2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games Opening Intro

[@tobiaswilliamson00]

The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece is one of the greatest full circle moments ever.

[@99jarjarbinks]

When you have Darth Vader narrating, and one of Maestro John Williams's iconic scores playing(at least in the first half, but I also do love the second score playing), you know you have to stop and listen. Almost 12 years, and this still has the power to make my heart race, the hairs in the back of my head stand, and my emotions rise. Whew...

[@99jarjarbinks]

Rest In Peace, Mr. James Earl Jones... 😔🌹❤️ Thank you for this awesome narration from 20 years ago. Will forever be a favorite of mine. Be one with The Force, Sir. You will be greatly missed... 😢

[@jessesmith-garcia5313]

20 years later and this intro still sends a shiver down my spine...Timeless!

[@GenXGamez]

Was blown away when I saw this 11 years ago. Still waiting for another Olympics intro to be half as good.

[@1HeavyMetalAngel]

It's amazing indeed, but Olympic intros are made based on what each country has to offer so they can create a beautiful video and Greece has mainly to offer history and then beauty.

[@nicoangel690]

@@1HeavyMetalAngel what else could a country offer

[@1HeavyMetalAngel]

@@nicoangel690 ?

[@ricotheofficial]

Well for most this is from the NBC broadcast intro of the opening ceremonies and this was the last time they actually told stories in their intros… since 2008 it’s been a sorry display of production value from NBC.

[@alex28543]

James Earl Jones - this is simply a masterpiece!!!!

[@brandonveale5552]

Jones is absolutely perfect for this task - and the Sydney 2000 one he did is equally brilliant. For me the great line is "Midwestern balance of power..."

[@yusak93]

The music, video, and commentator are really good match up,,,best summer olympic opening intro ever.

[@StsFiveOneLima]

2780 Year ago...... Incredible.

[@KNS1996DFS]

"Tonight in Athens, two hundred and two nations - the world in full..." always gets me.

[@Gymnastics-me8hu]

omg same !!

[@mrbriscoe2001]

..goosebumps..

[@jasonb9562]

Sometimes there are even tears to go along with those chills

[@TASGVlogs]

Rest in Peace James Earl Jones. Died 9/9/2024

[@josephconciatori9824]

It is a sad day indeed. James was one of America's - if not the world's - greatest actors of the past century. His rich, resonant, and iconic voice had no equal, and chances are it never will. God rest his soul.

[@ksol1460tv]

JEJ: "Tonight, the Games come home." Me: IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!

[@Forsaken007-gc7oj]

The Greeks, invented the Olympics. They should be hosting them, for ever.

[@GenXGamez]

OK I just watched this again 15 years later and it remains perfect. Honestly I don’t think another intro will ever come close. “The 19 year old born in Baltimore” chills.

[@joexinopoulos5215]

Me being 50% Greek, this gives me chills. They need to return to Greece again soon. James Earl Jones narrating this is even more awesome

[@gymnasticzlife]

Simply phenomenal! Why can't they make videos like this anymore?

[@olympicgam]

This is brilliant. The best intro of a sporting event that I have seen!

[@Presidentman1054]

This is the Jurassic Park theme if you're wondering where the music's from.

[@stangcaptain4532]

Back when NBC actually knew how to cover the Olympics...

[@korogaru213]

Had to come here when I heard the news…RIP James Earl Jones.

[@arbali]

NBC sports intros are just classy and elegant. Just checked NBA on NBC intros on youtube... Hail to Dick Ebersol and NBC at the time

[@RichardEscobedo94]

Around this time, NBC and Universal had just come together to form NBCUniversal, so NBC had full access to Universal film scores.

[@LightTower936]

Immediate Music - Salvation For A Proud Nation

[@RollOnToVictory]

cause it's EPIC!!!! whats more epic than the Olympics coming home to Athens

[@TriumphantPenguin2]

EPIC F*****G WIN!

[@benrossi1513]

NBC should keep doing intros like this

[@joexinopoulos5215]

This is something that can never be taken from Greece.

[@korogaru213]

My favorite line is the one describing the first modern games -- "...Fourteen nations, Two hundred forty one competitors are CAPTURED BY THE ROMANCE OF HISTORY...."

[@mikek74]

beautiful video!!!!

