I can see why some with the attention span of a gnat and who do not care about our history didn't understand or like it, but I'm glad that didn't dumb it down to a chav video game just for them.
So many big moments like the flying Rings, The Queen meeting Mr Bond and Mr Bean to name a few. And the transformations of the whole arena on an epic scale was a logistical nightmare that they pulled off.
Then the decision to hand the honour of the flame over to the young had me in tears - And what a cauldron!
At least those youths at the end were an inspiration unlike the ones on here and their trolling.
As has rightly been pointed out, it ended up costing around £1 per TV viewer, which is nothing at all. £27m is not a big amount of money in the grand scheme of things. Many Premier League footballers cost more than that and it's barely 1% of how much has been cut across the country.
Admittedly, the games themselves, I'd imagine, are a lot more expensive, but a) we'll make a lot of money back from it, and b) the Opening Ceremony is what everyone will remember the most, and you can't buy the sense of national pride and utter joy that was so widespread last night. No issue here as far as I'm concerned.
And actually, they did a hell of a lot with £27m. Paul McCartney, Kenneth Branagh, JK Rowling, Arctic Monkeys, Rowan Atkinson, Daniel Craig, David Beckham and The Queen probably cost at least half of that between them. Everything else was probably done with £12-15m or so, which is an astounding achievement.
As has rightly been pointed out, it ended up costing around £1 per TV viewer, which is nothing at all. £27m is not a big amount of money in the grand scheme of things. Many Premier League footballers cost more than that and it's barely 1% of how much has been cut across the country.
Admittedly, the games themselves, I'd imagine, are a lot more expensive, but a) we'll make a lot of money back from it, and b) the Opening Ceremony is what everyone will remember the most, and you can't buy the sense of national pride and utter joy that was so widespread last night. No issue here as far as I'm concerned.
And actually, they did a hell of a lot with £27m. Paul McCartney, Kenneth Branagh, JK Rowling, Arctic Monkeys, Rowan Atkinson, Daniel Craig, David Beckham and The Queen probably cost at least half of that between them. Everything else was probably done with £12-15m or so, which is an astounding achievement.
McCartney maybe, but I can't believe Branagh invoiced them for the privilege of reciting Shakespeare to a billion people
I loved every minute of it and it was worth every single penny. I was so enthused by the spectacle that I made a video talking about how great it was and how, as a nation, we should strive to be proud of our achievements, instead of existing under a cloud of whinging pessimism.
McCartney maybe, but I can't believe Branagh invoiced them for the privilege of reciting Shakespeare to a billion people
Yes, you may have a point about Branagh (and possibly JKR, actually) but Rowan Atkinson in particular won't have come cheap, I think. He's not a penny-pincher, just very, very camera-shy. I was very pleasantly surprised he did it.
It was OK, don't think it was better than Beijing though.
I did.
Although Beijing was big, I felt it was very samey and I got bored quickly.
If found the British opening ceremony much more engaging and impressive in different ways.
Unfortunately I passed out due to excessive alcohol consumption (I'm normally practically tee-total but going through a crisis at the moment) & missed most of it, I dare say I will be able to catch up with it on You Tube.
Unfortunately I passed out due to excessive alcohol consumption (I'm normally practically tee-total but going through a crisis at the moment) & missed most of it, I dare say I will be able to catch up with it on You Tube.
I was peeeeed by the end, but managed to stay awake.
I wouldn't have thought that any of them expected payment.
I'd really, really hope that was the case but my head tells me it can't have been. Can you imagine the pressure the stars were under? I can't believe that they would have put themselves under the scrutiny of 1 billion people and pretty much the entire UK for free. Especially not Rowan Atkinson, who doesn't even like to do interviews because of his reclusive nature.
If we never spent an money on important events like this, what history would we have going forward as a country? Man I can't stand people that moan about stuff like this. 27m is peanuts.
