Olympic Opening Ceremony 2012: Highlighting the 10 Most Entertaining Moments

The 2012 London Olympics officially got underway with the spectacle that is the opening ceremony. The proceedings were directed by Academy Award winning director Danny Boyle.

Boyle put together one memorable ceremony that celebrated various aspects of British history. There was something for everyone in a very visual performance by the thousands of performers.

The ceremony was fun and had several performances from celebrities as well. From taped pieces to live appearances, Britain came together to deliver a memorable opening ceremony.

What were the highlights?

Let's take a look at the top-10 most entertaining moments from the opening ceremony.

No. 10: Arctic Monkeys Cover "Come Together"

At the tail end of the opening ceremony, the Arctic Monkeys took to the stage and performed a cover of "Come Together" by The Beatles.

As riders with wings cycled around the stadium, the rock group sang "Come Together" to the thousands in attendance, including The Queen and Sir Paul McCartney.

There is something about the song and what it means for the Olympics that made this moment special, and kudos to the Arctic Monkeys for providing a solid cover to a classic song beloved by millions around the globe.

The celebration of British music culture was a success and a welcome addition to the opening ceremony.

No. 9: Parade of Nations

Even in spite of their length, the Parade of Nations is always one of the more anticipated portions of the opening ceremony.

It is the one chance to see the vast majority of athletes in one place before they separate and head off to compete in their individual events. It is also a chance to remark on their country's fashion choice for the ceremony.

And as the nations come together in the center of the stadium, you get to see the scope of the Olympic games. Thousands of athletes who are living their dream.

But what makes it even better is seeing all the nations together having a good time, enjoying it peacefully. It is what the Olympics is all about.

No. 8: Children's Literature and the National Health Service

Danny Boyle used the time to pay tribute to Britain's long line of remarkable children's literature.

Famed UK author JK Rowling made an appearance and narrated as one child opened her book under the covers.

Commence the monsters and nightmares. Several of the all-time great villains of children's literature appeared to scare the kids before Mary Poppins, or shall I say several Mary Poppins, descended from the sky to ward them off.

It was a fantastic moment and tribute to what Great Britain has given the world in terms of literature.

No. 7: Children Jumping on Beds

The Great Ormond Street Hospital played a significant role in the 2012 opening ceremony.

The tribute to the National Health Service and GOSH was fun. As an adult, it always puts a smile on my face when I see kids thoroughly having a fantastic time simply being a child.

No better way to represent that than having them jump on their beds.

It is something almost every adult can relate to. Something we all have done. A simply joy.

The lighted beds and blankets were a nice touch and a great visual as the camera looked down on the proceedings. But it was the unbridled joy of the kids that made this a great moment.

No. 6: Sir Paul McCartney

"Hey Jude."

The rock legend marveled the crowd and got them to sing-a-long with the famous track. Something many probably did from the comforts of their own home.

There was no more fitting a choice to close the opening ceremony than McCartney. He is a national treasure and the reverence displayed for him shows that precisely.

The Beatles connected with the world and were the voice of a generation. Their message and songs still relate to today. "Hey Jude" was a perfect choice for the London ceremony and made for a special moment.

No. 5: A Teen Love Story

In one of the most fun portions of the ceremony, Boyle gave us a modern love story.

A boy notices a good-looking young lady. When he goes to make his move she is gone, but she dropped her phone. Cue one of the best musical and dance numbers in Olympic history.

From the 60's to today, the British music scene has played a significant role in our culture. The famous songs played and put a smile on the crowd as the cast of young adults danced along.

Naturally, toward the end the young couple come together and kissed. This sparked a more modern party element.

The love story suckered us in with fantastic music, with an audible uproar was heard when Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" kicked in. It was pure fun.

No. 4: The Queen and James Bond

One of the most memorable moments of the opening ceremony was the video with Daniel Craig reprising his role of James Bond.

Mr. Bond was tasked with getting Queen Elizabeth to the Games. And what better way than by helicopter?

As the helicopter moved through London and eventually hovered overhead, what was about to happen created anticipation and laughter.

007 and Queen Elizabeth, well "Queen Elizabeth," jumped from the helicopter and parachuted down. Moments later the Queen appeared. She is a good sport and it was one of the more memorable moments from the ceremony.

No. 3: Chariots of Fire with Rowan Atkinson

Better known as Mr. Bean to American audiences, Rowan Atkinson added his wit and humor to the broadcast as a member of the London Symphony Orchestra.

He aided in the playing of one of the most notable sport anthems in history: Chariots of Fire.

His comedic performance added a nice twist to the proceedings. No reason for the opening ceremony to be a serious spectacle from beginning to end.

As Atkinson nodded off, he provided a hilarious video sequence of him running on the beach from the famous movie scene. When he awoke, he noticed everyone was looking and waiting for him to finish the musical piece.

Atkinson had the crowd roaring with laughter. It will go down as one of the best moments of the ceremony and potentially an all-time moment.

No. 2: The Lighting of the Cauldron

204 copper petals make up what is the Olympic Cauldron.

The way in which it was lit was unique and special. Typically, one athlete lights it but London had other ideas. Seven young athletes made their way to the cauldron and lit one of the copper petals a piece.

This set off a chain reaction where the other 197 petals lit up.

Then the petals began to rise together and form the cauldron.

The visual of the cauldron coming together was beautiful. As was the end result. The lighting of it is always an anticipated moment of the opening ceremony and almost always delivers.

It did in London as well.

No. 1: Forged Rings

Boyle's representation of the Industrial Revolution was quite the performance. The factory smell was even replicated and pumped in to the stadium to enhance the experience.

But the moment that stands out from the opening ceremony was the coming together of the forged rings that made up the Olympic Rings.

The faux molten metal streamed down and made up the ring in the center. That is where workers hammered away at it. Then it began to rise up.

From other parts of the stadium, four more rings entered and the five completed rings came together.

The Olympic Rings then showered down. It was one of the most picturesque moments of the evening. Credit goes to Boyle for his vision.