"Just know, I have a whole bag of "SH" with your name on it!!" I know quite a few people found this film to be a pile of "SH", but let's face it, they ain't got a sense of humour baby!! This is one groovy flick man!!

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is a spoof on the James Bond Films. Don't believe me? There's a character named Random Task (Oddjob from Goldfinger). Still not convinced?? Then who about the sensual character of Alotta Fagina (a play on Pussy Galore)..You gotta see Austin's response to this in the casino scene..it's priceless.. Mike Myers, of Wayne's World, plays the title role, as well as his arch nemesis, Dr Evil (yet another character stolen from James Bond )..Liz Hurley plays Austin's new sidekick, Vanessa Kensington, her mother was his partner back in the 60's. After Dr Evil escapes capture by Cryogenically freezing himself and his cat Mr. Bigglesworth in a BIG BOY that is floating in space, Austin does the same thing so he may capture Dr. Evil when he returns.

Thirty years pass and Austin is revived to recapture Dr. Evil. Vanessa is assigned as Austin's partner, to bring him into the 90's and to convince him to have extensive dental work...excuse me a moment while I brush my teeth....The music score of this film is so well suited, you'll find yourself grooving and wiggling along with it. George Clinton's rip off, I mean homage, to the James Bond theme is terrific, and the sets in this film have been designed in true Bond fashion.

Interestingly, MGM the owners of the James Bond Franchise also hold the copyright to this film, it's good to see this film was made with their blessing, (and thicker wallets no doubt). While this film didn't have the biggest budget from New Line Cinema, every dollar has been put into making a truly great film. There are a few intentionally cheesy effects, like a severed head that looks horribly fake, but it all helps re-enforce this film in aimed at giving you a laugh, whether it be hysterically funny or so pathetic you can't help but laugh.

So how does this transfer hold up?

Well slap my thigh and shot my horse......Here's a Roadshow DVD that almost screams demo quality.....Having owned and watched the region 1 DVD for many months now I was very anxious to get hold of the region 4 copy to do a Region 1 to Region 4 comparison......This DVD is equally as good as it's USA counterpart.....not only that, but this version contains the EXTRA scenes taken out of the USA print and also has the correct timing of the "pussy....cat" line (seeing as the MPAA threatened to give the film an R Rating in the USA for it!!!!)
But I have "slightly" misinformed you for  the two 16:9 enhanced versions aren't truly identical.  While the Theatrical release of Austin Powers was presented at 2.35:1 and  the region 1 DVD was presented at 1.9:1.  For some strange reason the Region 4 version is presented at 1.78:1....Why one movie has so many aspect ratios is beyond me but it was shot using Super 35mm film...still.  What I can tell you though is that this DVD has been taken from the same High Definition Transfer used for the region 1 release.  While I don't know this for a fact, it is none the less self evident (but I'll see if i can find this out later.
In doing the A-B comparisons it showed that flesh tones, contrast levels, brightness and the whole kit and caboodle are virtually the same, and as a result are absolutely terrific!!!! (To matched the picture of both versions I really only needed to lower the brightness a little on the region 4 DVD).  Something I really found odd with these comparisons was that if you letterboxed the P&S version of the region 1 DVD (using my ever so reliable black felt), it gives the exact framing of the region 4 16:9 version.....hmmmm

When the movie first started to play I thought it sounded rather odd.  I guess due to the fact that I've seen the NTSC version so many times I was a little taken back by the overall sound seeing as PAL DVDs run at 25 frames per second and film runs at 24fps, PAL simply runs a bit faster to compensate for this.  But in doing this, the soundtrack also needs to be sped up and this can make voices sound "chip-munkinsh".  If it wasn't for the fact that I am very familiar with the NTSC DVD (perhaps a little too familiar:-) I may not have found this a problem, but in saying so I would have liked to see, or rather hear, the pitch of this DVD altered to compensate for the increase in speed.  Other than this quibble, the soundtrack is terrific and although the Digital 5.1 tracks aren't all excessively used , they are none the less used when necessary for this type of movie, and as a result, the soundstage comes across sounding very natural.  The bass track in this is very active (again when appropriate), and on a whole is a pleasure to listen to.

The menus have had a slight change, something of an improvement actually.  When you enter the main menu, you are greeted to a spinning spiralling background and a bit of the soundtrack,.  The spiral changes constantly changes direction so try not to get too entranced by it :-). 
Included as extras on this DVD is 17 chapters for the movie, the usual cast bios, movie trailer, making of featurette and the music video of Mike Myers singing "Do the BBC".  As with all of Roadshows other 16:9 DVDs , ALL features, including the menus, are 16:9 enhanced.

In a nutshell....(help I'm stuck in this bloody great nutshell) ...sorry, this DVD with a RRP of $34.95, is what us region 4'ers have always asked for from Roadshow, and finally been given.

Review Equipment: TV: Mitsubishi DIVA 68cm TV 16:9 switchable(with a screw driver), DVD: Samsung DVD905, Receiver: Marantz SR870, Speakers: Front - B&W 602's, Rears - Jamo, Subby - M&K V125 (grumble- growl-BOOM). Cinema Chairs (Gilberton Recliners....okay so there not REALLY cinema chairs but they're very comfy..)

- reviewed 16 September 1998
- updated 17 September 1998