Olympics 2012: Let the games begin!

The Olympic Cauldron is lit during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on July 27, 2012, in London. / Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) LONDON - The 2012 London Olympics opened in spectacular fashion Friday night when, after a star-studded show, seven unknown teenage athletes lit the Olympic cauldron that will burn for the duration of the games.

British newspapers proudly hailed it with headlines claiming "London Sets The World Alight."

Seen by millions around the world, the high-octane, musical celebration of British history and culture rolled to the rock of the Beatles, the Stones and The Who. It was inspired by Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and spliced together by director Danny Boyle.

The highlight of the Oscar-winning director's $42 million show was pure movie magic, using film tricks to make it seem as if Britain's beloved 86-year-old Queen Elizabeth II had parachuted into the stadium with the nation's most famous spy - Daniel Craig as 007.

Boyle turned the stadium into a giant juke box, with a nonstop rock and pop homage to cool Britannia that ensured the show never caught its breath.

The high-adrenaline soundtrack veered from classical to irreverent. Boyle daringly included the Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant" and a snippet of its version of "God Save the Queen" an anti-establishment punk anthem once banned by the BBC.

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Americans to watch in London »

The encyclopedic review of modern British music continued with a 1918 Broadway standard adopted by the West Ham football team, the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Bohemian Rhapsody,'" by still another Queen, and other tracks too numerous to mention, but not to dance to.

The evening started with fighter jets streaming red, white and blue smoke and roaring over the stadium, packed with a buzzing crowd of 60,000 people, at 8:12 p.m. or 20:12 in the 24-hour time observed by Britons.

Boyle, one of Britain's most successful filmmakers, who directed "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Trainspotting," had a ball with his favored medium, mixing filmed passages with live action in the stadium to hypnotic effect, with 15,000 volunteers taking part in the show.

49 Photos

Athletes march at Olympic Opening Ceremony

Actor Rowan Atkinson as "Mr. Bean" provided laughs, shown dreaming that he was appearing in "Chariots of Fire," the inspiring story of a Scotsman and an Englishman at the 1924 Paris Games.

Opening the ceremony, children popped balloons with each number from 10 to 1, leading a countdown that climaxed with Bradley Wiggins, the newly crowned Tour de France champion.

Wearing his yellow winner's jersey, Wiggins rang a 23-ton Olympic Bell from the same London foundry that made Big Ben and Philadelphia's Liberty Bell. Its thunderous chime was a nod to the British tradition of pealing bells to celebrate the end of war and the crowning of kings and queens.

The parade of nations featured most of the roughly 10,500 athletes marching behind the flags of the 204 nations taking part.

Greece had the lead, as the spiritual home of the games, and Team Great Britain was last, as host.

As they marched around the stadium, music from the Bee Gees played in the background.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt, the world's fastest man, strode confidently with his nation's flag while playing up to cameras and cheering fans.

Prince William and his wife, Kate, joined in thunderous applause that greeted the British team, which marched to the David Bowie track "Heroes."

Both Bahrain and Brunei featured female flagbearers in what has been called the Olympics' Year of the Woman. For the first time at the games, each national delegation includes women, and a record 45 percent of the athletes are women. Three Saudi women marching behind the men in their delegation flashed victory signs with their fingers.

Former world heavyweight champion and 1960 Rome Olympic gold medalist Muhammad Ali was cheered when he appeared briefly with his wife, Lonnie, before the Olympic flag was unfurled.

[KPeters_from_UK]

Too bad that the American networks were full of commercials. You guys did miss a lot. But...this won't go down well..I heard that during the part celebrating the lives of the 7 July terror victims..the American network cut it out to do some interview with a cyclist! Seriously? Can't even bother to watch the British respecting the victims of 7th of July?

[KPeters_from_UK]

Another point is: it is ironic how the Right Wingers loved and praise how the Communist dictatorship of China did but refuse to support the UK's celebration of capitalism and democracy. Weird.

