Tears. Beautiful, flowing, NBA-related tears. How good is that? Just for fun, here's another one
Who doesn't want to watch Floyd Mayweather fight right now? I know I do... On Showtime!
Montages are tailor made for sports. They combine audio and video into fun, cohesive packages that are easily and enjoyably consumed.
For the Olympics, a two week event that never is at a loss for moments or narratives, the montage is a great way to open or close an event. I like them... a lot. There are times when I'll just sit and watch them. For hours. Pathetic? Maybe, but hey, to each his own.
After years montage consumption, there's really only on thing left to do; attempt to rank each one into a beautiful list. Let's just pick a random number... 10! Yes, 10 sounds like a very good number. A top 10 list of something, gotta be a first. Well, why am I still typing? I want to pour over this list as much as the seven of you do. Bring on Andre Braugher, James Earl Jones and stuff from Immediate Music!
Honorable Mention: The NBC London Opening Ceremony Intro
Look, I'm pretty average at finding videos on the internet. I'll journey to the deepest, darkest corners of YouTube to find a piece of footage, but if it's not on the big TUBE, I generally don't venture farther. As such, I can't find NBC's opening montage its coverage of the London Opening Ceremony. I really want to rank it anyway, but I just can't bring myself to put something on the list that has no clip. It's unfortunate, because that montage is a freaking classic. Ewen McGregor was involved. McKayla Maroney was involved. It really had a shot at the top three. I yelled at multiple people at my house to stop talking when it was on this summer. I turned the TV up way to loud when they didn't. I'm not apologizing.
#10: NBC's Intro to the 1996 Opening Ceremony
Three words: Neil REDACTED Diamond. Seriously, "America", as cheesy as it may be, is a great song and boy does NBC use it well in this peppy montage. I have a pretty big soft spot for this video, not because I remember the Atlanta Olympics at all, but because it's sort of the first step in NBC's quest to make the perfect montage. They don't have the best music (Diamond), the best narrator (Costas) or the best clips (athletes, international city, shot of America, repeat). However, it's still enjoyable because after watching the rest of videos on this list, you'll see that it's just the beginning of a process.
Quote of the Videos:
Individual Highlights:
For the Olympics, a two week event that never is at a loss for moments or narratives, the montage is a great way to open or close an event. I like them... a lot. There are times when I'll just sit and watch them. For hours. Pathetic? Maybe, but hey, to each his own.
After years montage consumption, there's really only on thing left to do; attempt to rank each one into a beautiful list. Let's just pick a random number... 10! Yes, 10 sounds like a very good number. A top 10 list of something, gotta be a first. Well, why am I still typing? I want to pour over this list as much as the seven of you do. Bring on Andre Braugher, James Earl Jones and stuff from Immediate Music!
Honorable Mention: The NBC London Opening Ceremony Intro
Look, I'm pretty average at finding videos on the internet. I'll journey to the deepest, darkest corners of YouTube to find a piece of footage, but if it's not on the big TUBE, I generally don't venture farther. As such, I can't find NBC's opening montage its coverage of the London Opening Ceremony. I really want to rank it anyway, but I just can't bring myself to put something on the list that has no clip. It's unfortunate, because that montage is a freaking classic. Ewen McGregor was involved. McKayla Maroney was involved. It really had a shot at the top three. I yelled at multiple people at my house to stop talking when it was on this summer. I turned the TV up way to loud when they didn't. I'm not apologizing.
#10: NBC's Intro to the 1996 Opening Ceremony
Three words: Neil REDACTED Diamond. Seriously, "America", as cheesy as it may be, is a great song and boy does NBC use it well in this peppy montage. I have a pretty big soft spot for this video, not because I remember the Atlanta Olympics at all, but because it's sort of the first step in NBC's quest to make the perfect montage. They don't have the best music (Diamond), the best narrator (Costas) or the best clips (athletes, international city, shot of America, repeat). However, it's still enjoyable because after watching the rest of videos on this list, you'll see that it's just the beginning of a process.
Quote of the Videos:
- "A century ago, a 29 year old Frenchman gave voice to a fragile, ambitious idea, powerful enough to unite the world. His name? Pierre De Coubertain. His idea? To restore the Olympics after an absence of 1500 years." - Bob Costas
Individual Highlights:
- Really my favorite part of the whole clip starts at 2:30 and goes till about 2:46. Neil breaks into this part where he just keeps saying "They're coming to American, TODAY" They show this weird logo, different high profile American athletes (Shannon Miller, Michael Johnson, Dominique Moceanu, Gary Hall etc) and Neil just keeps belting it out. It's gets me excited... TODAY.
- Pierre D Coubertain's mustache at 0.15. Epic.
- When Bulger's Dream starts at 2:50. Self explanatory.
