Burt Bacharachplayed a pivotal role in the timeless film seriesAustin Powers.
As it turns out, his role in those movies was more than just a short clip. His song “The Look of Love” sparked the idea of Austin Powers in Mike Myers as he was driving home from hockey practice, according toEntertainment Weekly.
“Did I arrive at that intellectually? No,” he toldRolling Stonein 1999, adding that “Austin’s a shag machine” with an “enhanced libido.”
Burt Bacharach and Mike Myers.Harry Langdon/Getty; Steve Granitz/WireImage
Bacharach made several cameos throughout the franchise. InInternational Man of Mystery, he plays “What the World Needs Now Is Love” and inThe Spy Who Shagged Mehe plays “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” with Elvis Costello (whom he often collaborated with). He then appeared inAustin Powers in Goldmemberduring the end credits.
InInternational Man of Mystery, the iconic scene comes midway through the film as Powers is struggling to adapt to a new decade after traveling through time and into the ’90s. As Bacharach’s song begins to play, he catches up on what happened since his time period in the ’60s.
Burt Bacharach.NEW LINE CINEMA
He then rides down the Las Vegas strip withElizabeth Hurley’s character and says, “Ladies and gentlemen… Mr. Burt Bacharach.” The musician appears in a tuxedo and plays the song on the piano.
Austin Powersdirector Jay Roach paid tribute to the late musician on Thursday as he reflected on the final scene of the film with Bacharach.
“On the last night of filming, Burt Bacharach performed ‘What the World Needs Now Is Love’ over and over, sitting at a piano on top of a double-decker bus going up and down the Vegas strip, while Mike and Elizabeth danced,” Roach told theLos Angeles Times.
“The early takes were great, but I couldn’t bring myself to say, ‘cut, move on’— it was just too sublime. We only stopped when the sun came up,” he added. “Elizabeth, Mike and I all went up and kissed Burt with tears in our eyes. That night his song became the heart of our film. Burt’s love — which the worlddoesdesperately need — will live on through his music, as will our love for Burt.”
Bacharach died of natural causes on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, his publicist Tina Brausam told theAssociated Press. He was 94.
Since then, several musicians, including his dear friend and musical partnerDionne Warwickhavepaid tributeto the late star.
source: people.com
