original about Athens' show?

Please.

1. Cable-flying Torch Racer? Disneyland has had their 'flying' Tinkerbelle start the fireworks show FOR YEARS!! That is NOT an original idea from Athens.

2. Hole at center of Stadium? Huh? THe ancient Romans were first. Then Lillehammer in 1994 had the trolls come out of that hole. In Atlanta in 1996, Gladys Knight, torch bearer Evander Holyfield and a few other Ceremonial elements came out of the Hole in the Ground. Hardly an original idea for Athens.

3. Drummers? My, my - how short our memory is. Barcelona AND Atlanta opened with HORDES of drummers. It is de rigeur for Summer Opening Ceremonies. As a matter of fact, Atlanta's "Summon the Heros" Drum suite was written by NO OTHER than the lead drummer of the Grateful Dead, Mickey Hart!

4. Earth? Lillehammer again had the earth appear in the shape of an egg. So what's so original about Athens' show?

You are right about all... Also Athens drum show is from Turkish Fire of Anatolia dance show wich is at the stanges since 2000 and at the original show there is a little boy with solo drum, though this dance groupe trained and composed Athens durmmers.

But Athens has original sides imo. dose of Romantism were higher. It gives a wonderful sense. It has more opera and drama features.

You are right about all... Also Athens drum show is from Turkish Fire of Anatolia dance show wich is at the stanges since 2000 and at the original show there is a little boy with solo drum, though this dance groupe trained and composed Athens durmmers.

But Athens has original sides imo. dose of Romantism were higher. It gives a wonderful sense. It has more opera and drama features.


You mean the Anatolian version of Riverdance? Plaese Kuvvaci.

It seems after the success of D. Papaioannou's Opening Ceremony which revolutionized the aesthetic and dramaturgy of the Opening Ceremonies everyone becomes an expert and is the original creator of the Ceremony.

Even the production company Jack Morton after beeing totaly uncooperative during the creation period, having a problem with the fact that Papaioannou is the Creator and Chef of the Opening Ceremony and beeing responsable for the failure of Bjork not have been risen upon the athletes, tried to promote themselves as the creator of the ceremony after the success and papaioannou just as an creative adviser. :ohno:

I am pretty sure Papaioannou had Tinkerbelle on his mind when he created the part of the "International Torch Relay".. :sly:

The 400 drummers where trained by Nikos Touliatos and his band Echodrasis. He was the composer of the the drumm sound in the Opening Ceremony and also the creator of the worlds biggest percussion orchestra of 30.000 drummers. Nikos Touliatos created the experimantal drummers and percussion Band "Echodrasis" 24 years ago. The artists are using everything to creaze sound, from barrels and cooking pots to hammers and saws. The group "Echodrasis" also performed at the Closing Cermony at the Entrance of teh Athletes.

What i find very amusing is that people are just comparing the resources of the Ceremony and not the Ceremony itself. Drummers exist since ancient times, people want to fly since ancient times and holes are also existing since ancient times. This has nothing to do with the result of the Ceremony. The intensio was not to move people to say "ahh, cool, flying people" or "oohhh, a giant hole in the middle of a gigant pool".... Those are just elements used by Papaioannou to create a masterpiece of theatralical play. Of an aesthetic and quality never achieved before in a Olympic Ceremony. But the most of people are just used to "fast food" entertainment. It has to be big, spectacular and understandable even for the dumbest. It has to impress the eye and not touch the heart. And some people are confusing their senses.


Even Zhang Yimou (creator of the Beijing Ceremony) admitted that they can't beat the Greek water:
"you'd never beat the Greek water... Nothing you do would beat it"

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^^ what is please?.. is there such drum at the riverdance?.. also Turkish group trained Greek drummers and it is not a secret.

Beijing and Athens were the best by far!
Sydney had some good moments.
Atlanta was not something special.
Barcelona was pretty good.
about Seoul, the only thing i can remember is the burning of the doves:eek:
that's all the Ocs i've seen

^^ what is please?.. is there such drum at the riverdance?.. also Turkish group trained Greek drummers and it is not a secret.

Please, proove me that you are right. I dont know were this rummor comes from... Fire of Anatolia is a large Las Vegas like show just like Riverdance. The percussions used to this show are not something new.. And the dance is just a mix of Pontiac Dances, tap-dance in Moulin Rouge ..

Riverdance
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Fire of Anatolia
gTGyFkLIEp0&feature


Percussions exists in Greece since antiquity, and solo performances of drummers also. We didnt have to see a show made in 2000 to have 300 drummers playing a simple sound like the human heartbeat.

Athens Heartbeat of the Runner:

Training and organizing of the 400 drummers
Nikos Touliatos "Echodrasis"
Music of Zeimbekiko
Stavros Xarchakos
Composer of the "Heartbeat Drumm"
Georgios Koumentakis

The Heartbeat made by drummers accompanied by the Zeimbekiko.
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and the much better video (Embedding disabled)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2atZjcBqs4&feature=related

Here is the site of http://www.nikostouliatos.gr/

the drum thing was first seen in the Seoul Olympics of 1988.

the drum thing was first seen in the Seoul Olympics of 1988.

Yes, but not as the openner. I think their big drum thing came in the middle of the OC.

Also, what savas has failed to state is that: Papiannou admitted that he 'really didn't care for the Olympics..." which is why his Ceremonies were NOT really as good as they should've been.

Apparently you didint understand nothing of the Athens Opening Ceremony and you have a wrong impression of Hellenic Culture.


For me the Opening Ceremony of Beijing lacked of dramaturgy completely. There was no continuity in the Ceremony, no connection between the segments and no highpoint in them. There was no flow. Almost every segment ended with fireworks. It was like a puzzle of very colorful pieces but too many were missing so that i couldnt see the complete picture. Also the music was very monotonic and boring.

What i liked:
The countdown: It was very impressive and as i was watching it i thought "well this is going to be great". Unfortunately it wasnt

...................................................

For me personally there was no single moment where i felt touched and emotionally packed. I was sometimes impressed but not touched. I did expect so much more from China a counrty with such a rich and great history then a "fancy show with impressing massperformances"

Absolutely low point: this tremendous ballad of kitsch with Sarah Brightman

I totally agree with you, the Beijing opening ceremony was good but not the best. Actually it kinda gets boring most of the time. When I watched it, I thought it would be spectacular, but I easily got bored and the transitions of the performances was confusing or rather senseless.
This performance has the size, but lacks sense.
And also when Sarah Brightman started to sing in Chinese I was like, what the f?!?!?!?! :puke: I mean Sarah Brightman is a great singer but I really don't know why the song doesn't fits her.


For me Athens is the best! Truly spectacular! Nothing beats the country where the Olympic culture originally started!

Yes, but not as the openner. I think their big drum thing came in the middle of the OC.

Also, what savas has failed to state is that: Papiannou admitted that he 'really didn't care for the Olympics..." which is why his Ceremonies were NOT really as good as they should've been.

Dear Barron, ehm.. i mean Knitemplar, Papaioannou said: "I dislike the super-show that Olympics have become", this is why his Opening Ceremony introduced a new aesthetic rejecting the concept of massperformances to create an human individual oriented dramaturgy.

Dear Barron, ehm.. i mean Knitemplar, Papaioannou said: "I dislike the super-show that Olympics have become", this is why his Opening Ceremony introduced a new aesthetic rejecting the concept of massperformances to create an human individual oriented dramaturgy.

Who's Barron?

I just read GamesBids.

Even Zhang Yimou (creator of the Beijing Ceremony) admitted that they can't beat the Greek water:
"you'd never beat the Greek water... Nothing you do would beat it"



There is one sentence before what you quoted, he said:" If we don't use the paper..."

And also when Sarah Brightman started to sing in Chinese I was like, what the f?!?!?!?! :puke:

Was that so bad?

what paper?

what paper?

The giant piece that floated like a 'flying carpet.' That was supposed to represent "paper," one of the 4 great inventions China gave the world and which were used as story points in the recent OC.

dude thats just nothing special.. they did that in a circus ive been to

Athens Olympic stadium is very beautiful and comparing it to Atlanta stadium is an insult to common sense. Not to mention the historic value of it since it hosted 2 Champions League finals and the most important fact, this stadium actually hosted the Olympics, unlike Atlanta where stadium doesn't even exist anymore (its baseball ballpark now, not actual olympic stadium). Enough for someone who isn't biased and arrogant asshole like some previous posters.LMAO!

dude thats just nothing special.. they did that in a circus ive been to

Except that that's the largest (60' x 120') "intelligent" (i.e., it's actually an LED screen) piece of 'fabric/paper' ever used in a global show.


Was it in the circus? And did it get a global audience of what - 2.2 billion?

Savas, congratulations for bringing great and good information about Athens opening ceremony - unique, vanguardist and a reference forever.

All this discussion and the need of comparison with beijing just proves how Athens was vanguardist and established a new way of presenting the opening show.

All this discussion and the need of comparison with beijing just proves how Athens was vanguardist and established a new way of presenting the opening show.

Vanguardist? :ohno: Actually, it was a weak and boring show. People posing as mannequins on moving platforms? How innovative or exciting can that be? The Audioanimatronic figures at the Disney parks are more amazing than that.

It doesn't matter how much they've tried to down play it. Beijing is by far the best opening ceremony in history and Moskow 1980 comes second.

Vanguardist? :ohno: Actually, it was a weak and boring show. People posing as mannequins on moving platforms? How innovative or exciting can that be? The Audioanimatronic figures at the Disney parks are more amazing than that.

Your statement indicates the various degrees and levels of intelligence that exist in the world.

It doesn't matter how much they've tried to down play it. Beijing is by far the best opening ceremony in history and Moskow 1980 comes second.

Obviously, you still haven't gotten over the fact that your neighboring Greece achieved an opening ceremony people will be talking about for years to come. Either 1) a dump or 2) a jealous/envious person would not even consider the Athens OC as a brilliant one independently of how great Beijing's OC was.

Which one of the two are you?

^^ what is please?.. is there such drum at the riverdance?.. also Turkish group trained Greek drummers and it is not a secret.

WTF??? what's source of that? Turkish tabloids?
some people..... :ohno:

^^ I am me. Who the hell is this 'rover3'?

your banned previous profile:|

I would like to say a big thank you to those who supported the Beijing Games and to those athletes that participated in the Games.

It's really an honor to have those hard working athletes and friendly people comming to China.

Once again, Thank you.

Except that that's the largest (60' x 120') "intelligent" (i.e., it's actually an LED screen) piece of 'fabric/paper' ever used in a global show.


Was it in the circus? And did it get a global audience of what - 2.2 billion?

Why "intelligent"? Maybe because it was moved by 900 soldiers, locked below the surface, wearing diapers because it wasnt allowed for them to visit the bathroom for some 7 hours?
................................................

@MGM: you welcome

Beijing, Athens and Sydney are all close ties. Beijing had the scale, Athens had the ingenuity, and Sydney had the style.

BUT

Beijing's lighting of the cauldron was surprisingly un-spectacular, compared with the engineering marvels of athens' and sydney's cauldron.

Till now i could still clearly remembered how sydney transformed its stadium steps into a cascading waterfall, and how its cauldron was magically hoisted from a pool of water...

Congratulations to China!

Congratulations to China for holding amazing olympics.

sorry i dont know how to add a video..
anyway.. the theme song at the 1988 Seoul olympics is very moving.

Seoul 1988 Olympic Ceremony has to be one of the worst.

Burning of the doves!

dg_weauz1eI

:)I would like to say a big thank you to those who supported the Beijing Games and to those athletes that participated in the Games.

It's really an honor to have those hard working athletes and friendly people comming to China.

Once again, Thank you.

I am really happy the Beijing was next after Athens Olympic Games. The Honor was ours.Congrats for your efforts. Thanks for the memories. Paper doesn't have to beat water. :) I think we all know what this means.

Your statement indicates the various degrees and levels of intelligence that exist in the world.

Stop it with your insinuiation that Greek culture is for intellectuals and Chinese culture is for the uneducated. It's insulting. Just because someone doesn't like the Athens OC doesn't mean he is of low intelligence. If you aren't Greek or a Greek culture fanatic, the OC is understandably not as exciting as Beijing's. So what? And people don't watch the Olympic ceremonies to find some deeper, philosophical meaning behind a moving statue. They want a show that effectively represents the host country's culture. And in Chinese culture, mass movement just happens to be in style. Don't be denouncing it as a show for the uneducated mass.

