Austin Powers: International Man of
Mystery, released in
1997, is the first film of the
Austin Powers series.
It was directed by
Jay Roach and written
by
Mike Myers who also stars in
the
title role. Myers also plays
Dr. Evil, Austin Powers'
arch-enemy. The film co-stars
Elizabeth
Hurley as
Vanessa Kensington,
Robert Wagner as
Number Two,
Seth Green as
Scott
Evil, and
Michael York as
Basil Exposition. There are cameos
by
Will Ferrell,
Carrie Fisher,
Tom Arnold,
Rob
Lowe,
Christian Slater,
Neil Mullarkey, and
Burt Bacharach, and an uncredited cameo by
MADtv star
Michael McDonald, among many
others.
The film is a
parody of the early
James Bond films (particularly
those starring
Sean Connery) as well as
other 1960s
spy films.
The film, which cost $16.5 million, opened on May 2, 1997, to
positive critical reviews. It made a modest impact at the box
office, grossing US$53 million in its North American release and
about US$68 million worldwide. The film later became a hit and
cult classic on the home video market and
cable television, spawning two more commercially successful
sequels.
Plot
The year is 1967. Dentally-challenged British gentleman spy
Austin Powers and his nemesis
Dr. Evil (both
Mike Myers) have faced each other many
times during the decade. As Dr. Evil's henchmen have failed to
dispose of Powers, he makes his own assassination attempt at a
nightclub in London, England. Powers foils the attempt and Dr. Evil
escapes in a space rocket disguised as a
Bob's Big Boy statue, where he places himself
in a
cryogenic freezing chamber to return
sometime in the future. In return, Powers volunteers to have
himself placed in
cryostasis in case his
services are needed in the future.
Dr. Evil returns thirty years later in 1997 with new evil plans for
world domination and reunites with his associates,
Frau Farbissina (
Mindy Sterling),
Mustafa (
Will Ferrell) – who was soon killed off after
"problems arose in the unfreezing process", causing his cat, Mr
Bigglesworth, to lose all his fur – and
Number Two (
Robert Wagner). During Dr. Evil's absence,
Number Two has developed "Virtucon", the legitimate face of Dr.
Evil's empire, into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, but Dr. Evil
prefers to put one of two schemes into effect: (a) blackmail the
British Royal Family, the
wealthiest landowners in the world, by fabricating an extramarital
affair involving
Prince
Charles which would lead to divorce or (b) use several
industrial
lasers to punch holes in the ozone
layer and cause an increase in risks of
skin
cancer. Much to Dr. Evil's disappointment, each is rejected by
Number Two because both have already happened. Instead, he decides
to "do what [they] always do: hijack some nuclear weapons and hold
the world hostage." It is only after Dr. Evil suggests a ransom of
$1 million that he learns of the changed monetary value, and raises
the demand to $100 billion.
Having learned of the return of Dr. Evil, the British Ministry of
Defence unfreezes Powers. To help him adjust to the 1990s, he is
teamed with
Vanessa Kensington
(
Elizabeth Hurley), the daughter of
his 1960s sidekick
Mrs. Kensington
(
Mimi Rogers).
After being reunited
with his previous belongings, which include a "Swedish-made
penis-enlarger pump", a receipt for a "Swedish-made penis-enlarger
pump", a warranty card, and a book written by Powers entitled
"Swedish-Made Penis Enlarger Pumps and Me (This Sort of
Thing Is My Bag, Baby)", Powers and Kensington jet to
Las
Vegas
in search of Dr. Evil. However, Powers'
free love credo from the 1960s does not go
down well with Kensington, who continues to resist his
advances.
Meanwhile, Dr. Evil learns that during his absence his associates
have artificially created his son,
Scott
(
Seth Green), using his frozen
semen. Now a
Generation X
teenager, Scott resents his father's absence, and they attend a
"fathers and sons" group therapy session (Hosted in cameo by
Carrie Fisher).
Posing as a married couple, Powers and Kensington check into a
hotel and are put on the trail of Number Two, using the alias' of
Richie and Oprah Cunningham. During their time in Las Vegas,
Kensington gradually warms to Powers' charms, but he refuses to
take advantage of her while she is intoxicated. Over a game of
blackjack, Powers meets Number Two's
buxom "Italian confidential private
secretary,"
Alotta Fagina. Under
instructions from the British Secret Service, Powers breaks into
Fagina's penthouse apartment. He investigates and finds secret
plans for Dr. Evil's "Project Vulcan". After learning that Project
Vulcan involves driving a nuclear warhead into the Earth's molten
core to trigger massive volcanic eruptions worldwide, Powers is
discovered by Fagina. Fagina allows Powers to stay and he watches
her silhouette strip naked through the door of another room. Fagina
invites Powers inside to relax with her in a hot tub. Fagina
seduces Powers as a distraction in order to learn his true
identity. Meanwhile, Dr. Evil learns that Powers is after him, but
his entourage have identified Powers' libido as his weakness and
created a group of
fembots; beautiful,
blonde female androids equipped with automatic guns concealed in
their
breasts. Frau tests their new weapon
on their own guards and they perform flawlessly, getting the guards
to lower their guns with their physical attraction, and then
killing them with their breast guns.
