Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (or simply Austin Powers[2]) is a 1997 American spy comedy film directed by Jay Roach. It is the first installment in the Austin Powers series. It stars franchise co-producer and writer Mike Myers, playing the role as Austin Powers and Dr. Evil,[5][6] Powers' arch-enemy. Supporting roles are played by Elizabeth Hurley, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, and Michael York. The film is an affectionate spoof of the James Bond films and other popular culture from the 1960s.[7]

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJay Roach
Produced by
Written byMike Myers
Starring
Music byGeorge S. Clinton[1]
CinematographyPeter Deming[1]
Edited byDebra Neil-Fisher[1]
Production
companies
Distributed byNew Line Cinema[1]
Release date
  • May 2, 1997 (1997-05-02)
Running time
91 minutes[3]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$16.5 million
Box office$67.7 million[4]

The film, which cost US$16.5 million, opened on May 2, 1997, grossing US$53 million from its North American release and over $67 million worldwide. The film spawned two sequels, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002).

In the years following the 2002 release of Austin Powers in Goldmember, Myers has discussed the possibility of a fourth film.[8][9]

Plot

In 1967, British spy Austin Powers thwarts an assassination attempt by his nemesis Dr. Evil in a London nightclub. Dr. Evil escapes in a space rocket and cryogenically freezes himself. Powers volunteers to be placed into cryostasis in case Dr. Evil returns in the future.

Thirty years later, in 1997, Dr. Evil returns to discover his henchman Number 2 has developed Virtucon, the legitimate front of Evil's empire, into a multibillion-dollar enterprise. Uninterested in business, Dr. Evil conspires to steal nuclear weapons and hold the world hostage for $1 million. He increases his demand to $100 billion when he learns that the value of the dollar has fallen due to inflation. Dr. Evil also learns that, during his absence, his associates have artificially created his son, Scott Evil, using his frozen semen. Now a Generation X teenager, Scott is resentful of his father's absence and resists his attempts to get closer to him.

Having learned of Dr. Evil's return, the British Ministry of Defence unfreezes Powers, acclimatizing him to the 1990s with the help of agent Vanessa Kensington, the daughter of his 1960s sidekick Mrs. Kensington. Posing as a married couple, Powers and Kensington track Number 2 to Las Vegas and meet his Italian secretary, Alotta Fagina. Powers infiltrates Fagina's penthouse suite and discovers Dr. Evil's plans to drill a nuclear warhead into the Earth's core and trigger volcanic eruptions worldwide. Fagina discovers Powers and seduces him to learn his identity. Dr. Evil and his entourage conspire to defeat Powers by creating a series of fembots: beautiful female androids equipped with guns concealed in their breasts.

Powers and Kensington infiltrate the Virtucon headquarters but are apprehended by Dr. Evil's henchman, Random Task. Meanwhile, the United Nations accede to the demands of Dr. Evil, who proceeds with his plan nonetheless. Powers and Kensington escape Dr. Evil's death trap and Kensington is sent for help. While searching for Dr. Evil, Powers is confronted by the fembots; Powers seduces them with a striptease that makes them explode.

British forces raid the underground lair, while Powers deactivates the doomsday device. Powers confronts Dr. Evil, but Fagina arrives holding Kensington hostage. They are interrupted by Number 2, who attempts to betray Dr. Evil by making a deal with Powers. Dr. Evil uses a trap door to eliminate Number 2, then activates the base's self-destruct mechanism and escapes. Powers and Kensington flee as a nuclear explosion destroys the lair. Austin attempts his trademark flip into his car but his crotch hits the gear shift, injuring his testicles. Vanessa pulls the gear shift further into his crotch in order to drive the car and they escape.

Powers and Kensington marry. During their honeymoon, Powers is attacked by Random Task. Powers subdues him using a penis pump, allowing Kensington to knock him out. The newlyweds adjourn to the balcony. Among the stars, Powers spots the cryogenic chamber of Dr. Evil, who vows revenge.

Cast

Deleted scenes:

Production

Inspiration

Mike Myers created the character of Austin Powers for the faux 1960s rock band Ming Tea that Myers started with Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs following his Saturday Night Live stint in the early 1990s.[10][11] Myers said that the movie and the character were inspired by the British films, music and comedy of the 1960s and 70s his father had introduced him to as a child. "After my dad died in 1991, I was taking stock of his influence on me as a person and his influence on me with comedy in general. So Austin Powers was a tribute to my father, who [introduced me to] James Bond, Peter Sellers, the Beatles, The Goodies, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore".[12] Dana Carvey felt that Myers copied Carvey's impression of Lorne Michaels for the Dr. Evil character.[13][14]

Casting

Myers sought Jim Carrey to play Dr. Evil, as his initial plan was not to play multiple characters in the series. Carrey was interested in the part, but had to turn the role down due to scheduling conflicts with Liar Liar.[15] Myers estimated that 30–40% of film was improvised.[16] Filming locations included Riviera Hotel and Casino and Stardust Resort & Casino in Winchester, Nevada.[17]

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 2.39:1 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. However, all US versions of the film are the PG-13 cut, with edits to sexual humor/language.[18] International versions are uncut.

