Bond, Bean and the Queen like never before
Actor Rowan Atkinson, known for his role as Mr Bean, performs during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium. — Reuters Photo
LONDON: Top that Rio.
With the words “Good Evening, Mr Bond”, Queen Elizabeth launched her acting career and set the bar at a new high for Olympic opening ceremonies.
Danny Boyle, director of the Oscar-winning “Slumdog Millionaire”, always said he could not match the huge budget that “House of Flying Daggers” director Zhang Yimou was given to deliver Beijing’s spectacular opening in 2008.
Instead, he piled on the British icons — JK Rowling reading from Peter Pan, Mr Bean mocking “Chariots of Fire” and soccer star David Beckham sweeping up the River Thames in a speedboat with the Olympic torch. For good measure, he threw in a dollop of Shakespeare and Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins ringing the world’s largest tuned bell.
But undoubtedly Boyle’s greatest coup was persuading the Queen to make her film debut at Buckingham Palace with Daniel Craig as a suavely attired James Bond. Even the Queen’s corgis got to play cameo roles.
The coup de theatre was delivered with real flair, and matched the wow factor of the jet-propelled rocket man roaring into the stadium at the start of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.
Both Danny Boyle and Zhang Yimou, as befits fast-paced film directors, showed a sharp eye for the spectacular on a grand scale.
Beijing began memorably with 2008 drummers pounding out a hypnotic beat that rumbled across the Bird’s Nest stadium like thunder, their red drumsticks glowing in the dark.
Boyle went for a more softly softly approach with an idyllic English countryside scene that oozed nostalgia. He then stepped up the pace in a dark portrayal of the Industrial Revolution, with giant chimney stacks belching out smoke across the stadium to an equally insistent drum beat.
The Guardian newspaper called it “madcap, surreal and moving.” The Independent said the show boasted “beautiful pace and superb imagery.”
Music has always been a crucial ingredient in an Olympic opening ceremony.
Sydney went for Olivia Newton-John. In Barcelona, the strains of Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe belting out “Barcelona” were everywhere. In Los Angeles, 84 pianists in white tie and tails launched into George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” It was pure kitsch.
Boyle topped them with Beatle Paul McCartney singing the show out with “Hey Jude.”
Britain went for a joint approach to lighting the Olympic cauldron, with seven young athletes bearing torches.
It may have lacked the emotional punch of Muhammad Ali lighting the torch in Atlanta in 1996 — and the London organisers invited him back to accompany the Olympic flag into the stadium on Friday.
Ravaged by Parkinson’s and a pale shadow of the champion who once floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee, Ali cut a poignant figure who will linger long in the memory of viewers — along with the sight of Queen Elizabeth with corgis and Bond in tow.
Sorry Londoners, i expected better, but the opening ceremony was awful and was probably worse than Sydney. Who could forget that disgusting parade of wheelbarrows and rubbish bins.
The best in recent times have been Barcelona, Athens and Beijing. I guess when you have history it is an easy asset to rely on.
You guys are missing Shafi's point. It is not about the the Shalwar Kameez but the outfits (loose baggy shalwars) the Pakistani contingent were wearing were dull and boring. You can even look elegant and stylish in a shalwar Kameez too. Imran Khan looks fab in Shalwar Kameez
should have gone for Junaid Jamshed or some other stylish designer
I agree with Shafi and other it was old english show nothing special about it or original…Pakistani were dressed in PJ 's. Shame on us for haveing rich colors in our culture we dressed like khansama 's from a Karachi cantine. Indian contigent on the other hand was much better dressed. In Pakistan nobody in Government believes in presentation and professionalism. The only over dressed jolly old fellow Gilani with expensive suits and ties. Our team as well dressed as Raja the PM.
It was a magnificent ceremony, representing the British culture beautifully .
We Pakistanis can only dream and complain. Ever thought about setting goals and striving to get them ?
the pakistanis dont know how to enjoy ! this is their cultural problem and it is because of radicalism, illiterate and Hippocratic mind .
Olympic Ceremonies were great. Good Luck and best wishes to all our Athletes.
