Top 10 Olympic Opening Ceremonies
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Top 10 Olympic Opening Ceremonies
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When these countries got a chance to show their best to nations participating in the Olympics, they did not disappoint! WatchMojo presents the Top 10 Olympic Opening Ceremonies of All Time! But what will take the top spot on our list? Will it be Beijing, London, or Sydney? Watch to find out!
#10. London 1948
#9. Seoul 1988
#8. Los Angeles 1984
#7. Tokyo 1964
#6. Atlanta 1996
#5. Barcelona 1992
#4. Athens 2004
#3, #2, #1 ?
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For number 1, you forgot Jamie Hewlett's animation intro he did for Beijing with Journey To The West
This list kind of feels like a cop out that you guys just threw together, kind of wish you had done more to include other opening ceremonies that were impactful and/or magnificent.
I get it if leaving out the Sochi games was intentional for present politics; but not including the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics on this list is pretty messed up.
Yes, the The United States may have boycotted the games with 65 other countries; and yes, this led to the 1984 Soviet Union boycott in response; but if you are basing this list on firsts and/or on the spectacle involved in the overall production of the opening ceremony then 1980 Moscow should have been included.
It was the first, and so far, the only summer games held in Eastern Europe
It had the first live broadcast from space during the opening ceremony broadcast on the stadium scoreboard
It had the first implementation of large scaled human flip boards in the opening ceremony to create various pictures and avenues for ceremony participants to pass through
It had a massive total of 16,000 performers involved throughout the presentation of the opening ceremony
It had actual chariots in a parade, enormous human pillars comprised of gymnasts and performers, a well executed child ensemble performance, and an absolutely amazing showing of cultural heritage with The Friendship of the Peoples dance.
That dance itself warranted Moscow 1980 a place on this list; it represented to the world the cultures and shared history of millions of people from across what were then the Soviet Republics; and it did this at a time when very few people had any idea of what "Ivan" was really like and the Cold War was still very much on.
What about……
the droid attack on the Wookies?
London should be number 1
London should be number 1
ummm, Vancouver 2010?
Athens 2004 was one of the best!!
My top 3 are: Athens 2004, London 2012 and Atlanta 1996. Was in Atlanta right before the Olympics started that year
it should be number 1 sydney
London 2012 should have been number one.
it was actually called the best Olympics of all time
Worst watchmojo video ever
The Beijing opening ceremony was so incredible to watch
didn't Atlanta have riots on the streets that's what my mother said which is why I was a bad Olympics in general but we are talking about opening ceremonies not olympics as a whole
Come on the opening Olympic ceremonie in London 2012 was amazing and should have definitely been at the number one spot.
No one has ever reminisced about Atlanta.
Pity though China had to displace more than a million out of their homes and destroy a lot of the old city to build facilities and retail malls just to cater to the influx of tourists, media and athletes!!
Beijing better be number 1
BS selection, purely american focus atlanta was a 'ken joke for example
I was there! – London 2012
London 2012 cauldron lightning was awful. The best was Athens 2004, but for sure Rio 2016 should be here.
People hating on the London Ceremony yet I know for a fact that some countries didn’t broadcast all of it. America chose to omit the tribute to people killed in the 7/7 terrorist bombings. Trust me London and Beijing perfect summed up their countries in their opening ceremonies.
dismiss drop weekly copy lightly snow liability also detail.
2012 was trash
London 2012 was the best for sure. A pop culture reference tour de force.
Do The Top 10 Closing Ones Too
Why aren't there ANY winter opening ceremonies?
Vancouver 2010?
Sochi 2014?
Calgary 1988?
Sydney 2000 ! 😀