The opening ceremony of the Olympics is traditionally a huge spectacle. In addition to the parade of nations and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, artistic presentations are the highlights of the ceremony, usually highlighting the culture and history of the host country.
And the Parisian edition innovated with an outdoor ceremony on the banks of the Seine. Even in the rain, the event featured numerous references to the rich French culture, including cinema, an art form in which the French excel.
Were you able to spot any cinematic references during the ceremony? Read on, as we highlight the main ones below.
Below are the main films mentioned in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games:
In the first panel of the ceremony there is a reference to a French film. The scene showing the coach and former footballer Zinedine Zidane interacting with the actor and comedian Jamel Debbouze alludes to the film “Asterix at the Olympic Games”.
This feature film is the third in the series of films adapted from the French comic book created by René Goscinny, “Asterix”.
Starring Gérard Depardieu as Obélix and Clovis Cornillac as Astérix, the film features several cameos, including Zidane, who appears in a scene alongside Debbouze.
Immediately after the above reference, another one comes. Zidane takes the Olympic torch from Jamel Debbouze and heads towards the Seine, encountering a traffic jam.
This moment is a clear reference to the comedy “Playtime – Tempo de Diversão”, directed by Jacques Tati.
That moment when we see three young people, a girl and two boys, running along a narrow street bears a clear allusion to a classic of the French New Wave.
The scene refers to the famous bridge race sequence in François Truffaut’s “Jules and Jim”.
Remember the moment when the mysterious masked man (reminiscent of the character from the Ubisoft game series “Assassin’s Creed”) walks around the Louvre museum with a torch?
It is very reminiscent of the scene from the nouvelle vague classic “Bande à Parte”, by the brilliant director Jean-Luc Godard.
The ceremony had a special moment to pay homage to French cinema. The vignette features the mysterious masked man interacting with a series of films.
The first is the Lumière brothers’ short film, “Arrival of a Train at the Station”, from 1896. The work, lasting less than 1 minute, shows a train arriving at La Ciotat station.
It is famous for being one of the first films shown to the public, who would be frightened by the image of the approaching train.
Soon after, the masked man travels in a hot air balloon through space and passes in front of the Moon, which has a human face and a capsule inside one of its eyes.
This is a clear reference to the 1902 film “A Trip to the Moon,” directed by Georges Méliès. A milestone in the history of cinema, the film is known for its innovative special effects.
After passing the Moon, the masked man advances in front of a planet on which a piece of the Statue of Liberty is displayed.
This alludes to the North American film “Planet of the Apes”, based on the French novel by Pierre Boulle, “La Planète des Singes”.
The ceremony was also attended by the Minions, from the series “Despicable Me”. They appear in a sequence that shows them as Mona Lisa thieves.
The post Which films were mentioned at the opening of the Paris Olympics? appeared first on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
