I don't know when I've laughed harder of more often over the years than I have watching Mike Myers hilarious James Bond/sixties spy spoof AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY.
Myers has said that he has very fond memories of watching the James Bond films with his Dad, as do I. Maybe that's why I connect so closely with his send up here, which is done lovingly and hilariously.
Austin is a shagadelic British agent who is cryogenically frozen and dethawed to pursue his greatest villain, Dr. Evil, who is ("Oh lets just do what we always do...") holding the world ransom with a nuclear weapon.
Closely echoing the plot of "Thunderball" and many aspects of "You Only Live Twice", Myers writes a screenplay so loaded with verbal puns, visual gags and hilarious set ups that it takes multiple views to catch them all.
As Austin is thawed out in the 90's in all his sexist, womanizing, free love glory, laughs abound.
Michael York is a great straight man as Austin's boss Basil Exposition. Elizabeth Hurley is gorgeous and fun as Vanessa Kensington, 90's agent and daughter of Austin's lover in the 60's and fellow agent Mrs. Kensignton (Mimi Rogers).
Dr Evil is also played by Myers, adopting the Nehru jacket, eye scar and white cat from Donald Pleasance's "Live Twice" Blofeld.
Robert Wagner, Seth Green, Mindy Sterling and Will Ferrell all provide a ton of laughs. The classic moments are numerous and still quoted around here often.
Dr. Evil: Scott, I want you to meet daddy's nemesis, Austin Powers
Scott Evil: What? Are you feeding him? Why don't you just kill him?
Dr. Evil: I have an even better idea. I'm going to place him in an easily escapable situation involving an overly elaborate and exotic death.
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Austin Powers: Only two things scare me and one of them is nuclear war.
Basil Exposition: What's the other?
Austin Powers: Excuse me?
Basil Exposition: What's the other thing that scares you?
Austin Powers: Carnies. Circus folk. Nomads, you know. Smell like cabbage. Small hands.
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Basil Exposition: [after Austin punched Basil's mother and attempted to pull her hair out] You have a lot of explaining to do!
Austin Powers: I'm sorry, Basil. I thought she was a man.
Basil Exposition: Dammit, man! You're talking about my Mother!
Austin Powers: Well, you have to admit, she is rather man-ish.
Basil Exposition: [shocked] Austin!
Austin Powers: Well, no offense, but if that is a woman it does look like she was beaten with an ugly stick!
We watch AUSTIN at least once every couple years. We know every joke and every laugh, and it still slays us.
Austin gets an A.
Oh behave baby, yeah!
Followed two years later by the hilarious AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME.
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