FINAL RATING: 6 out of 10
#9. NBC's Closing Credits to the 2010 Winter Olympics
The No. 9 spot marks our first look at NBC"s consistently brilliant closing credits. The formula is normally picturesque views of the Olympic host city/venues followed by a montage of the Games' most iconic moments. The ones from 2006/2004/2002/2010 were pretty hard to separate, but ultimately 2010 won out. I very much enjoyed the Vancouver Games, so my personal bias about the actual competition probably separated it's closing credits from the rest of the pack. With that said, the montage is very well done and is one of the few to end with a non-US athlete. The end of the clip brings everybody's favorite Canadian, Sidney Crosby, into focus. Crosby's career has been a bit of a roller coaster since these Olympics, but in 2010, he was at the peak of his powers. There was not another athlete that could of represent the immense passion put forth by the Canadian athletes at that Olympics better than Sid the Kid. Keep in mind, Canada hosted two Olympics before Vancouver; Calgary in 1988 and Montreal in 1976. Our neighbors to the north didn't win a gold medal in either Games. As a result, there was gigantic pressure on all of the Canadian athletes in Vancouver, and they put on a show. People hate Sidney Crosby where I live (Baltimore/DC), but you can't deny the performance of he and his fellow countrymen in 2010.
Quotes of the montage:
FINAL RATING: 7 out of 10
#8. NBC's Closing Credits to the 2008 Olympics
Pretty much the same format as the 2010 credits, so I won't go over that again. First off, the shots they have of China in this thing are absolutely spectacular. Before the Games, some said that the Beijing Olympics was the China's way of "Welcoming the World" (that's called foreshadowing). With all of the picturesque shots of the country NBC presented during their coverage, I think the 2008 Games showed many Americans how beautiful of a country China is. The montage of the athletes is good, but there is not really anything that stands out to me in terms of format that you didn't already see in the 2010 credits. Just watch the video, it's excellent.
Quotes of the montage:
The No. 9 spot marks our first look at NBC"s consistently brilliant closing credits. The formula is normally picturesque views of the Olympic host city/venues followed by a montage of the Games' most iconic moments. The ones from 2006/2004/2002/2010 were pretty hard to separate, but ultimately 2010 won out. I very much enjoyed the Vancouver Games, so my personal bias about the actual competition probably separated it's closing credits from the rest of the pack. With that said, the montage is very well done and is one of the few to end with a non-US athlete. The end of the clip brings everybody's favorite Canadian, Sidney Crosby, into focus. Crosby's career has been a bit of a roller coaster since these Olympics, but in 2010, he was at the peak of his powers. There was not another athlete that could of represent the immense passion put forth by the Canadian athletes at that Olympics better than Sid the Kid. Keep in mind, Canada hosted two Olympics before Vancouver; Calgary in 1988 and Montreal in 1976. Our neighbors to the north didn't win a gold medal in either Games. As a result, there was gigantic pressure on all of the Canadian athletes in Vancouver, and they put on a show. People hate Sidney Crosby where I live (Baltimore/DC), but you can't deny the performance of he and his fellow countrymen in 2010.
Quotes of the montage:
- "Really all I wanted was to part of an Olympic Montage and I think I earned my sport" - Hannah Kearney describing my dreams."
- "There's no bigger stage than the Olympic Games, but the skate and the moment, means much more that the competition." - Scott Hamilton on Joannie Rochette
- (9:19-9:50): If you remember, the 2010 Games featured two tragic events. On the day of the opening ceremony, Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed in a training run on the extremely fast Whistler Sliding Center course. While sliding sports continued as scheduled, the accident sparked controversy over whether the course was safe for competition. In addition, Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette's mother died just two days before the start of the Ladies Figure Skating competition. Rochette competed in her honor, winning a bronze medal and the admiration of sports fans everywhere. The section where they honor both is extremely well done and captures each story with the tone and respect it deserves.
- Start at 9:49 and go till 11:20. If that doesn't get you pumped about life, then I don't know what to tell you.
FINAL RATING: 7 out of 10
#8. NBC's Closing Credits to the 2008 Olympics
Pretty much the same format as the 2010 credits, so I won't go over that again. First off, the shots they have of China in this thing are absolutely spectacular. Before the Games, some said that the Beijing Olympics was the China's way of "Welcoming the World" (that's called foreshadowing). With all of the picturesque shots of the country NBC presented during their coverage, I think the 2008 Games showed many Americans how beautiful of a country China is. The montage of the athletes is good, but there is not really anything that stands out to me in terms of format that you didn't already see in the 2010 credits. Just watch the video, it's excellent.
Quotes of the montage:
- "The roar is different here, it's almost like a roar of approval." - Al Trautwig saying something by not really saying anything.
- "Thanks for coming" - Bryan Clay to his wife after winning the decathlon.
- (8:20) They show Alicia Sacramone's "I just fell in the Olympic team final" face and it sucks. I still feel bad for her. Nobody does creative mounts like that on beam anymore. It's alright, Alicia, you're one of realist characters that sport has ever seen. Props.
- (8:42-9:30) NBC has a section in each credits where they utilize the sounds of the sports to paint a beautiful picture that on sport can create. That section in this video is pretty spectacular.
- (9:55) The pure joy on Yelena Isinbayeva's face when she realizes she's won gold is incredible, especially for someone many describe as aloof.
FINAL RATING: 7 out of 10
That's it for now. Look for seven through five in a couple days.
339 days until Sochi.
339 days until Sochi.
No comments:
Post a Comment