Here's how you light an Olympic cauldron

[Gabriella]

I thought the whole thing was superb. I was emotional only 20 minutes into it. It showcased what Britain was about and what we have given to the world. The lighting of the flames and they way they rose up into one was superb.

[gh]

I want legends at my opening ceremony not a bunch of kids titting around, whilst I get a fleeting glance of the people who should have been involved sitting in the crowd.

Complete wasted opportunity.

Yeah, Melbourne wasted opportunity in 1956 by allowing an unknown kid to light the cauldron. Glad we didn't have Internet back then with people bitching about that hapless kid.

For the record Ron Clarke was not unknown. Believe he had already set world junior record in the mile or some such.

[Pego]

I did not care for the part before the Parade of nations. It could be an issue of a small screen as tandfman observed, but I am not quite sure. Everything post-Parade I thought was superb with the lighting of the cauldron the best. Flumpy contrasts it with the female stars in Sydney, I see nothing wrong with either presentation. I just added London's lighting to Sydney and Barcelona as my all-time favorites.

[bijanc]

Thompson to Cavendish to Bannister to Redmond would have been more symbolic.

[Conor Dary]

Hey, it is over.

[John G]

I want legends at my opening ceremony not a bunch of kids titting around, whilst I get a fleeting glance of the people who should have been involved sitting in the crowd.

Complete wasted opportunity.

Yeah, Melbourne wasted opportunity in 1956 by allowing an unknown kid to light the cauldron. Glad we didn't have Internet back then with people bitching about that hapless kid.

For the record Ron Clarke was not unknown. Believe he had already set world junior record in the mile or some such.

I had the same thought as TN1965 when I read Flumpy's comment about "kids titting about" and kuha's reference to the "Seven Anonymous Dwarves". OK, so Ron Clarke was not an unknown, but then Desiree Henry is a World Youth Champion and every bit as promising as Jodie Williams, who has inpired a fair amount of interest around here.

I loved the idea of the 7 rising stars lighting the flame. I thought that was entirely in keeping with the Olympic spirit.

[tandfman]

I think the devil was in the details.

No, actually, it turns out that the Devil was what the whole thing was all about! Pardon the delay in sharing this news--I just came across it this morning.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkie ... nic_ritual

Danny Boyle's spectacular was a "mass satanic ritual disguised as a celebration of Britain and sport".