I don't understand what the question was....
But, I have my own opinion on the event. I thought it was great for the most part!
I really didn't understand a few parts of the ceremony. The part about healthcare and the industrial revolution. I understand WHY the industrial revolution part was put in (because London and England were such a huge part of it.) But, I don't really understand how that has anything to do with the Olympics or anything besides that point in history. The second part, the healthcare kind of stumps me. I loved how it was a tribute to the writing and literature (LOVED J.K. Rowling and the Mary Poppins etc,)
But, I'm not quite sure how the healthcare system fits in there. Although, I did like how the hospital beds fit in to the whole literature/bedtime/dream theme.
A part I really loved, was the tribute to the music. I thought it was a really great addition to the literature theme from before.
As for comparison to Beijing, I honestly don't remember Beijing at all. I remember lots of dancing and the whole celebration being very over the top and err, well lit? haha. Anyway, I thought Beijing was a great Opening Ceremony in the sense that it was very grand and big and (sorry I'm struggling to find words) over the top? It was truly a great ceremony. London was unique in a different way, it was a history of its own land. I thought it was very historical and fit into the whole next generation theme because of how it went back in time. I liked both ceremonies a lot!
I don't mind about Mary Poppins and how very less they spent for the opening but it lacked solemnity. Too many rock musics to me ruined the whole spirit. One or two its ok. Now where the hell was the Greek flag?
And after reading the entire novel, here's what how I respond:
Still doesn't change the fact that it was boring
It's sort of disheartening seeing other countries bashing it, so I just decided to explain it from a British residents perspective.
- First off; the Chaos. People have been saying it was disorganised and illogical, which it was, but as far as Britain is concerned, that represents London. Eccentricity, madness, the inability to see what is coming. There was no point in the ceremony where you could predict what would happen next, the Queen jumping out of a helicopter, similarly to London, nobody can predict what London will look like in 5, 20, 100 years. Mr Bean? He's a microcosm of British humour, slightly satirical, dry, and as a French person I know has said "a different sense humour anywhere else", part of the joke isn't even in fact what Mr Bean is doing, but the inappropriateness of it in the ceremony to begin with, leading back to eccentricity.
- The opening; it was representing the countries core history. Starting from the feudalist times of rolling hills, to this being pulled apart and making away to the fulcrum of our countries economic success, the industrial revolution, led by the plutocratic classes. Following this, it showed the darker side of our history, the social upheaval by the working classes, the conditions of the workers, the suffragette movement. The men & women walking with 'shells' on their suits, these are known as the 'Kings and Queens' of East London, they in effect were the sole Charity in 1800's London.
- The minute silence for the fallen, including poppies; a British tradition, but shared with the world to remember the fallen from their own countries.
- The NHS bit; most people say this is politicised, that isn't the case. It is agreed across 80%+ of British that social medicine is the correct thing, and in fact it is a core part of our society. We were one of the first countries to offer healthcare for our poor. It wasn't an illogical mess as such either, it came after the industrial revolution - chronology. Mary Poppins was showing British theatre, and also representing the area of London the olympics was being held.
- The games is known as the 'Technological Olympics', hence why Tim Berners-Lee was included.
- The interruptive dancing and memorial wall; this was quite simply in place as a memorial for the 7/7 bombings, it may well not be everyone's cup of tea (the irony), but you could say a town hall lowering a flag after a death is similarly an anti-climax, maybe so, but it's what it represents which matters, and not to be overshadowed by colour and fireworks.
- The Olympic cauldron was an expression of British engineering; both creative and effective at the same time.
- Finally; what separates our games from Beijing, as they were putting on a show by professionals in order to impress the world; Britain was putting on a show by the people, as the intended legacy of the games was to improve the livelihoods of the people, the regeneration of East London. The passing of the flame to the next generation of the athletes symbolic for the world.
I agree, I don't think it was representing the world as such, but instead it was representing the important influence our country has had on the world; from culture, to industrialism, to creating the internet - arguably the most important part of modern times. I personally feel it represented a British history and culture the world didn't know, it digressed away from the much perceived knights in armour, and monarchy, and instead showed other crucial parts of our past; such as the social upheaval.
In conclusion, I think it can be said that our opening can be said to be different from any other, if not the best, the one which prepared to stand up and say, we don't have $100m to spend on it, so we'll do it the eccentric British way.
