Five Gold Rings!

[nineveh_uk]

This weekend I watched:

- highlights of the Olympics opening ceremony
- the Olympics closing ceremony
- the Edinburgh tattoo.

I am now an expert on large groups of people moving in formation. I also learned that the Norwegian King’s Guard uniform involves bowler hats with a badge and plumes attached. Sad as it is to admit, I rather enjoy this sort of thing. I even watch the Trooping of the Colour for the music.

I feel it is time for my first poll.
[Poll #1248372]

Comments

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, yes, yes! I definitely think we need to go for pomp and circumstance over any attempts at coolness. I forget who suggested getting Michael Winner to direct it...

It's clearly going to be a pantomime anyway, so we might as well mean it to be. I love the idea of getting the crowd involved, shouting 'It's behind you' when the runner is looking everywhere for the Olympic torch. And then Boris Johnson could be the Dame.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Boris Johhson for the Dame's idiot son.

[biascut.livejournal.com]

Oh, the pantomime idea is more workable, but the murder mystery would be brilliant. Especially if it turns out that the murderer did it by bashing someone over the head with a gold medal.

[aella_irene]

It was Rebecca Adlington, in the pool, with her gold medal...

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I think I see Rebecca Adlington as the plucky young woman who realizes that something is Terribly Wrong.

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

And ends up helping Miss Marple? She would be a great-niece or distant god-daughter...

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

I think it was Sebastian Coe, in the Millenium Dome North Greenwich Arena 1, with a pommel horse...

[aunty_marion]

It was the US 4 x 400 relay team, on the track, with a baton. Surely?

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

The massed Jane Austen dancing is a work of genius and so is the CGI, though I suspect WETA will hold out for when the Games next go to New Zealand. At the very least there should be Andy Serkis voicing a giant audio-animatronic Winston Churchill.

I watched both ceremonies in floods of tears. I have no idea why Olympic ceremonies get me that way, but they do. I think it's because the athletes include cheery middle-aged people and people with weird-looking noses and people with one leg, and generally seem to be having such a good time despite having to stand about for hours in cattle-pen conditions.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Massed Jane Austen dancing does seem very popular. They could even have a caller and teach all the athletes once they've made it into the stadium.

Andy Serkis voicing a giant audio-animatronic Winston Churchill

"This...was their finest hour. Gollum."

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

I'm disappointed that there's so little support for the massed hornpipe dancing.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Me too. We have lots of sailors, and they are already located in teh south.

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

Plus, what better way to utterly boggle the rest of the world?

Oh, oh, I know. We should totally do those gun races that they used to have at the Royal Tournament. We could make it an exhibition sport.

[marginaliana]

Mike Leigh directing the Olympics... the mind boggles. I love it.

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

Mass improvisation...

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Start the 100m when you're ready.

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

Could be tricky for the synchronised swimmers...

[gramarye1971]

*cackles quietly, imagining panto!Olympics*

'Wherever could that torch have gone?'
'It's behind you! Behind you!'
'Oh, no it isn't!'
'Oh, yes it is!'

Just wheel on Sir Ian McKellen in drag, and you honestly don't need anything more.

Failing that, I think there should be something involving a flaming Routemaster bus being driven through a series of flaming hoops.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

a flaming Routemaster bus being driven through a series of flaming hoops

Yes! And Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton could jump over it on their bikes at the same time.

[gramarye1971]

Now that I think about it, the bendy buses are rather more prone to catching on fire....

What if Boris Johnson was driving the flaming Routemaster through the flaming hoops? Could we still have Sir Ian McKellen in drag involved somehow?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

It did occur to me that the only way to top Beijing might be with human sacrifice. In which case the death of Boris Johnson in a flaming Routemaster could fit the bill nicely.

[mobile-alh.livejournal.com]

I rather wanted to check everything, but I'm a crass American, so what do I know?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Never fear! By the time it's over you'll know all about massed morris dancing, Jane Austen dancing, and Our Maritime Heritage (safer than Our Military Heritage, because the latter comes across as bellicose and the Pity of War, whereas big ships look really impressive).

[mobile-alh.livejournal.com]

giggling helplessly now...

[amamama.livejournal.com]

Being Norwegian, I crossed most everything. Go for mass whatever, wham the spectators with the sheer number of performers. Don't be shy and tell it all. *wicked grin* And have a ton of those beerskin hats. On every one. The morris dancers and the harpists and pipers... *sniggers*

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I definitely think we need lots of massed people in silly outfits. And bearskins. Possibly also attached to bears.

[dbassassin.livejournal.com]

I'd like to lodge a protest that Question 1 did not have an "All of the above" option.

The Olympics will need something massive and over the top and gauche to overcome the v.v. PC bore-fest that Vancouver will put on in 2010.

Massed Jane Austen-ites morris dancing on the pitching decks of panto schooners interspersed with massed marching brass bands duelling massed hornpipes? *nods* It could work.

[crumplehornedki.livejournal.com]

definitely do it as a pantomine! - I can see the crowd all yelling "he's over there" when the torch bearer finally enters the stadium

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Athelete: I won a gold medal!
Crowd: Oh no you didn't!

[nundu-art.livejournal.com]

I ticked everything in the first one except Morris and Jane Austen, but then I'm a crass American that spends far to much time on that side of the pond.

And being a Southerner, I can't believe you have Boris Johnson! He'd fit in perfectly around here. I thought only rednecks bought suits you couldn't button. Really, where did you find him?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I dread to think where they found Boris Johnson. Probably under a rock. But that's what being an arrogant tosser does for you - you don't consider that when representing your nation at a Big Event you owe anyone (such as the other nation) the courtesy of dressing yourself decently!

[alkari.livejournal.com]

As long as the Sporting heritage isn't mainstream, and includes events such as Cheese Rolling and Giant Pub Darts.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Oh, definitely. And the only football allowed will be the sort played between entire villages with flaming barrels of tar.

[(Anonymous)]

Where the goals are several miles apart, and the aim of the game is to survive.

NOT BAGPIPES

[jen-c-w.livejournal.com]

What on earth do they have to do with London? Ditto Welsh harps.
London is fun, youthful, funky - with maybe an aside of tradition e.g. soldiers etc.

Re: NOT BAGPIPES

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

But I think that Opening Ceremonies do tend to reflect the culture of the whole nation, not just the host city.