Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me is the second film in the Austin Powers series begun with International Man of Mystery and continued in Austin Powers in Goldmember. Released in 1999, the film was written by Mike Myers and screenwriter Michael McCullers and stars Myers as the title character.

Plot

Powers' arch-nemesis, Dr. Evil (also played by Myers), travels back in time to the year 1969 to steal Austin's mojo, with the help of Fat Bastard (also played by Myers). The movie also marked the debut of Mini-Me (played by Verne Troyer), Dr. Evil's deranged 1/8-size clone. The film co-stars Heather Graham (as love interest Felicity Shagwell), Seth Green (as Dr. Evil's son, Scott Evil), Rob Lowe (playing the younger, 1969 version of Dr. Evil's henchman "Number 2"), and Michael York (reprising his role as Basil Exposition from the first film).

Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach, Robert Wagner, Elizabeth Hurley, Jerry Springer, Michael McDonald, Will Ferrell, Willie Nelson, Woody Harrelson, Rachel McAdams, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and Kristen Johnston have cameo roles while The Alan Parsons Project is referenced by one of the films pivotal plot devices.

As with the other Austin Powers films, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me is a parody of spy movies, particularly the James Bond series of films. Specifically, the film's title was a play on the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. Graham's characterisation was based largely on Sharon Tate's similar character, Freya Carlson, in The Wrecking Crew (1969), a film that also parodied Bond films.

Also keeping in line with the Bond franchise, the film decides to "kill off" Elizabeth Hurley's character Vanessa Kensington from the first film. Parodying On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Vanessa is revealed in the opening to be a "fembot" from Dr. Evil that proceeds to explode in an attempt to destroy Austin. However, the attempt fails, and Powers is only momentarily dismayed, suddenly realizing: "Wait a tick...that means I'm single again!"

The film grossed around US$310 million in worldwide ticket sales; it made more money during its opening weekend than the entire box office gain of its predecessor.

The film continues many running jokes and themes. Scott Evil asks his father why he doesn't use his time machine to kill Austin when he's "sitting on the crapper or something", to which Dr. Evil just rolls his eyes and says no. Mini-Me and Scott also develop a rivalry for Dr. Evil's affections. Scott is finally shown to be the love child of Frau and Dr. Evil.

The film was heavily tied in with the Heineken corporation at the time of its theatrical release, having had characters featured in television commercials for the beverage and including a scene involving a bottle of the beer in the finished movie. The Starbucks coffee company was also prominently featured.

The movie's soundtrack contains the 1999 smash hit "Beautiful Stranger" by Madonna. The song won a Grammy in 2000. Mike Myers appears as Austin Powers in the video, directed by Brett Ratner.

Lenny Kravitz' cover of The Guess Who's "American Woman" is also part of the soundtrack and the original can be heard in a scene taking place in "Austin's pad". In addition, Steppenwolf's Magic Carpet Ride is played in the same scene.

When the film was released, the title proved quite controversial in the United Kingdom, where the word shag (when used to refer to sexual intercourse) is considered vulgar. In North America, where the film was produced, the term (when used in this context) is considerably less offensive, and is considered to be more of a euphemism than an obscenity.

Trivia

• In the U.S., "shag" is far less offensive than in other English-speaking countries. Singapore briefly forced a title change to "The Spy Who Shioked Me" ("Shioked" means "treated nicely"). Although the word "shag" is less offensive in the U.S. than most other countries, not all translated the title into something less raunchy. The Norwegian title of the movie is "Spionen som spermet meg", which is a slightly dirtier way of saying "The spy who ejaculated on me".

• In the UK, two sets of TV adverts for the film existed- pre and post watershed. The former was designed to air during daytime hours and only gave part of the title ("Austin Powers: The Spy Who-") before cutting off with one of a range of slightly suggestive scenes from the film, such as Austin squeezing out the contents of a sunscreen bottle. The post watershed adverts, aired during night time hours, gave the full title.

• At one point when Austin is walking around naked during the opening credits, you can see a sign that is pointing towards Casino Royale. This is a reference to the James Bond novel and soon to be movie.

• Basil's remark to the audience about ignoring the mechanics of time travel was unscripted.

• Dr. Evil calls one of his creations "The Alan Parsons Project", spoofing the name of a band The Alan Parsons Project that enjoyed popularity during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Coincidentally, 1999 was also the year Alan Parsons released his album "The Time Machine", and a remix of the title track includes snippets of Dr. Evil's dialogue from the movie.

• Austin travels back in time to 25 May 1969. Mike Myers' birthday is 25 May.

• The submachinegun the assassin uses is actually a MP40, the main submachinegun used by the German Army during World War II.

• This movie made more money in its opening weekend than the original, International Man of Mystery, made in its entire theatrical run.

• A true piece of nerd trivia - Dr. Evil's trademark gesture is an extended pinky finger held to the corner of his mouth. The name of the muscle which extends the pinky finger is the Extensor Digiti MINIMI.

• Mini-Me is inspired by a similar character in The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996). Marlon Brando has a miniature sidekick who dresses like him and even duets with him on a tiny piano.

• When Austin and Felicity are driving through the English countryside, Austin remarks on how the English countryside looks nothing like southern California. The entire movie was, of course, filmed in southern California. This scene was a spur of the moment thing, not planned dialogue. This is evidenced by Felicity saying "What?" when Austin asks her the question.

• It took seven hours for Mike Myers to get into the Fat Bastard suit.

• Dr. Evil's Base in the moon is divided in two units: Moon Unit Alpha and Moon Unit Zappa, the latter being the name of Frank Zappa's daughter, Moon Unit Zappa.

• British porn actress Flick Shagwell derives her stage name from Heather Graham's character in the film.

• A DirectTV Commercial was made on the movie, with some changes.

External links

1999 films | Austin Powers | Parody films | Sequel films | Films shot in Super 35

Austin Powers – Spion in geheimer Missionarsstellung | Austin Powers: La espía que me achuchó | Austin Powers : l'espion qui m'a tirée | Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me | Austin Powers - agentti joka tuuppasi minua