OK,

Olympics are over and 417 user voted.
The majority like Beijing 2008.

1. Beijing 2008 - 202 - 48.44%
2. Athens 2004 - 81 - 19.42%
3. Sydney 2000 - 42 - 10.07%
4. Barcelona 1992 - 41 - 9.83%
5. Athens 1896 - 7 - 1.68%

Next poll will be opened in Summer 2012!

What has been the Olympic opening ceremony's most beautiful story?

In order to initiate a new bid for the Olympic venue in 2020 in which a dozen cities around the world are pinning their hopes, bring to your consideration a subject that is very subjective though, no one can doubt the impact has this event on the Olympic Games.


The opening ceremony is considered the best presentation of the host city to the world, this event will play many roles beyond the spectacle as the prestige of the brand and weight of the host country.

What was your favorite? The colorful recreation of the legend of Hercules over the Mediterranean of Barcelona 92?; The majestic Indian cultural magazine of the Sydney 2000 Aboriginal Australians?: The amazing history of ancient Greece from Athens04? or lavish recreation of the ancient culture of China Beijing 08?

Vote and write your own review

The opening ceremony of Athens 2004 was, in my opinion, the most beautiful in the waste of poetry, sentimentality and excitement of the Olympic values that prevailed in the act. Four episodes marked the ceremony: the lighting of the five rings of fire in the middle of the lake, the sequence of the paper boat transporting a child, the appearance of the huge Cycladic head in the water and the dazzling parade of 24 floats transported the most representative elements of Greek mythology.

Sydney was the best of more recent times, if not for the PR-b.s. about the almost some aboriginal stuff in the ceremony.

Los Angeles, 1984, which I only know by videos, was also nice with the rocket man and fanfare.

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Salt Lake City put up a pretty good ceremony (Opening Ceremony, as the Closing for me was a little too odd and pointless (in some aspects)) for it's 2002 Winter Olympics.

Atlanta had a terrible cauldron.

I understand the whole scaffolding idea, should their rigging not work and someone had to up there (as well as for maintenance reasons), but if someone did, imagine the long climb up the steps!

Oh and the whole scaffolding idea could have been done differently, it should have been a spiral staircase (since no one was supposed to actually climb those stairs), with a shaft in the middle, akin to the torch and a Greek column. then that ugly representation of a "scroll" on the top.

I voted Barcelona, just the way the light the olympic flame, shot with the arrow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSA9xUUXj6E

Did you know that arrow was shot as an intentional misfire? The TV angle makes it look like it made it, but the archer was told to fire well beyond the cauldron, just in case, so it wouldn't potentially hit any spectators or land in the stands.

Yep I seen the footage of that too when they showed it being lit from outside the stadium.

I wondering about London 2012 OC Story.

I have to give it to Athens. It was very cleverly done; the ceremony was subtle, simple and beautiful. The way the story was told, in a sense had much more emotion then the rest and it was an amazing opening. On the other hand Beijing was far too rigid and militaristic for my liking, it didn't seem too much fun was being had and that everything was too serious. I hope London takes a leaf out of Athens for the ceremony and in terms of the games overall i hope London has a lot more fun with it. Big isn't always better.

Atlanta had a terrible cauldron.

I understand the whole scaffolding idea, should their rigging not work and someone had to up there (as well as for maintenance reasons), but if someone did, imagine the long climb up the steps!

Oh and the whole scaffolding idea could have been done differently, it should have been a spiral staircase (since no one was supposed to actually climb those stairs), with a shaft in the middle, akin to the torch and a Greek column. then that ugly representation of a "scroll" on the top.Uh, somone was supposed to actually run up the stairs. It wasn't until after the design had been selected that the organizers realized they could get Ali to light the cauldron, so they "brilliantly" contrived the plan-B approach to accommodate his limited capacities, never mind that it reduced the value of the cauldron design to near zero. :ohno: The structure of the cauldron, however, was designed with the intention that the torch bearer would cross the bridge from the stadium to the tower, and then traverse up the stairs. The artist who designed it presumed that the crowd would grow more intense while seeing the bearer come in and out of view while winding his/her way through the structure.

Either way, I agree the cauldron for the '96 games was a half-assed failure with only superficial ties to the city or prevailing theme, let alone an architectural connection to either the stadium or the location.

I think Athens produced the best ever opening ceremony! Beijing was also good but I didn't enjoy it as much as Athens.

Uh, somone was supposed to actually run up the stairs. It wasn't until after the design had been selected that the organizers realized they could get Ali to light the cauldron, so they "brilliantly" contrived the plan-B approach to accommodate his limited capacities, never mind that it reduced the value of the cauldron design to near zero. :ohno: The structure of the cauldron, however, was designed with the intention that the torch bearer would cross the bridge from the stadium to the tower, and then traverse up the stairs. The artist who designed it presumed that the crowd would grow more intense while seeing the bearer come in and out of view while winding his/her way through the structure.

Either way, I agree the cauldron for the '96 games was a half-assed failure with only superficial ties to the city or prevailing theme, let alone an architectural connection to either the stadium or the location.

Well what it should have been was that "scroll" on top of a huge "column", which would have boasted a spiral staircase, should someone actually climb it (with safety railings, and several rest platforms of course).

Then when they got the go-ahead for Ali, it shouldn't have been that slow, not so dramatic mechanism that it ended up, but perhaps they could have gotten the same material used to light Los Angeles' cauldron, placed it winding up along the rails of the spiral staircase, in which Ali would light it at the base, then it would race up the spiral staircase towards the cauldron.

Beijing 2008 is just above the rest!

i remember barcelona was good very

But when come comparisons Asians are unbeatable :cheers:

1/Beijing


I personnaly don't wait something great for the next olympiad then i only could be surprised by waiting nothing :lol:

I went to the Beijing closing and South Africa 2010 Opening and Closing. Although not the olympics the World Cup Closing ceremony was unreal!!!!

As for olympics in my opinion Athens was great but Beijing was completely unreal. Unreal to a point that I'm not sure London can top.

London simply doesn't have the budget to outdo Beijing in terms of size...I don't think any city hosting after Beijing would.

London will go for a different vibe. It won't have the militaristic precision and sheer enormity of Beijing's offering, but it'll still be a gret spectacle. It's going to be small relative to Beijing, but we're still talking a cool £40m for the four ceremonies.

Incidentally, we know who'll be producing London's Paralympic Opening now:

The opening ceremony for the London 2012 Paralympics will be created by artistic directors Jenny Sealey and Bradley Hemmings, it was announced today.

The pair share a long history of staging exciting live shows together, including work with deaf and disabled artists. They are now getting ready to bring this to the Paralympic party for London 2012.

London 2012's ceremonies executive producer Stephen Daldry said: "Their experience primarily as extraordinary artists who have led innovative work with disabled and non-disabled artists means we can look forward to ceremony of spectacle and emotion."

Sealey, 47, has been the artistic director of Britain's flagship disabled-led theatre company Graeae since 1997. Sealey, who went deaf at seven, has used sign language and audio description plus different forms of physical movement to try to reach wider audiences. She was awarded an MBE for services to disability arts in 2009.

Hemmings is the artistic director of the Greenwich+Docklands International Festival and also curates and produces Liberty, London's annual disability arts festival for the London Mayor.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/cultural-olympiad/8595066/Paralympics-opening-directors-are-named.html

london i hope only you don't ruin the prestige of this glorious ceremony by sayin "ceremonies are not in our habits" :lol:

I expect the London 2012 opening ceremony to be a little like Manchester's 2002 opening ceremony. A bit of pomp and circumstance here and there, a representation of London's youth and multiculturalism and perhaps a homage to the "countries" which make up the UK.

The closing ceremony will be more about UK pop-culture and UK music acts.

Even though we don't have the big budget we have a culture which by its nature has a lot of well trained performances already in place.


For example where the Chinese had to train almost all of their performers for years, we already have a huge creative and theatre industry to tap into, not to mention elements already seen in events such as the royal wedding.

It's defiantly not going to be as 'big' as Beijing's, but I think a more intimate approach is needed otherwise we loose the whole point of the Olympics.

London needs to be more fun then Beijing and the ceremony needs to be more relaxed. The 2012 Olympics seem like it would be one of the best attended Olympics ever, even the minority sports such as Archery are sold out.

london i hope only you don't ruin the prestige of this glorious ceremony by sayin "ceremonies are not in our habits" :lol:

Sour Grapes? You still upset that Paris didn't win the bid? :pet:

Give London a chance at least, all your posts are negative. And don't say it's your opinion blah blah. You're a hypocrite, in the wembley thread just because someone said it's a shame Wembley won't be hosting a world cup final anytime soon you blamed them for being upset at not getting the 2018 bid. Practice what you preach. Oh and btw if you going to make fun of someone at least try and make sense "ceremonies are not in our habits" doesn't make sense in English. If it's not your first language then don't try acting like a troll in the first place in English, do it in French then noone would understand or be bothered :rofl:

I would like to see something very serious and classy in 2012 opening, like Athens IAAF 1997:

yVYOM8RPppw

But I m almost sure that London will go for something very pop instead!

london i hope only you don't ruin the prestige of this glorious ceremony by sayin "ceremonies are not in our habits" :lol:

There's a slight difference between a Champions League opening ceremony that wasn't even shown on British TV, to an Olympic opening ceremony that will be watched by hundreds of millions with years of planning and at least £15m spent on it. :|

I would like to see something very serious and classy in 2012 opening, like Athens IAAF 1997:

But I m almost sure that London will go for something very pop instead!

Well Danny Boyle (director of Slumdog Millionaire) will be the mastermind of the Ceremony so hopefully it wont be just pop. London does classy very well aswell as pomp and ceremony, just Look at the Royal wedding.

just Look at the Royal wedding.

Εhmm..ok
:runaway:

do you have prestigious men who know how to organize correctly a ceremony?

[QUOTE=RobH;80239096]

London simply doesn't have the budget to outdo Beijing in terms of size...I don't think any city hosting after Beijing would.

London will go for a different vibe. It won't have the militaristic precision and sheer enormity of Beijing's offering, but it'll still be a gret spectacle. It's going to be small relative to Beijing, but we're still talking a cool £40m for the four ceremonies.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/cultural-olympiad/8595066/Paralympics-opening-directors-are-named.html

In the modern Olympic Games opening ceremony is considered the best thermometer to measure the level of organization and the weight of the brand of the host country, so in the latest editions of the Olympic host cities have voted for the house literally window in the planning of these shows to sell the world the best possible picture. London 2012 can not be the exception! But I have outraged some decisions made by the Local Organizing Committee with a view to the greatest show of the Olympics. To begin Sebastian Coe has stated on more than one occasion that London has budgeted baggy for ceremonies or other artistic events (underestimating the importance of the opening ceremony) on the other, the opinions of Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry to ensure that London 2012 will was very difficult to overcome organizational and cleaning assembly 2008 to Beijing that ended saying "we do not intend to compete with Beijing, we have in mind a more modest show, without much money."
To the above point only remains for me the lack of vision and ambition of the Local Organizing Committee and highlight the blunder committed by the appointment of Mr. Boyle as artistic director and creative opening ceremony in 2012. London is so cosmopolitan and multicultural than any other would have been better before this filmmaker. What if the opening of 2012 will be a platform for Bollywood dancing as were the 2009 Oscar’s ceremony and "Slumdog Millionaire"?. The only consolation I have is that if Mark Fisher has worked in major world events. Boyle's resume does not make me portend great things for the London opening, and if we add to the pessimism that round and certain parts of the organization do not know what to think. I pray that in the months change many things and so London can deliver a performance worthy of a first class city as it is.
It is completely wrong to think that no city after Beijing 2008 can be overcome. And if London does not then sorry for this beloved city, but I know that Rio 2016 will leave the road and if Tokyo wins the bid for 2020 will be history.
Sydney and Athens did not invest thousands of dollars in their Beijing opening ceremonies, but their performances and impressions of them have remained in the memory of millions of people to the point that several websites that value placed Athens Olympic ceremonies and Sydney ahead of Beijing. The key has been that these cities have tried to overcome what is seen in the previous edition and if they fail they died in the attempt but the British organizers are successful the horse has lost or at least that show to be unable to overcome their predecessor.

do you have prestigious men who know how to organize correctly a ceremony?

The latest editions of the Olympic Games shows that yes!

