The Karate Kid  

Year of Release: 1984
Genre: Kung Fu / Teen
Rating: PG for mild violence.
Director: John G. Avildsen
Starring: Ralph Macchio, Elisabeth Shue, Pat Morita, Martin Kove, Randee Heller, William Zabka, Chad McQueen

Date Of Revised Review: April 2008

"The Karate Kid", the teen version of "Rocky" was the surprise box-office hit of 1984. It was shot in about 6 weeks and grossed over $90 million at the US Box Office alone. The film features a heart-warming story about a fatherless New Jersey kid, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and the problems he encounters when he moves to L.A. with his mother (Randee Heller). Being the new kid in town, Daniel is bullied by Johnny (William Zabka) and his gang of tough students from the local karate school. Sadistic karate instructor John Kreese (Martin Kove) and his warped “show no mercy” philosophy provides the fuel that pushes Johnny’s delinquent behavior into hyper-drive. When Daniel falls for pretty Californian girl Ali, (Elisabeth Shue) his problems escalate when he discovers that she is in fact the former girlfriend of karate champion, Johnny. Daniel soon befriends a Japanese handyman, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita who played Arnold on “Happy Days”) who is the janitor at his apartment block. Daniel is later trained by him and taught the ancient art of Kung Fu and more importantly the wisdom of eastern philosophy which he uses to overcome the bullies.

”The Karate Kid” is not your standard run-of-the-mill teen film. It is a sensitive story of friendship between an old man who has lost his son and a young teen that has lost his father. Mr. Miyagi's karate teachings are unusual to say the least. When Daniel is asked to wash cars and paint fences, he is at first confused but eventually realizes that there is method in Mr. Miyagi's system of training. The terms “Wax on / Wax Off” used in Daniels training regime have now become a part of cinema folklore. As for, the 1950s Chevrolet convertible that Daniel waxes and drives, actor Macchio has proudly owned it ever since completion of the film and claims that it is now one of his most prized possessions. The appeal of “The Karate Kid” is in its feel-good story and the positive message that is found in the philosophies it projects, winning is not important and kung fu fighting should only be used in self-defense. As Mr. Miyagi points out to Daniel, we learn martial arts not so we can fight, but rather, so we won't have to fight.

"The Karate Kid" is irresistible from start to finish with outstanding performances from the entire cast. One’s hat would have to go off to the casting agents who selected such an impeccable blend of personalities that have been able to bring Robert Mark Kamen’s emotionally charged script to life. Comedian, Pat Morita got his dream-role, playing against-type, as the wise Mr. Miyagi. The filmmakers were hesitant at first in casting a comedian in this pivotal role but were convinced otherwise after his brilliant audition. Pat went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for his exceptional portrayal and as Director Avildsen believes, Pat got the nomination for his mesmerizing “drunk scene” that was almost left on the cutting room floor. Pretty, Elisabeth Shue with the girl-next-door looks, who took time off from Harvard University to make her film debut, is wonderful as Macchio’s love interest. Elisabeth even snagged a “Best Young Supporting Actress Award” at the 1985 Young Artist Awards. Cute, dark-haired, Ralph Macchio, with his boyish looks, is charismatic in the title role and proved beyond doubt that he was the ideal choice, despite being almost 23 years old at the time. Athletic, blonde-haired, William Zabka, although 4-years-younger, was the perfect contrast to Macchio, while Martin Kove’s intense portrayal of the ultimate bad-guy instructor is the perfect antagonist to Pat Morita’s portrayal of the mystic, quietly spoken and wise sensei who could handle any situation with fine precision if required.

 I was fortunate to see "The Karate Kid" on the big screen in 1984 and have since watched it a number of times on video and DVD. I was recently surfing the cable T.V. channels and it just happened to be on. After watching only 2 minutes, it had me hooked. “The Karate Kid” is one of those uplifting films that you can watch over and over again and it is just as entertaining every-time. Apart from performance and story, one of the film’s qualities that contribute to its re-watch-ability factor is its exciting soundtrack. “The Karate Kid” soundtrack is a nice blend of 80s pop tunes (“Young Hearts” by Commuter and “Feel The Night” by Baster Robertson), powerful rock ballads (“The Moment Of Truth” by Survivor and “You’re The Best” by Joe Eposito) and of-course, beautiful mood music by master musician Bill Conti. The film’s gripping climatic karate tournament is complemented immensely by Conti’s dynamic music score which highlights the emotion and propels the on-screen action superbly. It is easy to see why this remarkable motion picture has gained an international fan-base and why it has become one of the most loved film franchises of all-time.

It’s no surprise then, that the world-wide box office success of “The Karate Kid” spawned three sequels, “The Karate Kid Part II” (1986), “The Karate Kid Part III”  (1989) and “The Next Karate Kid” (1994), with Oscar winner Hilary Swank replacing Ralph Macchio in the final installment. Viewers just couldn’t get enough of the wonderful characters and the interesting confrontations that they engage in. The bottom–line is "The Kartate Kid" is old-school entertainment at its best. It was not only one of the best motion pictures of 1984 but is considered by many to be also one of most inspirational. Literally thousands of young kids, the world-over, have taken up some form of self-defense training since the release of this film, while some have even tried to catch flies with chopsticks, all to varying degrees of success. More importantly, the message the film leaves is a positive one; Karate is to be used for self-defense only. With “The Karate Kid”, John G. Avildsen (director of the original "Rocky") has triumphantly brought to the screen another crowd-pleasing classic. 

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Pick Of The Flicks - Recommended Links:
The Karate Kid at Hollywood Teen Movies

Ralph Macchio at Hollywood Teen Movies
Ralph Macchio at Hollywood Cult Movies
Elisabeth Shue at Hollywood Teen Movies

The Brat Pack at Hollywood Cult Movies
Kung Fu Masters at Hollywood Cult Movies
The Kung Fu Connection at Hollywood Teen Movies

Teen Movies Of The 80s at Hollywood Teen Movies
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