Taglines: The Wizard of Auz hits The Big Apple!
Crocodile Dundee movie storyline. Michael J. “Crocodile” Dundee is an Australian crocodile hunter who lives in the Australian outback and runs a safari business with his trusted friend and mentor Walter Reilly. After surviving a crocodile attack, a New York journalist named Sue arrives to interview Mick about how he survived and learns more about the crocodile hunter. After saving Sue from a crocodile, Sue invites Mick to visit New York City, since Mick has never been to a city. Mick finds the culture and life in New York City a lot different than his home and he finds himself falling in love with Sue.
Crocodile Dundee (stylized as “Crocodile” Dundee in the U.S.) is a 1986 Australian-American comedy film set in the Australian Outback and in New York City. It stars Paul Hogan as the weathered Mick Dundee. Hogan’s future wife Linda Kozlowski portrayed Sue Charlton.[6]
Inspired by the true life exploits of Rod 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 30 April 1986 in Australia, and on 26 September 1986 in the United States, it was the second-highest-grossing film in the United States in that year and went on to become the second-highest grossing film worldwide at the box office as well, with an estimated 46 million tickets sold in the US.
There are two versions of the film: the Australian version, and an international version, which had much of the Australian slang replaced with more commonly understood terms, and was slightly shorter. Although the film was a hit both in Australia and abroad, it became controversial with some Australian critics and audiences–who resented the image of Australians as being ocker.[7]
The first scenes were filmed in the small town of McKinlay in Queensland. The hotel has original warped and polished hardwood floors. There are no crocodiles in the area as it’s in the outback with no major water source. Crocodile Dundee was followed by two sequels: Crocodile Dundee II (1988) and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001), although both films failed to match the critical success of the predecessor.
About the Story
Sue Charlton is a feature writer for Newsday (which her father owns) and is dating her editor, Richard Mason. She travels to Walkabout Creek, a small hamlet in the Northern Territory of Australia, to meet Michael J. “Crocodile” Dundee, a bushman reported to have lost half a leg to a saltwater crocodile before crawling hundreds of miles to safety.
On arrival in Walkabout Creek (by helicopter due to its remote location), she cannot locate Dundee, but she is entertained at the local pub by Dundee’s business partner Walter “Wally” Reilly. When Dundee arrives that night, Sue finds his leg is not missing, but he has a large scar which he refers to as a “love bite”. While Sue dances with Dundee, a group of city kangaroo shooters make fun of Dundee’s status as a crocodile hunter, causing him to knock the leader out with one punch.
At first, Sue finds Dundee less “legendary” than she had been led to believe, being unimpressed by his pleasant-mannered but uncouth behaviour and clumsy advances towards her; however, she is later amazed, when in the Outback, she witnesses “Mick” (as Dundee is called) subduing a water buffalo, taking part in an aboriginal tribal dance ceremony, killing a snake with his bare hands, and scaring away the kangaroo shooters from the pub from their cruel sport.
The next morning, offended by Mick’s assertion that as a “sheila” (Aussie slang for a female) she is incapable of surviving the Outback alone, Sue goes out alone to prove him wrong but takes his rifle with her at his request. Mick follows her to make sure she is OK, but when she stops at a billabong to refill her canteen, she is attacked by a large crocodile and is rescued by Mick. Overcome with gratitude, Sue finds herself becoming attracted to him.
Crocodile Dundee (1986)
Directed by: Peter Faiman
Starring: Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, John Meillon, David Gulpilil, Ritchie Singer, Maggie Blinco, Steve Rackman, Khristina Totos
Screenplay by: Ken Shadie, John Cornell
Production Design by: Graham ‘Grace’ Walker
Cinematography by: Russell Boyd
Film Editing by: David Stiven
Costume Design by: Norma Moriceau
Music by: Peter Best
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures (North America), 20th Century Fox (International)
Release Date: September 26, 1986
Visits: 141
