The document provides an analysis of promotional materials for the Austin Powers films: 1) The Austin Powers film posters parody 1960s/1970s spy movie posters through exaggerated costumes, bright colors, and comedic facial expressions to signal it is not a serious spy film but making fun of the genre. 2) The magazine covers in Empire magazine also use Mike Myers and Heather Graham's star power and costumes from the films to promote the comedic aspect while subtly including sexual elements to draw different audiences. 3) Both the posters and magazine covers analyze design elements like positioning of stars, taglines, and reviews to maximize audience attention and convey the parodic and funny nature of the films in line with the narrative.

1. Austen Powers Film Promotional
Package
Marcelle Grant

2. Mike Myers name is at the top of the poster, implying they are trying to use
Film Poster Analysis his star persona as a comedian to gain a wider audience. We could use this
idea as it seems to be something common within the posters we analyse.
The colour scheme is bright yellow and The tag line has a ‘cheesy’ joke that
hot link, which is eye catching and like a would be mocked by the
cartoon creating a comic effect. It also audience, implying that the movie is not
links to the 70s where psychedelic just a comedy but is making fun of the
colours where used and so implies they genre and giving the audience a preview
are making fun of late 60s spy movies of what is to expect from the film.
Mike Myers facial expression is comedic The background has words such as
and goofy, suggesting his character his ‘cheeky’, ‘fab’ and ‘groovy’ in 70’s cartoon
funny and mocking the serious facial typography to imply again they are
expressions shown on the spies faces making fun of the 70’s genre. The
from the original 60s/70s posters. cartoon typography is a fun interpretation
of the 70s rock typography, giving a
The codes of gesture used are similar to comedic spin on the genre as posters
the poses used in the original would normally the people would look
posters, However, the smiles, Mike serious opposed to happy.
Myers face and the feminine frilly shirt
implies the poster is parodying/ making The film title is on the side opposed to
fun of the 60s spy genre. the middle, hiding the woman's legs and
leaving Mike Myers full body on show.
Mike Myers/Austen Powers costume is This implies the movie is based around
slightly feminine, implying the spies of him more and that they are again using
the time were not masculine and tough his comedic star persona to gain fans for
as they would be seen as today, evoking the film.
humour.
The actresses short skirt and words such
A stereotype of parodies is that they as ‘sexy’ and ‘shag’ suggests they are
take specific aspects of the genre or trying to use sex appeal to draw in their
movie they are parodying and audience. This is also to appeal to a
exaggerate them to cause humour. younger audience and create an almost
nostalgic feel for the older audience as
It has a movie review at the bottom that explicitly suggests it’s funny, working with the narrative 60s and 70s spy movies often had half
of the movie and the comedic look of Mike Myers on the poster naked women on the front.

3. The film title is smaller than the movie For the second movie they are again attempting to use Mike Myers star Film Poster
poster for the first film and is located in persona to gain an audience but they are also using Heather Graham’s
the top left corner. As their audience name as well to build a bigger fan base. Analysis-
reads from left to right, the title is the The sequel
first thing they will see however it has a The background of the poster resembles
black outline that links with the to famous 60s pattern, telling the audience
background theme but does make the when the movie is set and implies that the
title less noticeable because it’s darker. movie could have a comedic twist because
The typography is still the same quirky of the bright colours, giving a similar effect
style as the poster for the first to the movie poster for the first movie.
movie, but because it’s a sequel it has
the extended part of the title The villains are on the left of the
underneath which in a bigger size to poster, they are then read first, causing
emphasise as the movies name is humour because of the spoofed idea but
already known just from Mike Myers also because they realise that the actor
face because he is so entrenched in the who plays the villain is also Mike Myers.
advertisement of the movie.
There is a movie review at the bottom like
Mike Myers is centre frame suggesting the first poster had but this time it’s bigger
he’s the star of the movie and again making the poster look more exciting and
suggests they are using his star persona advertising that it’s funny. The language
more to gain their fans for the first used is similar to the background words
movie and also a bigger fan base. used in the last poster, giving the same
However, the notion that the movie is a effect of period humour. The review is also
parody is seen to the left of him, very from Good Morning America, a respected
close to Mike Myers and the film title TV show, giving the audience reassurance
which is the exaggeration of the classic the film is funny and also suggesting the
60s spy movie villain. The villain is movie was advertised on TV, magazine and
stereotypically big but they also involve a poster campaign (widely advertised to
a small version of him to create humour get a big audience
and to make fun of the idea of a scary
villain. We could include something
similar where we feature a spoofed part The sartorial codes used are similar to the first movie where Mike Myers is still wearing the slightly
of the genre on the poster to make it feminine suit, with the same hand gestures he had in the first poster, giving the movie the comedic
clear it’s a parody. appeal. Sex appeal is again used with the actress wearing a short skirt again but this time is holding
a more provocative pose and almost touching Mike Myers leg.

