Austin Powers in Goldmember
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Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 comedy film.
Austin Powers (Mike Myers), having conquered the '90s and the '60s, travels back to the 1970s and teams up with his arch-nemesis Dr. Evil (also played by Myers) to thwart a new villain, Goldmember (Myers once again). Myers also plays Fat Bastard for the second time, this time parodying the kind of "wire fight" seen in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The film also stars Beyoncé Knowles as Foxxy Cleopatra (parodying a blaxploitation movie heroine), Michael York reprising the role of Basil Exposition, Verne Troyer in his second appearance as Mini-Me, and Michael Caine as Austin's father Nigel Powers (compare the appearance of Indiana Jones's father in his third movie). There are a number of cameo appearances by top stars and icons including Britney Spears, John Travolta, Gwyneth Paltrow, Danny deVito, Kevin Spacey, Tom Cruise, Quincy Jones, Steven Spielberg and The Osbournes.
The film is a loose parody of the James Bond movie Goldfinger. The title of the film led to legal action being taken by MGM, the distributors of the James Bond film franchise, that briefly led to the film's title being removed from promotional material and trailers. The dispute was quickly resolved and the film title remained unchanged, on the provison that the film would include trailers in its cinema release for the then upcoming James Bond film Die Another Day.
The movie sold about $288 million in movie tickets worldwide.
Plot
While Austin shoots "Austinpussy" (a spoof on the James Bond film Octopussy), a movie based on his life, Dr. Evil, in a new lair behind the famous HOLLYWOOD sign, unveils his new plan. Dr. Evil plans to travel back to 1975 to bring back a Dutchman named Goldmember, so named after an "unfortunate smelting accident" which left his genitalia gold colored. Goldmember designed a tractor beam, called Preparation H, to pull a molten meteor of gold to earth, striking the polar icecaps, consequently flooding the Earth. Austin barges in and arrests Dr. Evil. However, Austin is then informed that his father Nigel has been kidnapped. Austin seeks help from Dr. Evil, who refuses to help unless he's transferred to a regular prison to be with Mini-Me. Austin agrees, and is told that Nigel was kidnapped by Goldmember.
Austin goes to 1975, and meets up with an old flame, Foxxy Cleopatra. The two find Nigel, but Goldmember escapes in a time machine to 2002. Austin and Foxxy retreat to Austin's time-travelling 'pimp-mobile', and follow. Meanwhile, Frau tells Dr. Evil that Scott has become more evil to the point of losing his hair, and slips him a key to his handcuffs. During a prison riot, Dr. Evil and Mini-Me escape to Dr. Evil's new lair in Tokyo Bay - a gigantic submarine shaped like the good doctor.
At the said new lair, Scott gives Dr. Evil the "frickin' sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their frickin' heads" that he's always wanted since the first movie, and Dr. Evil accepts Scott as finally being evil enough. A rejected Mini-Me is sent from the main chamber, but not before giving Dr. Evil the finger.
Now in Tokyo, Austin and Foxxy discover that the businessman Mr. Roboto is in charge of building Goldmember's tractor beam. Infiltrating Roboto's factory, they find Goldmember holding Nigel hostage. Austin and Foxxy rescue Nigel, but Goldmember escapes with the tractor beam power unit. Austin and Nigel reveal their deep-seated feelings of disrespect for each other, to the point that Austin accuses Nigel of being a bad father. The two part ways.
Mini-Me joins Austin (even dressing up like him), and with Foxxy and Mini-Me, Austin sneaks into the sub. Austin is captured by Dr. Evil's henchmen, but Foxxy and Mini-Me quickly rescue him. Nigel appears and reveals the shocking secret that Austin and Dr. Evil are brothers, and that Dr. Evil's real name is Dougie. Scott, enraged that he has finally become evil, only for his father to turn good, flees from the chamber.
Goldmember appears and declares that his plan goes on as planned. He activates the tractor beam, but Austin and Dr. Evil work together to reverse the beam's polarities, destroying it and blowing up the meteor. The two brothers enjoy the premiere of Austinpussy, while, in Dr. Evil's Hollywood lair, Scott dances around, now dressed in black and completely bald.
Trivia
- In the movie, Dr. Evil says he doesn't speak (freaky deaky) Dutch; while this does not seem to be in synch with his claim that he was raised in Brussels, the people of that city actually speak French.
- The teaser trailer for the film featured Mini Me as "Mini Austin" in a recreation of the opening sequence for , only with little people.
- The film contains flashbacks to the two previous Austin Powers films - Dr Evil's confrontation with Austin (from ') and Mini Me beating up Austin in the moonbase (from ').
- Heather Graham and Will Ferrell, who had appeared in previous Austin Powers films, shot cameos for Goldmember that were cut from the final film. The scenes are not included on the DVD.
- MADtv star Michael McDonald has a cameo role in this film as well in the two previous Austin Powers movies.
- Another cut scene involved a sign at the premiere of Austinpussy, saying "Reserved for Nigel Powers", continuing the theme that Nigel misses his son's important life events. Although the idea was scrapped, and Nigel does appear at the premiere, the sign still sits on the seat next to Fat Bastard, and can be seen as Austin and Foxxy leave the theatre.
- The film-within-a-film, Austinpussy, was going to be the name of the 2nd film, or the third. Eventually, it was given to the title of the film-in-a-film, due to the mature nature of the word.
- The final scene of Scott in Dr. Evil's lair was not planned. Seth Green was joking around, mocking Mike Myers off camera, and Myers found the idea funny. Afterwards, the "official" version of the scene was shot.
- The movie almost got an R-rating from the Osbournes scene, which has more than 15 bleep-outs. It was bleeped for Osbournes fans to understand the joke.
- Although Michael Caine and Michael York have both appeared in over 100 British and American films since the 1960s, this is their first and only film together.
- Steven Spielberg's cameo is arguably an in-joke reference to the fact that Spielberg had always wanted to direct a James Bond movie. In this film he directs the cinematic version of Austin Powers' life with Tom Cruise as Powers and Danny deVito as Mini-Me.
- While one of the catches is that Goldmember comes from the Netherlands; he actually talks German, not Dutch. However, in the German version he has indeed a Dutch accent.
- The scene where Nigel says there are only two things he can't stand (people who are intolerant of other cultures, and the Dutch) is a direct reference to the first film, where Austin says only 2 things scare him (Nuclear war, and circus workers, a.k.a., "carnies").
- Austin Powers' MINI with the union jack is left-hand drive, although it is a British-built car driven in Japan, also a right-hand drive country.
- In one scene of the movie, the Pokémon Charmander and Pikachu can be seen running across the screen. In the deleted scene of Fook Yu and Fook Mi, Celebi can be seen also.
- One of Austin's many catchphrases ("I am a sexy bitch!") is censored in the film (I am a sexy beast!"), and said only once.
- The song "Hey Goldmember" it's a parody of "Shake Your Booty" performed by KC and the Sunshine Band.
- Studio 69 is a parody of the famous 70s nightclub Studio 54.
- Nigel Power's MINI is a clear reference to a previous Michael Caine film, The Italian Job.
- Goldmember is also the name of a credit card introduced by American Express shortly before the film's announcement.
Quotes
- Austin Powers: (after destroying the Britney Spears fembot) Oops, I did it again, baby!
- Goldmember: Hey, everybody! I'm from Holland! Isn't that vierd?
- Goldmember: Look everyvone! My vinky vas a key! (triumphantly holds up his penis/spare tractor-beam key)
- Nigel Powers: Only a bloody Dutchman!
External links
| The Austin Powers movies | |
| | | Goldmember | |
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