Austin Powers Stereotypes

1. Introduction

The objective of this project is to scrutinize the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me through the lens of semiotics. Our group has chosen to approach our analysis through the extraction of narrative models, metonyms, metaphors, the use and also subversion of stereotypes and intertextuality. The film uses these devices to both inject humour and to subvert the notions that society has brought us up to believe in.
The methodology employed is the viewing and analysis of the film while secondary data sources include academic papers and Internet articles. Selected scenes and examples are discussed due to word constraint.
2. Synopsis
The story begins with Austin Powers frolicking in bed with his wife Vanessa. He then
Interestingly, the film subscribes to and subverts certain stereotype labels at the same time. Firstly, to have the character of Fat Bastard named as "Fat Bastard" is by itself a stereotype. The name seems to bear the connotation that Bastard, "an easily grasped characteristic (usually negative) is presumed to belong to a whole group" , which in this case is fat people. In the film, Fat Bastard is one of the major bad characters to collaborate with Dr. Evil in stealing Austin's mojo. He is loud, unrefined and almost barbaric as he not only eats a lot but devours babies as well. This seems to infer that character flaws come naturally when one is physically fat, thus making him a Bastard. Hence, Fat Bastard lives up to his name. However, it may be argued that it is due to "constraints of time and space, plus the desire to achieve rapid audience recognition" that Mike Myers creates Fat Bastard conveniently. By convenience we mean that the audience is more likely to be convinced by the actions and characteristics of Fat Bastard since he is a character built out of
We also appreciate the wit within the film as it subscribes to and subverts certain stereotype labels and gender roles at the same time. Another distinctive observation which runs throughout the film is the clever use of intertextuality. It is the familiarity of these intertextual references which tickle the audience's funny bones. This film is also an alternative to conventional Classical Hollywood Cinema films as the bad characters are comical rather than really evil, and thus are able to set the audience laughing. All in all, these "ingredients" when combined together with the fun element of the Flower Power swing era of the 1960s create a successful end product which is light-hearted and entertaining to