A nation of 180 million people produced a contingent of 23 Athletes taking part in London 2012 Olympic. Why??????
Because Olympics are for rich.
Our 'leaders' are rich!
When the Queen flung herself out of the helicoptor door, several thousand feet above Olympic Arena, it was like "OK Baby, you go for it!" OMG! Good fun!
I think the queen does her own dress, which she needs to stop doing, as it is not working.
90% of people i have spoken to say that the ceremony was terrible. I completely agree.. This was more like an opening ceremony of the BAFTA awards. I have seen more than 6 opening ceremonies, but this was by far the most terrible. Heck it didn't even seem like an opening ceremony.
Britishers need to get their heads out of their self perceived notion of excessive pride. The whole world wasn't interested in what music they play or movies they make.
Honestly it was the worst ever olympics opening ceremony ever…!
Honestly, it was a very boring event. Danny Boyle had really no idea what he was upto. The Beijing Olympics were far superior. We Pakistani always get inspired by British. Cuz of "Gora Shahib". I totally agree with the comment above that the queen part was absolutely ordinary
Yes, I agree with you. Ok, they may have spent millions but it lacked richness and grandeur. The ceremony lacked the true and great colors of events of the past. Sorry London you missed it here. The British media has created a false hype by branding it the greatest show on earth.
the whole start up of this year Olympics is very "Dull". Typical non-intelligent like "BRITISH". compare it with 'Beijing' olympics and see the difference. It proves that a new world is emerging very different than the 'Dull,Monotonous and Cunning' world of cpllonial and post-collonial time of 'British Raaj and American Bullying'. wake up English lovers like "DAWN" and the like mind-set.
I think it was possible to make your point without invoking conspiracy theories, no? I personally found the opening ceremony stunning, although I must say it was a bit different and, for people who were left confused, some understanding of the symbols and figures beloved by the British and appreciated the world over that were featured in the opening ceremony would have enhanced the experience. Anyway, of course, not everyone was expeced to love it and at the end of the day, the old adage holds true: to each his own.
During the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic games guess which contingent was awfully dressed. In my opinion the worst dressed team was Pakistanis. They looked bland, colorless and shabby in their baggy attires. Even Somalians were better dressed. what a shame to loose such an opportunity. But that is Pakistan.
So right you are! Why do we always have to attire ourselves in apparel which must make us look so misfit in the place! It is not about holding up your traditional attire but about giving a good figure. With so many designers back home and a chunk of very high-profiled art schools, I wonder why couldn't Pakistan Olympic Committee get some original ideas for their team march in the stadium.
Thank you Mr Shah for backing me. that was my point. There could be beautifully made shalwar kamiz suits which could have been worn with Achkans. What these athletes were Waring looked as if they just got out of bed.
absolutely correct. aweful
OK people. Lets change our national flag cause Mr Shafi finds it bland. So what were Saudis wearing ??? black suits and bo ties ?? Pls learn to respect your identity..
i liked it, my family liked it, my relatives liked it, my friends liked it, and most of the Pakistanis I heard liked it. we ought to like it, because it is our national dress. i believe the dress looked awesome on our contingent.
Every nation participated with their own cultural traditional dresses in the opening ceremony. You have a practice of criticizing everything about Pakistan?, that is a negative attitude towards constructive criticism.
Cheers
@Shafi WE are proud of our dress…! Kamiz Shalwaar… its beautifula and elegant! u get out of Slavery pls!!!
Wake up. Join the 21 century instead of going in reverse.
Oh What show, greatest show the planet has ever seen, Queen looked marvellous. Bond was awesome. Ali was great, crowd was fabulous, fireworks were like never seen before. Oh Great Britain we all pakistanis put our shoes on our heads and salute you for we can only better you with our nadra system…
what is this?
it was the worst ever olympics opening ceremony ever
Good satire.
OK…Mr Bean was a light hearted laugh as he always is BUT Com'on Queen part was really really ordinary….Dogs were more the focus and acted more in that little movie premier then her…so stop baraggin on uselessly.