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Crocodile Dundee

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Crocodile Dundee
File:CrocodileDundee.jpg
Directed byPeter Faiman
Written byPaul Hogan (story)
John Cornell (story)
Ken Shadie (story)
Paul Hogan (screenplay)
Produced byJohn Cornell
StarringPaul Hogan
Linda Kozlowski
CinematographyRussell Boyd
Edited byDavid Stiven
Music byPeter Best
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release dates
April 30, 1986
LanguageEnglish
BudgetAUD$8,800,000 (estimated)

Crocodile Dundee is a 1986 Australian comedy film set in the Australian Outback in the area around "Walkabout Creek" and in New York City. It stars Paul Hogan as Mick Dundee and Linda Kozlowski as Sue Charlton. It was released in the United States as "Crocodile" Dundee.

Inspired by the truelife exploits of Rodney Ansell, the film was made on a budget of under $10 million as a deliberate attempt to make a commercial Australian film that would appeal to a mainstream American audience, but proved to be a worldwide phenomenon. Released on April 30, 1986 in Australia, and on September 26, 1986 in the United States, it was the second highest grossing film in the USA in that year and went on to become the number one film worldwide at the box office.

The film was followed by two sequels. 1988's Crocodile Dundee II enjoyed a great deal of success, while 2001's Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles was somewhat less successful.

Taglines:

  • He's survived the most hostile and primitive land known to man. Now all he's got to do is make it through a week in New York.
  • There's a little of him in all of us.
  • The Wizard of Auz hits The Big Apple!

Plot summary

The film concerns Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee (so nicknamed because he allegedly fought a crocodile and lived to tell the tale). He falls for Sue Charlton, an American journalist who comes to the outback to interview him, and returns with her to New York City, where he is faced with a culture he doesn't understand. Most of the humour is drawn from his attempts to adapt to the unfamiliar features of this society, such as crowds, crime and bidets.

Main cast

Awards

Award wins:

Award nominations:

Trivia

  • The film's star, Paul Hogan, eventually married his co-star, Linda Kozlowski.
  • The amphibious vehicle crocodile dundee uses is a DUKW.
  • In the movie, Dundee drives some sort of mid-1960s-ish International Harvester truck that appears to have had a bus body at one point, that was then removed to make such a vehicle, the IHC emblem is visible on the grille in some shots.
  • The most famous line from the movie is spoken when Dundee is approached by a mugger carrying a switchblade. Mick remarks, "That's not a knife", then draws a very large bowie knife and continues "Now, THAT'S a knife". This has been parodied in a variety of films and television shows, including The Simpsons. In the episode "Boy-Scoutz N the Hood", Bart wonders why a knife could be useful to have. Moe then throws Hans Moleman out of his tavern threatening him with a knife. Moleman rises and asks Moe: "You call that a knife? THIS is a knife!", while drawing an extremely large knife. He then collapses due to its enormous size. In the episode "Bart Vs. Australia", the Simpsons visited a local bar in Australia where a Crocodile Dundee-like character said to Bart Simpson: "You call that a knife? This is a knife!', at which he pulls out a spoon. His defense in response to Bart pointing that out: "Alright you win. I see you've played Knifey-Spoony before." There is even a British Internet-only television show, run by Channel 4, called thisisaknife.
  • The film was one of the greatest hits of the year, even in the non-English speaking world. In Paris a cinema had the unusual policy of screening it in two auditoriums instead of just one. Queues lined up round-the-block and the auditorium was packed.
  • Australian international cricketers Rod Marsh, Dennis Lillee, Greg Chappell and entrepreneur Kerry Packer were amongst Crocodile Dundee's financial backers, making a handsome return.
  • Sue Charlton [Linda Kozlowski] asks to take a picture of one of the aborigines but he points out she can't take his photo. She enquires whether this is because he is afraid taking the photo will steal his soul. He points out that she has left the lens cap on. As the camera is a Single Lens Reflex Canon F1 this would be immediately obvious to the photographer.
  • An interesting fact that all Crocodiles appearing in the film were actually played by alligators (Source: The making of Crocodile Dundee 1987)
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