[@joexinopoulos1578]

They need to return home again

[@maxhayashi4078]

Talking about the 2004 Athens Games marathon...the men's event was the most unfair of all time, as Brazilian Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, who was leading the race, was grabbed by a crazy spectator, and then, he wasted lots of time, and instead of the Gold medal, he finished in 3rd place...most outrageous marathon race in the Olympic Games.

[@TriumphantPenguin2]

No dislikes- and it should stay this way!

[@RollOnToVictory]

Jurassica Park FTW!!! John Williams is the the Olympics!

[@brandynhenry7107]

american exceptionalism stands the test of modern times and the medal tables proves this

[@KNS1996DFS]

What's the second piece?

[@acusticsunri4255]

Is there an HD version?

[@continentalrcinglg]

James Earl Jones was perfect for this role, and Andre Braugher was a perfect successor when Jones' health started going downhill, but bringing in Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor to do London's intro was a mistake. Blunt and McGregor are fine actors, like Jones and Braugher, but unlike Jones and Braugher, Blunt and McGregor don't have great voices for big events.

[@mlliarm]

RIP

[@raggedsail]

NBC and Audiomachine (their song Epica is used in the video) wont allow it. Tried to upload it once or twice. KZbin won't allow it. :(

[@Princez1289]

Do you or anyone know if the ending Ode to Joy montage can be watched anywhere?

[@joexinopoulos5215]

Olympics +Greece = Home

[@Charlie_Brown_009]

Why are they using Jerassic Park movies theme?

[@courtneyadams7081]

Because it’s EPIC.

[@RollOnToVictory]

I don't know why, but I always assumed they would get Stephen Fry narrate something like this for London.

[@TriumphantPenguin2]

NO FLAGGING PLEASE

[@nicoangel690]

James Earl Jones....The Voice of ELLAS for all times......ENCORE ! Ξαμεσ Εαρλ Ξονεσ...Τηε Ωοιψε οφ ΕΛΛΑΣ...φορ αλλ τιμεσ.......ΕΝΨΟΡΕ !

[@stephenrichey8487]

Anyone please, if the music in the first part is "Jurassic Park," what is the music in the second part? Thanks!

[@wildethang93]

Salvation for a Proud Nation by Immediate Music

[@stephenrichey8487]

Hello wildethang93, thanks enormously!

[@maxhayashi4078]

Olympic Games are exciting, but there are many events that I consider unfair, because some athletes take much more advantage than others, just because they are much taller than his(her) opponents.

[@nicoangel690]

.....

[@julius923]

Does anyone know where the McGregor-Blunt 2012 Opening is?

[@RaymondHng]

I didn't know they narrated it. Here it is. kzbin.info/www/bejne/boTSpmx5j9mBpa8

[@akawhippy]

Oprah would make a great voice for this too!

[@nicoangel690]

What ,,use your head, my God

[@maxhayashi4078]

Who is the author of this amazing theme?

[@Vinsanity09]

You don’t know John Williams? The music is from Jurassic Park

[@jimbo6059]

The late games as I call it as Athens applied for the 1996 Olympics which was the centennial but it was bought by coca cola.

[@joexinopoulos1578]

The Olympics are always a part of Greece

[@nicoangel690]

Οι Αρχαίοι Θεοί μας αψηφούν τις ΗΠΑ με μεγάλη υπερηφάνεια. Μεγάλος Θεός ..."ζεθσ" . ΓΙΑ ΣΕΝΑ !

[@greenhornet8262]

Why the Jurassic Park music though?

[@JamesBarcus]

NBC had just joined with Universal to become NBCUniversal, so naturally, with John Williams as composer, and Universal now with NBC, They chose this as the first part. Plus, you couple the music with James Earl Jones as narrator, and you have this masterpiece. I sure miss those days.

[@RollOnToVictory]

Tonight... the games come home.... and Greece will be paying it off until 2104.

[@gelisgeo1309]

RollOnToVictory this is not true...

[@nicoangel690]

@@gelisgeo1309 It was worth it to US....something only a HELLENE can understand.

[@johndee759]

Jurassic Park.

[@CP91230]

Morgan Freeman should have narrated this

[@nicoangel690]

Οι Αρχαίοι Θεοί μας αψηφούν τις ΗΠΑ με μεγάλη υπερηφάνεια. Μεγάλος Θεός ..."ζεθσ" . ΓΙΑ ΣΕΝΑ !