The return of the International Man of Mystery, baby, yay! In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Austin Powers films, HMV is selling a special limited edition box set of all three movies, with shipping available exclusively in the United Kingdom. You can now pre-order the package, which will include Blu-ray discs of each film in addition to the other swagalicious extras. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the raunchy espionage legacy of comic Mike Myers, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, comes this brand-new trilogy box set.
Though it was meant as a psychedelic send-up of James Bond movies, the film’s eponymous character, played by Michael Myers, ended up being a huge hit with moviegoers and earned more than $53 million in the United States alone. In the days before videocassette players, Powers was unrivalled; it even included a whole reel of outtakes for fans to enjoy after the film’s conclusion. The film’s two sequels, meanwhile, blew beyond their predecessors at the box office, earning over $200 million apiece.
Clearly, male audiences were as smitten with Austin Powers as female ones were. U.K. fans can now get the full collection on Blu-ray for £29.99 ($35.54 USD) for a limited time. Austin Powers, the charming playboy, was originally introduced to audiences in all his blue velvet and lace wonder in the 1997 debut of the first film in the trilogy, International Man of Mystery. Myers plays Austin, a mysterious secret spy in the 1960s who is in conflict with his comic arch-nemesis Dr Evil (also Myers), who plans to take over the globe and demand one trillion dollars.
After Dr Evil successfully freezes himself using cryogenic technology, Powers volunteers to enter cryostasis as well, with the intention of being unfrozen upon Dr Evil’s return from his freezing capsule in orbit. Three decades later, he comes again, and this time Powers has a companion named Vanessa (Elizabeth Hurley) to assist him to adjust to the new ’90s way of life. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me is a sequel to the first Austin Powers film. Dr Evil has returned to torture Powers and the world by creating a time machine that will transport him to the 1960s. To get back the mojo Dr Evil took from him, Powers teams up with Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham) and an all-star cast to go back in time.
Fans clearly couldn’t get enough of his mysterious appeal, as the Powers sequel was an action-packed adventure about world dominance, treachery, and more of the swinging sixties. Spoiler alert: Austin succeeds in rescuing the planet from Dr Evil’s clutches once more and snagging the female lead. Austin Powers in Goldmember is the next chapter in the time-travelling series, and it stars Beyoncé Knowles as Foxxy Cleopatra and Michael Caine as Austin’s father Nigel. Austin learns that his father has been kidnapped by Dr Evil and Goldmember (Myers), so he recruits one of his former Powers Girls (Foxxy) to accompany him on a rescue mission in 1975.
As may be expected, chaos ensues, and the once perilous expedition becomes a joyful get-together with long-lost relatives. Celebrity cameos, surreal transitions, and memorable lines from the parody films are still frequent discussion starters a quarter of a century after their first release. Filmmaker and producer Jay Roach (Bombshell) and Saturday Night Live veteran Myers (who also wrote the scripts) are responsible for the series’ consistent blend of scathing social satire and campy innuendo. Starring Will Ferrell, Willie Nelson, Tom Cruise, Britney Spears, and more, the movies are full of heart and goofy comedy.
BONUS MATERIAL ON THE DVD
The Complete Austin Powers Series on Blu-ray
Exclusively illustrated rigid slipcase
Booklet of 32 Pages
4 cool characters from the swinging ’60s
Poster for the Theater
ID card issued by International Man of Mystery for use in the espionage world
Pre-orders for this limited edition box set are being accepted now on HMV’s website, with delivery expected on October 31. U.S. viewers may now watch all three Austin Powers movies on Netflix, joining those in Canada and Australia.