LOVE OF AN ICON: THE LEGEND OF CROCODILE DUNDEE Reviewed by GREG KING
Documentary
Directors: Delvene Delaney and Victoria Baldock
Crocodile Dundee is the most successful Australian film of all time. This documentary from Delvene Delaney and editor and producer Victoria Baldock takes a dive into the making of the iconic Australian film which reached an international audience in the 80s. It shows why the comedy and its laconic hero still resonates with audiences forty years on.
Recently the film underwent a 4K restoration because the original negative was badly damaged. During the process Delvaney discovered a wealth of material in the archives of her late husband John Cornell which had lain dormant for many years. But this is more than a simple making of documentary; it also looks at the relationship between star Paul Hogan and his friend, collaborator and manager John Cornell which began through a brief comedy segment on A Current Affair. Hogan became a huge star on television in Australia. He was the quintessential larrikin. But he also became the face of a very successful tourism promotion with its iconic “throw a shrimp on the barbie” line.
Cornell was better known for playing Strop”, Hoges’ best mate in a series of comic sketches, but, as this film reveals he was a much more complex person than that simple minded comic creation. Cornell was also one of the brains behind the creation of World Series Cricket along with media magnate Kerry Packer. Between them they put Australia on the map in terms of international recognition.
And then in 1986 Hogan and Cornell collaborated on Crocodile Dundee, despite the fact that they had never made a feature film before. Even director Peter Faiman had only worked on live television projects. But they surrounded themselves with some of the best technical filmmaking personnel in the country including cinematographer Russell Boyd to help bring their vision to the big screen. Boyd brought a cinematic grandeur to the film. And with official funding bodies reluctant to fund the film, they turned to mum and dad investors to raise the $8 million budget. Their faith was rewarded many times over as Crocodile Dundee has become the highest grossing Australian movie ever, earning over $2 billion at the global box office in today’s terms.
The documentary itself includes some previously unseen archival footage plus many memorable scenes from the film. The footage has been deftly edited together by Paula Grusovin. There are also plenty of interviews with many of the people involved in the production, including Faiman, Linda Kozlowski, Boyd, Hogan himself and Delaney. There are many amusing anecdotes.
But Love Of An Icon: The Legend Of Crocodile Dundee is also a deeply personal project for Delaney as she not only processes her grief but pays tribute to her late husband John Cornell and his legacy. Her commentary adds insights into the making of this iconic Australian classic.
★★★☆