[bbarnes5557]

When I watched it there was maybe only about 5000 spectators in the stadium...the rest must of left to go eat Chinese takeout.....

[enough-already]

"the rest must HAVE left to go eat Chinese takeout..."

Where are you from, that you speak like that? Just curious, no offense meant.

[KPeters_from_UK]

I thought London did a great job. There had everything there from the idyllic to the grime of the Industrial Revolution (that was incredible!) to the wonderful NHS and the tradition of children's stories (remember the nasty child kidnapper from Chitty Bang Bang?). I love Mr Bean. The Music through the Decades was a the slow bit.


When the segment on the NHS came on, I kept wondering how many GOP supporters suddenly disliked the Opening Ceremony.

I'm glad I was able to watch the entirety on BBC; not one single commercial!


I wonder how Romney feels.

[joule18]

I'm sure Romney feels fine. The Brits got their panies in a bunch for a comment that was not meant to offend and was made because the media has been talking about the security problems for awhile now.

I tuned in for about 5 minutes and thought it was very dark and unappealing. Even Brits thought it was discombobulated.

[democracy8]

joule18: Romney made other gaffes as well. Perhaps you are conveniently forgetting that he also forgot Miliband's last name and disclosed a secret meeting with MI6.

[Claona]

Seems that a lot of Americans did not 'get' the opening ceremony...and OK Paul Macca (yawn) Ali (disrespectful and sad) but overall superb ..excellent mix of drama, pathos and comedy + the most spectacular flame ever .. is the poor response from Americans because your coverage is constantly inter-cut with commercials ? The 'American Way of Life' prioritising commercialism over artistic endeavour... we don't all genuflect at the feet of Walt Disney after all!

[BWB2020]

Face it, the best the Brits could do is still far below the Chinese ceremony, the Chinese set the bar so high that all you can do is criticize Paul McCartney and Muhammad Ali, both of which have done more for the betterment of the entire planet than you will ever be able to even dream of thinking about.

[Claona]

Was not criticising Ali ..his presence just brought to mind how damaging sport can be the the human condition..am sure that North Korea could have laid on such an awesome spectacular that the average ignorant American would have been well impressed..But what does that tell you about YOU and your Cuntry
?

[dhb1962]

Much of the opening ceremony had nothing to do with sports or the Olympics. Some parts that should have been spectacular were upstaged and made extra gay by Bob Costas' and Matt Lauer's incessant commentaries.

[dhb1962]

Much of the opening ceremony had nothing to do with sports or the Olympics. Some parts that should have been spectacular were upstaged and made extra gay by Bob Costas' and Matt Lauer's incessant commentaries.

[alpinequeen]

In China made cloth
our Olympians march
I look away

[BWB2020]

And thus prove that your ignorance outweighs your grasp of more important and relevant matters.

[KidsReadAndRide]

What a great opening sequence--loved including the younger generation! So many kids are starting their dreams of competing in the Olympics this summer as they begin summer camps and prepare for school teams. If you live near Raleigh and you are still looking for a summer sports camp, be sure to visit: RaleighSummerCamps.org

[Keod1965]

It is difficult to match the precision and artistry of the Chinese who put on a fantastic pageant in 2008. I'm think this one in London fell far short of that high standard.

[credibility2]

NBC's delayed evening coverage was virtually devoid of showing our flag and the athletes as they entered the stadium...it's as if they were either ordered to do so or too ignorant in their editing job...and what's with always dragging out Ali to the Olympics...should have used the time giving him coverage and showed more of our flag and athletes.

[raflin1]

credibility? really? are you stupid or just dumb? or both? NBC's "dealyed" evening coverage was because England is in a time zone that is 6 hours AHEAD of the Eastern Standard Time Zone. Also, NBC did NOT organize The Olympics, the British Olympic Organization did. Beleive it or not, the Olympics are about ALL countries and not intended to be about the viewing convenience of stupid Americans like you. GET A CLUE.

[patrickh42]

raflin1, don't talk about "stupid" Americans when you're response is full of elementary grammar and spelling errors.