Often derided for its movie industry, it took the unlikely figure of the laid back Paul Hogan to put Australia on the world box office map in spectacular style. All these years later, and despite the changes in technology and fashions, Paul Hogan's affable charm contrasted with the modern city lifestyle is still of comedic relevance.

"Crocodile Dundee" opts for the simple but consistently popular theme of the culture clash, as exploited so well in "Coming to America" and, more recently, "Rush Hour". Hogan is Mick Dundee, a crocodile hunter who's famed in the Australian outback for surviving an attack by a crocodile. New York reporter Linda Kozlowski picks up on the story and decides to track him down and find out if it's true.

So first in line for the culture shock is Linda, as she enters the rough and ready outback. With characters that would put the wild west to shame, she's soon suitably impressed with Mick's ability to handle this difficult terrain, if not quite as pleased with his manners. She persuades him to come back with her to visit New York and that's when the film takes off.

It's Hogan's turn to look perplexed and the sights and people of New York are perfect for sending up. It's all done with good-natured humour though, even in a hilarious scene where a street punk pulls a blade on Mick, only for him to retort "That's not a knife" before producing a considerably bigger hunting knife of his own. As soon as it's over, you'd like to spend more time with Hogan's character, and thankfully, they made a sequel.

Read a review of the second sequel "Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles".