Let the Games Begin! (In Dramatic Fashion)

Here is a photo of one of the more memorable moments from the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. And it was arguably the most theatrical production an Olympic Games has ever seen. Directed by Academy Award winner and England native Danny Boyle, the ceremony featured a lengthy reenactment of the history Great Britain. Don’t let that statement fool you. With a budget of £27 million, this was more like watching the non-stop taping of a summer blockbuster, minus the violence and explosions. There were, however, plenty of pyrotechnics during the musical sequence that followed.

While the majority of the cast was made up of over 10,000 volunteers who had spent months rehearsing for the show, there was no lack in British pop culture. The ceremony featured the likes of Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the world wide web, Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean, David Beckham, J.K. Rowling and performances by the Arctic Monkeys, English rapper Dizzee Rascal. In an acting first, the Queen herself appeared in a skit with Daniel Craig as James Bond that was followed by two stunt doubles sky diving from a helicopter above the stadium. And no Olympic Opening Ceremony would be complete without a special guest appearance from the legendary Muhammad Ali.

The biggest surprise of the ceremony came during the lighting of the Olympic Flame. While there is always much speculation as to what big name will be the final torch bearer, Boyle chose instead to use 7 teenage athletes to carry separate torches. And instead of a typical cauldron, those torches lit 7 pieces which in turn spread to a total of 205 “petals” representing each competing nation. The petals then majestically rose into the air to form one gigantic flame. Capping off the truly mesmerizing ceremony was Sir Paul McCartney with a performance of the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” that united the entire stadium in a massive sing-along. And with that, the 2012 Olympic Games are off to a rocking start!

Photo Credit: Jae C. Hong/Associated Press