I think the texting thing was a bit stupid and they got the industrial revolution mixed up with the suffragettes, but on the whole a good show and Emily Sande singing Abide With Me was excellent. Also fair play to Rowan Atkinson for an unexpected cameo. I'll give it 8.5 out of 10.
Let down by that stupid texting scene and the suffragettes being part of the industrial revolution( they were 100 years later), but on the whole good. I found Emili Sande's rendition of Abide With Me moving and Mike Oldfield was on form.
I'd really, really hope that was the case but my head tells me it can't have been. Can you imagine the pressure the stars were under? I can't believe that they would have put themselves under the scrutiny of 1 billion people and pretty much the entire UK for free. Especially not Rowan Atkinson, who doesn't even like to do interviews because of his reclusive nature.
MUSIC superstars including Sir Paul McCartney and One Direction are being paid £1 to sing at the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies.
All of the headlining acts will pocket the minute nominal fee to appear, regardless of fame or status.
Performers such as Jessie J, George Michael, and Take That will initially be out of pocket as they still have to pay full rates for their band, backing singers, make-up artists and crew.
I make no claims for the truth or otherwise of this story though.
And actually, they did a hell of a lot with £27m. Paul McCartney, Kenneth Branagh, JK Rowling, Arctic Monkeys, Rowan Atkinson, Daniel Craig, David Beckham and The Queen probably cost at least half of that between them. Everything else was probably done with £12-15m or so, which is an astounding achievement.
The Queen? You're not seriously suggesting that the Queen was paid to take part?
I think the texting thing was a bit stupid and they got the industrial revolution mixed up with the suffragettes, but on the whole a good show and Emily Sande singing Abide With Me was excellent. Also fair play to Rowan Atkinson for an unexpected cameo. I'll give it 8.5 out of 10.
I really enjoyed it actually, I thought Danny Boyle and co did a great job. Better than Beijing??? Well that's a bit of a apples and oranges comparison for me. Beijing had more overpowering spectacle, it was wonderful but perhaps a bit too muscle flexing and militaristic for me (it was designed to show the World that China are essentially going to be the new superpower of the 21st century).
Ours wasn't as impressive visually but it was still very impressive, and it had more heart and informality. Beijing's ceremony said 'be in awe of us, we've arrived' London's was 'hey we're a bit nutty, but we can laugh at ourselves'. Beijing wins on grandeur and lavishness, London wins on inclusiveness and heart in my opinion.
Yes definitely. Blew every other opening ceremony out the water.
Totally agree, the only other opening ceremony which came close to capturing the spirit of the games and the uniqueness of the country hosting was Sydney's in 2000 imho. I also loved the Athens opening in 2004. Thought Bejing's last time round was just all flash and not much substance.
ETA: And the Chinese added CGI fireworks to their display and had an image of a girl singing and she wasn't even doing the singing.
I don't agree with all these "it could have been spent better elsewhere" comments I see, the same could be said about every bit of expenditure around the games, but I'm sure there will be millions of pounds of extra advertising and sponsorship coming in, plus the fact the opening ceremony itself was basically an advert to the world, I think it will more than have paid for itself, so in turn boost money to more "worthwhile" causes/areas.
There were parts I didn't like, but then there were parts I really liked, at such a long show it was never going to please everybody, all the time. I'd have rather the BBC donated Trevor Nelson's fee into the kitty so they could have paid for the rights to some more 90's/00's music, obviously Britpop, Take That and the Spice Girls didn't happen, music ended with Firestarter until Grime.
As has rightly been pointed out, it ended up costing around £1 per TV viewer, which is nothing at all. £27m is not a big amount of money in the grand scheme of things. Many Premier League footballers cost more than that and it's barely 1% of how much has been cut across the country.
I didn't realise the public pays for Premier League footballers? Last time I looked football clubs were not financed out of the public purse.
Comments
If its purpose was to advertise the UK then compare it to the $4 billion annual advertising budget of Coca Cola.