Legacy

On their official website, the Ministry of Justice revealed that every week they have one person who wants to change their middle name to 'Danger' – claiming that this was inspired by the line in Man of Mystery, "Danger is my middle name!".[19] This phrase, however, had been in common use for many years prior to the film: it may be found in James Wallerstein's The Cactus Wildcat (1954) and E.B. White's The Trumpet of the Swan (1970)

Daniel Craig, who has portrayed James Bond on screen since 2006, credited the Austin Powers franchise with the relatively serious tone of later Bond films. "We had to destroy the myth because Mike Myers fucked us," Craig said in a 2014 interview, making it "impossible" to do the gags of earlier Bond films which Austin Powers satirized.[20]

Reception

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery received positive reviews. The film has acquired a 71% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 60 reviews, with an average rating on 6.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A light and goofy comedy which provides laughs, largely due to performances and screenwriting by Myers."[21] The movie debuted at No.2 at the box office with US$9.5 million.[22][23][24] Time Out New York critic Andrew Johnston observed: "The film's greatest asset is its gentle tone: rejecting the smug cynicism of Naked Gun-style parodies, it never loses the earnest naivete of the psychedelic era."[25]

See also

References
  1. "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". American Film Institute. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  2. "Austin Powers International Man of Mystery (1997)". British Film Institute. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  3. "AUSTIN POWERS : INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY | British Board of Film Classification". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  4. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery at Box Office Mojo
  5. "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  6. Patricia Winters Lauro (14 June 1999). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; Big marketers are betting on 'Austin Powers' to endear them to young people". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  7. Parker, Ryan. "'Austin Powers' at 20: Mike Myers, Jay Roach, More Spill Secrets in Shagadelic Oral History". The Hollywood Reporter. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 28 March 2018. "...Austin Powers was a tribute to my father, who [introduced me to] James Bond, Peter Sellers, The Beatles, The Goodies, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore".
  8. Drew McWeeny (12 August 2011). "Exclusive: Mike Myers is signed, sealed, delivered for 'Austin Powers 4'". HitFix. HitFix.com. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  9. ""Austin Powers 4" official update!". moviepilot.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-29. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  10. Digital Hit (1997–2012). "Mike Myers". Digital Hit. Digital Hit Entertainment/ Multiplex Theatre Properties Inc. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  11. Cherie D. Abbey; Omnigraphics; Kevin Hillstrom (2004). Biography Today Performing Artists. Omnigraphics. p. 101. ISBN 078080709X.
  12. Parker, Ryan. "'Austin Powers' at 20: Mike Myers, Jay Roach, More Spill Secrets in Shagadelic Oral History". The Hollywood Reporter. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  13. Brandon Kirby (April 24, 2013). "Mike Myers, Dana Carvey Set Aside 'Wayne's World' Feud at Academy Screening". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015-07-08. Carvey is said to have been upset that Myers' Dr. Evil character in Austin Powers bore a striking resemblance to Carvey's impression of SNL creator Lorne Michaels.
  14. "How Mike Myers and Dana Carvey Resolved Their 'Wayne's World'-'Austin Powers' Feud". The Hollywood Reporter. April 11, 2013. Retrieved 2015-07-08. Carvey felt Myers later stole his Dr. Evil impression for Austin Powers, which supposedly was based on Carvey's goof on Lorne Michaels.
  15. Evans, Bradford (17 March 2011). "The Lost Roles of Jim Carrey". Splitsider. Archived from the original on 8 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  16. "This Sort Of Thing Is His Bag, Baby". Newsweek. May 18, 1997.
  17. Cling, Carol (1997-04-28). "Two movies using Nevada as backdrop set to open Friday". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on 2001-09-08.
  18. "Movie Censorship Report". Movie-censorship.com. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  19. "UK Deed Poll Service - Adding a middle name". Deedpoll.org.uk. 2011-05-28. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
  20. "Daniel Craig Foreshadows". mi6-hq.com. 2014-12-02. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  21. "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  22. Puig, Claudia (1997-05-06). "Weekend Box Office; Box Office Continues Its Breakout". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  23. "Breakdown, 'Austin Powers' Top 'Volcano' at Box Office". The Los Angeles Times. 1997-05-05. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  24. MALCOLM JOHNSON (2 May 1997). "Talented Myers Out Of Control In `Powers'". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  25. Johnston, Andrew (May 1–8, 1997). "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". Time Out New York: 64.
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