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Showing posts with label London Olympics 2012. Show all posts
London Olympics 2012, the Night Danny Boyle and the British made Rest of the World Feeling Cheated and Green Eyed.
The truth is the world is dazzled and jealous how the British pulled off a magical night as their own with characters that in fact belonged to the whole world. The London Olympics opening event is slowly getting its shower of praises after not so flattering and sarcastic remarks from foreign media.
There were some early cringe-worthy scenes of pre-industrial Britain: maypole dancers, thatched cottages, mustachioed beekeepers, and a hirsute Kenneth Branagh dressed up as British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel orating from Shakespeare's The Tempest.
At times quixotic, the Opening Ceremonies were immediately accused by some of being simply too British, laced as they were with obscure references to the National Health Service and English club music
Despite being fantastic eye catching events, many people can hardly remember anything from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing or several others before, which were telecast to the whole world.
From Chincha Alta (Peru) to Siem Reap (Cambodia), who doesn't hold a little corner of their heart with some affection for many of the characters who enlivened the evening? Starting with the Queen, several living and fictional characters like Mr Bean, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, James Bond, Harry Potter, Paul McCartney, David Beckham and many others have left indelible marks on human memory and will continue to do for centuries.
Is there anyone fortunate to have a basic education who is not taught of the Industrial revolution? Is there anyone who whish they didn't have a universal health assurance epitomised by the British NHS, except perhaps the Americans who think it is a crazy idea?
Of course one could argue that going back further in history, to Shakespeare and Henry VIII; you could be really English and British. Though that would have been more 'Greek' to the rest of the world, there would still be some universality about it.
The reality is, it is almost impossible to conceive a 'totally British' Olympics 2012 opening ceremonylike the one presented by Danny Boyle without having a universal appeal. That is because there was hardly a 'British' character in the whole show that didn't belong to the whole world.
Yet, the London Olympics opening spectacle of Danny Boyle, with the Bond-Queen séance and Mr Bean's version of Chariots of fire, both of which have gone viral on the social web, is already being etched in to the human psyche.
If the British characters have become the world's own, you can't blame the British for it. Neither can you blame the English Language. It is the genuinely human appeal each of these British born or conceived heroes evoke in human minds which make Macbeth to Slumdog Millionaire endearing to human minds, something no other nation has been successful at.
That is the quintessential Brutishness evinced by Danny Boyle's wonderful and ingenious production the British can be really proud of. In fact a celebration of the freedom of spirit and mind engrained in the British social values, and in the ultimate British sense of humour.
As the IOC president Jacques Rogge reminded in his opening speech, London is home to the Olympics games in many ways, by establishing many of the ground rules in the 1948 games and proceedings. Danny Boyle and his team can be proud that the 2012 Olympics Opening Gala will make it even more so by establishing the standard and benchmark for future opening events.
That sheer regimentation, pyrotechnics and robotics, at the cost of millions of dollars just for showmanship and the grandeur of any event have come to the end of their limits, is shown by the Beijing Olympics. That the way forward, in the real world beset with economic crisis, is the ingenious use of imagination and modern technological innovations in media and imagery is shown by the London 2012 ceremony.
Yet it will be almost impossible to better what was seen on the night of the 2012 Olympics opening night in London in the imaginable future, because Danny Boyle has already pulled out the best of everything.
Whether you like it or not the British have done it again. No point being jealous about it.
Will the Indomitable British Spirit Still Save the London Olympics From a Fiasco?
The Brits, as a nation, get pretty excited even at the drop of a royal hat. Anything remotely British like mere thought of winning a Wimbledon or World cup which were last won decades ago can turn the national pride and spirit a notch or two.
From the public reception the Olympic torch received around the UK, braving heavy rains, floods and even attempts to snatch it, the British are determined to make it a brilliant success by all means.
Yet judging from the sparse and lukewarm and evennegative coverage of the much expected event and its preparations during the week before the event in the media, the London Olympics seems to inspire no one, even the British. With the proposed strike of the border security and London trains Is it heading towards the greatest fiasco of the new century?
One reason for the global lack of enthusiasm no doubt is the paucity of adrenaline which has dried up in the wake the excitement over several recent sporting events like the Euro cup, Wimbledon and others.
Perhaps it Is the unpleasant reality, that at the end of the day, when the flags come down and the visitors go back, no jobs, only the bricks and mortar of the shiny infra structure in London will remain, which douse the Olympics spirit? You have examples of Olympics and Commonwealth games of the past to prove that claims of these expensive international sporting events paving way to economicgrowth haven't been substantiated by economic growth in the past.