The British Secret Service discover that Virtucon conducts tourist
tours of its headquarters, and this is considered an ideal
opportunity for Powers and Kensington to infiltrate. After
bamboozling a security guard to gain entrance to the restricted
area, Powers and Kensington are apprehended by Dr. Evil's henchman,
Random Task (
Joe Son).
Dr. Evil presents his ultimatum to the
United Nations (here represented by diplomats
seated around a table with stereotypical international figures such
as
matadors and
sumo wrestlers surrounding them) and they
concede to his demands. However, he is so evil that he decides to
keep the ransom but still destroy the world. Powers and Kensington
are then placed in "an easily escapable situation involving an
overly elaborate and exotic death" from which they escape, and
Kensington is sent for help.
While Project Vulcan is put into operation, Powers tries to find
Dr. Evil but stumbles upon the fembots, which are in fuzzy,
see-through nightgowns. They enter performing cartwheels, then jump
on his shoulders, which allow them to cover him with a pink gas
that "came out of their jubblies" as Powers later explained. Powers
lies in bed with the fembots, as they rub their hands on him he
tries to snap out of it by thinking of non-sexual things. He then
snaps out of it and eventually overcomes them with the use of his
sexy body.
Led by Kensington, British forces raid the underground lair, and at
the last moment Powers stops the doomsday device. Powers confronts
Dr. Evil and is joined by Kensington, who is being held hostage by
Alotta Fagina. They are interrupted by Number Two, who resents Dr.
Evil's illegitimate plans after he has been so successful in the
conventional business world and wishes to make a deal with Powers.
Before he can, Dr. Evil (apparently) kills Number Two and seizes
his opportunity to initiate the self-destruct mechanism and, once
again, escapes in his cryogenic freezing chamber inside the "Big
Boy" spaceship. Powers and Kensington escape in Powers'
conveniently parked shaguar while the underground lair is destroyed
in a nuclear explosion.
Powers and Kensington are later married, but during their honeymoon
Powers is
attacked by Dr. Evil's henchman,
Random Task. Defeated in conventional combat, Powers subdues the
assassin through the use of his "Swedish-made
penis enlarger pump", allowing
Kensington to knock him out with a glass bottle to the head. In a
romantic moment, the couple adjourn to their balcony to observe the
stars. Noticing a rather bright star, Powers pulls out a telescope
to discover that it is in fact Dr. Evil's cryogenic chamber in
which Dr. Evil vows to "get" Austin Powers.
Cast
Production
Inspiration
Mike Myers has stated that he was
inspired to create the character after hearing the song "The Look
of Love" on the radio, which was the theme song of Ursula Andress's
character Vesper Lynd in the 1967 version of
Casino Royale, and thus the
film has many of the late 60s psychedelic pop culture stylings of
that earlier film. Not only Casino Royale, but elements from all
the early James Bond movies are used for spoof or
inspiration.
- Dr No (1962) - Shower
sequence during the unfreeze sequence, Austin's and Vanessa's
change of clothing and dinner with Dr Evil, Dr Evil's outfit and
general surroundings during the climax
- From Russia With
Love (1963) - The Irish assassin being modelled on Red
Grant, the toilet fight modelled on the train fight, Frau
Frabissina partly modelled on Rosa Klebb, Mustafa based on nameless
SMERSH/SPECTRE spy.
- Goldfinger (1964) -
The character Random Task modelled on Odd Job, the dialogue "do you
expect them to pay? - No, I expect them to die" based on "Do you
expect me to talk? - No, I expect you to die", Random Task/Odd Job
chopping off the head of a statue, final fight between Austin and
Random Task against a wall modelled on fight between Bond and Odd
Job against a wall inside Fort Knox.
- Thunderball (1965) -
Dr Evil's head quarters where he kills people around the table, the
plot about stealing nuclear arms and holding the world ransom,
conversation about a swimming pool with sharks, Austin playing
Black Jack with No 2.
- Casino Royale
(1966) - The song "The look of love", the rotating bed, Austin
Powers' glasses, psychadelic set during Dr Evil's initial 1967
escape, No 2 cheating at cards by having special glasses modelled
on similar sequence with Orson Welles.
- You Only Live
Twice (1967) - The lines "this organization does not
tolerate failure" and "in Japan men come first", the scenes with
the Jaguar and the video communication with Basil Exposition at the
very beginning is modelled on similar sequences with Bond, Aki and
Tiger Tanaka, external shots of the Virtucon enterprise modelled on
external shots of the Osaka enterprise, interior of Alotta's
apartment, bath tub sequence in Alotta's apartment, Austin's poetry
similar to Tiger Tanaka's reading of poetry (actually written by
Bond in the novel), Mr. Bigglesworth (Dr. Evil's cat) being a
parody of Bond villain Ernst Stavro
Blofeld's white Persian, although it
becomes hairless due to the cryostasis.
