Paul Hogan shares stance on ongoing debate over Crocodile Dundee

Currently, there is an ongoing conversation about cultural sensitivity and the re-evaluation of classic films. This includes the reassessment of the 1986 film Crocodile Dundee.

In a surprise twist to this conversation, Paul Hogan, the legendary star of the film, has voiced out his stance amidst discussions about whether the nation’s censor should reassess the film’s content nearly four decades after its release.

In a call with NewsWire, Hogan candidly admitted that he ‘totally’ agrees with the idea of the film being reviewed not to jump on the ‘woke’ bandwagon but to acknowledge the changing societal norms.

‘I heard about it years ago, it started, and it was not about being woke. They pointed out to me and said ‘This guy is a folk hero around the world, and he should not be groping people’. And I thought, ‘Yeah that is right, he should not be’, so take it out,’ he explained.

‘I mean, he did it in all innocence, in naivety, but it is better without it.’

The Australian Classification Board (ACB) has been at the centre of this debate, seeking new powers to proactively reclassify content every 10 years, independent of the federal government.

This move is in response to ‘ongoing complaints, requests or inquiries’ about material that may now be considered ‘archaic and out-of-step’ with contemporary values. The ACB’s proposal has highlighted works such as Crocodile Dundee as examples in their case for a federal review.

The film’s director, Peter Faiman, echoed Hogan’s sentiments, acknowledging the removal of approximately ‘two and a half minutes’ from the film due to ‘certain sensitivities’. He emphasised the importance of ‘not upsetting audiences’ but also raised concerns about altering historical works.

‘I think that people are adult enough to work out — kids — savvy enough to understand that that is how it was then, this is how it is now. I think that screwing around with history, in the arts particularly, is not a good idea,’ he added.

Labor minister Clare O’Neil, however, strongly opposed the idea of the ACB reviewing Crocodile Dundee, calling it ‘one of the greatest movies ever made’ during an appearance on Sunrise. O’Neil defended the film as a cherished piece of her childhood and a ‘fantastic work of art.’

‘To put this in context, the board’s public servants – not the government itself – have said they want additional powers over classifications. The communications minister will review that,’ she explained her stance.

‘I am not in that camp of rewriting things that have been pivotal to my childhood and yours.’

In related news, the iconic actor walked the red carpet at the premiere of the ‘encore cut’ 4K digital restoration of Crocodile Dundee at the OpenAir Cinema at Mrs Macquaries Point in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens on Thursday evening.

Hogan, now 85, was greeted by enthusiastic fans eager to get a glimpse of the man who embodied the rugged charm of the outback adventurer, Mick ‘Crocodile’ Dundee. Before heading to the event, he signed the fans’ posters and DVDs.

The debate over Crocodile Dundee is part of a larger conversation about how societies reconcile with the past and raises questions about the balance between preserving the original intent and context of one’s work and adapting to the evolving standards of today’s values.

At YourLifeChoices, we are curious to hear your thoughts on the potential reclassification of Crocodile Dundee.

Do you agree with Paul Hogan and Peter Faiman, or do you side with Clare O’Neil in preserving the film as it was? How do you think we should approach the classics of yesteryear in light of today’s values? Share your opinions in the comments below and join the conversation about the intersection of art, history, and social change.

Also read: Six popular Australian TV shows from the 1960s and ’70s