The Austin Powers franchise is renowned for its over-the-top humor, groovy vibes, and unforgettable opening sequences. But none quite compare to the audacious and star-studded beginning of Austin Powers in Goldmember. Director Jay Roach masterfully played with audience expectations, delivering a high-octane action scene that initially feels ripped from a James Bond or Mission: Impossible film, only to hilariously subvert it with classic Austin Powers silliness. This wasn’t just an opening; it was a statement, a meta-commentary on Hollywood excess, and a brilliant re-introduction to the low-budget charm that defined the series. Let’s dive into how Roach crafted this iconic sequence, incorporating surprise celebrity cameos, homages to cinematic classics, and of course, the signature Austin Powers dance moves that made “Goldmember” so memorable.
From Low-Budget Laughs to Hollywood Spoof: Setting the Stage
For Jay Roach and Mike Myers, returning for Austin Powers in Goldmember meant navigating a new challenge: a bigger budget. The humor of the first two films thrived on “no-money fun,” embracing cheap gags and acknowledging budgetary limitations as part of the joke. However, with Goldmember, the resources were available to create a more visually ambitious film. Roach cleverly addressed this potential pitfall head-on, turning audience expectations of a “ruined by budget” sequel into the central gag of the opening.
The film throws viewers into “Austinpussy,” a fictional, big-budget Hollywood adaptation of Austin’s life. This movie-within-a-movie opens with a spectacular action set piece in Moab, Utah, featuring helicopter chases, motorcycle stunts, and Austin Powers parachuting into a Jaguar. To amplify the Hollywood sheen, Roach drew inspiration from action cinema titans like John Woo, James Bond, and Mission: Impossible. He even enlisted A-list stars Tom Cruise, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, and Danny DeVito to play Austin and other iconic characters within this fictional film. This meta-narrative allowed Goldmember to have its cake and eat it too—indulging in high-production values while simultaneously winking at the audience, reassuring them that the core Austin Powers brand of silliness was still firmly in place.
Deconstructing the Action: Shot-by-Shot Brilliance
Roach meticulously planned and storyboarded the entire opening sequence, emphasizing that the action elements were handled by second unit directors Marco Schnabel and Jack Gill. This allowed Roach to focus on the comedic and stylistic aspects of the sequence.
Skydiving Stunts and Green Screen Magic: The initial skydiving shots showcase a blend of practical stunts and clever filmmaking techniques. Roach highlighted the resourcefulness of using skydivers who were already experienced in filming themselves. These skydivers captured dynamic shots of an Austin double falling through the air before deploying his parachute. For close-ups, a double was suspended in a harness against a green screen, with a powerful fan creating the illusion of wind resistance. This combination of real skydiving and studio trickery created a believable and visually exciting opening.
Driverless Car Illusion: A key element of the action sequence is Austin landing in his Jaguar, seemingly driven remotely. This was achieved through a stunt driver cleverly concealed within the car seat. Roach revealed that despite careful planning and storyboarding, he remained skeptical that this stunt would work. The success hinged on the stunt driver’s precise driving and the parachutist’s accurate landing. The driver wore black gloves and sleeves to minimize visibility, creating the illusion of a driverless car just long enough for the parachutist to take over.
Exaggerated Action and Digital Composites: Drawing inspiration from John Woo’s action films and Mission: Impossible, Roach embraced over-the-top physics and action sequences. The helicopter chase culminates in Austin ejecting from the car, flipping over the helicopter, and shooting it down. While the helicopter and car were brought close together for some shots, Roach clarified that much of the sequence involved digital composites. A performer on wires against a green screen was used for Austin’s acrobatic maneuvers, with smoke and other visual effects added in post-production. This blend of practical and digital effects allowed for the heightened reality characteristic of action movie parodies.
Landing the Reveal and Beatle Boots: The action culminates with Austin landing on the ground amidst exploding helicopter miniatures, filmed on the Paramount lot. Tom Cruise seamlessly enters the scene, and burning helicopter debris and prop guns are incorporated to enhance the action movie aesthetic. Roach emphasized the deliberate slow tilt up from Austin’s feet to showcase the iconic Beatle boots, a subtle but crucial detail of Austin’s signature look. The camera then pans up to reveal Tom Cruise, teasing the audience into momentarily believing it might be Mike Myers before the grand reveal.
Star Power and Comedic Timing: The Cameos
The reveal of Tom Cruise as Austin Powers is the first major comedic payoff of the opening sequence. Roach explained that the humor stemmed from the “over-the-top stunt casting” and the sheer absurdity of seeing A-list celebrities in these roles. The carefully choreographed reveal, designed to briefly mislead the audience into thinking it might be Myers under the wig, maximized the comedic impact. “Tom Cruise as Austin Powers” became a meta-joke in itself, highlighting the film’s self-aware and parodic nature.