Yimou Zhang (Beijing 2008)
Dimitris Papaioannou (Athens 2004)
David Atkins (Sydney 2000)
Don Mischer (Atlanta 1996)
Peter Minshall and Hansel Cereza (Barcelona 1992)

Ι really wonder how Dimitris Papaioanno avoided full frontal nudity in Athens ceremony, it is the trademark of his work :lol::lol::lol:

Ι really wonder how Dimitris Papaioanno avoided full frontal nudity in Athens ceremony, it is the trademark of his work :lol::lol::lol:

Everything should be a makeup flawless body work and emulation of garments produced in sheets of gypsum.

In the modern Olympic Games opening ceremony is considered the best thermometer to measure the level of organization and the weight of the brand of the host country, so in the latest editions of the Olympic host cities have voted for the house literally window in the planning of these shows to sell the world the best possible picture. London 2012 can not be the exception! But I have outraged some decisions made by the Local Organizing Committee with a view to the greatest show of the Olympics. To begin Sebastian Coe has stated on more than one occasion that London has budgeted baggy for ceremonies or other artistic events (underestimating the importance of the opening ceremony) on the other, the opinions of Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry to ensure that London 2012 will was very difficult to overcome organizational and cleaning assembly 2008 to Beijing that ended saying "we do not intend to compete with Beijing, we have in mind a more modest show, without much money."
To the above point only remains for me the lack of vision and ambition of the Local Organizing Committee and highlight the blunder committed by the appointment of Mr. Boyle as artistic director and creative opening ceremony in 2012. London is so cosmopolitan and multicultural than any other would have been better before this filmmaker. What if the opening of 2012 will be a platform for Bollywood dancing as were the 2009 Oscar’s ceremony and "Slumdog Millionaire"?. The only consolation I have is that if Mark Fisher has worked in major world events. Boyle's resume does not make me portend great things for the London opening, and if we add to the pessimism that round and certain parts of the organization do not know what to think. I pray that in the months change many things and so London can deliver a performance worthy of a first class city as it is.
It is completely wrong to think that no city after Beijing 2008 can be overcome. And if London does not then sorry for this beloved city, but I know that Rio 2016 will leave the road and if Tokyo wins the bid for 2020 will be history.
Sydney and Athens did not invest thousands of dollars in their Beijing opening ceremonies, but their performances and impressions of them have remained in the memory of millions of people to the point that several websites that value placed Athens Olympic ceremonies and Sydney ahead of Beijing. The key has been that these cities have tried to overcome what is seen in the previous edition and if they fail they died in the attempt but the British organizers are successful the horse has lost or at least that show to be unable to overcome their predecessor.

Very well said...anyway, here's my story about VANCOUVER 2010:

MxZpUueDAvc

I think this could also be said for what happened in Vancouver as well. As a Vancouverite, these Games were in my home city and I was disappointed. I thought it was a beautiful ceremony, for the most part, but it should've been much more.

Mind you, the Vancouver Opening and Closing Ceremony had a combined budget of US$49-million. That's about $10-million more than what Salt Lake and Torino spent. But the issue, sadly, is Vancouver is a very heavy new immigrant city and we don't have a huge talent/art base to work with. That goes to explaining why there were so few performers, relatively.

$49-million for Vancouver seems much, but does it buy much? Vancouver is a pretty expensive city, and London is obviously evenmoreso. The $200-million Beijing spent to create its Ceremonies could not be replicated elsewhere with the same budget.

Danny Boyle (London 2012) - US$64-million // 80,000 seats
David Atkins (Vancouver 2010) - US$49-million // 65,000 seats
Yimou Zhang (Beijing 2008) - $200-million // 90,000 seats
__________ (Torino 2006) - $40-million // 35,000 seats
Dimitris Papaioannou (Athens 2004) - $130-million ($90-million for the lake) // 70,000 seats
Don Mischer (Salt Lake 2002) - $30-million // 45,000 seats
David Atkins (Sydney 2000) - AUS$50-million // 110,000 seats
Don Mischer (Atlanta 1996) - n/a // n/a
Peter Minshall and Hansel Cereza (Barcelona 1992) - n/a // n/a

David Atkins directed and produced Vancouver's Ceremonies. He was of course also the same guy that did the amazing production in Sydney for 2000. I had very high expectations beforehand.

Atkins also said the same thing Danny Boyle said.

Atkins in 2007 after being appointed for Vancouver:
- "I hope Beijing goes all out because it will mean… we can create a little pearl here, a gem, that will be more about spirit and the humanity of the Games than it will be about the spectacle of them..."
- "“I think to a certain extent scale has overcome the content, the form has overcome the content..."
- "The budgets for Athens and Beijing… are just staggering budgets and you have to question whether the final result was value for money"
- "(Coming after the Beijing Games gives) us the unique opportunity to redefine the ways these ceremonies are actually performed and to draw them back to their essences"

I got a feeling he didn't even bother competing with Beijing. In midst of all my anger, I found it a little amusing that Atkins had the exact same issue with the cauldron in the two Olympic Ceremonies he has directed. The water cauldron in Sydney stalled due to hydraulics, and in Vancouver the trap door stalled due to hydraulics again.

With Vancouver, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies were an after thought. Everyone, from VANOC to governments, underestimated its importance. There was hardly any talk about it, it was just talk about completing the sport venues -- and they were all completed 2-3 years before the Games began -- and new transportation infrastructure.

There was, in fact, almost zero talk about what to do with BC Place Stadium. It was an aged, indoor air-supported stadium. There was zero talk about doing major renovations and replacing the roof until the huge wind and snow storm in January 2007 caused the roof to collapse.

Talks immediately began on replacing the roof and doing major renovations in time for the Olympics. But it was too late, and there was far too much red tape.

Some interior cosmetic renovations did go through in time for the Games, but that was it.

In 2009, plans were confirmed that a new fabric retractable roof would be built only RIGHT AFTER the Olympics. How absurd is that? The Olympics ended in February 2010, and they tore down the roof in May 2010.

It's such a huge *facepalm*....that you start polishing it only after the whole world has left and the party has ended.

With the air supported roof, it created severe limitations on what David Atkins could do for the Ceremonies. All doors -- both spectator and equipment -- into the stadium were air lock doors (the air pressure to keep the roof supported is the same air pressure you'll find on the 70th storey of a building). This means that Atkins had huge difficulty getting performers and sets in and out of the stadium if you have air lock doors, you can't open too many doors at once otherwise the air pressure inside will be too low and could actually be dangerous. And usually, Olympic Stadiums are modified for the needs of the Ceremonies -- on the other hand, BC Place was an exception.

Then there's the roof rigging...a lot of stuff was suspended on the air inflated roof, they even publicly said the roof was being severely strained given all the lighting and rigging that was on it.

The Ceremony was also heavy on projections, and as the roof moves quite a bit given the changing air pressure inside they couldn't do projections on the ceiling of the stadium's white roof...so whatever projections had to be on the spectators, stadium floor, and some drapes:
C0I5MDTGd8c



And with a inflatable roof, all you had was a little narrow rim on the roof to launch fireworks off of. You couldn't do much with fireworks at all, it was disappointing. And so what if it's an indoor stadium, doesn't mean you can't do fireworks. Hell, Sydney's Closing Ceremony fireworks show was across the city -- the main fireworks show was at the Harbour Bridge nearly 7-kms away from Stadium Australia. It's not like the crowd there could see that either.


http://www.bcplacestadium.com/images/big_bcplace.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2715/4355200126_eb7371757b_z.jpg



And the new retractable roof being installed only after the Games right now...:bash:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5867589539_fb1c11f48c_b.jpg
http://bcplacestadium.com/images/roofinterior.jpg
http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/1705/1865432ty8.jpg

I must say that for me Barcelona 92 opening ceremony they where amazing and change the way opening ceremonies where made after that ... the hole hercules mediterranean legend with the ship, ocean, sun, where amazing ... and the lighting of the cauldron was impressive ... I love it .. afterwards for me it would be Athens for it's elegance, the lake, the mythological aspect of it ... and then Beijing.

yes barcelona was a benchmark in the field of burning the olympic fire cauldron!

i rememeber this archman! it was stunning effect :)

London 2012 will was very difficult to overcome organizational and cleaning assembly 2008 to Beijing that ended saying "we do not intend to compete with Beijing, we have in mind a more modest show, without much money." To the above point only remains for me the lack of vision and ambition of the Local Organizing Committe

Oh please....

Look at the $$ figures Mr X has posted above. Of course London's is going to be smaller than Beijing's and more modest in scale; there's nothing wrong with the organisers saying so either. We're talking way less than half the budget, and the UK is a coutry which can't get away with paying people 50p an hour, so the cost differences are even greater.

Saying our ceremony is going to be smaller than Beijing's is like saying "a square has four sides", it's a matter of fact, not a lack of ambition.

That doesn't, as I said, mean it won't be great. We're still talking tens of millions of pounds being spent on a few three-hour shows! Claiming there's a lack of ambition because we're going for something more modest in scale than Beijing is a complete non-argument. If that's the case every ceremony from now on will be "lacking in ambition" because no nation will do anything on Beijing's scale again.

yes barcelona was a benchmark in the field of burning the olympic fire cauldron!

i rememeber this archman! it was stunning effect

Exactly. Sometimes simplicity wins out. Beijing's lighting, whilst a staggering feat of human athleticism and technical wizardry, felt overly long and contrived. Barcelona got it spot on, it'll be hard to top that lighting.

And that just goes to show....just because London will be the first summer host city in decades not to outspend its predecessor in the ceremonies department, doesn't mean that we can't do some things better.

Good art is, and always has been about conviction above all else. If what London does is convincing, and true to the city, it'll be a success despite obviously being more modest in scale.

I did not really like the Sydney ceremony. It did not seem that coherant, or well thought out, IMHO. It was a proud moment for Australians' but it missed the style of many others before and the technological advances of the games after, especially the Athens one.

I would rate 2004 as the best so far. The 1992 games will likely always be the best cauldron lighting though, but now it seems so boring, too predictable. I used to get excited about how they would light it when younger, but now it just seems plain. Maybe London will surprise :lol:

A mix video with the Athens highlights:

RkkfowmD2_I

I think that the best thing there was the real water element, with its symboslism for Greece, which was the actual protagonist.

For me the best OC was Barcelona '92! Montserrat Caballe's and Freddy Mercury's anthem "Barcelona" was thrilling!

Btw, two footages of an older opening ceremony (Munich '72):

The salute of the youth:

RlO35xF8nYA

Entrance of the Olympic Flag / Olympic Anthem:

xMoYOlRZ2JA

To dismiss London just because it does not have a budget exceeding that of Beijing is absolutely juvenile! Athens too didn't have the staggering budget of Beijing but what they did was absolutely stunning. Although Athens budget was more than what London has to offer but still we should not underestimate London. What I feel confidant about is that London would produce fantastic ceremonies but will it be able to surpass Athens or Beijing (not in terms of scale but in terms of content and entertainment) still remains a question. We'll have to wait and watch.

That doesn't, as I said, mean it won't be great. We're still talking tens of millions of pounds being spent on a few three-hour shows! Claiming there's a lack of ambition because we're going for something more modest in scale than Beijing is a complete non-argument. If that's the case every ceremony from now on will be "lacking in ambition" because no nation will do anything on Beijing's scale again.


But because you have to write that no city after the Beijing Olympics may exceed the scale of the show in 2008? This is what I call an excuse not to reach for excellence and be conformist. Each ceremony Olympic exceeded in each new edition. If London feels unable to compete with the opening event of the Beijing 2008 budget either (as mentioned above) or other factors is the problem of the local organizing committee. Have not yet started the London 2012 and Rio 2016 is evaluating the format in the opening show, so if it is ensured that the scale is three times higher than the opening show of the Pan American Games 2007 - among other things has been the most lavish event that has been done in the Americas-. I have the security to be the first time the Olympics come to South America Brazilian Olympic Committee will not let this golden opportunity to show the emergence of a nation as an economic power. And since there are three cities with official bids for the 2020 games, I doubt any of them try to leave the bar very high.
Now as London announced that it will have an opening ceremony of the size of the 2008 Beijing because his budget is not generous, it should not be an excuse to radiate magnificence, elegance or factors that the perception of human being stylistically beautiful. Everything is in the creative minds of the production team. The cities of Seoul and Barcelona are the best example of this and 20 years later no one doubts the admirable design techniques used to show that these towns without much money. The Barcelona is still considered among the best openings of all time.
London may move its inaugural event in the afternoon so that a large percentage of the art show can be seen in the light of day and thus avoid spending millions of dollars in expensive lighting and projection. The only segment that would reach the dim lighting the cauldron. Since Sydney 2000 organizers moved the opening ceremony for the night costs have shot up unnecessarily.
Then I leave an interview he conducted the magazine "Organize" specializes in strategic marketing and experimental Hansel Cereza artistic director, responsible for the opening ceremony of Barcelona 1992.


