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Regarding the opening ceremonies…one word…BLAH!
I think China set the bar way to high at the last Olympics. This one paled compared to their originality, precision, and entertainment value. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire spectacle as opposed to last night while I kept wating for something to happen and for it to be over.
For the most part it was way to "busy," (took much too long to remove the first set,) lacked the precision it should have had in a lot of the parts, found the wide variety of costumes in each segment detracted from the "effect," and, on the whole did not care for most of the music. The sound left a lot to be desired. Sometimes you could barely hear it.
The high points for me: Forging and raising the Olympic rings. The LEDs on each seat and what they did with them. The 50′ Valdermort. Beckman bringing the tourch on the boat, the fireworks, and the cauldron. Even Sir Paul was disappointing. (I believe his singing is becoming kind of weak which I first noticed at the Queen’s b.day party.) I can’t imagine why they chose Hey Jude (relevance?) to sing when there were so many much better choices. I would have selected Live and Let Die, just because of the dramatics of it.
I also enjoyed the trivia tidbits they offered for each country as they entered. Those were quite interesting. I hope the games themselves will be better presented.
Although I did not see the entire show, I too LOVED the rings part and the larger than life figures and Beckham (but then isn’t he one handsome dude!). The concept though for me went awry. I think the historical part was admirable, but went on too long and then got off track with the modern era and couldn’t see how that bedtime sequence fit in. The rapping was annoying and loud and the whole thing disintegrated into a jumbled mess. I would rather have seen a bolder contrast between the industrial revolution and the British music revolution and then bring on Macca.
I too agree that age seems to be catching up to the Beatle. I’ve noticed over his past several appearances a weaker voice. But still always a pleasure to see him.
Looking forward most to the women’s gymnastics team to see if they can live up to the hype. And will Phelps make an impact? I think he might be past his prime.do to equal what they did. I can’t even think of any superlatives that describe what I saw four years ago. I wish I would have kept it in my recorded file to watch again. It was magnificent!
As for last night, I recorded it as we were out for hubby’s birthday. So, when I finally sat down to watch it, I found myself ff’ing through quite a bit. I’d stop now and then, but I found it often loud and confusing. I did like what they did with the Olympic flame using those separate leaves being lit and then closing up into the big flame. However, I’m wondering why it didn’t get raised high above the stadium so it can be seen from different venues. Also, why was Mohammed Ali singled out…he lit the flame way back in 1996, so I didn’t see the significance of his participation. Also, there were so many people carrying a torch that I think it took away from the importance of one person doing the honors.
Matt Lauer and Bob Costas said that McCartney’s voice faltered because he was so emotional. I think not. I’m sure he was somewhat emotional; but, his voice has done what so many of ours has done as we’ve aged…it has gotten weaker. They might have picked "Hey Jude" because it’s so easy to make it into a sing-along. It was fun watching the faces on the athletes as they sang too.
All in all, it was entertaining…but not up to the Bejing presentation.
others ….. not so much. I know it’s revamping history, but the whole Industrial Revolution scenes were not interesting for me. The costumes, the scenery, just was not attractive, but it did get better as it went along. I thought the doves in flight from the dazzling costumes under the blue lighting, with the doves appearing to actually fly through the stadium was beautiful; I, too, loved the forging of the rings and the effects of the lighting of the cauldron, although I agree that there were too many torch bearers lighting it. It sort of took away from tradition for me. But, as stated, Beijing is going to be hard to top. Those ceremonies were like nothing I’ve ever seen, but aren’t the Chinese famous for their use of pyrotechnics?
As a side note, I simply cannot wait to see my boy, Michael Phelps, all this week. He’s swimming in 8 events and needs just 3 medals of any color to be the most decorated Olympian of all time. GOOOOOOOO MICHAEL!!!!! Charm City and the entire state of Maryland is soooooo proud of you!
and overall I think your words "jumbled mess" describes it, for me. I didn’t see it all, but some of what I saw was magic, and the rest was a mess! What a disappointment! The parades were boring and put me to sleep. When I woke up to yet another parade, I just switched channels. My overall impression of the ceremony, in one word, is: "Huh?!?"
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who said the London opening ceremonies were intentionally dialed back from the China ones so as not to start something that will eventually get entirely out of hand, each country trying to out-do and out-spend the last. I guess that makes a lot of sense. Besides, I don’t know how anybody could top what they did. With that in mind, he said he liked the show. Different strokes, I guess.
China had something to prove to the world so used what they are known for, their discipline, precision, and pyrotechnics. Further, I think never having held an olympiad in a South American country AND being known for their carnivale extravaganzas, Rio is going to put on quite a show 2016 also. I just hope I’m still around to see it.
your son, Bonbon! What he said explains a lot and makes sense to me. I am glad you posted it.
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