Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery | |
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Directed by | Jay Roach |
Written by | Mike Myers |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Peter Deming[1] |
Edited by | Debra Neil-Fisher[1] |
Music by | George S. Clinton[1] |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | New Line Cinema[1] (United States) Capella International (International)[3] |
Release date |
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Running time | 89 minutes[4] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $16.5 million |
Box office | $67.7 million[5] |
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (or simply Austin Powers centering on a flamboyant, promiscuous secret agent and a criminal mastermind, arch-nemesis who go into and come out of cryostasis at the same time as each other as their conflict spans decades.
The film, which cost $16.5 million to produce, was released on May 2, 1997. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $67 million worldwide. It is now regarded as one of the best comedy films of all time, ranking 42nd on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies of All Time" list. The film spawned two sequels, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002). In the years following Austin Powers in Goldmember, Myers has discussed the possibility of a fourth film, though as of 2024 nothing official has come to fruition.[9][10]
Plot
In 1967, British
Thirty years later, 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
Having learned of Dr. Evil's return, the British
Austin and Vanessa infiltrate the Virtucon headquarters but are apprehended by Dr. Evil's henchman,
Austin lies in bed with them happy as they rub his face and chest but soon snaps out of it. They rub his chest and convince him to stay. They continue to talk sexy to him and make smooching sounds. After one of the fembots shows him her underwear, Austin makes a run for it but two fembots block the door, saying he can’t resist them. Austin proves them wrong by performing a striptease to “I Touch Myself” by Divinyls. Austin strips down to his red Union Jack briefs and does several sexy dances which arouses and makes the fembots too horny to the point that their heads explode. Vanessa arrives and Austin explains what just happened and redresses.
British forces raid the underground lair, while Austin deactivates the doomsday device. He confronts Dr. Evil, but Fagina arrives holding Vanessa hostage. They are interrupted by Number 2, who attempts to betray Dr. Evil by making a deal with Austin. Dr. Evil uses a trap door to send Number 2 plummeting into the fire pit, then activates the base's self-destruct mechanism and escapes. Austin and Vanessa evacuate the lair before it explodes.
Three months later, Austin and Vanessa are married. During their honeymoon, Austin is attacked by Random Task. He subdues him using a
Cast
- Mike Myers as Austin Powers and Dr. Evil
- Vanessa Kensington
- Robert Wagner as Number 2
- Seth Green as Scott Evil
- Mindy Sterling as Frau Farbissina
- Basil Exposition
- Alotta Fagina
- Mustafa
- Mrs. Kensington
- Random Task
- Paul Dillon as Paddy O'Brien
- Charles Napier as Commander Gilmour
- Elya Baskin as General Borschevsky
- Clint Howard as Johnson Ritter
- Neil Mullarkey as Quartermaster Clerk
- Brian George as UN Secretary
- Tom Arnold as Texan (uncredited)
- Carrie Fisher as Therapist (uncredited)
- Larry Thomas as Casino Dealer
- Burt Bacharach as Himself
- Michael McDonald as Henchman Steve
- Cynthia Lamontagne as Fembot #1
- Cindy Margolis as Fembot #2
- Cheryl Bartel as Fembot #3
- Donna W. Scott as Fembot #4
- Barbara Mooreas Fembot #5
Deleted scenes:
- Lois Chiles as Steve's wife (UK Version only)
- Christian Slater as Hypnotized Guard (UK Version only)
- Rob Lowe as John's Friend (Bill) (UK Version only)
- Kelly Preston as Hooters waitress
(UK Version only)
Production
Inspiration
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.[16]
Since the 1960s had a big influence on his childhood, Myers cast Robert Wagner and Michael York, two household names from the late 1960s, in key supporting roles. The popularity of the film revived both Wagner's and York's careers. Myers has referred to Wagner as "the coolest guy I know" and York as "the classiest guy I know." Rhea Perlman was in talks to play Frau Farbissina, but had scheduling conflicts. She has always regretted turning the movie down.[citation needed] Colin Quinn turned down the role of Scott Evil and expressed regret for declining the part.[17]
Myers estimated that 30–40% of the film was improvised.
