Now that Austin Powers is done, it’s on to Mr. Powers’ female sidekicks. Clear the stage for the girls!
“Always wanting to have fun, Austin. That’s you in a nutshell!”
Vanessa Kensington
First up is Vanessa Kensington, played in the first film by the gorgeous Elizabeth Hurley. As with Austin, there is no separate miniature for Vanessa, though I didn’t have to look very hard. Crooked Dice features the generic agent Pandora King, who may have been inspired by Diana Riggs’ character in With Umbrella, Charm and Bowler Hat. I found her very appropriate and basically usable without change. I did file down her boot shaft and stupidly added a cutout to her suit.
I was actually happy with the figure and just wanted to make it a little more accurate. Sexiness is of course a theme in the films, so I found this detail “fitting”. In retrospect, however, I’m a bit annoyed about it, because it’s unnecessary sexualization. The way the figure was, it was already fitting, surely no one would have missed the cleavage. Maybe you don’t have to see it too strictly in this film of all films, but I still could have just saved it.
After that, the painting didn’t work quite as I would have liked, I probably blocked myself somehow. You learn from it and move on to the next mini! Groovy, baby!
“Felicity Shagwell, CIA. Shagwell by name, shag-very-well by reputation.”
Felicity Shagwell
I remembered it differently, but in the second Austin Powers installment, the chemistry between Austin and sidekick/love interest Felicity Shagwell works even better than with Vanessa in the first film. Her open, flirty nature naturally suits our sexy agent better than the more reserved nature of Vanessa. However, both characters were also perfectly cast. In general, Heather Graham has played some memorable roles – it’s a shame that it’s become so quiet around her as well. I always had the feeling that she was capable of more than she was allowed to show most of the time. The second Austin Powers installment was not only (even) funnier, Felicity Shagwell definitely had a part in making it the slightly better film for me in general.
I didn’t have to search long for a miniature. Crooked Dice has them in the program and does not even bother to pretend that someone else could be meant. Appearance and pose are super imitated. I’m totally happy with the figure: great casting, fine details, the delicate stature captured well. All I really had to do was try to do her some justice with my painting. Oh behave!
“Well, the future better get ready for me. ‘Cause I’m Foxxy Cleopatra, and I’m a whole lotta woman.”
Foxxy Cleopatra
It can’t hurt to correct yourself from time to time. Now that I have seen the third Austin Powers movie Goldmember again, I have to say that I was wrong. I had written that the parts were getting better in my memory. Well, in my memory maybe, but certainly not in reality. Especially when you watch all three parts close together, you notice that the third part mainly lives on self quotes, all of which I didn’t find as funny as when I experienced the first one. The various cameos are still highlights, but otherwise I found Goldmember unfortunately only quite nice. Perhaps it is also because Austin plays a much more restrained part and he (along with Dr. Evil) was for me always the actually funny thing about the films.
Besides Austin’s moments of brilliance, I could get over more questionable things like the Fat Bastard. Now these things carry more weight. Without humorous highlights, the pee-poo humor with a disgust factor unfortunately bothers me more today than it did when I first saw it almost 20 years ago. The first Austin Powers movie was much more harmless in that respect and maybe that’s why it has aged better? Well, what comedy still works as well today as it did when it was released?
Austin has a new sidekick in Goldmember: Foxxy Cleopatra, sympathetically played by Beyoncé. Crooked Dice also have a miniature of her on offer, which I painted right away. She’s not just a nice take on the original. I was also happy to paint in different colors than usual. Has been fun and the result I like very much.
Now I really need a Dr. Evil, preferably with a mini clone. So far I haven’t found a suitable figure. If you have an idea: Gladly always here with it!
