The opening ceremony (the only good bit of the whole thing, in theory, although reality has not quite lived up to that billing)

[girasol]

I didn't notice it but apparently Olympic flag was placed upside down?

 

[tommers]

We didn't work out why there are only 5 Olympic Rings when there are 7 continents. Which continents do the Olympic authorities hate?

Inclusion for everybody except Australians and people who live in the Antarctic (scientists and such)?

 

[magneze]

The white background is the Arctic?

 

[tommers]

Oh, apparently the Americas is considered as one continent. And Antarctica doesnt count as its not inhabited.

Theyre just making it up.

 

[gosub]

That's pengiunist

 

[tommers]

A disgrace. Lip service. Sound without substance.

 

[T & P]

My verdict of the whole thing would be that whereas it was far too long and underwhelming in places, which what bloody opening ceremony does not suffer from the latter anyway, this was ultimately brilliant.

Mostly because of the massive points gained by doing something original and hosting it for the first time through the city centre rather then in the Olympic stadium.

Because let’s face it, how many slightly different variations of the staple 3-hour ceremony featuring the familiar performative dancers followed by an endless procession of national athletes walking around the athletic tracks in their Sunday bests is too many? For this break in tradition alone this ceremony deserves massive recognition, and a lasting one at that.

 

[Supernanna]

I missed most of it but I gather it was the shittest opening ceremony of all time

No! It was a fantastic unique spectacular!

 

[Aaronf]

Had to watch it on catch up after being out but really enjoyed it, every bit

Liked the almost ghost horse being ridden down the Seine then the lady delivering the flag. Excited for watching the rest of the sports now the games are officially open

 

[Mation]

Impressed with balloon of flames but where will it stay? Maybe a missed it and they explained!?

I think it stays right there, where it is now. May have misunderstood, though.

 

[Mation]

Christ. If I didn't already know I was middle aged, this sealed the deal. I enjoyed an Olympics opening ceremony mostly unironically, and without much piss taking.

Might as well buy myself a fucking season ticket to Cirque du Soleil now and be done with it

 

[May Kasahara]

Thought I'd pop across to Twitter for the first time in ages to see if there were any more funny comments/memes about the #OpeningCeremony...fuck me, what a typhoon of racist fundie arseholes Instantly reminded why I never go there.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

I think it stays right there, where it is now. May have misunderstood, though.

Phileas Fogg was one of the few people not to touch the olympic torch for a few seconds in the final drawn-out hours, so I think it's staying where it is.

 

[Mation]

Phileas Fogg was one of the few people not to touch the olympic torch for a few seconds in the final drawn-out hours, so I think it's staying where it is.

I don't understand.

 

[Aladdin]

I don't understand.

The character in Around the World in 80 days..I think.. he took off in a balloon..

 

[scifisam]

Christ. If I didn't already know I was middle aged, this sealed the deal. I enjoyed an Olympics opening ceremony mostly unironically, and without much piss taking.

Might as well buy myself a fucking season ticket to Cirque du Soleil now and be done with it

For me, it was a sunny day after a long time. I was happy.

I am basically a lizard.

 

[Mation]

The character in Around the World in 80 days..I think.. he took off in a balloon..

Yes, but I still don't get it.

It's not of major concern, though

 

[T & P]

Yes, but I still don't get it.

It's not of major concern, though

I guess we all have to accept a degree of host country-related references that might not make sense to other nations. Like most people I thought Danny Boyle’s London 2012’s opening ceremony was brilliant and packed a social message to boot, but the rest of the world must have wondered what the fuck was going on when several dozen performers on roller skates appeared on the stage pushing hospital beds as a homage to the NHS

 

[Happy Tree]

The French invented the balloon.

The first untethered manned hot air balloon flight in the world was performed in Paris, France, by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes on November 21, 1783,[1] in a balloon created by the Montgolfier brothers.[2]

So, the French for hot air balloon is "la montgolfière".

 

[Happy Tree]

Yes, but I still don't get it.

It's not of major concern, though

The French invented the hot air balloon. I posted but included a link so I'm being moderated, lol. It's called "la montgolfière" in French because the Mongolfier brothers invented it.

 

[Mation]

The French invented the hot air balloon.

That's not the bit I don't get.

It was the not touching... therefore...

I posted but included a link so I'm being moderated, lol. It's called "la montgolfière" in French because the Mongolfier brothers invented it.

We can post links here without advance moderation.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

I am genuinely frasmotic to have caused another such pericombobulation. My original post referred to the very many people being involved in the final, tedious torch run to a hot air balloon and the many references to classic French literature seen throughout the evening (which, to this point had not included Jules Verne). Had a posh Englishman in a top hat with travel bags shown up near the balloon, then perhaps that would have been an indication that the balloon was itself to move about the place. But that didn't happen, so please stop thinking about it and go to bed.

 

[Happy Tree]

I will re-sheath my disembowelling cutlass forthwith and repair to Mrs Miggins' pie shop for a roister we will never forget.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

I will re-sheath my disembowelling cutlass forthwith and repair to Mrs Miggins' pie shop for a roister we will never forget.

Steady on, I never said I compunctuous!

 

[UrbaneFox]

The character in Around the World in 80 days..I think.. he took off in a balloon..

He was also the founder of the luxury crisp empire.

I liked the runner on the rooftops, the mechanical horse on the river, the headless queens, the Lumiere's train bursting through the screen, the dancers, and the Jamaican team, who looked to be having a genuinely great time.

 

[mentalchik]

Can't say i liked it very much....was so looking forwards to it but for me it didn't gel, was disjointed, bits of it were great...not a fan of Celine but she proper belted out that song and the whole thing just fell flat imo

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Can't say i liked it very much....was so looking forwards to it but for me it didn't gel, was disjointed, bits of it were great...not a fan of Celine but she proper belted out that song and the whole thing just fell flat imo

Yeah I thought Celine was brilliant, I'm not a fan either but she really nailed it.

 

[Silas Loom]

If a competent director had planned exactly how each dance act should be shot, and how long it should be given, and how to interleave that with the sporty people on boats, then it might have worked. But no-one producing the main TV feed had a clue what they were doing. It was jarring and frenetic and slapdash, and would have looked amateurish even if shot in perfect weather.

 

[tommers]

Carl Lewis on that boat is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

 

[Elpenor]

Carl Lewis on that boat is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

He realised he’d left the oven on before coming out and it was bugging him the whole evening