The role of artistic director

The opening and closing ceremonies usually stay in the retina of the audience through a gallery of creativity that combines live music, dancing, colors, fireworks ...

Behind every great show there are people capable of creating an idea, are responsible for making an artistic concept into tangible elements that lead in organizing a big event.

But ... who is behind these innovative ideas?

In times of crisis, the idea of ​​a macro performance or presentation of a great brand so powerful can be, at least, complicated. However, Hansel Cereza, founding partner and shareholder of the theater group La Fura dels Baus and specialist understanding of major events such as author and artistic director says how to use the different languages ​​of expression is more important than the budget when to organize an event.

Similarly think Fermin Perez, Director of Global Events, who says that money has nothing to do with the impact of a spot. The director of this company with over fifteen years of experience in event conceptualization and realization of special productions, creativity and technique are what make an event big or small.

Innovation is an important concept when designing the concept of a macro-spectacle, is to create, convert events experiences, interact with the public and give them feelings, as Fermin Perez.

Although according to the director of Global Events Spanish companies are reluctant to implement the most innovative events and away from the traditional framework, more and more brands that dare to innovate in the presentation of new products.

Renault Laguna would present his new dramatically managers and employees of the company, uniting in a single day of corporate messages, technical explanations and emotional impact.

Global Events organized an event for which was reserved exclusively L'Hemispheric City of Arts and Sciences, and had a unique musical show that combines outdoor lake scenic tricks, live music, dance, visual, pyrotechnic shows and water while dinner was being held outdoors, and ended with a private concert by Carlinhos Brown.

Hansel Cereza is also used to conceptualize ideas for both macro events and ceremonies to mark, organizing any type of performance in an innovative and colorful.

In 1992 he was co-director of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Barcelona, ​​has been Artistic Director of the Opening Ceremony of the Universal Forum of Cultures in Barcelona in 2004, the inaugural and closing ceremony of the Championships Olympic Small States of Europe in 2005, and the opening ceremony and closing of the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona in 2010.

Macro has also created shows for big names such as "Pepsiclope" in 1996 for "Pepsi" or "Symbiosis" in 1998 for "Mercedes Benz" as well as events for cities or entities "Millennium Man" in 1999 for the city Barcelona to mark the millennium, or "Gate of Europe", a show conceived macro to open the moveable bridge in the world's largest port area in 2000.

In the interview we show below, Hansel Cereza talks about how to transform an idea into a tangible reality, and how emotions are the basis for the enduring memory of a celebration over the years.




Interview



1 .- You have been the conceptual creator of great shows and opening ceremonies. How is a idea like this?

Mainly serving and understanding the task is very important to know the objectives of the event. A commission for a ceremony and comes with very specific protocol clauses that rarely can be varied. It is important to note that field is projecting the ceremony, either political, sporting, cultural ... etc.

Although in all cases there is a common constraint: they always represent the city or country in which it is conducting the ceremony, after studying the project for a concept that encompasses the ceremony.



2 .- How to transform an idea into a tangible reality, how to manage an event from the first idea to its staging?

Everything depends on the space where the event takes place. From this, it manages one technique or another depending on the dimensions of space as these mark the technical volume, lights, sound, scenery and actors. It should also consider whether the event will be broadcast on TV to see the vision of live television and the viewer.



3 .- Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games of Barcelona 1992, opening show of the Forum of Cultures 2004, opening ceremony of the European Athletics Championships Barcelona 2010 ...

Are you and all created? How do you innovate in a communicative action of this kind?

Whenever I design an event marked a new challenge and that makes it different from others. These macro-shows are performed in very specific because of its complexity. Involucre spaces, to give me innovative elements in each case.

For me the important thing, and something we've always done is take advantage of the architecture of the place represents the event. The innovative concept I've always been very present in all the projects I've done intuitively and is part of the initial idea. We must keep abreast of the needs as a spectator and new techniques.



4 .- How is the surprise? And the memory of the event will last years after its completion?

Touching the fiber. Coming to the emotions. As said before, it is very important to understand the order and know who you're playing with the event, culture, customs and pulses in the world.




5 .- How would you define creativity and innovation at an event?

While you feel alive .... everything is created.

Innovation is the constancy and evolution as an artist and person. In an event that is a form of expression, we perceive what the artist wants to convey.


6 .- In addition to institutional ceremonies, has also created macro shows for prestigious brands (Pepsi, Mercedes Benz).

What highlight differences between the conception of ideas for an inaugural event of international significance and commercial activity?

At an event for a trademark must always represent a particular product and a launch is much more: people, feelings, culture, history ...



7 .- What type of company is more reluctant to implement a new event and out of the traditional framework of the organization of events?

I would say that the car are trademarks of the more daring at the time of sending message.



8 .- Performances, dance, theater, circus, music ... is there an area where you feel comfortable as a multidisciplinary artist like you?

I am considered one of the multidisciplinary artists and is due to my training and career is built on the basis of not closing anything, accumulating experiences and sharing them. The team created a complex but rich in results.



9 .- In general, the organization of a show of this nature requires a large budget.

Can you get a shocking event on a budget?

I believe that the impact is not measured by the means you use, but in the way you use the different languages ​​of expression.

Little or big budget is just the wrapper that can impress or so.


10 .- What is the secret to making an event in an artistic expression?

Creativity is fundamental and if accompanied by original, is when you really say something with some depth and content

But because you have to write that no city after the Beijing Olympics may exceed the scale of the show in 2008? This is what I call an excuse not to reach for excellence and be conformist. Then I would say you're myopic, unrealistic or both. Beijing's opening ceremony, while artistically and visually impressive, was an over-indulgence in unecessary piety and over-the-top showmanship. In fact, it could be argued they cared less for the games themselves than for the 3 hour commercial they were allowed to give the whole world, since their culture is so dependent on image even to the extent of sacrificing other values. To wit, that other cultures and cities opt for anything less than this new "standard" is hardly a failure or shortcoming, but rather an understanding that what the Chinese did could be considered gross negligence, especially considering the plight of so many of their citizens.

Was it appealing and grand? Yes. Among the best such showcases in the multi-media era? Undoubtedly. Does this mean every such event to follow must strive to match their scale, budget and/or extravegance of splendor? Hardly. Anyone thinking so is missing the point of the event and is simply indulging themselves in a community-scale pissing contest. "My government spent more than yours! Nyah nyah nyah!" :|

Now as London announced that it will have an opening ceremony of the size of the 2008 Beijing because his budget is not generous, it should not be an excuse to radiate magnificence, elegance or factors that the perception of human being stylistically beautiful. Everything is in the creative minds of the production team. Yet here we are attempting to measure creative art by a measure of budget, or a levy of special effects, or a count of "oohs and ahhhs!" I contend that, much like how the games themselves have grown beyond a reasonable number and type of sports, so to have our expectations of these ceremonies and the host cities. It's the new norm that each host now assume a swath of urban renewal projects and put on a gaudy facade for a few weeks all to appease the egos of civic enthusiasts.

Verily, sometimes Mother Nature must be offering us one hell of a facepalm.

I throw a question in search of consistent and timely response to the issue raised. What is the role of the opening ceremony in any event no matter their nature (athletic, social, political ...)?.

Was not the opening ceremony plays an important role to be the prologue, brand or main facade of an organization, country or city as appropriate?

I throw a question in search of consistent and timely response to the issue raised. What is the role of the opening ceremony in any event no matter their nature (athletic, social, political ...)?.

Was not the opening ceremony plays an important role to be the prologue, brand or main facade of an organization, country or city as appropriate?That depends on your perspective. The opening ceremony was originally little more than a modest stage show for the attendees and a speech by the local official. The idea of being a global advertisement for your local culture has only come about with mass media, and even then the idea that it HAS to be a grand showcase has only occurred because select people feel they have to outdo the others. While this can drive innovation it also can push the organizers and their sponsors away from the spirit of the event as a whole. Ask the rural Chinese if they'd have prefered cleaner water instead of white elephant stadiums? Or the people displaced from Techwood homes for Centennial Park in '96? Or if the currently cash poor greeks wish they spent a little less for their games?

I'm not debunking the value of opening ceremonies and wish Atlanta had done many things different to improve upon theirs, but the concept that each show MUST be overly extravegant is a dangerous precident because it assumes too much on one show. After all, and with this being an architectural board, I'd hope our communities would be better off with greater investment in the quality of structures and public spaces than in musical numbers? Judging books by covers and all that.

Talks immediately began on replacing the roof and doing major renovations in time for the Olympics. But it was too late, and there was far too much red tape.

Some interior cosmetic renovations did go through in time for the Games, but that was it.

In 2009, plans were confirmed that a new fabric retractable roof would be built only RIGHT AFTER the Olympics. How absurd is that? The Olympics ended in February 2010, and they tore down the roof in May 2010.

It's such a huge *facepalm*....that you start polishing it only after the whole world has left and the party has ended.

With the air supported roof, it created severe limitations on what David Atkins could do for the Ceremonies. All doors -- both spectator and equipment -- into the stadium were air lock doors (the air pressure to keep the roof supported is the same air pressure you'll find on the 70th storey of a building). This means that Atkins had huge difficulty getting performers and sets in and out of the stadium if you have air lock doors, you can't open too many doors at once otherwise the air pressure inside will be too low and could actually be dangerous. And usually, Olympic Stadiums are modified for the needs of the Ceremonies -- on the other hand, BC Place was an exception.

Then there's the roof rigging...a lot of stuff was suspended on the air inflated roof, they even publicly said the roof was being severely strained given all the lighting and rigging that was on it.

The Ceremony was also heavy on projections, and as the roof moves quite a bit given the changing air pressure inside they couldn't do projections on the ceiling of the stadium's white roof...so whatever projections had to be on the spectators, stadium floor, and some drapes:

And with a inflatable roof, all you had was a little narrow rim on the roof to launch fireworks off of. You couldn't do much with fireworks at all, it was disappointing. And so what if it's an indoor stadium, doesn't mean you can't do fireworks. Hell, Sydney's Closing Ceremony fireworks show was across the city -- the main fireworks show was at the Harbour Bridge nearly 7-kms away from Stadium Australia. It's not like the crowd there could see that either.

And the new retractable roof being installed only after the Games right now...:bash:
\

They promised the idea of projections on the roof during the ceremonies.

Perhaps they should have been clear on what to do with BC Stadium and actually deflated the roof (when it collapsed or more importantly prior, as it would have been proposed to anyways), and replace it with a domed roof made of a non-inflatable material, something semi-permanent, that would be supported from the outer structure, that could be modified in future as a retractable roof.

So in essence, there would be no talk of an inflatable roof a year or so after the Olympics, but it could have been expected in the future.

With this "new" roof, whatever coating (white) they put in the ceiling could have served any projections that are placed on it. The fact that the stadium is no longer pressurized means that large scale props, floats etc could have easily been hidden under tents on the outside and brought into the stadium via it's entrances.

Oh well, I guess when Vancouver hosts a Winter Olympics for the 2nd time we'll see proper Opening and Closing ceremonies.

But because you have to write that no city after the Beijing Olympics may exceed the scale of the show in 2008? This is what I call an excuse not to reach for excellence and be conformist. Each ceremony Olympic exceeded in each new edition. If London feels unable to compete with the opening event of the Beijing 2008 budget either (as mentioned above) or other factors is the problem of the local organizing committee. Have not yet started the London 2012 and Rio 2016 is evaluating the format in the opening show, so if it is ensured that the scale is three times higher than the opening show of the Pan American Games 2007 - among other things has been the most lavish event that has been done in the Americas-. I have the security to be the first time the Olympics come to South America Brazilian Olympic Committee will not let this golden opportunity to show the emergence of a nation as an economic power. And since there are three cities with official bids for the 2020 games, I doubt any of them try to leave the bar very high.
Now as London announced that it will have an opening ceremony of the size of the 2008 Beijing because his budget is not generous, it should not be an excuse to radiate magnificence, elegance or factors that the perception of human being stylistically beautiful. Everything is in the creative minds of the production team. The cities of Seoul and Barcelona are the best example of this and 20 years later no one doubts the admirable design techniques used to show that these towns without much money. The Barcelona is still considered among the best openings of all time.
London may move its inaugural event in the afternoon so that a large percentage of the art show can be seen in the light of day and thus avoid spending millions of dollars in expensive lighting and projection. The only segment that would reach the dim lighting the cauldron. Since Sydney 2000 organizers moved the opening ceremony for the night costs have shot up unnecessarily.
Then I leave an interview he conducted the magazine "Organize" specializes in strategic marketing and experimental Hansel Cereza artistic director, responsible for the opening ceremony of Barcelona 1992.

