Okay, so here goes: wealthy, New York professional (exec Richard Gere in PRETTY WOMAN, reporter Linda Kozlowski in CROCODILE DUNDEE) who works a job they existentially-but-not-yet-consciously dislike thanks to a controlling father (Gere's dad left him the company-buying business in PRETTY WOMAN, Kozlowski's dad owns Newsday in DUNDEE) travels a great distance (L.A. in PRETTY WOMAN, Australia in DUNDEE) to meet a charming-yet-seedy underdog (back alley sex worker Julia Roberts in PRETTY WOMAN, outback madman Paul Hogan in DUNDEE) whose services they hire out for a sum ($3,000 in PRETTY WOMAN, $2,500 in DUNDEE), and after a week of awkward interactions with elitist yuppies, they fall in love, nearly break up due to a misunderstanding, and then get back together, cemented by a grand romantic gesture on the part of the New York professional.
But wait, there's more: here are the TOP 3 INCREDIBLY SPECIFIC SIMILARITIES BETWEEN PRETTY WOMAN AND CROCODILE DUNDEE ASIDE FROM THE PLOT, THE CHARACTERS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE I ALREADY DESCRIBED:
#3. While put up in a fancy hotel by the New York professional, the charming-yet-seedy underdogs both see fit to watch reruns of I LOVE LUCY.
#2. Then, the charming-yet-seedy underdog takes a luxurious bubble bath, and sings aloud, only to be discovered by their New York professional who finds the behavior to be extraordinarily endearing.
#1. Finally, and most incredibly, both films present a pair of friendly streetwalkers who
lead us to an alleyway confrontation with low-level pimps
I really want you to take note of the skateboard switchblade.... which might I add is not a knife, because THAT is a knife.
that ends with our hero being rescued by his chaffeur/sidekick.
Reginald VelJohnson in DUNDEE.
That's what I call pretty fuckin' specific. Therefore, I believe my case is closed, and from this point forward, instead of referring to PRETTY WOMAN as "a benchmark for 90's romantic comedy," "the Julie Roberts sex worker movie," or "obligatory date night viewing," we can now refer to it by its proper title: "the American remake of CROCODILE DUNDEE."
8 comments:
The "punch" sound FX in Crocodile Dundee is extraordinary. Like the colliding of comets or the almighty CRACK of a new universe being formed.
I've got another one for ya:
The famous necklace scene where Gere playfully snaps the box shut on Robert's fingers ...as a visual metaphor of the croc that snaps its jaws on Linda Kozlowski's necklaced Nokia.
Thin? Maybe. But I'm throwin' it out there nonetheless.
Daniel,
I always thought Croc Dundee was a purveyor of higher cosmic truths- now I know why– WHOMMP! KRAKKK!
Cannon,
I'm gonna go ahead and say you're right on the money there. Good one!
I'm just gonna go ahead and say it - at that moment in time, Linda Kozlowski was hotter than Julia Roberts. That scene where she almost gets zapped by the croc. Wow.
Not surprisingly, both movies have not aged well at all.
Interesting comparison, though. I had no idea!
J.D.,
I'll cast another vote for Kozlowski! Besides, Julia Roberts never did a John Carpenter movie (Linda's in VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED).
This is hilarious. We just watched pretty woman followed by crocodile dundee and started talking about this and then this popped up and articulated everything we were saying!! Spot on!
Mimsy,
Thanks! Out of all my pop culture conspiracy theories, this one might be my favorite.
Linda Kozlowski is in a cameo roll in the first scene of Pretty Woman, with the magician doing the penny trick. Just noticed it tonight after seeing it dozens of times.
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