Austin Powers: Groovy Sixties’ Spy or Stereotype?

The 1997 film Austin Powers is a comedy spoof, and parody of the sixties James Bond films. Its eccentric main character, English spy Austin Powers, personifies the stereotypes of the sixties. However, the film can give us an insight into the experience of the sixties and how this decade is perceived.

The villain who Powers has to defeat, Dr Evil, is supposed to represent the James Bond bad guy, Blofeld, mimicking his personal appearance, clothing, and even pet cat. This solid grey costume could be representative of the clothes worn by the Chinese communist leader, Mao Tse-tung. As this was used in the sixties’ Bond films, it shows the fear and demonisation of the communists in the western world during the sixties.

The film also references the Cold War, as Powers questions why the Americans and English are working with the Russians. This suspicion of the Russians, and part of the reasoning behind the start of the Cold War, stems from the sixties’ fear of the communist Soviet Union. Nuclear war was also a very real threat to the most of the world’s population. This is mentioned by Powers, as he says that one of his fears is nuclear war. The peace marches against nuclear armament, such as the late fifties and early sixties CND Aldermaston to London marches, demonstrate this genuine anxiety during this decade.

The film also shows the lighter side of the sixties. There are a lot of references to drug and sexual experimentation, and the idea of ‘free love’. The ‘Fembots’ also give a sense of the sexualisation of women. Their fashion portrays the new liberal and sexual way women dressed, completely different to what was fashionable, and, more importantly, acceptable in previous decades.

This new sense of dress can also be seen as part of the revolution in youth culture. Powers himself is dressed in the high fashion style of the sixties, most strikingly his frilly cravat. The dress sense Powers illustrates mirrors some of the more adventurous style seekers. Yet, these changes are important as they convey the counter youth culture that developed during the period of the sixties. Powers also mentions his Italian boots, which were a feature of the Mods era. Again, this shows how fashion was used to distinguish different groups of people.

                                            

    

In the opening sequence, Powers is running away and hiding from a fandom of crazy, sexually-charged girls. This kind of fan base of teenage girls arguably originated with the arrival of Elvis Presley. However, the crazed, almost cult like, fandom developed when the Beatles came on to the music scene. This extreme obsession became an important part of the celebrity phenomenon and a prevalent aspect of the sixties.

Overall, Austin Powers acts as a capsule for issues and ideas about the sixties and how the time looked. The film allows us a little glimpse into elements of what made the sixties such an invigorating and revolutionary decade. This gives a real sense of how the sixties is remembered and portrayed.

By Lauren Shaw