NOOO!! That´s horrible! Sun light cerimonies are so boring, there´s no contrast or flashing lights! Remind´s me of 1996 ridiculous oppening show.

What's wrong? Marching bands, 1000's of volunteer performers, fabric based floats, 1000's of helium filled party balloons, streamers etc. With a 10 minute fireworks medley as the ceremony comes to a close around 7 to 8 O'clock.

1996 was held in twilight. It was ridiculous simply because of the poor stadium design, they tried to integrate the ceremonies with the design of the stadium, something they should have entirely avoided. It should have just been elements coming out of the various entrances into the arena and from the secret entrance from the arena floor, not any of that "Olympic Spirit" stuff from the outer levels of the Centennial Stadium, or the parajumpers etc.

NOOO!! That´s horrible! Sun light cerimonies are so boring, there´s no contrast or flashing lights! Remind´s me of 1996 ridiculous oppening show.

In fact you seem so boring opening ceremonies in the afternoon? For the opening events in Moscow 80, Los Angeles 84, Seoul 88, Barcelona 92 ​​show the opposite. While it is true that that has transpired in history has been to Barcelona, ​​all at the time were really spectacular. I have full confidence that if the opening event in London was done in the afternoon ceremony would be a pretty good by the great advantages of natural light (millions of dollars saved in expensive lighting equipment) plus it allows us to appreciate in all its glory staging, the beauty and colorful costumes, the parade of nations and Let's add a rich repertoire of the London Symphony Orchestra while they are lighting the cauldron. I think it would not be bad. And for the budget of $ 64 million with a show designed to give more promising.

Barcelona 1992 had their artistic portion in daylight

Olympic Opening Ceremony?

1 - Athens 2004

2 - Beijing 2008

3 - Sydney 2000

4 - Barcelona 1992

5 - Moscow 1980

6 - LA 1984

Olympic Closing Ceremony?

1 - Sydney 2000

2 - Moscow 1980

3 - Seoul 1988

4 - Beijing 2008

5 - Athens 2004

6 - Barcelona 1992

In this case in general this classification is as follows:

1 - Sydney 2000, 2 - Athens 2004, 3 ​​- Beijing 2008.

The lesson? Which is not always the most expensive or requires too much investment in deficits or even surpass overshadow another event of unmitigated success.

There is not what we discuss. Without any shadow of doubt. It remains now to wait for London and Rio.

Athens was by far the most poetic and inspiring ceremony. Also the most elegant and beautiful.

http://net.undonet.com/opening/Athens_2004_Opening_18_1024.jpg

http://net.undonet.com/opening/Athens_2004_Opening_03_1024.jpg

http://net.undonet.com/opening/Athens_2004_Opening_13_1024.jpg

http://net.undonet.com/opening/Athens_2004_Opening_14_1024.jpg

http://net.undonet.com/opening/Athens_2004_Opening_17_1024.jpg

http://net.undonet.com/opening/Athens_2004_Opening_19_1024.jpg

http://net.undonet.com/opening/Athens_2004_Opening_11_1024.jpg

http://net.undonet.com/opening/Athens_2004_Opening_06_1024.jpg

Then I would say you're myopic, unrealistic or both. Beijing's opening ceremony, while artistically and visually impressive, was an over-indulgence in unecessary piety and over-the-top showmanship. In fact, it could be argued they cared less for the games themselves than for the 3 hour commercial they were allowed to give the whole world, since their culture is so dependent on image even to the extent of sacrificing other values. To wit, that other cultures and cities opt for anything less than this new "standard" is hardly a failure or shortcoming, but rather an understanding that what the Chinese did could be considered gross negligence, especially considering the plight of so many of their citizens.

Was it appealing and grand? Yes. Among the best such showcases in the multi-media era? Undoubtedly. Does this mean every such event to follow must strive to match their scale, budget and/or extravegance of splendor? Hardly. Anyone thinking so is missing the point of the event and is simply indulging themselves in a community-scale pissing contest. "My government spent more than yours! Nyah nyah nyah!" :|

Yet here we are attempting to measure creative art by a measure of budget, or a levy of special effects, or a count of "oohs and ahhhs!" I contend that, much like how the games themselves have grown beyond a reasonable number and type of sports, so to have our expectations of these ceremonies and the host cities. It's the new norm that each host now assume a swath of urban renewal projects and put on a gaudy facade for a few weeks all to appease the egos of civic enthusiasts.

Verily, sometimes Mother Nature must be offering us one hell of a facepalm.

That's why threads like this should not have polls because people go overboard with their thoughts as well.

China did what they thought they had to do to welcome the world (Opening up to the world) . It was worth it, people enjoyed it, they needed it!!!!!!!

London on the other hand is already globally known. All it needs to do is to showcase what it is, not what it has to offer (like China).

This 'new standard' set by Beijing has already (from my thoughts) been broken by other Chinese cities such as at the Asian games in Guangzhou or at the National Chinese games back in 2009 in Shangdong. After you have watched those ceremonies, Beijing seems very basic. So yes, its beatable, but NO, it doesn't have to be beaten to be good.

Just as long as a nation highlights their culture and does a warm welcome, it should be good enough. To be honest, many people have been saying that Beijing's was really good and some saying it was over the top, but does anyone know what each part of the ceremony represented? What part of Chinese culture it highlighted? I don't think so..........

Athens was by far the most poetic and inspiring ceremony.



Athens' show was actually lousy and VERY underwhelming. Really failed potential. Its parts were greater than its whole.

Beijing's was the most bombastic. (But Jinan 2009, Guangzhou 2010 and the recent Universaide were all so GARISH and kitsch; excessive and over-the-top).

Overall, on balance, I think Beijing 2008, Salt Lake 2002, and then Melbourne 2006 (CWG) are the best Opening Ceremonies I have seen so far.

Read all about Ceremonies and these are all discussed in greater detail in: SECRETS OF THE OLYMPIC CEREMONIES, http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_33?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=secrets+of+the+olympic+ceremonies&sprefix=secrets+of+the+olympic+ceremonies

Athens' show was actually lousy and VERY underwhelming. Really failed potential. Its parts were greater than its whole.


Athens lousy and very underwhelming???:nuts::nuts::nuts:


Athens was the most emotional ceremony ever, it gave me goosebumps. So elegant and minimal but meaningfull at the same time, it was a great love story, from the lovers in the water to the pregnancy through greek hitsory..very clever concept!

Special mentions to the fact that it was kinda shocking, including frontal male and female nudity, lovers kissing...I mean it had elements that the viewer never expected to see in such kind of ceremony, nudity, a stage with real water (not people with blue suits moving here and there pretending that they are the waves, lol!)

And I also enjoied the advanced technology they used, the hologram etc.

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2004/08/14/a7_gallery__550x415.jpg

http://www.google.gr/imgres?q=2004+opening+olympic&um=1&hl=el&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:el:official&biw=1280&bih=681&tbm=isch&tbnid=nB4ISAWWVNjEGM:&imgrefurl=http://www.allposters.co.uk/-sp/Sculpture-Breaks-Apart-as-Part-of-the-Opening-Ceremony-of-the-2004-Olympic-Games-in-Athens-Posters_i6432685_.htm&docid=mfqCmtUocZa-3M&w=400&h=300&ei=XehTTrOIMuHP4QSKrr2PBw&zoom=1

http://www.barco.com/projection_systems/images/ev_olympic2004athens1_L.jpg

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2004/08/14/a12_gallery__550x356.jpg

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-08/14/xinsrc_510801140746851019429.jpg

http://www.silverstar-academy.com/Blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/olympic-games-athens-2004-0010.jpg

Athens was the most emotional ceremony ever...it gave me goosebumps..

Then you haven't seen too many. I'm glad it gave you goosebumps. I felt very unfulfilled.

It would've been so much better if Vangelis had produced it rather than Papaioannou. The Klepsydra portion was soooo boring. I fell asleep.

That DNA thing, what was that about? It has NO CONNECTION to a Greek ceremony. The DNA was NOT invented by the Greeks. So it was a VERY DISJOINTED ceremony IMHO.

Read/buy that book SECRETS OF THE OLYMPIC CEREMONIES by Myles A. Garcia. It'll give you a better idea of how Ceremonies are made and the place Athens 2004 holds in the overall scheme of things.

(I think you can also order it directly from him: razor323@gmail.com. He accepts euros and will send you an autographed copy of the book.)

Athens' show was actually lousy and VERY underwhelming. Really failed potential. Its parts were greater than its whole.


No way! lousy and VERY underwhelming?????????

The opening of Athens was the best so far, it was artistic, there was a concept, unity, the parts were connected, the sound and image were in perfect harmony. The dialog between present and past and present and future was very well built, since the initial dialog of the drummer in the stadium with the drummer in Olympus and the permission of Zeus with the ray that hits the water and it lights the fire in the form of the olympic rings; to the Clepsydra, the watch that tells the greek history assisted by Eros, to the future through the pregnant who gives life to a new world, the athletes parade with DJ Tiësto.

...

It would've been so much better if Vangelis had produced it rather than Papaioannou. The Klepsydra portion was soooo boring. I fell asleep.


The Klepsydra was the best act of olympic opening ceremonies ever. Classy, fancy, artistical, full of content with great aesthetics...

[off-topic] does anybody know where I can find opening ceremonies for buy or download? if anybody knows could send me a PM.

The Klepsydra was the best act of olympic opening ceremonies ever. Classy, fancy, artistical, full of content with great aesthetics...

[off-topic] does anybody know where I can find opening ceremonies for buy or download? if anybody knows could send me a PM.

Klepsydra was great for people seating in the first 10 rows and the cameras. But if you were seating way up in the bleachers, then you were way out of luck. I mean what were those things? Just like some cheap plastic dolls on a tray. The Audioanimatronic figures at Disneyland convey far more excitement than those fake dolls, fluttering an eyebrow here, hardening a dick there. I mean...how boring could that be?

If you are soo impressed by Athens 2004, I can sell you my Athens Opening & Closing Ceremonies DVD for 850 euros (free shipping)!! PM me.

That DNA thing, what was that about? It has NO CONNECTION to a Greek ceremony. The DNA was NOT invented by the Greeks. So it was a VERY DISJOINTED ceremony IMHO.


Who told you that DNA was "invented" by someone??:lol::lol: Athens ceremony is probably too avant-garde for you!

It is clear in the ceremony that the DNA is something unique and universal. It is not a part of the Clepsydra (=greek history through the centuries), it is separated and it is the culmination. If it was a part of the Clepsydra, between Parthenon and Byzantine churches, then you could argue that it was presented as something greek. But look better: the clepsydra ends with a pregnant woman. She is not "Greek" (meaning without greek suit or ornaments) and she has nothing "greek" to her appearance. Eros undresses her and then she leaves the parade and goes to the center of the sea, where she reveals the DNA hologram (birth).


z9gxXNGSn7s

At the same time all the previous "greek statues" leave their places and go around the center of the sea, watching the DNA scene, which obviously represents the most recent achievement of mankind, its decoding.

At this moment, all the "statues" have take their place in the sea without their suits, they are also almost naked, so at this moment they are no more "Greeks", they are people of the world, white, yellow, red and black, and they all together watch the "birth" of the pregnant, the revealing of the huge DNA. It is something universal and it is clearly separated from the "greek parade", both visually-musically and primarily conceptually.

The whole meaning is the human and the understanding of himself. From his first attempts, who symbolically took place with the archaic art, to the latest discovery of mankind, the decoding of DNA (commentators mention it as well) in the middle of a sea full of "universal" people.

r_Ezjdk1THA


Klepsydra was great for people seating in the first 10 rows and the cameras. But if you were seating way up in the bleachers, then you were way out of luck.

