CROCODILE DUNDEE

(September 1986, U.S.)

Sometimes I can't believe the people and things (even animals!) that pop culture considered "hot" back in the 1980s. That computer-generated guy Max Headroom, Larry Bud Melman, Spuds McKenzie the dog, and Paul Hogan. Why were we all so turned on by this guy? You'd think Americans had never seen an actor from Australia before! Today, a guy like him would likely be dismissed pretty quickly, given that we have actors from Australia today like Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman; guys who can actually act!

But lets move on to the film that is CROCODILE DUNDEE and the major hit that it was back in the day. The concept in itself was itriguing enough; take a tough, rugged and weathered crocodile hunter from the Australian outback and put him in really, really tough situation - namely NEW YORK CITY! But we don't stop there. Throw in an attractive New York reporter first, who travels to Australia to get the big story on this guy and learns a little about survival in the wild. Once Mick Dundee arrives in New York, he needs to learn about its pitfalls like moving escalators, subway crowds, transvestites, muggers with knives, street hookers and the occassional violent pimp. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Well, it is (to watch, anyway), if you're already mildly familiar with what it's like to survive in any big city. Oh, and of course, it's absolutely inevitable that Dundee and his New York blonde squeeze will fall in love. They will, and they'll go on to make two crappy "Dundee" sequels after that...VERY crappy!

As I mentioned before, a character like "Crocodile Dundee" would likely be a failed one by today's Hollywood standards, despite the more recent popularity of a guy like Steve Irwin ("The Crocodile Hunter") when he was alive. So perhaps a DUNDEE remake is nothing to fear. But then again, Hollywood has remade ARTHUR, for Christ sakes!

Mugger: "You got a light, buddy?"
Michael J. Dundee: "Yeah, sure kid."
Mugger (flicks open a switchblade): "And your wallet!"
Sue Charlton: "Mick, give him your wallet."
Dundee: "What for?"
Sue: "He's got a knife."
Dundee: "That's not a knife. (pulls out his large bowie knife) THAT'S a knife."