Olympics opening ceremony video leaked

Much to the dismay of some Chinese YouTube commenters, a Korean news team sneaked into Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium and videotaped rehearsals of the much-hyped Zhang Yimou-orchestrated opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The video of a mock procession of athletes was followed by exquisitely choreographed dance routines, and powerful images of massed ranks of kung fu fighters dressed in white.

Games organisers gave no immediate response to the leak. Sun Weide, the chief Olympics spokesman, said he had only just been made aware of the broadcast and had nothing to say. "We hope to surprise the world with an excellent performance," he said.

But it was not the first sight the public had been given of what promises to be a spectacular display: there was no disguising the fireworks display that lit up the night sky of the Chinese capital last week during another rehearsal.

To the organisers, the opening ceremony is the single most important element of these Games, mixing an almost religious element of ritual with a demonstration of national culture that is supposed to restore China to its historic role as one of the world's leading civilisations.

markmckay : OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY LEAKED, looks freaking awesome:

lonniehodge : RT @niubi @danwei korean clip of opening ceremony practice on korean site http://snurl.com/37kw9 looks somewhat fascist. confascisism? HA

themack: just saw the korean "pirate video" of bj olympics opening ceremony, "confufascism" looks amazing!: themack: just saw