tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96687918888334265.post426170705948463946..comments2024-03-28T02:46:56.347-05:00Comments on The FABULOUS Blog of Miss Ginger Grant!: The Games are Open!Miss Ginger Granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03494225040016735718noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96687918888334265.post-67616585631618324142012-07-28T18:25:48.374-05:002012-07-28T18:25:48.374-05:00Yes, I think a lot was lost in translation but als...Yes, I think a lot was lost in translation but also in what was shown. Having seen the final dress run on the Wednesday night in the stadium, I have to say that so much was missed on TV (we all saw the same TV show - worldwide).<br /><br />The green and pleasant land was inspired by Shakespeare (Isles of Wonder - the Sir Kenneth Branagh speech was Taliban's from The Tempest - Shakespeare was there big time - the main inspiration, Sir Ken probably one of the best known Shakespearean actors, and the speech) and by the most English of anthems - a short poem by Blake turned into an English (not British) anthem by Parry. Lyrics provide:<br /><br />And did those feet in ancient time.<br />Walk upon Englands mountains green:<br />And was the holy Lamb of God,<br />On Englands pleasant pastures seen!<br /><br />And did the Countenance Divine,<br />Shine forth upon our clouded hills?<br />And was Jerusalem builded here,<br />Among these dark Satanic Mills?<br /><br />So there you have the pleasant pastures turned to dark Satanic Mills.<br /><br />In fact it was also an allegory of a simple country life being devoured forever by industrialisation- the tree was uprooted and out spewed the workers to uproot a way of life forever. And to celebrate that the industrial revolution was here in Britain.<br /><br />In the stadium the scale of the transition was MASSIVE.<br /><br />The NHS scene was fairly political. Greatly celebrated funding cuts mean it is under attack - and its a long hot political topic. You saw the NHS dream turning into a nightmare. JK Rowling read some stuff and we saw a giant Queen of Hearts, Cruella de Vil and her dalmations (they were never shown on the TV) and a giant Voldemort. We saw these witches fly overhead to join him (and you see them in my clips here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.madein-scotland.com/2012/07/london-2012-olympic-opening-ceremony-nhs.html#links" rel="nofollow">Made in Scotland: London 2012 - Olympics Opening Ceremony - NHS</a><br /><br />but sadly they were only briefly shown on TV landing). <br /><br />But suddenly we see they were not witches - the umbrella's opened and they weren't just any Nanny - it was Mary Poppins, who saved the day, and all was well. So we had Alice in Wonderland, 101 Dalmations, Mary Poppins and Harry Potter - but will our NHS be saved?<br /><br />Then we has Twitter/ Facebook social networking to celebrtate that the invention of the world wide web by Britain Tim Berners-Lee.<br /><br />The Abide with Me sequence was a tribute to and acknowledgement that the day after it was announced that London had won the 2012 olympics, we had the 7/7 London bombings in which 52 innocent members of the public were murdered. <br /><br />Mr Bean - who he?!<br /><br />ahojMadeInScotlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16565114264116867519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96687918888334265.post-30078143896932789412012-07-28T12:11:30.066-05:002012-07-28T12:11:30.066-05:00We loved it here at Nutwood! I also used the phras...We loved it here at Nutwood! I also used the phrase "uniquely British." It sort of appealed to my sense of chaos and absurdity. I was also a HUGE fan of the music that was played...the British have a well-deserved place in rock and roll history (I think American music and British music fed off of each other...think of the Stones grooving on American blues and making it something MORE...but that's an essay for another day.), and as one friend put it, "It's like the soundtrack of my life!" That's how I felt about it, too.<br /><br />I loved the Queen/James Bond part, too, but I'm a total Bond girl, and I love Daniel Craig. He's my new favorite Bond, even over Sean Connery. A while back, I remember emailing a British musician friend of mine about the latest Bond movie at the time, wondering if Bond was as big there as he is here. He was like, "Are you kidding? He's a BRITISH secret agent! Bond is HUGE here." Duh, Beth! haha So I'm not surprised that Bond made an appearance. That was hilarious. Apparently it was the Queen's first acting gig, too! <br /><br />We love our Olympics! <br /><br />Hey, what the hell, Capcha? Why is my word verification "needHelp"? How rude. ;)Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05149068921334726430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96687918888334265.post-80358601302301896962012-07-28T10:35:53.680-05:002012-07-28T10:35:53.680-05:00I missed portions of the ceremonies and missed the...I missed portions of the ceremonies and missed the arrival of Betty Windsor...please 'splain Lucy why she looked pissed off throughout. LOVED the cauldron lighting...indeed an awesome message of inspiration. And LOVED Rowan Atkinson!behrmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084607872643904884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96687918888334265.post-28814414328200058252012-07-28T10:19:55.638-05:002012-07-28T10:19:55.638-05:00Sadly- I don't have a television and streaming...Sadly- I don't have a television and streaming was nowhere to be found- I love "Hey Jude" - Lala has me sing it to her and calls it "that sad song I love" - it makes both girls tear up and they beg for it over and over.... thanks for highlighting the ceremony.<br /><br />smoochesRomancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09902489253812580658noreply@blogger.com