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Opening Ceremony

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Shrek
Shrek

Not really an answer but I'm sat here thinking "this is all very French", meaning nobody has any idea WTF is happening.

ProudMary
ProudMary

I'm sure the many LGBTQ+ Olympic athletes enjoyed seeing representation of all people in the artistic presentations of the Opening Ceremony. Representation matters. I'm not sure why the fashion s

NUguy514
NUguy514

The Last Supper thing has already been addressed, but I'll just say that there was nothing "woke" or politically correct about anything that occurred in the Opening Ceremonies.  This is unfairly and w

Girl in a Cardigan

Girl in a Cardigan

I started out watching NBC and CBC, but when the CBC were the first to both cut to commercial (even split screen) and then to a reporter on the Canada boat - which does come in the Cs, so wasn't that far away! - I was out. The camera angles were clearly one Olympic camera for the most part, so I decided to stick it out with NBC.

I liked that there was a lot of silence from the commentators to let moments breathe (even if it was because they didn't know who any of these people were!), but then they'd have Savannah and Hoda talking about who they wanted to wave at in the torch boat and I want to scream.

There were definitely parts that dragged - why have the Olympic flag come all the way down the Seine (so long after all the other boats) and then the horse ride and THEN the walk down the runway - like just raise the flag. I really like the idea of the boats on the Seine and everything, but there's a reason why you do it in the stadium - it shortens things up! Plus the athletes get to see everything instead of watching a screen like the rest of us.

Did I start sobbing like Kelly Clarkson when I heard (and then saw) Celine singing her heart out on the Eiffel Tower? Damn right! I also really loved the Olympics montage of all of the famous moments from past games - definitely teared up then too!

Happy I got to see it live, but think this may be one example of when the shortened NBC primetime version might be better 😂

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Browncoat

Browncoat

I LOVE the cauldron.  What a nice homage to the Montgolfier brothers.  I also enjoyed the nods to the Lumiere brothers and George Melies with the brief glimpse of movies.  

Overall, though, I think the ceremony fell short.  I agree that if you were there in person, you'd miss most of, well, everything.  You might be on a bridge over the Seine, but then all you'd see would be the boats going by.  I think I like the stadium format better -- there might be things going on elsewhere, but at least they could be projected on a screen so everyone could watch.  

I missed the first 20 or so minutes, though, so I'll have to catch that tonight.

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Black Knight

Black Knight

I feel in some ways, the opening ceremony is more for the athletes than anyone else, and in that sense I feel this delivered. Floating down the Seine seeing the Parisian buildings and landmarks is absolutely what I'd prefer over being in a stadium the whole time. The athletes looked like they were having the time of their life, even in the rain.

As far as spectators, well, I don't know that it's really any different from any other parade - you pick a spot and watch everybody pass by. It works fine. It's unfortunate about the rain, but otherwise I'd probably prefer that to sitting in the stadium, probably in a nosebleed seat. At least outside is outside, with all that lovely Parisian scenery.

I love Paris and have not been in many years, so I was pretty happy with this as a TV viewer as well.

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SunnyBeBe

SunnyBeBe

9 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

I feel in some ways, the opening ceremony is more for the athletes than anyone else, and in that sense I feel this delivered. Floating down the Seine seeing the Parisian buildings and landmarks is absolutely what I'd prefer over being in a stadium the whole time. The athletes looked like they were having the time of their life, even in the rain.

As far as spectators, well, I don't know that it's really any different from any other parade - you pick a spot and watch everybody pass by. It works fine. It's unfortunate about the rain, but otherwise I'd probably prefer that to sitting in the stadium, probably in a nosebleed seat. At least outside is outside, with all that lovely Parisian scenery.

I love Paris and have not been in many years, so I was pretty happy with this as a TV viewer as well.

I haven’t been to Paris in many years, but this made me want to return!  

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Daisy

Daisy

1 hour ago, emma675 said:

That took way too long and Celine and the unique cauldron only partly made up for it. I felt like it didn't place a lot of emphasis on the athletes and their experience and that disappointed me. 3/10

there are some people who are saying this is the best opening ceremonies ever. and i am like. i respect people's things even though i don't get it but i don't even think....this is the best

I also see people going why are people grouching that it was too long it's 1 every 4 years but ...long is long? it just felt that some bits could have been condensed. (like the horse ride. that was captivating .. then it stopped being captivating and it was just drawn out)

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NUguy514

NUguy514

A few things I'd point out about the Opening Ceremonies being in a stadium in Paris:

1. The stadium wouldn't be covered for the athletes, so they'd still get rained on.  The weather was just bad luck in that regard, no matter where the Ceremonies were held.  (I will say, though, that having been in Paris in the rain at night...it really is indescribably magical.)

2. If the Ceremonies had been in a stadium, the event planners would've had to present holograms or whatever of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, etc.  That is ridiculous when you could just showcase the real things, which are so much more incredible than any simulacrum could ever hope to be, right outside.

For the stated goal of showcasing the city of Paris, these were amazing, and I loved them.

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Notabug

Notabug

Just now, Fostersmom said:

I'm trying, but I"m bored out of my mind already. Plus I have to get up at 5 tomorrow for work, so I'm not going to make it through the whole thing, so I'm DVRing it anyway. 

It really needed tightened up with some strategic editing.  I loved seeing the Parisian sites, it is such a beautiful city; but while the boat parade of nations was novel, it really took a lot more time than usual and it was tougher to pick out specific athletes, especially from non-US nations.  However, I expect the athletes loved it, far more fun for them than the regular march into the stadium.

The parcours tribute, salute to French fashion, etc all took up more time than necessary.  Putting all the performances out into the streets took more time than it was worth, too.  Just wasn't needed n the grand scheme.

Celine and the cauldron were the perfect crowning moment, though; wouldn't change a thing there.

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Notabug

Notabug

Quote

 The stadium wouldn't be covered for the athletes, so they'd still get rained on.  The weather was just bad luck in that regard, no matter where the Ceremonies were held.  (I will say, though, that having been in Paris in the rain at night...it really is indescribably magica

The Olympic Stadium has a retractable roof, so, presumably, everyone could've stayed dry.  I am sure the organizers would've been loathe to close the roof though for the opening ceremony since it would've ruined the views of the city from the stadium.  It didn't seem like the athletes minded the weather, they look to have all stuck it out.  

Having done a boat ride down the Seine at night, it is breathtaking. They don't call it The City of Lights for nothin'.

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