I watched it on my tv and it was stunning...a stylized parade of greek art. It was made primarily having tv viewers in mind. Athens' aesthetics and elegancy is really unparalleled to any other olympic ceremony. It is the only ceremony which has a steady, consistent lighting colour theme, blue and white lights for the 90% of the ceremony. Only the olympic rings at the beggining and the finale have red colours, and the red is also there in some very quick intermediate parts, like the Centaur and the woman in love during the Clepsydra who run to find her statue-lover. Not to mention to the EMMY awards it received for the lighting design.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-08/14/xinsrc_450801140746912414316.jpg

Elegance above all!!!

I watched it on my tv and it was stunning...a stylized parade of greek art. It was made primarily having tv viewers in mind. Athens' aesthetic and elegancy is really unparalleled to any other olympic ceremony. It is the only ceremony which has a steady, consistent lighting colour theme, blue and white lights for the 90% of the ceremony. Only the olympic rings at the beggining and the finale have red colours, and the red is also there in some very quick intermediate parts, like the Centaur and the woman in love during the Clepsydra who run to find her statue-lover. Not to mention to the EMMY awards it received for the lighting design.



If you have worked with Ceremonies, you will realize that the BEST Ceremonies are those that provide a knock-out show for both the home viewers who are, for the most part, getting it free, and the live in-stadium spectators who have paid pretty dinars for a decent seat. The pro's at producing Ceremonies, Ric Birch, Don Mischer, David Atkins, know that you MUST deliver to BOTH audiences -- not just to one.

Greek art? There are a hundred one museums to see that close-up. That was the ONLY show that paraded around real performers looking like statues. That's only done at the Laguna Beach Pageant of the Masters when people impersonate characters in a painting. It's like watching paint dry. Even if I had paid $468 (the cheapest price seat when sold in the US), I certainly would've felt ripped off by the, for the most part, very minimalist but pretentious presentation of the evening.

The lake? What was it for? Just to impress at opening? Afterwards, it was so terribly underused. They could've staged a sea battle on it or some water follies. ABSOLUTELY NO SYNERGY between the moving elements of the show and the setting. If the "lake" was so vital to the evening, then why did the Klepsydra merely skirt around it?

As I said, Athens 2004 OC's parts were greater than its whole.

A 10 minutes part like Clepsydra, perhaps better viewed on tv, into a total of 3 and a half hours show doesn t make the ceremony less enjoyable for the people inside the stadium. Be sure that everybody there enjoied it, since the parade of the athletes was for the very first time a real party thanx to Tiesto and not a funeral-like occasion full of march music for grandparents.
The lake? What was it for? Just to impress at opening? Afterwards, it was so terribly underused. They could've staged a sea battle on it or some water follies. ABSOLUTELY NO SYNERGY between the moving elements of the show and the setting. If the "lake" was so vital to the evening, then why did the Klepsydra merely skirt around it?


Of course they could have produce battles between gods into this lake...But while you (and many people I guess) expected to see gods and all the greek mythology getting out of this promising lake, Papaioannou prefered to avoid all these and presented us the lake as -surprise surprise- the ideal scenery for a couple in denim to make love there, kissing and hugging in front of us.

Quite minimal and modern approach for a ceremony, which had no other choice than to be remembered as something conceptual NEW, dont you think? Athens' director has only 1 thing in mind, to create a production that would be unique and without equivalent, avoiding any circus-like dancers (Sydney etc) and cliché, kitsch ideas. For some people, less is more.

For all these, Athens (and Beijing, but for other reasons) is the on top of my list.

A the parade of the athletes was for the very first time a real party thanx to Tiesto and not a funeral-like occasion full of march music for grandparents.

Of course they could have produce battles between gods into this lake...But while you (and many people I guess) expected to see gods and all the greek mythology getting out of this promising lake, Papaioannou prefered to avoid all these and presented us the lake as -surprise surprise- the ideal scenery for a couple in denim to make love there, kissing and hugging in front of us.

Quite minimal and modern approach for a ceremony, which had no other choice than to be remembered as something conceptual NEW, dont you think? Athens' director has only 1 thing in mind, to create a production that would be unique and without equivalent, avoiding any circus-like dancers (Sydney etc) and cliché, kitsch ideas. For some people, less is more.

.

The Parade of Nations was absolute garbage. DJ music? I can go to a club for that. That's not what I would pay $500 - $1,000 for. Party? I mean it's an endless 2-hour slog thru some of the most undisciplined delegations I have ever seen. An OC is stately and well-choreographed. Or at least that's what I grew up on. Having Testino and some DJ just cheapened the whole proceedings. I mean if I were blind...how would I know if it was the Mexican or the Russian or the Italian delegations marching in? I wouldn't because the soundtrack was banal, generic music. As I said, Papioannou & his team were just too lazy to select the appropriate music for the right team. I actually tuned out most of the Parade of Atheletes because it was just soooooo generic.

Couple in denims, kissing and making love? I mean you can see that any day in Paris. Then why would you ask people to pay $1000, etc., to show something so banal and ordinary as that?

Minimal? Right. Then they should've charged like $30, $40 $50 admission, not hundreds of $$$. I wasn't fooled at all this B- show; considering they had a budget of $90 million. And if you read Papaioannou's own words on his website, you will find that he was less than enthused to actually do the Ceremonies. So the question is: then, why did you (he) do it?

If you bought all that hooey of Papaioannou, then good for you. But it was less than what is usually done in the industry. (I know; I worked with the LA and Atlanta Ceremonies.) Funny, Papaioannou has NEVER been asked to do another Ceremonies again...if the Athens 2004 was so special. Goes to show what the Special Events industry and other Organizing Committees really thought of that show.

^^
I found Beijing far more monotonous. Boredom will always have one time or another in a show 3hs 30m. Clepsydra me very awake to see that rich history that represents the key moments and elements of the world, especially the West. I do not know how anyone can find it bad. Only a crazy person or alienated.

(I know, I worked with the LA and Atlanta Ceremonies.)

So it's explained!:ohno::ohno::ohno:

Not to mention those fake footprints in Beijing. I liked the sequencing of the parchment, the lighting of the cauldron and at the start of the countdown, and the parade of delegations, technology and fires in general. He was sensational human computer as well. And only. That's all I remember most striking. I liked the globe of the world but not of music. I did not like not even Sarah Brightman.

Were this so, Brightman could listen as many times as wanted until I get bored, would not justify paying dearly for a ceremony?:nuts: What folly!

I mean, that just because you can hear the "same song" in a club, you can not listen to this style of music in a Ceremony?? In your logic, I should not listen to an orchestra in ceremony because I can listen to on numerous occasions in the theater and concerts? kkkk

And Papaioannou said in 2004 that was the only and final ceremony that he would do. Up to not find parallels in the world. No need to call it will not. He will not even if the company pays expensive.

A 10 minutes part like Clepsydra, perhaps better viewed on tv, into a total of 3 and a half hours show doesn t make the ceremony less enjoyable for the people inside the stadium. Be sure that everybody there enjoied it, since the parade of the athletes was for the very first time a real party thanx to Tiesto and not a funeral-like occasion full of march music for grandparents.

Of course they could have produce battles between gods into this lake...But while you (and many people I guess) expected to see gods and all the greek mythology getting out of this promising lake, Papaioannou prefered to avoid all these and presented us the lake as -surprise surprise- the ideal scenery for a couple in denim to make love there, kissing and hugging in front of us.

Quite minimal and modern approach for a ceremony, which had no other choice than to be remembered as something conceptual NEW, dont you think? Athens' director has only 1 thing in mind, to create a production that would be unique and without equivalent, avoiding any circus-like dancers (Sydney etc) and cliché, kitsch ideas. For some people, less is more.

For all these, Athens (and Beijing, but for other reasons) is the on top of my list.

Do not waste your time with it. Everyone knows that Athens is the best, most beautiful and exciting.

I admire your patience.

Everyone knows? Do they?

Or is it more the case that these guys have differing opinions on a piece of artistic performance and neither is more valid than the other?

Barcelona '92 set a new standard in terms of artistic level. The following ceremonies evolved from then onward.

If you have worked with Ceremonies...

This doesn't make your opinion stronger or more valid than mine, the opinion of a simple tv viewer. Everybody has his taste and I tried to explain my taste for Athens OC with specific arguments.

And if you read Papaioannou's own words on his website, you will find that he was less than enthused to actually do the Ceremonies. So the question is: then, why did you (he) do it?


True. And just after this ceremony, we have another words, this time from the mouth of Zhang Yimou, director of Beijing 2008 OC:

Zhang Yimou's word (as he said in a interview on Olympic Magazine on Eurosport):
"The Opening Ceremony of Athens was a revolution of the aesthetic and the dramaturgy of Ceremonies. And it wold have been impossible to try to achieve the same. Chinas culture is the opposite of the hellenic. We dont have a connection to the Olympics as the Greeks do. No one has. So for me there will be pre and post-Athens Ceremonies."

Potiz, there is no point in replying to his senseless argument.

The Munich 1972 OC had not the quality of the OC's of the poll, though they played a new kind of music during the Parade of Nations.
Typical tunes accompanied the countries entering the stadium, mixed in the special 70ies style:

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True. And just after this ceremony, we have another words, this time from the mouth of Zhang Yimou, director of Beijing 2008 OC:

Yimou is entitled to his opinions. He put on a great show; doesn't mean his other choices are always right. His last movie, I think SECRET OF MY FLOWER (or something like that) was really a lavish bore.

Athens' show was unique, but overall a JOYLESS show with misplaced priorities. I mean the Games had finally come home, but where was the JOY and EXULTATION in that ceremony? It was flat and cold.

Barcelona '92 set a new standard in terms of artistic level. The following ceremonies evolved from then onward.

Agreed with this. It set the standard for narrative-telling in Ceremonies; and it was topped only by Beijing.

^^

(I know, I worked with the LA and Atlanta Ceremonies.)

So it's explained!
.

And what have you worked with? Nien. At least I can speak with some authority--which you may or may agree with-- because of the experience I have knowing what goes into these shows and how they are created.

What related experience can you brag about to accredit your opinions? NADA.

And what have you worked with? Nien. At least I can speak with some authority--which you may or may agree with-- because of the experience I have knowing what goes into these shows and how they are created.

What related experience can you brag about to accredit your opinions? NADA.

You do not know me. Do not talk about what you do not know. I understand the arts, culture and ceremonies rather than to allow your imagination, based on his unfortunate comments and without any foundation. You rely on a silly book written by ridiculous people. Overall this book 'The secret of Olympic Ceremonies' it adds almost nothing. The fact that you have participated in LA and Atlanta already shows itself how much you are late, out of step with ideas and artistic content absolutely rough and no plasticity.

If you think so you have some experience, sorry! Not worth anything!

Yeah Barcelona was a watershed, but it has for decades, much has changed and all editions contributed some kind of breakthrough and legacy OC. The following issues were overcoming the past in recent times and this is undeniable! No need to mention that because you are as well versed and experienced in Ceremonies should know. Wake up !!!!!

Everyone knows? Do they?

Or is it more the case that these guys have differing opinions on a piece of artistic performance and neither is more valid than the other?

Have you seen the poll results? Spare me!

This is a forum for people who have a good education and higher, especially in the matter. Visitors to this thread and post here is because somehow they like and are interested in the subject for some time. No doubt about it.

If doubt should represent the same view of the same type of audience in the world.

The pyre was another fake Barcelona fails. Although simple and beautiful, fell on my concept when there was this failure.

Either Athens and Sydney ceremonies were superior than Beijing, the intro of Beijing was great with that countdown and with the verses of Confucius, but what happened after that? I can't remember, I didn't retain it in my memory and I watched with a lot of attention all the ceremony, Athens what is older, I can remember each detail, it was stunning. I can even remember more about Sydney than Beijing. I got bored with Beijing, but not with Sydney and Athens.

If you compare the ceremonies to movies, Athens was a movie of Theo Angelopoulos or Federico Fellini (philosophic and poetic), while Beijing I can't define cause there was no unity, it was a compilation of disconnected short movies.

You do not know me. Do not talk about what you do not know. I understand the arts, culture and ceremonies rather than to allow your imagination, based on his unfortunate comments and without any foundation. You rely on a silly book written by ridiculous people. Overall this book 'The secret of Olympic Ceremonies' it adds almost nothing. The fact that you have participated in LA and Atlanta already shows itself how much you are late, out of step with ideas and artistic content absolutely rough and no plasticity.

If you think so you have some experience, sorry! Not worth anything!



Phffffffffffffffft! So what do you know?

