British The Guardian published an animated video about the History of the Olympic Games: from spartan Ancient Greece Olympics to lavish London’s extravaganza. For some unexplained reason, I am not sure whether I like the video concept. Maybe because the noise I get is not of very quality. But the drawing by Leigh Pearce is just a-ma-zi-ng!
Video:
The Guardian posted on YouTube
Our animation is a perfect potted history, should you need it, of the Olympic Games. From Ancient Greece’s nude athletes — mercifully free of corporate stooges — to the present day’s economy-bustingly expensive extravaganza of London 2012, it’s been a hell of a journey. A sobering reminder, perhaps, that we’re all in this together.
Do you like it?
One can hardly find anything in common between present olympic games and that of the ancient Greeks’. The Greeks put absolutely no importance on the results – how far a discus was thrown was irrelevant, only who threw the farthest. On the other hand, it was important that the athletes followed an ascetic life ideal, which partly was the basis of later monk living.
Exceptionally interesting was the reverse status of “amateurs” and “professionals”. To live on the income from their activity was seen as less honourable than perform the activity amateurishly, backed by inherited wealth.
That The Guardian sighs in nostalgia that it was “mercifully free of corporate stooges” strikes me as fairly amusing, considering that in the most important event, chariot racing, it was not the racer that won, but rather the owner of the horses. At Olympia incredible amounts of objects from far-flung corners of the classical world have been found, as well as a lot of weights, which indicates quite a lot of trade was conducted in the otherwise isolated place, far from its port town of Elis. It was probably a way for the elite to meet, trade, gain influence etc.
I found this to be quite enjoyable. The animation is wonderful! No problem with the sound at all.