I can see why some with the attention span of a gnat and who do not care about our history didn't understand or like it, but I'm glad that didn't dumb it down to a chav video game just for them.
So many big moments like the flying Rings, The Queen meeting Mr Bond and Mr Bean to name a few. And the transformations of the whole arena on an epic scale was a logistical nightmare that they pulled off.
Then the decision to hand the honour of the flame over to the young had me in tears - And what a cauldron!
At least those youths at the end were an inspiration unlike the ones on here and their trolling.
Well done to all and thanks for a great show!
Admittedly, the games themselves, I'd imagine, are a lot more expensive, but a) we'll make a lot of money back from it, and b) the Opening Ceremony is what everyone will remember the most, and you can't buy the sense of national pride and utter joy that was so widespread last night. No issue here as far as I'm concerned.
And actually, they did a hell of a lot with £27m. Paul McCartney, Kenneth Branagh, JK Rowling, Arctic Monkeys, Rowan Atkinson, Daniel Craig, David Beckham and The Queen probably cost at least half of that between them. Everything else was probably done with £12-15m or so, which is an astounding achievement.
McCartney maybe, but I can't believe Branagh invoiced them for the privilege of reciting Shakespeare to a billion people
Look...here...
Yes, you may have a point about Branagh (and possibly JKR, actually) but Rowan Atkinson in particular won't have come cheap, I think. He's not a penny-pincher, just very, very camera-shy. I was very pleasantly surprised he did it.
I did.
Although Beijing was big, I felt it was very samey and I got bored quickly.
If found the British opening ceremony much more engaging and impressive in different ways.
I was peeeeed by the end, but managed to stay awake.
My head is unusually clear this morning.
I'd really, really hope that was the case but my head tells me it can't have been. Can you imagine the pressure the stars were under? I can't believe that they would have put themselves under the scrutiny of 1 billion people and pretty much the entire UK for free. Especially not Rowan Atkinson, who doesn't even like to do interviews because of his reclusive nature.
Found this.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/263378/Sir-Paul-McCartney-to-perform-for-just-1/
MUSIC superstars including Sir Paul McCartney and One Direction are being paid £1 to sing at the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies.
All of the headlining acts will pocket the minute nominal fee to appear, regardless of fame or status.
Performers such as Jessie J, George Michael, and Take That will initially be out of pocket as they still have to pay full rates for their band, backing singers, make-up artists and crew.
I make no claims for the truth or otherwise of this story though.
The Queen? You're not seriously suggesting that the Queen was paid to take part?
Ours wasn't as impressive visually but it was still very impressive, and it had more heart and informality. Beijing's ceremony said 'be in awe of us, we've arrived' London's was 'hey we're a bit nutty, but we can laugh at ourselves'. Beijing wins on grandeur and lavishness, London wins on inclusiveness and heart in my opinion.
Totally agree, the only other opening ceremony which came close to capturing the spirit of the games and the uniqueness of the country hosting was Sydney's in 2000 imho. I also loved the Athens opening in 2004. Thought Bejing's last time round was just all flash and not much substance.
ETA: And the Chinese added CGI fireworks to their display and had an image of a girl singing and she wasn't even doing the singing.
Except for the dire Mccartney and the mis-step in how they tried to involve Ali I thought it pretty much represented this loony country flawlessly.
They sure looked the part.:)
I don't agree with all these "it could have been spent better elsewhere" comments I see, the same could be said about every bit of expenditure around the games, but I'm sure there will be millions of pounds of extra advertising and sponsorship coming in, plus the fact the opening ceremony itself was basically an advert to the world, I think it will more than have paid for itself, so in turn boost money to more "worthwhile" causes/areas.
There were parts I didn't like, but then there were parts I really liked, at such a long show it was never going to please everybody, all the time. I'd have rather the BBC donated Trevor Nelson's fee into the kitty so they could have paid for the rights to some more 90's/00's music, obviously Britpop, Take That and the Spice Girls didn't happen, music ended with Firestarter until Grime.