Beijing 2008:)

I' ve posted the following link's also at the Panathinaikon Stadium thread (after getting furious over this redneck poster Knitemplar who believes pick-up trucks are plausible ceremony material):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVYOM8RPppw&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=153R0IdRLI0&feature=related

http://elsew.com/data/athens9.jpg

http://elsew.com/data/athens2.jpg

http://www.nemostudios.co.uk/nemo/main/vangelis/athens97_a.jpg



They concern one of the best opening ceremonies ever, although not performed for an olympiad, it surpassed all olympic opening ceremonies to that date and contributed a lot to Athens taking the 2004 olympics.
The date was 1997, the occasion was IAAF world championship, the venue Panathinaikon (Kallimarmaron) Stadium and the artist and mastermind behind it, Vangelis.
Papaioannou seemed to have picked up a lot of the elements Vangelis set with the 1997 ceremony but he trended on a different path.
Had not been Vangelis & the 1997 ceremony there would probably be no 2004 & Papaioannou.

Opening/closing ceremonies are so terribly gay and have absolutely nothing to do with athletics, I would never attend one.

Phffffffffffffffft! So what do you know?

I do not need to prove anything to anyone. If you are not convinced, your problem. I try to master many things in some areas and definitely do not have to convince anyone that, just when I want. Do not want to post any library, or my grades in this thread if you're really wondering to know let me by PM, no problem. Even more as I learn more I came to the conclusion that I do not know anything, unlike some people. But you know, when I use my instinct unavoidable in the sense that a little more common sense and balance is never enough.

Oh and just complementing the joy and energy is all around the stadium, the surroundings, in the city! Ceremony is usually to watch! The name says it all: spectacle! Even just at the Closing Celebration. If you are not satisfied rather go to a club.

Opening/closing ceremonies are so terribly gay and have absolutely nothing to do with athletics, I would never attend one.

Then there are more than 1 billion so terrible gay people in the world.

Opening/closing ceremonies are so terribly gay and have absolutely nothing to do with athletics, I would never attend one.

its make u a world most lonely person on earth.u should watch it or better u die

Opening/closing ceremonies are so terribly gay and have absolutely nothing to do with athletics, I would never attend one.

The Olympics are more than just mere sports, or gold, silver and bronze. It's a celebration of the host city and nation. A look into another country's culture and above all, a celebration of peace and the athletes themselves, most of which are happy to attend the ceremonies.

How are they terribly gay? There have been some corny moments and probably will be in the future, but overall, it's an exciting thing to watch, particularly the climax, how they try to top each other in the lighting of the cauldron.

My vote is for Moscow 1980

I do not need to prove anything to anyone. If you are not convinced, your problem. I try to master many things in some areas and definitely do not have to convince anyone that, just when I want. Do not want to post any library, or my grades in this thread if you're really wondering to know let me by PM, no problem. Even more as I learn more I came to the conclusion that I do not know anything, unlike some people. But you know, when I use my instinct unavoidable in the sense that a little more common sense and balance is never enough.

Oh and just complementing the joy and energy is all around the stadium, the surroundings, in the city! Ceremony is usually to watch! The name says it all: spectacle! Even just at the Closing Celebration. If you are not satisfied rather go to a club.

Fine. Then u really know nothing in this field and therefore your posted views are really unfounded. End of story.

Barcelona '92 set a new standard in terms of artistic level. The following ceremonies evolved from then onward.

IM SO WITH YOU IN THIS STATEMENT!! SO TRUEEEEE!! BARCELONA 92 WAS THE MILESTONE THAT SET EVERYTHING FROM NOW ON.

If there were ceremonies which set milestones, I would think they were:

Antwerp 1920 - First artistic portion used in an Opening Ceremony.

Berlin 1936 - First appearance of the lighting of the cauldron via torch relay runner.

Munich 1972 - First use of purposely written music for Parade of Athletes as opposed to generic military marching band music.

Moscow 1980 - First true Opening Ceremony, heavily emphasizing several artistic portions to form a full length Opening Ceremony.

Barcelona 1992 - First Opening Ceremony to venture into night time, thus allowing a fireworks display at the end of the show.

Sydney 2000 - Notable iconic ceremony truly showcasing Sydney and Australia, first use of suspended (guide wire) props and performers for a Summer Olympics (I know Albertville used this in the 1992 Winter Olympics).

Beijing 2008 - Sheer mass scale and ceremonies budget.

Fine. Then u really know nothing in this field and therefore your posted views are really unfounded. End of story.

How can you make such a statement? I do not know anything? I still hope the PM. Who is child? Who is ignorant of the mere word with this action child? :ohno:

This thread is for the discussion of all the Olympic opening ceremony that have happened.

Any discussion regarding Olympic opening ceremonies can be discussed here it includes the past opening ceremonies.

http://www.mediaus.co.kr/news/photo/201207/26653_54842_917.jpg

http://www.etorrent.co.kr/data/mw.cheditor/110815/d3d849156f5d266ecba5057f1ecc5a75_TlMoYFbgTTd2uXCQYNT.jpg

http://iseoguk.com/admin/data/webedit/09112301555266.jpg

http://iseoguk.com/admin/data/webedit/09112301560979.jpg

What a big difference to the opening ceremonies you see now. They are so extravagant and costly with the huge props.

Michael Farber from CNNSI has an excellent article (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/olympics/2012/writers/michael_farber/07/27/opening-ceremony-london-olympics/index.html)about how these ceremonies have essentially become disjointed from the actual games. Many people, myself included, felt that Beijing was more obsessed with their salesmanship during the 3 hour "commercial" for their city and culture rather than the actual spirit of the full contest. Yes, the ceremonies for 2008 were full of splendor and amazing effects, but in the process it solidified the notion that the ceremonies take on a whole seperate, and perhaps more important, role for the host city. After all when the world is watching the actual games they're watching the athletes, and athletes from around the globe at that. But during the opening the world is focused on your community, your country and your people. It has become a $1B+ tourist and business recruitment campaign to signify your worth as a global city.

And, oh by the way, here are the athletes!

Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for a good show as anyone. I marveled at the machinations in Barcelona's presentation, felt shame when my own Atlanta featured chrome pick-up trucks in their show, and was duly impressed with China's massive display. But there has to be a value to the program, and I'm thankful that London and Danny Boyle brought us closer to the human and realistic side of the equation compared to China's demand for epic scale. How much of the money from many of these extraveganzas could've been put to better use through some charity causes, for example?

There is no gold medal for opening ceremonies. More importantly, hosting should be just like competing - The honor comes from the effort, not the result.

~

As for the London show here's one man's opinion:

- The evolution from bucolic settings to the industrial age was very well done and I loved the music. Thought the second half of that tallied a little long, but some of that might have been due to how it came off on TV.

- Speaking to that last point, I was amazed at how poorly NBC telecasts in the US struggled to capture the events. So many shots were too close to some characters as to miss other details and actions, others were so broad or quickly cut that I felt like it was a cheap music video. To say nothing of the utterly horrific job done by our commentators, Matt Laurer and Meredith Viera.

- The idea for the cauldron was very special, I only wish there was another way to weave together how the petals were introduced and how the cauldron was revealed.

- Novelty pieces with Bond and Mr. Bean were spot on! Very British and a nice break from the pomp of the ceremony.

- The bit with the nurses and the children's dreams/nightmares was all right but I felt the NHS promotion was over the top. I understand it's a historic program and something they're proud of, but is that truly so defining an element of your culture that it warrants such a big, blatant part of the ceremony? Exemplifying the dsicussion above, is it worth mentioning in an opening for the Olympic games? Perhaps if those dreams tied into athletics?

- The modern media and musical set - I wanted to be more immersed in the music than the make-shift soap opera. That we had fictional characters to guide us through the timeline I can deal with, but the musical tapestry was pushed back a little bit in favor of the love story. Sooo much great music to pull from it's a shame that had to be sharing stage time and presence with Twitter! And of all the artists to warrant a showcase, Dizzy Rascal? Really?

Overall I really enjoyed the show, especially the contrast to Beijing. Well done indeed.

What a big difference to the opening ceremonies you see now. They are so extravagant and costly with the huge props.

It seems like Barcelona kick started the modern trend, something aided no doubt by the advanced media of the time and the particular time it was shown. Much more theatrical nuances available at night time. Plus the Catalans were anxious to showcase themselves as unique to/more than just Spaniards. This prompted the current vision of using the ceremonies as a global promotional vehicle for your community, rather than as just an event for local spectators and the athletes.

By then the new artistry prompted by acts like Cirque du Soleil had also come to the fore, inviting directors to be more creative.

Michael Farber from CNNSI has an excellent article (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/olympics/2012/writers/michael_farber/07/27/opening-ceremony-london-olympics/index.html)about how these ceremonies have essentially become disjointed from the actual games. Many people, myself included, felt that Beijing was more obsessed with their salesmanship during the 3 hour "commercial" for their city and culture rather than the actual spirit of the full contest. Yes, the ceremonies for 2008 were full of splendor and amazing effects, but in the process it solidified the notion that the ceremonies take on a whole seperate, and perhaps more important, role for the host city. After all when the world is watching the actual games they're watching the athletes, and athletes from around the globe at that. But during the opening the world is focused on your community, your country and your people. It has become a $1B+ tourist and business recruitment campaign to signify your worth as a global city.

And, oh by the way, here are the athletes!

Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for a good show as anyone. I marveled at the machinations in Barcelona's presentation, felt shame when my own Atlanta featured chrome pick-up trucks in their show, and was duly impressed with China's massive display. But there has to be a value to the program, and I'm thankful that London and Danny Boyle brought us closer to the human and realistic side of the equation compared to China's demand for epic scale. How much of the money from many of these extraveganzas could've been put to better use through some charity causes, for example?

There is no gold medal for opening ceremonies. More importantly, hosting should be just like competing - The honor comes from the effort, not the result.

~

As for the London show here's one man's opinion:

- The evolution from bucolic settings to the industrial age was very well done and I loved the music. Thought the second half of that tallied a little long, but some of that might have been due to how it came off on TV.

- Speaking to that last point, I was amazed at how poorly NBC telecasts in the US struggled to capture the events. So many shots were too close to some characters as to miss other details and actions, others were so broad or quickly cut that I felt like it was a cheap music video. To say nothing of the utterly horrific job done by our commentators, Matt Laurer and Meredith Viera.

- The idea for the cauldron was very special, I only wish there was another way to weave together how the petals were introduced and how the cauldron was revealed.

- Novelty pieces with Bond and Mr. Bean were spot on! Very British and a nice break from the pomp of the ceremony.

- The bit with the nurses and the children's dreams/nightmares was all right but I felt the NHS promotion was over the top. I understand it's a historic program and something they're proud of, but is that truly so defining an element of your culture that it warrants such a big, blatant part of the ceremony? Exemplifying the dsicussion above, is it worth mentioning in an opening for the Olympic games? Perhaps if those dreams tied into athletics?

- The modern media and musical set - I wanted to be more immersed in the music than the make-shift soap opera. That we had fictional characters to guide us through the timeline I can deal with, but the musical tapestry was pushed back a little bit in favor of the love story. Sooo much great music to pull from it's a shame that had to be sharing stage time and presence with Twitter! And of all the artists to warrant a showcase, Dizzy Rascal? Really?

Overall I really enjoyed the show, especially the contrast to Beijing. Well done indeed.

Yes London was tasked with a determined "step down" from Beijing. The IOC wants the Olympics to be held in many other cities in future and doesnt want costs to become such a negative defining factor.

Just to point out that Dizzy Rascal is from the East End of London, the main focus of the Olympics 2012 is the East End rather than London as a whole and this regeneration aspect and bringing in the youth of the East End was a key factor in the winning bid. Hence there were lots of subtle references to the East End in the Opening Ceremony. I think the abide with me singer Emeli Sandé is also based around there and works with artists from the area.

Regarding the NHS I guess if you want to imagine the Olympics as a peaceful bringing together of peoples then the building of the NHS after the destruction of the Second World War is quite pivotal in British history akin to the ideology behind the modern Olympics movement.

More importantly in relation to the Olympics and the Ceremony, both the national slum clearance programmes and the NHS were ultimately responses to the negative effects of industrialisation which was highlighted in the ceremony; concerns which also gave birth to the Modern Olympic movement with the idea that everyone, not just the wealthy, should be able to lead healthy lives. Given the choice I would definitely seize on this narrative rather than the ancient mystical one picked up by Athens 2004 when in reality the Modern Olympic movement, although ideological, was still very based on pragmatism to combat the issues of the modern world in which we still live today, nationalism, inequality and wellbeing.

