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Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery - DVD
Writer: Mike MyersDirector: M. Jay Roach Producer: Demi Moore, Mike Myers, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd Studio: New Line Cinema Characters: 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 Paul Dillon (I) - Patty O'Brien Charles Napier - Commander Gilmour Will Ferrell - Mustafa Joann Richter - '60s Model Anastasia Sakelaris - `60s Model Afifi Alaouie - '60s Model Monet Mazur - Mod Girl Features: Interactive Menus, Six Extra Scenes, Two Alternative Endings, Star Highlights, Audio Commentary, Theatrical Trailer, Cast Bios & Filmographies, Standard 1.33:1, Widescreen 2.00:1 (Anamorphic), ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC], FRENCH: Dolby Digital Stereo, SUBTITLES English, Spanish, French Review: Well, since the new Austin Powers movie will be released on Friday, I thought now would be as good a time as any to get off my ass and actually review this "frickin" DVD. Austin Powers, for the six of you on the planet who don't know, is a stellar secret agent from the sixties who was cryogenically frozen and released onto the unsuspecting nineties. Needless to say, his sixties attitude and our nineties culture experienced a few clashes along the way. Austin is played by the inimitable Mike Myers, who also plays Powers' evil nemesis Dr. Evil. Myers does a great job in both roles, and oddly enough makes both characters completely unique while at the same time infusing them with his own unique brand of humor. Austin is assisted by Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), the daughter of Austin's partner in the sixties, Mrs. Kensington (Mimi Rogers). Dr. Evil is surrounded by an array of henchmen, and his artificially created son, Scott (Seth Green). As I'm sure you can guess, Austin Powers' plot is really nothing more than a means of moving from joke to joke and set piece to set piece. In this case, though, that's OK because the jokes are incredibly funny. You can't help but laugh when Austin meets up with Alotta Fagina (Fabiana Udenio), or during the bathroom interrogation/assassination scene with Tom Arnold (my favorite subtle joke, Tom Arnold comes in wearing the most ridiculous Texas get up, and comments on Austin's wardrobe). The DVD is from New Line, and as such represents a top quality title. The picture quality is outstanding, and there are a fair number of supplements provided here. There's an audio commentary with Myers and director Jay Roach, several deleted scenes, fab menus and some alternate endings. Considering the age of the title (it came out last year), these are excellent supplements, and the DVD represented state of the art at its time of release. As for the extras themselves, the audio commentary is fun, but is bogged down by moments where Myers and Roach stop talking and just watch the movie. Also, since the audio for the film is turned off, unless you've seen the movie a number of times, comments like "that's a great line" don't really hold any meaning. It's a commentary that definitely could've used a little editing. Also, it seems like the placement of the commentary in the movie is a little off at times, with Myers and Roach making comments just before a shot appears on screen ("Paging Dr. Freud..."). The deleted scenes and alternate endings are interesting, but were cut for very valid reasons. Of all this material, easily the best scenes are those involving the families of Dr. Evil's henchmen. These scenes were deleted, I suspect, because they bogged down the pacing of the film, but they stand quite nicely on their own, and anyone smart enough to own a DVD player can easily get "the joke". In the end, if you're a fan of Austin Powers, Mike Myers, over the top comedy or all three, you'll enjoy this disc. Well worth a rental, and for most of us, a purchase. Ken Pierce Dvdken@home.com Contributing Editor, www.dvdfuture.com |
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