Reception
Box office
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery opened on May 2, 1997 to $9.5 million in North American theaters,[20] coming in second that weekend to the thriller film Breakdown, a Paramount release which opened with $12.3 million.[21][22] In its second weekend, Austin Powers fell to $7 million.[22] Its overall take after it left theaters was $53.8m domestically and $13.8m overseas for a worldwide total of $67.8 million, four times the amount of its production budget.[22]
The low grosses in the UK have been partly attributed to the death of Princess Diana, which occurred in August 1997 just prior to the film's UK September release date.[8] The film grew a steady following due to strong word-of-mouth and its release on VHS and DVD.[22][8]
Critical reception
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery received positive reviews. The film has acquired a 73% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 71 reviews, with an average rating on 6.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A light and goofy comedy which provides laughs, largely due to performances and screenwriting by Myers."[23]
Malcolm Johnson of the Hartford Courant praised Myers' turn in multiple roles, writing "Myers, flashing his cruddy grin as Austin and doing implacable slow burns as Evil, again proves himself a gifted comic with a knack for transformation. But he needs to find a director who will spin out his best ideas and toss out the worst ones. With [Jay] Roach at the helm, 'Austin Powers' is less than groovy."[26]
Home media
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was released to
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, which were then rare to include on VHS.[22] The DVD and Blu-ray versions also feature a commentary. However, all US versions of the film are the 89-minute PG-13 cut, with edits to sexual humor/language.[27] International versions are uncut and 94 minutes long (assuming the correct frame rate).
Legacy
Daniel Craig, who portrayed James Bond on screen from 2006 to 2021, credited the Austin Powers franchise with the relatively serious tone of later Bond films. In a 2014 interview, Craig said, "We had to destroy the myth because Mike Myers fucked us", making it "impossible" to do the gags of earlier Bond films which Austin Powers satirized.[28]
Awards
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". American Film Institute. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
- ^ a b "Austin Powers International Man of Mystery (1997)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
- ^ "Capella consortium". June 12, 1998.
- ^ "AUSTIN POWERS : INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY | British Board of Film Classification". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
- ^ Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery at Box Office Mojo
- ^ "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ Lauro, Patricia Winters (June 14, 1999). "ADVERTISING; Big marketers are betting on 'Austin Powers' to endear them to young people". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Parker, Ryan (April 27, 2017). "'Austin Powers' at 20: Mike Myers, Jay Roach, More Spill Secrets in Shagadelic Oral History". The Hollywood Reporter. Lynne Segall. Retrieved March 28, 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".
- ^ McWeeny, Drew (August 12, 2011). "Exclusive: Mike Myers is signed, sealed, delivered for 'Austin Powers 4'". UPROXX. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ ""Austin Powers 4" official update!". moviepilot.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ "Mike Myers". Digital Hit. Digital Hit Entertainment/ Multiplex Theatre Properties Inc. 1997–2012. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
- ISBN 078080709X.
- ^ McEvoy, Colin (February 9, 2023). "What It Was Like to Work with Burt Bacharach, in the Words of his Collaborators". Biography. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
- ^ Brandon Kirby (April 24, 2013). "Mike Myers, Dana Carvey Set Aside 'Wayne's World' Feud at Academy Screening". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
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.
- ^ "How Mike Myers and Dana Carvey Resolved Their 'Wayne's World'-'Austin Powers' Feud". The Hollywood Reporter. April 11, 2013. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
Carvey felt Myers later stole his Dr. Evil impression for Austin Powers, which supposedly was based on Carvey's goof on Lorne Michaels.
- Splitsider. Archived from the originalon August 8, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- ^ Rabin, Nathan (June 18, 2003). "Colin Quinn". The Onion A.V. Club.
- ^ "This Sort Of Thing Is His Bag, Baby". Newsweek. May 18, 1997.
- ^ Cling, Carol (April 28, 1997). "Two movies using Nevada as backdrop set to open Friday". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 8, 2001.
- ^ Puig, Claudia (May 6, 1997). "Weekend Box Office; Box Office Continues Its Breakout". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
- ^ "Breakdown, 'Austin Powers' Top 'Volcano' at Box Office". Los Angeles Times. May 5, 1997. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Mendelson, Scott (November 4, 2013). "The First 'Austin Powers' Was Not A Flop, And Why It Matters". Forbes. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
- ^ "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery movie review and film summary". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- ^ Johnston, Andrew (May 1–8, 1997). "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". Time Out New York: 64.
- ^ Johnson, Malcolm (May 2, 1997). "Talented Myers Out Of Control In 'Powers'". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
- ^ "Movie Censorship Report". Movie-censorship.com. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
- ^ "Daniel Craig Foreshadows". mi6-hq.com. December 2, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2018.