Personally I didn't have an issue with nurses joining in and having fun or if people didn't get bits, you can always find out about it after. The artistic link between the childrens hospital and the dream sequence celebrating British childrens literature was quite clever I thought, coming from the fact that Peter Pan royalties helped to fund the world famous Great Ormand street hospital.

I would conclude that the ceremony was incredibly layered and something many students may write about in future?

Fair assessment, Potto. And while I can agree with your thoughts about the importance of the NHS, I'm simply wondering if that particular element needed such an overt promotion. Even simply doing away with the lit beds spelling out "N-H-S" and "G-O-S-H," and just letting the narrative flow from world war to cultural and societal progression would've been more graceful, IMO. Especially when considering how (I would contend) so few people around the world might know the full history we're discussing. My wife simply assumed the NHS got the free plug as part of their union contracts or something!!

As for Dizzy and the East End references, again, great for them. I'm just wondering if that person/element warrants such prominence for a singular event. I couldn't tell you how well known he his around the globe, but after guessing all night which of many British artists might be making a live appearance for the night, all of us around our TV set saw him in the spotlight and collectively said "Who?"

Was hoping for Muse, myself! Terrible shame Freddy Mercury wasn't around for this.

Germany's last olympic experience is almost 40 years ago. The opening ceremony of Munich is on youtube, it is quiet amazing to see an old one an the most modern OC.

In 1972 the Munich OC was special and offered new elements to the public.

Parade of Nations with special tunes for the teams:

Entrance of Greece ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA&feature=player_detailpage#t=489s')

Argentina and Australia ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA&feature=player_detailpage#t=726s')

Brazil ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA&feature=player_detailpage#t=996s')

UK ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA&feature=player_detailpage#t=1611s')

East Germany ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA&feature=player_detailpage#t=1254s')


Ireland and Israel (R.I.P to the israelian athlets, who should die 10 days later ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA&feature=player_detailpage#t=1856s')

USA ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA&feature=player_detailpage#t=4885s')

West Germany ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA&feature=player_detailpage#t=5024s')

------------------

Salute of the youth ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDZIA9b3Pbo&feature=player_detailpage#t=2s')

Munich Olympic Fanfare ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDZIA9b3Pbo&feature=player_detailpage#t=230s')

Olympic flag & olympic anthem ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDZIA9b3Pbo&feature=player_detailpage#t=698s')

Hand over ceremony from Mexico City to Munich - mexican mariachis vs. bavarian lederhosen and marching band:-))) ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDZIA9b3Pbo&feature=player_detailpage#t=937s')

lightning of the cauldron, very simple ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDZIA9b3Pbo&feature=player_detailpage#t=1846s')

olympic oath ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDZIA9b3Pbo&feature=player_detailpage#t=2158s')

end of the ceremony ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDZIA9b3Pbo&feature=player_detailpage#t=2539s')

Barcelona 92 is the mother of all moderm ceremonies.

Only Athens 04 was any oryginal

London 2012 is the worst since Atlanta 96

China...yes...but....much money and people and...elephants white...

Athens was beautiful, elegant and meaningful.

Beijing was the most spectacular ever.

London was kitsch, shallow and boring.

Barcelona 92 is the mother of all moderm ceremonies.

Only Athens 04 was any oryginal

London 2012 is the worst since Atlanta 96

China...yes...but....much money and people and...elephants white...

Actually, Moscow would be considered the mother of all modern ceremonies, they started the whole mass spectacle of proper cultural segments rather than just a parade of nations, official stuff here, cauldron lighting and some cultural aspects towards the end.

London's wasn't bad, but could have been far better, as I rant about it here: http://www.gamesbids.com/forums/topic/21751-if-you-could-change-the-opening-ceremony/

for me, athens 2004 and 2012 indonesia national sports week in pekanbaru are the best opening ceremony

If there were ceremonies which set milestones, I would think they were:

Antwerp 1920 - First artistic portion used in an Opening Ceremony.

Berlin 1936 - First appearance of the lighting of the cauldron via torch relay runner.

Munich 1972 - First use of purposely written music for Parade of Athletes as opposed to generic military marching band music.

Moscow 1980 - First true Opening Ceremony, heavily emphasizing several artistic portions to form a full length Opening Ceremony.

Barcelona 1992 - First Opening Ceremony to venture into night time, thus allowing a fireworks display at the end of the show.

Sydney 2000 - Notable iconic ceremony truly showcasing Sydney and Australia, first use of suspended (guide wire) props and performers for a Summer Olympics (I know Albertville used this in the 1992 Winter Olympics).

Beijing 2008 - Sheer mass scale and ceremonies budget.

Good remarks /\/\/\ - esp Moscow.

But best overall OCs: Beijing, Barcelona, Atlanta (the 100th anniversary show) and Salt Lake City 2002.

how about london2012?

how about london2012?

Extremely polarizing. Some loved it (mostly Brits) some hated it (including me).

Barcelona, Sydney, Torino, Beijing and Vancouver for me, London's was ok. Now to see what Sochi will do in a years time :)

Good remarks /\/\/\ - esp Moscow.

But best overall OCs: Beijing, Barcelona, Atlanta (the 100th anniversary show) and Salt Lake City 2002.

IMO Atlanta's was horrible.

They could have done better with that 15 million dollar budget, it was the Centennial for crying out loud.

The segments seemed poorly strung together and could have better flowed as a proper narrative, rather than just a disjointed one.

I would have gone about it like this:

Act 1: Call to the Nations (same as the original)
Act 2: Summon the Heroes - American National Anthem (same)
Act 3: A homage to Olympic roots (what they did in the original, but moved to here)
James Earl Jones to narrate:
Act 4: Autumn (a homage to the native peoples of the region and arrival of the colonists)
Act 5: Winter (forming of a nation, then breaking away for the Civil War)
Act 6: Spring (the resurgence of Southern culture in the end of the 19th century)
Act 7: Summer (the African American movement in the 20th century and rise of modern Atlanta (bits of the band/cheerleader sequence and perhaps the song too would be played here))
Act 8: Return of the Olympic Spirits (same as the original, with De Coubertin's remark shown on that cloth screen)
Act 9: Remembering Past Hosts (same as the original)
Act 10: Parade of Athletes
Act 11: Official Speeches/Opening of the Games
Act 12: I Have a Dream (Martin Luther King Jr segment and Olympic ambassadors)
Act 13: Arrival of the Olympic Flag
Act 14: Arrival of the Flame/Cauldron Lighting
Act 15: Official Oaths
Act 16: Power of the Dream - Fireworks finale

I'm sure I missed some bits or mixed up some but who cares.

Extremely polarizing. Some loved it (mostly Brits) some hated it (including me).

I agree some loved it and some hated it (including you). But "mostly Brits" and "extremely polarizing"? What unsubstantiated comments!

for torino 2006 i like the raising flag segment, and the national anthem of australia in sydney 2000 was beautiful

The best one was Vancouver 2010

IMO Atlanta's was horrible.

They could have done better with that 15 million dollar budget, it was the Centennial for crying out loud.

The segments seemed poorly strung together and could have better flowed as a proper narrative, rather than just a disjointed one.

It wasn't horrible but it certainly wasn't great. It was indeed disjointed and i absolutely cringed when the chrome pick-up trucks came out. As far as inane artistry that ranks up there with the British nursing skit as inappropriately forced ideas that belong no where near the Olympics.

Atlanta did well with the drum call and the shadow-theatre homage to ancient greece. I also liked how they broght in flags for each past host city. The clogging I could've done without, and while Ali is an iconic figure for lighting the cauldron it also limited their means for using him. (Plus the cauldron itself was poorly contrived.)

The music was good and had there been better flow beteween scenes and a different color floor (awkward blue?) that would've helped immensely. But it wasn't worthy of the centennial games, I agree.

I agree some loved it and some hated it (including you). But "mostly Brits" and "extremely polarizing"? What unsubstantiated comments!

Just taking into account every Brit iv talked to loved it, and everyone else was mixed.

I agree some loved it and some hated it (including you). But "mostly Brits" and "extremely polarizing"? What unsubstantiated comments!
Call it what you will. You are showing the typical bias of the locals in 2012.

I know of no one who understood much of what was going on. The opening ceremony is supposed to be showcasing the host to the rest of the world, and London gave the rest of the world something that was totally confusing and indecipherable. If the 60 million people in the UK think it was a great show, but the other seven billion in the world all go "Huh?", then you have failed in your mission.

I know of no one who understood much of what was going on. The opening ceremony is supposed to be showcasing the host to the rest of the world, and London gave the rest of the world something that was totally confusing and indecipherable. If the 60 million people in the UK think it was a great show, but the other seven billion in the world all go "Huh?", then you have failed in your mission.

In terms of showcasing the host to the rest of the world, I don't see how it didn't do that. It featured a concise history of the industrial revolution, the contribution to literature and music, the establishment of the National Health Service and the pride we have with that. It even had Mr Bean! Saying that, it wouldn't have been a "British" ceremony if it was plastered with sentiments of jingoistic national pride and over-the-top features of say, Beijing 2008, as we have an unusual characteristic to be a touch self-deprecating.

Granted a few "in-jokes" were thrown in, such as the Eastenders theme in the beginning, but otherwise I imagine we expected the rest of the world to not be so...obtuse to the subtlety.

Call it what you will. You are showing the typical bias of the locals in 2012.

I know of no one who understood much of what was going on. The opening ceremony is supposed to be showcasing the host to the rest of the world, and London gave the rest of the world something that was totally confusing and indecipherable. If the 60 million people in the UK think it was a great show, but the other seven billion in the world all go "Huh?", then you have failed in your mission.

The "locals" :lol:

I have enough international connections to understand people didnt need to instantly understand the clever nuances and historical depths of the opening ceremony to not be able to sit back and merely enjoy the spectacle and join in with the references to the iconography that most people around the globe would recognize.

Im sure a lot of it went over a lot of peoples heads, just like what you witness when you go to see a musical or play or opera!

Isn't that after all what the widespread critical claim actually picked up on? The ability to weave different audiences within the entertainment that actually had a lot of depth?

If Putin liked it what more can I say.

The changing from the rural landscape to an industrial scene was awesome- the best thing I've erver seen at olympic opening ceremonies!
The NHS performance was boring, Rowan Atkinson performing "Chariots of fire" was great!
The lightning of the incredible cauldron was so moving. A great idea to symolize all the participating Nations in the cauldron!
The fireworks display was the right size, not so exaggerated like in Beijing.
Last but not least the led's at every seat in the stadium and the illumination of the stands were so special.

For me London was the best opening ceremony ever!

My list:
1st London
2nd Sydney
3rd Barelona

IMO Atlanta's was horrible.



Wouldn´t know anymore, maybe that says enough. Only thing that I remember was Mohammed Ali with the torch and that was great!
Opening ceremonies are not realy my thing, LA (the flying man!!!)was pretty good I thought, but maybe I remember that one as it were the first Olympics I realy saw.

http://youtu.be/80wMMFAcweQ

Extremely polarizing. Some loved it (mostly Brits) some hated it (including me).

The one thing that irked me was the Queen's arrival.

The video sequence was good, but they should have done more post editing to make it look more like night time, where the time shown on the clock was mostly accurate, it was morning. It should have been night.

There should have also been a longer pause to give the illusion of the Queen arriving inside the stadium right after the parachute jump. This would have been a perfect opportunity to remind people that it's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, with imagery flashing on the screens, floor and such.


As I may have mentioned before, I would have liked to have seen something different, a homage to Britain's past bidding attempts, set to the songs "The Long and Winding Road" - Beatles and "Faith of the Heart" - Russell Watson, showing footage of Britain's past bid attempts, as well as key events and milestones occurring during the 80's, 90's and 2000's. - Even if this wouldn't even be permitted by the IOC under normal circumstances, I would have snuck it in.

Wouldn´t know anymore, maybe that says enough. Only thing that I remember was Mohammed Ali with the torch and that was great!
Opening ceremonies are not realy my thing, LA (the flying man!!!)was pretty good I thought, but maybe I remember that one as it were the first Olympics I realy saw.

http://youtu.be/80wMMFAcweQ

Like I said, it was the centennial. It deserved better. For 15 million (1996 dollars) and the constraints based on stadium design, I could have come up with something more meaningful and fitting of the Centennial of the Modern Olympic Games.