Austin Powers (film series)

AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY (12)

D: Jay Roach

New Line/Eric's Boy/Moving Pictures (Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd, Demi Moore & Mike Myers)

USA 🇺🇸 1997

87 mins

Comedy

W: Mike Myers

DP: Peter Deming

Ed: Debra Neil-Fisher

Mus: George S. Clinton

Pd: Cynthia Charette

Cos: Deena Appel

Mike Myers (Austin Powers/Dr. Evil), Elizabeth Hurley (Vanessa Kensington), Michael York (Basil Exposition), Mimi Rogers (Mrs. Kensington), Robert Wagner (Number Two), Seth Green (Scott Evil), Fabiana Udenio (Alotta Fagina), Mindy Sterling (Frau Farbissina)

A hilarious spoof of James Bond films which probably came out at just the right time, amassing a huge fan base and giving the world a handful of quotes which would be popular for the best part of a decade.

Mike Myers delivers a good comedy performance in the dual role of both the British super spy Austin Powers and his arch nemesis Dr. Evil.

After being cryogenically frozen and being thawed out in the 1990's, Austin Powers still has 1960's attitudes to free love, promiscuoity and pop music whilst trying to foil Dr. Evil, who himself was frozen for thirty years and has awoken to absolutely no knowledge of financial inflation (he holds the world to ransom for $1 million dollars, a running joke in the series).

It's great camp fun which spawned a couple of sequels, the first of which was one of the biggest box office hits of its year.

7/10

Mike Myers & Elizabeth Hurley in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Did You Know:

Mike Myers has revealed in interviews that the Austin Powers character was created based on a couple of instances involving his family. His father loved watching British comedies with actors like Peter Sellers and Sir Alec Guinness, so Myers always wanted to play an English character in a comedy. He also said that one night after coming home from hockey practice, he started flirting with his wife in an English accent. His wife laughed and told him to write the routine down, so he could do it again. Writing the routine down led to this script.

Award Wins & Nominations:

MILSTEAD MOVIE AWARDS:

Wins: none

Nominations: 5 (Best Screenplay - Original; Best Costume Design; Best Makeup; Best Original Musical or Comedy Score; Best Production Design)

OSCARS:

Wins: none

Nominations: none

BAFTAS

Wins: none

Nominations: none

OTHER WINS:

Saturn Award (Best Fantasy Film); MTV Movie Awards (Best Villain, Best Dance Scene)

AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME (12)

D: Jay Roach

New Line/Eric's Boy/Moving Pictures (Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd, Demi Moore & Eric McLeod)

USA 🇺🇸 1999

91 mins

Comedy

W: Mike Myers & Michael McCullers

DP: Ueli Steiger

Ed: Debra Neil-Fisher

Mus: George S. Clinton

Pd: Rusty Smith

Cos: Deena Appel

Mike Myers (Austin Powers/Dr. Evil/Fat Bastard), Heather Graham (Felicity Shagwell), Elizabeth Hurley (Vanessa Kensington), Michael York (Basil Exposition), Seth Green (Scott Evil), Mindy Sterling (Frau Farbissina), Verne Troyer (Mini Me)

Despite arriving only two years after the first film and pretty much following the same formula, this sequel is every bit as funny as its predecessor. This time, the British spy is sent back from the 1990’s to the 1960's to foil inept villain Dr. Evil and is assisted with new partner, Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham).

The new characters bring a freshness to the comedy and the introduction of Dr. Evil's smaller clone, Mini Me, is just genius.

The success of the first film clearly loosened the purse for the budget here, allowing for better makeup, special effects and production values. Groovy baby!

6/10

Mike Myers & Heather Graham in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

Did You Know:

When Austin (Mike Myers) and Felicity (Heather Graham) are driving through the English countryside, Austin remarks on how the English countryside looks nothing like southern California. The entire movie was filmed in southern California. This scene was spur of the moment, with the dialogue improvised. This is evidenced by Felicity saying "What?" when Austin asks her the question.

There was also another unscripted moment when Basil & Austin break the fourth wall to remark to the audience that the science behind time travel should be ignored.

Award Wins & Nominations:

MILSTEAD MOVIE AWARDS:

Wins: 1 (Best Makeup)

Nominations: 2 (Best Costume Design; Best Original Song)

OSCARS:

Wins: none

Nominations: 1 (Best Makeup)

BAFTAS

Wins: none

Nominations: none

OTHER WINS:

American Comedy Awards (Funniest Actor); Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (Favourite Actress - Comedy, Favourite Villain); Las Vegas Film Critics (Best Original Song); MTV Movie Awards (Best On-Screen Duo, Best Villain); OFTA (Best Original Song); Teen Choice Awards (Choice Comedy, Choice Sleazebag)

AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER (12)

D: Jay Roach

New Line/Moving Pictures/Gratitude (Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd, John Lyons, Eric McLeod, Demi Moore & Mike Myers)

US 🇺🇸 2002

95 mins

Comedy

W: Mike Myers & Michael McCullers

DP: Peter Deming

Ed: Greg Hayden & Jon Poll

Mus: George S. Clinton

Mike Myers (Austin Powers / Dr. Evil / Goldmember / Fat Bastard); Beyoncé Knowles (Foxxy Cleopatra), Michael York (Basil Exposition), Michael Caine (Nigel Powers), Robert Wagner (Number 2)

Austin Powers returns for this third film, in which writer-star Mike Myers turns in four performances, both as the shagadelic British spy and his nemesis Dr. Evil, as well as bad guys Fat Bastard & Goldmember, as he joins up with new sidekick Foxxy Cleopatra to try and locate his distant father (Michael Caine), who is also a secret agent.

Unfortunately, it feels like the humour has run it’s course with this sequel, and the jokes feel a little more desperate and tired than the preceding films.

It starts well, with a glut of cameos starting in a film within a film of Austin Powers, but everything else just seems a little too wink-wink, nudge-nudge and we’ve seen and heard it before.

I guess Myers felt the same, as the series didn’t continue after this movie.

5/10

Beyoncé Knowles & Mike Myers in Austin Powers’ Goldmember

Did You Know:
Heather Graham reprised her role as Felicity Shagwell in a scene that was ultimately cut. Will Ferrell reprised his role of Mustafa in another deleted scene, in which he has to answer a questionafter being asked four times.

Award Wins & Nominations:

MILSTEAD MOVIE AWARDS:

Wins: none

Nominations: none

Worst of the Year: 1 nomination (Worst Supporting Actress)

OSCARS:

Wins: none

Nominations: none

BAFTAS

Wins: none

Nominations: none

OTHER WINS:

Canadian Comedy Awards (Funniest Male Performance; Funniest Writing), Kids Choice Awards (Favourite Movie), MTV Movie Awards (Best Comedic Performance)