The title sequence also features cameos from Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito, and Steven Spielberg. Roach highlighted the logistical challenge of coordinating busy schedules and ensuring minimal time commitment for these stars. The entire sequence had to be shot efficiently, with each cameo appearance designed for maximum comedic impact within a short timeframe. Kevin Spacey’s Dr. Evil impersonation and Danny DeVito’s unexpected portrayal of Mini-Me further amplified the comedic absurdity of this Hollywoodized Austin Powers movie.
Steven Spielberg’s cameo as the fictional director of “Austinpussy” adds another layer of meta-humor. Roach recounted Spielberg’s simple yet effective suggestion to add a fan to create windblown hair for Tom Cruise and Gwyneth Paltrow, enhancing their “mythic” appearance. This subtle detail, credited to Spielberg’s directorial eye, underscores the playful exaggeration of Hollywood filmmaking tropes.
Transitioning to Austin’s World: From Bling to Mojo
The title design of “Austinpussy” intentionally contrasts with the psychedelic, swirly graphics typically associated with Austin Powers. The metallic, “bling” aesthetic of the movie-within-a-movie titles reflects the expensive action film parody, a deliberate departure from Austin’s usual “mojo.” However, as the sequence progresses, Austin’s influence begins to permeate the Hollywood veneer, signaling a return to the franchise’s core comedic identity. This visual transition mirrors the narrative shift from the action movie parody to the true Austin Powers world.
Homages and Musical Numbers: The Austin Powers Vibe Takes Over
The sequence brilliantly incorporates homages to classic films and musical genres, showcasing Austin’s ability to inject his unique “vibe” into any situation. The Singin’ in the Rain tribute is a standout moment. Roach described the meticulous rehearsals and the “magical” transformation of the set when water and spinning umbrellas were added. Mike Myers’s flawless execution of the dance further cemented the scene’s success. This homage underscores the theme of Austin transforming the world to fit his own colorful and musical worldview.
The transition from the Singin’ in the Rain scene to Quincy Jones’ studio is a direct reference to Buster Keaton’s Sherlock, Jr. The intention was to make Quincy Jones, the composer of Austin’s iconic theme “Soul Bossa Nova,” appear as if he were watching Austin on screen. The lighting and set design were carefully crafted to differentiate the “screen” world from the studio, creating a “smoky, wet feel” reminiscent of Singin’ in the Rain for the projected image. Austin then steps out of the screen to interact with Quincy Jones, further blurring the lines between reality and cinematic fantasy.
The West Side Story rumble with Britney Spears provides another clash of styles. Austin’s Carnaby Street dancers and colorful aesthetic are juxtaposed with Britney’s “metrosexual men,” pyrotechnics, and grayscale set. This showdown represents the conflict between Austin’s joyful, old-fashioned charm and a more commercialized, contemporary pop culture, embodied by Britney Spears. The choreography and camerawork during this segment, transitioning from formal shots to swirling, dynamic movements, emphasize this stylistic battle.
The comedic violence escalates with guns popping out of Britney Spears’ bra, a visual gag inspired by the 1965 pop-art film The 10th Victim. Roach explained the use of a mannequin with gas-powered flamethrowers for close-ups and digital effects for wider shots. Austin catching a bullet in his teeth is another deliberately low-tech homage, this time to spaghetti Westerns, highlighting the franchise’s love for mixing high and lowbrow humor.
The climax of the Britney Spears sequence involves Austin making her head explode with a pelvic thrust. This intentionally unsophisticated visual effect, achieved by slowing down the camera and using practical explosions, is quintessential Austin Powers. It’s a deliberate contrast to modern CGI, embracing low-tech humor and in-camera trickery.
The Grand Finale: Embracing the Absurd
The final shot of the opening sequence is a chaotic explosion of Austin Powers absurdity. Featuring Laugh-In body paint, dancers, Uncle Sam on stilts, and even Colonel Sanders, it embodies the “throw everything in” approach. Roach shared the anecdote about Mike Myers jokingly suggesting “someone juggling kittens with sparks coming out of their ass.” This gag, deemed too outrageous even for Austin Powers, was subtly included as a hidden Easter egg, with Roach himself juggling stuffed kittens with added sparks in the final frame. This self-referential humor and willingness to push boundaries are hallmarks of the Austin Powers franchise.
Conclusion: A Masterclass in Meta-Comedy
The opening sequence of Austin Powers in Goldmember is more than just a collection of jokes and celebrity cameos. It’s a carefully constructed piece of meta-comedy that deconstructs Hollywood action movie tropes while simultaneously celebrating the unique, low-fi humor of the Austin Powers universe. Through its blend of action movie parody, musical homages, celebrity cameos, and of course, the unforgettable Austin Powers dance goldmember moments, this opening sequence remains a testament to Jay Roach and Mike Myers’ comedic genius. It successfully set the stage for Goldmember, promising audiences that despite the bigger budget and Hollywood sheen, the heart and soul of Austin Powers – its groovy, silly, and utterly unique mojo – was alive and well.
