Friday, August 8, 2008

2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremonies to the Olympics lived up to the hype. I generally don't buy "bigger is better" in any artistic achievement-- but the epic scale achieved by filmmaker Zhang Yimou was impressive. Among my favorite parts of the ceremonies was the "movable type" sequence, with the ebb and flow created by the performers underneath the pieces. I always enjoy the Parade of Nations— and hearing some facts about far off lands. And the entrance of the U.S. team does fill you with some pride-- particularly this year when, despite everything, there was a rousing cheer. The most spectacular performance of the night by far was that of nearly 45-year-old Li Ning, the most decorated Chinese Olympian, when he ran horizontally, suspended by wires, along the length of the stadium across a moving electronic scroll to light the Olympic cauldron.

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