4. Both actors are looking directly at the reader, gaining more of the
Magazine analysis readers attention. Mike Myers comedic facial expression is also
contorted evoking humour, meanwhile the Heather Grahams facial
The actors pictures are in front of Empire’s masthead implying that they expression is happy, warm and inviting. There is more light on her
are well known and that Empire is a big enough magazine for them to face, making her look inviting and slightly angelic, opposed to the
have enough of a readership with the title covered. This also means film poster where the lighting was more mysterious and sexual.
Mike Myers and Heather Grahams faces will be seen by the audience This connotes that we will have to look at lighting closely as they
when on the shelf, even if the majority of the magazine is covered as evoke different moods of how we want to present our characters.
often only the magazine name is shown when stacked on the shelf.
The actors are dressed in their
Mike Myers is on the left meaning he is costumes, giving the audience a preview of
seen first again and his name is also what to expect from the movie and
mentioned in part of the main cover line, advertising the film more than the actors.
suggesting they are using part of his star The actors are also in the same costumes
persona to advertise the movie. The film that they are from the poster, connoting that
title is in the side part of the main cover the pictures were giving to the magazine
line opposed to stereotypically being the from the film company opposed to the
most prominent part of the magazine magazine producing them. This means we
cover implying the movie already has a big could shoot all our pictures for the campaign
fan base and is more in the same day or session and using the
noticeable/recognised through the actors same costumes, so that the two advertising
faces opposed to the film name. (We also texts can be linked in the audiences/readers
have to take into account this was a very minds because of the same use of imagery.
early issue of the magazine, so their
advertising tactics may have changed over The actors poses are more playful than the
the years with the more mainstream and pose on the posters. This again presents the
high graphics movies they gain, which also movie as less sexual than the poster does
explains why the background is simply and emphasises the comedic and fun aspect
white, forcing most of the audiences of the film, more than even the 60s period
attention onto the main image.) aspect of the film.
The main cover line is also resembles part However, the sex appeal of the poster is
of the language from the film where shown more through Grahams outfit as it is
Austen Powers says ‘Baby’. This evokes crocheted and has a lot more skin showing.
humour and links to the movie and it’s comedic appeal. It’s in a bright yellow drawing the This contrasts with the innocence seen in her
readers eyes toward it and strategically placed near the lower half of the body to subtly imply face, appealing to both men and women as it
again the sexual nature of the humour of the film. presents her in two separate ways.

5. Magazine analysis-general
The skyline running along the top The apex of gold triangle is also used to emphasise the magazines name but also
of the magazine includes other including the most important information of advertising the film within the triangle.
comedic films but also other The main cover line is extended with the extra bit on the right to not only say even
genres. A mixture of genres are more information about the film but also to create symmetry with for the triangle.
strategically placed in different
areas all over the magazine to
appeal as a audience as possible. All this suggests we need to make
Having our movie placed in a the magazine cover look as
magazine also means that it will
authentic as possible by
be seen by people outside of our
target audience as well. copying their conventions.
However, we could completely
There is also a puff that advertises a
competition offering a DVD player
subvert them, implying the
magazine is a special issue and
implying their audience is interested
advertise the film unique, especially
in gadgets that are linked with home
viewing films as well as new releases as it will be one of the very few
in the cinema. We could possibly parodies to be featured on
place our advertisement for our the front cover of a movie
movie being placed online like Tower magazine. Because of that, it also
Heist there, as it is more noticeable means we need to present this film
there.
as very funny and exciting to
Mike Myers toes are also slightly lifted/ the audience because its being
pointed to mirror that of the Grahams, presented in the same way as high
implying that his character is slightly profile action films such the
feminine and camp which evokes
comedy and suggests again the movie is a parody, making fun of the Marvel Films.
stereotypical serious spies from 60s action movies.