- On Her
Majesty's Secret Service (1969) - The look and behaviour
of Austin Powers modelled on Lazenby's Bond, Frau Fabissima partly
modelled on Irma Bunt, Dr Evil's killing at the Pussycat Club in
line with how Blofeld did his own killing in OHMSS.
- Diamonds Are
Forever (1971) - Nevada and Las Vegas locations, Austin
climbing through the window into Alotta Fagina's apartment modelled
on how Bond enters Blofeld's apartment, No 2 using a model of the
US for explaining the enterprise, final attack on Austin at the
hotel modelled on similar final sequence on the Queen
Elisabeth.
Other inspirations for the character and the film include
Dr. Goldfoot and
the Bikini Machine, the BBC series
Adam Adamant Lives!, in which an
Edwardian hero is frozen by his arch-enemy The Face and is revived
in 1960s London, Michael Caine's Harry Palmer character from
The Ipcress File,
and Peter Wyngarde's "Jason King" character from
Department S and
Jason King.
The characters of Commander Gilmour and General Borchevsky were
named after Doug Gilmour and Nicolai Borchevsky, two former players
from Myers' favorite National Hockey League team, his hometown
Toronto Maple Leafs.
The iconic intro scene in which Austin is chased around London by a
crowd of women is a reference to the
Beatles film "
A Hard Day's Night". Austin is
chased down the street by a crowd of girls, like
Lennon,
Starr and
Harrison are in "A Hard Day's
Night", and he is also pictured wearing a fake beard as a disguise,
as
McCartney does in the Beatles
movie.
Filming locations
The following is a list of known locations during the filming of
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
Deleted scenes
The international release differs from the North American release,
as it includes these additional scenes:
- Evel Knievel is among the
celebrities frozen in cryo-stasis alongside Austin.
- Right after one of Dr. Evil's security guards is crushed by a
steam roller driven by Austin and Vanessa, the security guard's
family is notified of his death.
- After another guard has his head eaten by ill-tempered mutated
sea bass, his friends (led by Rob Lowe)
hosting a surprise Bachelor's Party at a Hooters are notified of his death.
- Austin's fight with Random Task is longer, with Austin reaching
for a knife, a candlestick and a coral rake during the fight.
The
UK
release
deleted the Princess Diana joke, as
the film was released on the week of her death. The joke was
subsequently restored in the 2001 TV broadcast on UK's
Channel 4.
In addition, many scenes cut out from the film are found on the
DVD:
- While Number 2 talks about the business ventures he created
during Dr. Evil's absence, he mentions the Franklin Mint Cheeses of the World Series
Commemorative Plates.
- Austin's flirting with the lead stewardess aboard his Jumbo
Jet. A portion of this scene was played in the official
trailer.
- During Austin's final confrontation with Dr. Evil, Number 2
attempts to bribe Austin with $1 billion in a Fendi briefcase. When Austin grabs just one stack of
$100 bills, he notes that the money is short of a billion, to which
Number 2 mentions the Fendi briefcase being part of it. They
continue to argue until Dr. Evil presses the button to eliminate
Number 2.
- Three alternate endings, all of which still have Austin and
Vanessa in a lifeboat.
Soundtrack
Track listing
- "The Magic Piper (Of Love)" by Edwyn
Collins
- "BBC" by Ming Tea
- "Incense and
Peppermints" by Strawberry
Alarm Clock
- "Carnival" by The Cardigans
- "Mas Que Nada" by Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66
- "Female of the Species
(Fembot Mix)" by Space
- "You Showed Me" by The Lightning Seeds
- "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones and His Orchestra
- "These Days" by Luxury
- "Austin's Theme" by The James
Taylor Quartet
- "I Touch Myself" by Divinyls
- "Call Me" by The Mike Flowers
Pops
- "The Look of Love"
by Susanna Hoffs
- "What the World
Needs Now Is Love" by Burt
Bacharach and The Posies
- "The Book Lovers" by Broadcast
- "Austin Powers" by Wondermints
- "The 'Shag-adelic' Austin Powers Score Medley" by George S. Clinton
There are two notable omissions: "
Secret Agent Man," which is played
during the attack on Dr. Evil's compound, and "
These Boots Are Made for
Walkin'", which plays during the Fembot presentation.
Home video releases
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was released
to
region
1 single disc "
flipper
disc" DVD with
widescreen and
full screen versions on opposing
sides of the disc. The widescreen transfer is unusual in that it is
a modified version of the theatrical ratio: Despite being filmed in
2.35:1 aspect
ratio, on DVD it is presented as 2:1 ratio, "as specified by the
director" according to the disc packaging. The film was featured in
the correct theatrical aspect ratio for the first time when it was
released on Blu-Ray, in the Austin Powers Collection.
All versions of the film released on home video (including VHS)
have two alternate endings and a set of deleted scenes. The DVD and
Blu-Ray versions feature a commentary, as well.
References
External links
- Alotta Fagina's penthouse (Interior
shots)
in Las Vegas, Nevada
in Las Vegas, Nevada — Interior
shots
in Las Vegas, Nevada — Interior
shots
in Overton, Nevada
in Agua Dulce, California
in Las Vegas, Nevada — Exterior
shot
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