Same director as ROCKY, same mentor-student ideal as Mickey and Rocky in ROCKY, but different part of America with the same kind of inspiration and uplifting result.
In 1984, amidst the blockbusters like INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, GHOSTBUSTERS and GREMLINS making their mark in the US Summer, another film that would be destined to join them in the annals of success.
Based on a real-life story producer Jerry Weintraub encountered about how a boy bullied at school used karate to defeat the bullies, THE KARATE KID is the tale of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) late of Newark New Jersey who has arrived with his mother who has taken a job in Los Angeles. He makes some friends and also meets the caretaker and general repair man (Pat Morita).
He is invited to a beach party, where he meets Ali (Elisabeth Shue, LEAVING LAS VEGAS, BATTLE OF THE SEXES, COCKTAIL) and tries to impress her with his soccer skills, but he has reckoned without Ali’s ex-boyfriend Johnny (William Zabka) who is an expert in karate and proves it on Daniel.
Aiming to resolve the issue, Daniel visits the local karate school, run by Kreese (Martin Kove) where Johnny also attends and is instantly turned off. At his new high school, he is singled out by Johnny and his fellow karate friends for treatment as well and is cornered after a prank he plays at a fence. However Miyagi interjects and reveals he is an expert in karate….
Morita was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his role as Miyagi and the bond between him and Daniel is the driving force behind the film’s enduring success. It’s a heart-warming and uplifting tale, which led to two direct sequels, THE KARATE KID PART II (1986) and THE KARATE KID PART III (1989), plus an indirect sequel starring Hilary Swank, THE NEXT KARATE KID (1994)
Unlike the Far East Martial Arts offerings, THE KARATE KID retains a strong moral sense at the heart of its’ story and its’ signature ‘Crane Kick’ move became one of the most imitated by teenager after they saw the film.
Even odds reckon you will want to do it too….