Olympics Opening Ceremony Online

[R13...]

Bloody brilliant ceremony - apart from the rap crap and the punt for the NHS.

For the life of me I can't figure out how those chimneys rose up from the ground - anyone ?

I didn't see them rise but I imagine if they were in sections (reticulated like almost) they'd be easy to raise.

 

[daveza]

Nope, they rose up in one piece as far as I could see.

My guess is they were inflated but the mechanics evade me.

 

[thestaggy]

LOL. I love how they're cherry-coating their history like a bunch of immature tossers. As if the reason for their multi-culturalism stems from the industrial era when they opened their borders and welcomed the rest of the world in to work on their metal mines. Er, metal mines? :wtf:

Yes, Africans in their suits arrived off boats and just hopped into the job market quickly. ROFL...

Steel mills, not mines, of which Britain is famous for. Sheffield, anyone?

There was indeed an influx of Afro-Caribbean people into the UK prior to and during the First World War. The allure of jobs in heavy industry (steel mills and shipbuilding) and dock works spurred on by the arms race drew many people, of which the Afro-Caribbeans were amongst the larger groups. If you were listening, the narrator did allude to this.

So no, not Africans in suits, but Afro-Caribbeans immigrating to join the work force.

 

[thestaggy]

Loved it.. PRODIGY

. . .and Born Slippy.

 

[Spizz]

Steel mills, not mines, of which Britain is famous for. Sheffield, anyone?

There was indeed an influx of Afro-Caribbean people into the UK prior to and during the First World War. The allure of jobs in heavy industry (steel mills and shipbuilding) and dock works spurred on by the arms race drew many people, of which the Afro-Caribbeans were amongst the larger groups. If you were listening, the narrator did allude to this.

So no, not Africans in suits, but Afro-Caribbeans immigrating to join the work force.

Yep, there's some famous footage of many Afro Caribbeans getting off the ships at Southampton or wherever looking just like this. All suits and leather suitcases.

. . .and Born Slippy.

...and Going Underground....

Also good to see a nod to Gregory's Girl. One of my favourite all time movies.

 

[daveza]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...dustrial-revolution-was-created-on-stage.html

These chimneys, ranging from 80 to 100ft, were made of inflatable fabric painted to look like grey- brickwork. They were blown up, like bouncy castles, by high-pressure fans.

The crew below stage kept them straight using winches, while trapeze artists did the same using a series of gears and pulleys attached to the steel wire rope strung across the roof of the stadium.