There is a sense of imminent disaster in the air with men in military uniforms controlling movement and security around the game venues and advice being given to Londoners to stay locked inside their homes. Is it the over regimentation, which makes it look as if the Olympics games are being held in Pyongyang by the North Korean President Kim Jong-un rather than by the most democratic nation in the world, which fail to enthuse the crowds?
Is it the sponsorship mania which has killed the goose before it can lay any eggs? Each day more and more dictats are being issued about phones, cameras, tee shirts and shoes and food you can take to the games which makes you wonder what you can wear and take to the games and what you will be left with when you come back?
In fact there was great euphoria and excitement eight years back when the United Kingdom won the rights to stage the 2012 Olympics. Perhaps that was the greatest moment for the UK for this Olympics. A series of controversies around the games have overshadowed most of the preparations towards the games.
The Olympics 2012 Logo itself came to be criticised for being various things other than an inspiring symbol of the planned games.
The Orbit, a commemorative structure, which looked like a heap of scrap and eye sore reminiscent of its sponsor rather than sports came to be much criticised.
Now the mascots of the Olympics 2012 are under similar scrutiny for being something no one can judge.
The British weather, particularly unkind this year, with heavy rains and floods coming in the way of the Olympic torch hasn't helped.
It is amazing how very often these international events create international anxiety by reports arising out of unfinished preparations or snags during trials, raising questions about the success of the events. Yet once the inaugural ceremony is over and the games get under way, the world is mesmerised by the new heights of human physical prowess and endurance displayed by the athletes.
Despite the snags, the reported problems of traffic chaos and the imminent strikes of border staff and London bus drivers, the British spirit, hopefully will render the much awaited Olympics 2012 a memorable event of the new century. If there must be a reason to be British and feel British it will no doubt be in plenty in the coming days. David Beckham has already shown that.
Yet judging from the sparse and lukewarm and evennegative coverage of the much expected event and its preparations during the week before the event in the media, the London Olympics seems to inspire no one, even the British. With the proposed strike of the border security and London trains Is it heading towards the greatest fiasco of the new century?
One reason for the global lack of enthusiasm no doubt is the paucity of adrenaline which has dried up in the wake the excitement over several recent sporting events like the Euro cup, Wimbledon and others.
Perhaps it Is the unpleasant reality, that at the end of the day, when the flags come down and the visitors go back, no jobs, only the bricks and mortar of the shiny infra structure in London will remain, which douse the Olympics spirit? You have examples of Olympics and Commonwealth games of the past to prove that claims of these expensive international sporting events paving way to economicgrowth haven't been substantiated by economic growth in the past.
There is a sense of imminent disaster in the air with men in military uniforms controlling movement and security around the game venues and advice being given to Londoners to stay locked inside their homes. Is it the over regimentation, which makes it look as if the Olympics games are being held in Pyongyang by the North Korean President Kim Jong-un rather than by the most democratic nation in the world, which fail to enthuse the crowds?
Is it the sponsorship mania which has killed the goose before it can lay any eggs? Each day more and more dictats are being issued about phones, cameras, tee shirts and shoes and food you can take to the games which makes you wonder what you can wear and take to the games and what you will be left with when you come back?
In fact there was great euphoria and excitement eight years back when the United Kingdom won the rights to stage the 2012 Olympics. Perhaps that was the greatest moment for the UK for this Olympics. A series of controversies around the games have overshadowed most of the preparations towards the games.
The Olympics 2012 Logo itself came to be criticised for being various things other than an inspiring symbol of the planned games.
The Orbit, a commemorative structure, which looked like a heap of scrap and eye sore reminiscent of its sponsor rather than sports came to be much criticised.
Now the mascots of the Olympics 2012 are under similar scrutiny for being something no one can judge.
The British weather, particularly unkind this year, with heavy rains and floods coming in the way of the Olympic torch hasn't helped.
It is amazing how very often these international events create international anxiety by reports arising out of unfinished preparations or snags during trials, raising questions about the success of the events. Yet once the inaugural ceremony is over and the games get under way, the world is mesmerised by the new heights of human physical prowess and endurance displayed by the athletes.
Despite the snags, the reported problems of traffic chaos and the imminent strikes of border staff and London bus drivers, the British spirit, hopefully will render the much awaited Olympics 2012 a memorable event of the new century. If there must be a reason to be British and feel British it will no doubt be in plenty in the coming days. David Beckham has already shown that.
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