‘Austin Powers’ Sequel Swings, Baby, in a Crisp DVD Release

Yeah, baby, it’s true. “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” (New Line, $25) is grooving in the DVD universe. All one can say is be-have while viewing the disc, baby.

In this sequel to “International Man of Mystery,” the super agent travels back to 1969 to retrieve his mojo, which has been stolen by Dr. Evil’s henchman, Fat Bastard.

Mike Myers returns as the groovy spy who is catnip to women, and as Dr. Evil and Fat Bastard. Heather Graham is on hand as Felicity Shagwell, and Robert Wagner and Rob Lowe are both No. 2. Verne Troyer, though, nearly steals the film as Dr. Evil’s clone, Mini-Me.

The collector’s disc features a crisp, wide-screen version of the film, and a routine 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary that includes interviews with the stars as well as director Jay Roach. Three music videos, including Madonna’s “Beautiful Stranger,” are also included, plus trailers and cast biographies.

The DVD also features 20 minutes of deleted scenes. But, the majority of them aren’t particularly funny and would have slowed down the movie if they hadn’t been excised, especially one belabored scene with Dr. Evil wrestling with his mechanical chair. There is, though, an exceptionally tasteless but nifty sequence involving Lowe and Wagner that was an alternate ending to the film.

The audio commentary includes Myers, Roach and co-writer Mike McCullers, who banter back and forth like great buddies. The trio points out that alternate titles were considered for the movie, including “Austin Powers: The Wrath of Khan” and “Austin Powers: Electric Bugaloo.” And, yes, Myers was naked during the carefully orchestrated opening title sequence, though, he wore a special sock to cover his “bits and pieces.” The term “Fembot” actually came from “The Six Million Dollar Man,” and the concept of having the Fembots outfitted with machine guns in their breasts came from the 1965 Italian movie “The 10th Victim,” with Ursula Andress.

So audiences wouldn’t be confused what scenes took place in the present and which scenes were in 1969, Roach included such contemporary icons as Starbucks and America Online. Roach says his major influence on the look and tone of the film were the ‘60s comic spy flicks “Our Man Flint” and “In Like Flint.”

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One of the summer’s most charming films was the enchanting romantic comedy “Notting Hill” (Universal, $30), starring Julia Roberts as a movie star who falls in love with a London travel bookstore owner (Hugh Grant).

Universal’s DVD of the box office hit is equally delightful. The wide-screen collector’s edition includes a very funny segment titled “Hugh Grant’s Movie Tips,” in which he talks about his parents’ first visit to the set and how he had to wear a thong device for his nude scene with Roberts. Also included is the informative, “Notting Hill Travel Book,” with maps and other tidbits about the colorful London neighborhood, music highlights, trailers, production notes, cast and filmmaker bios. Unlike “Austin Powers,” the deleted scenes are quite funny, including one involving Grant being set up by his friends with a particularly goofy young woman with bizarre eating habits.

The pleasant audio commentary features director Roger Michell, producer Duncan Kenworthy and writer Richard Curtis, who all seem to be having a great time chatting about the film, but it’s hard to figure out who is who.