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Title: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: New Line Platinum Series
Genre: Comedy
Region: One
Stars: Mike Myers, Michael York, Heather Graham, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, Will Ferrell, Kristen Johnston, Verne Troyer, Mindy Sterling, Gia Carides, Rob Lowe, and Elizabeth Hurley
With Cameos By: Clint Howard, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Woody Harrelson, Willie Nelson, Jerry Springer, Tim Robbins, Elvis Costello, and Burt Bacharach
Writers: Mike Myers and Michael McCullers
Based on Characters Created By: Mike Myers
Director: Jay Roach
Feature length: 95 minutes
Extras: Length Audio Commentary with Mike Myers, Director Jay Roach, and C0-Writer Michael McCullers, 20 Minutes of Deleted Scenes, Behind The Scenes Footage, Three Music Videos: Madonna "Beautiful Stranger," Lenny Kravitz "American Woman," Mel B (aka Scary Spice) "Word Up," Dr. Evil's Special Features Page: Comedy Central's Canned Ham: "The Dr. Evil Story," Jump to the Dr. Evil Song: "What If God Was One Of Us?" Performed By Dr. Evil And Mini-Me, "Just The Two Of US" Performed By Dr. Evil and Mini-Me, Classic Evil Schemes Gone Awry: James Bond, Matt Helm, Derek Flint, Harry Palmer, Cast and Crew Filmographies, Cameo Actor Filmographies with a special "Jump To My Scene Feature," Two Theatrical Teasers, Theatrical Trailer, and the Theatrical Trailer for "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery," Animated Interactive Menus
DVD-Rom Features: Groove Central - "Original Web Site on DVD," "Updated bios on the Cast and Crew," "Operation Trivia: One Round of Austin Powers Operation: Trivia Computer Game, Three Episodes from "Toggle this" for the Desktop
Languages: English Dolby Digital 5.1 and English Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitles: English Captions
Packaging: Snapper Case
Chapter Stops: 30
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo Surround Sound
Year of Theatrical Release: 1999/DVD Release: 1999
Theatrical Distributor: New Line Cinema
Home Video Distributor: New Line Cinema Home Video
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Rating: A+
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
New Line Cinema has released one of their best DVD Titles in their New Line Platinum Series with "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me." Other DVD Producers are going to have to see this DVD because it is also definitely one of the best produced DVD titles of the year.
The plot is fairly simple. Austin Powers goes back in time to 1969 to retrieve his stolen MOJO from Dr. Evil who threatens to destroy the world from his Moon Base if it does not submit to his rule. Along the way we get introduced to brand new characters in the Austin Powers Mythology including such baddies as Dr. Evil's tiny clone, "Mini-Me" and "Fat Bastard," also portrayed by Mike Myers. Sexy Heather Graham is the new "Powers" girl and the film itself is a great sequel as well as a spoof on the Austin Powers spy comedies itself.
New Line's Platinum Series Edition of "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" elevates New Line's DVD Production to the level of art normally found on DreamWorks' DVDs and in many ways surpasses it with it's well thought out animated menus featuring Myers as Powers actually interacting with the various menu items on screen, which adds even more style and humor to what is generally a very entertaining and funny comedy.
The film is presented in a Widescreen 2.35:1 Theatrical Release Aspect Ration enhanced for 16 by 9 Televisions. The DVD is simply gorgeous to look at. The picture has no sign of over saturation of colors, no compression artifacts, and no grain. This DVD has to be screened to believe. It is practically perfect. The Sound is also fantastic with a choice of Dolby Digital 5.1 and Surround English with English Captions. I had no idea there were so many individual sound effects and even had missed on some of the dialogue gags having not seen the film during the film's theatrical run.
There are almost twenty minutes of deleted scenes that are included that all are just as clear as the film itself and are presented in the 2.35:1 theatrical ratio and in Dolby Surround. Some of the scenes are extremely funny while others just have to be seen because to say what they are would spoil the entire selection. The DVD also features almost twenty-five minutes of Behind The Scenes Footage that add more dimension to the film itself. The nicest aspect of both DVDs is that one can individually view the Deleted Scenes and the Behind the Scenes either by specific chapter stop choices or as one continuous program.
The feature length commentary by Mike Myers, Writer Mike McCullers, and Director Jay Roach shows that they not only enjoyed making the second Austin Powers films, but share how they intelligently think out the various production situations. It is a great feature length commentary, even better than the one on the DVD of "Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery."
The film's two theatrical teasers as well as the original theatrical trailers for both "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" and "Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery." All of the trailers are beautifully transferred and appear in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
There are three Music Videos of songs featured in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" with Madonna singing "Beautiful Stranger" featuring Mike Meyers as Austin Powers, Lenny Kravitz' take on "American Woman" featuring Heather Graham, and Mel B. aka Scary Spice's version of "Word Up" featuring Verne Troyer as Mini-Me.
When in the special features section, Dr. Evil's Phallic Rocket rises under Austin to reveal the entrance into Dr. Evil's Hidden Special Features Page, which includes Comedy Central's Canned Ham: "The Dr. Evil Story" Spyography, a jump straight to a scene in the film featuring Dr. Evil singing to Mini-Me from the film, and Classic Evil Schemes Gone Awry with information from James Bond Films ranging from "Dr. No" to "Moonraker" and "Casino Royale," Matt Helm, "Murderer's Row," Derek Flint, "Our Man Flint" and "In Like Flint," and Harry Palmer, "Last of the Secret Agents."
Beyond that there are filmographies for the cast, crew, and cameos as well as DVD-Rom Features for Windows PCs that give direct links to the Internet Movie Database, a playable sample of the Austin Powers Operation: Trivia Game, The Entire Austin Powers Web Site on DVD, and Three Episodes of "Toggle This" for your desktop.
All of these features and more on a Dual Layered DVD housed in a glossy Snapper Case that opens into a colorful gatefold and a book of coupons for Austin Powers Licensed Products.
Fans of the series will love this DVD and should definitely buy this when it streets November 16, 1999 and anyone else should give it a try because this event DVD of the Holiday Season is one of the best DVDs of the year!
Mark A. Rivera - A+