Here’s how we know “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” became a classic: Phrases like “Groovy, baby” and “shagadelic” now feel more like products of the ‘90s than the ‘60s. But Mike Myers’ swinging vocabulary represents just part of what makes the hit 1997 comedy iconic. Here, we’ve ranked 20 of the best moments from the movie in honor of its 20th anniversary on Tuesday, May 2.
(And for quotes, goofs and trivia, go to IMDb.com.)
20. “Not a good time to lose one’s head.” –
If getting decapitated by mutated sea bass wasn’t absurd enough, Myers tries out four different tough-guy lines that make this scene a pitch perfect parody.
19. “How dare you break wind before me.” –
It’s hard to come up with a parody name that’s funnier than Pussy Galore, but Alotta Fagina is it. Myers’s cartoonish slobbering as the “Italian bird” slinks into a bath robe can’t be beat.
18. “Yay, capitalism.” –
“Austin Powers” actually has some sly commentary about life in the ‘90s. Plus, this moment of Cold War sarcasm translates eerily well into our current national mood.
17. “Bring in THE FEMBOTS!!” –
Mindy Sterling as Frau Farbissina is an underrated highlight as she shouts in her Soviet accent. She’s also hilarious when she explains what Lucky Charms are.
16. “But you, like an idiot, wanted to take over the world.” –
Casting an Old Hollywood mainstay like Robert Wagner was on par with putting Leslie Nielsen in “Airplane.” One choice line delivery covers a factory in Chicago that makes miniature models of factories.
15. “Don’t look at me like I’m frickin’ Frankenstein. Give your father a hug!” –
Dr. Evil does the Macarena. Enough said.
14. “It’s a simple request.” –
See, even evil supervillains get frustrated from time to time. Is it so much to ask for sharks with frickin’ laser beams strapped to their heads?
13. [Maniacal laughter] –
What if the camera didn’t cut away before evil James Bond villains stopped laughing? “Austin Powers” thought to ask this question. And it was genius.
12. “Throw me a frickin’ bone here!” –
Even Dr. Evil knows that punching a hole in the ozone layer is a threat to humanity. No one would peg “Austin Powers” for being political, but this blackmail joke holds up wonderfully.
11. “An evil petting zoo?” –
Here’s one way to pay tribute to the late Carrie Fisher: Watch her in this father-son therapy scene. It’s so out of place, with Dr. Evil telling his life story about his 15-year-old prostitute mother with webbed feet — and Fisher manages to make it feel real.
10. “Noooo!” –
Who knew an extremely slow steamroller could inspire such terror?
9. “Honestly baby, it’s not mine!” –
There’s milking a gag and taking it to unexpected places, and then there’s “Austin Powers” imagining getting caught in a lie about a Swedish Penis Enlarger because your face is on a book endorsing it.
8. Austin making a “three-point” turn –
Wow, Myers can really commit to a bit. You’ve almost got it Austin! Just crank the wheel a little more.
7. “Nice rack.” –
Myers and director Jay Roach absolutely trolled censors with not one, but two scenes of carefully concealed nudity, thanks to a spice rack, a long pink balloon and Elizabeth Hurley taking a bite out of a sausage.
6. “Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day!” –
Myers dances around wearing nothing but his Union Jack. No man can resist the charms of the fembots, or this dialogue.
5. “I have a whole bag of Shhh! with your name on it.” –
Donald Trump may very well have borrowed his “You’re fired” gesture from Dr. Evil’s cupped hand-hushing Seth Green. “That was a pre-emptive shh!”
4. “One MILLION Dollars! [pinky gesture]” –
It’s a classic, meme-worthy quote. Even Lorne Michaels himself (who Myers loosely based Dr. Evil’s voice on) would not sound quite right pronouncing this line.
3. “Geez, boy! What did you eat?” –
Myers’ grunting alone would’ve been plenty to make this an aggressively smutty toilet gag, but how perfect is the absurd line, “Who does #2 work for?”
2. “Evacuation, comple…” –
This is a great example of how “Austin Powers” made the sheer duration of a stupid gag the joke itself. We already know from the scene where he “shags” Alotta that Myers can get a laugh with just a twitch of his heel. And here it’s perfection.
1. “I’m very badly burned!” –
As Dr. Evil might say, Will Ferrell is a frickin’ genius. He’s not even on screen to give what is his funniest moment, crying in very-literal agony and then exclaiming, “You shot me!” Credit Myers’ impeccable comic timing as he reaches for a phone to diffuse the awkward situation.
(And for quotes, goofs and trivia, go to IMDb.com.)
