Crocodile Dundee (1986)

It really takes a special kind of Australian to become a pop culture icon in America. You’ve gotta be someone like Rolf Harris, Men at Work, or, um, that guy from the Energizer ads. Nowadays, when we think of the land down under, we think of the late Steve Irwin, but in the dark and distant decade known as the 1980s, it was another Australian crocodile hunter entirely who was making headlines. “Crocodile Dundee” slaughtered its comedic competition in 1986, with enough theatergoers following the travels of Mick Dundee (Paul Hogan) from the Australian outback to the streets of New York City to bring in a still-staggering $328 million in worldwide box office revenue. It’s still an enjoyable little flick even now, but when push comes to shove, if you ask someone to quote something from “Crocodile Dundee,” 99% of them will come back with the key line from the knife scene…which stands to reason, since it’s prominent even in the trailer. You remember how it goes: Mick’s taking a stroll through NYC with his lady friend, reporter Sue Charleston (Linda Kozlowski), when they’re approached by an extra from Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” video, wielding a weapon which Sue helpfully identifies as a knife. “That’s not a knife,” Mick says, with a derisive smirk, and then pulls out a big-ass blade that undoubtedly still reeks of several-year-old crocodile blood. “That’s a knife,” he explains… and – voila! – the attempted robbery comes to a hasty conclusion.

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