The Most Iconic Olympic Opening Ceremony Moments

Since 1896, the world has gathered together every four years to celebrate its top athletes, in an event that combines sporting competitions while highlighting the wonders of the host city - the Summer Olympics. Today, the Olympics’ opening ceremony will kick off in Paris for the third time, which means we can expect nothing less than an absolute spectacle designed by the French committee. The hype is imminent as they have already revealed their first show-stopping plan: to be the first ceremony held outside of a stadium - they are planning to have a floating parade that will take the delegations on a trip along the iconic River Seine. While we wait to be amazed by what’s in store tonight, here are our top five awe-inspiring moments from past opening ceremonies to get you in the Olympic mood.

1. A Flaming Arrow

In Barcelona in 1992, Paralympic athlete Antonio Rebollo started the Olympic fire by shooting a flaming arrow 86 meters in the air and into the cauldron. The precision and skill needed to execute such an astonishing trick were some of the elements that made it even more impressive. “It was the most complicated effect we’ve ever done. It was done live”, mentioned Reyes Abades, the Special Effects coordinator for the stunt.

2. An Unstoppable Duo

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In the London 2012 Games, the acclaimed Danny Boyle was commissioned to direct the opening ceremony. As a mastermind in storytelling, he delivered an amazing show that told Britain’s history in 10 chapters. The results were cinematic - an impeccably orchestrated performance that began narrating life in Britain’s rural countryside and culminated with one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history. It included a short film that showed James Bond and Queen Elizabeth II taking a helicopter to make a grand entrance at the ceremony while an actual one arrived at the same time in the show. The crowd then saw them both allegedly jump out and land in the middle of the Olympic Stadium.

3. A Perfectly-synchronized Drums Show

For the Beijing 2008 inaugural ceremony, director Zhang Yimou set the expectations for the night with an amazing display of 2008 perfectly-synchronized drummers playing the fou - a 4000-year-old Chinese percussion instrument. Their precision and rhythm were an impressive spectacle, both visually and sonically, leaving everyone eager to see what the rest of the ceremony would bring.

4. A Dress Full of Flair

Iconic performer Björk is known for her creative exploration of concepts, so in her 2004 appearance at the Athens Opening ceremony, she once again delivered. She debuted her song “Oceania” at the show. The real showstopper was her dress with a massive skirt that doubled as a projection screen across the stadium, displaying the world map on it.

5. A Flight to the Future

In the Los Angeles 1984 ceremony, pilot Bill Suitor shocked everyone by flying into the stadium wearing only a jetpack. The astonishing stunt left everyone wondering if flying solo was gonna be the next big thing. The futuristic display was made possible with a hydrogen peroxide-powered “rocket belt” originally designed for the Army. But for a brief moment, it served as a showstopping Olympic experience.