IMDb > The Karate Kid (1984)
The Karate Kid
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The Karate Kid (1984) More at IMDbPro »

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The Karate Kid -- A handyman/martial arts master agrees to teach a bullied boy karate and shows him that there is more to the martial art than fighting.
The Karate Kid -- A handyman/martial arts master agrees to teach a bullied boy karate and shows him that there is more to the martial art than fighting.

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   58,823 votes »
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MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
John G. Avildsen
Writer:
Robert Mark Kamen (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Karate Kid on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
22 June 1984 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Action | Drama | Family | Sport See more »
Tagline:
Only the 'Old One' could teach him the secrets of the masters. See more »
Plot:
A handyman/martial arts master agrees to teach a bullied boy karate and shows him that there is more to the martial art than fighting. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(1113 articles)
AfterElton Briefs: Mike Ruiz Wants You To "Kiss & Tell," More "Glee Project" Mentors, and Anne Hathaway Dreamed a Dream
 (From AfterElton.com. 30 May 2012, 1:11 PM, PDT)
The Njnm Podcast: Ep. 90 - The Karate Kid (Guest: Vince Mancini from Filmdrunk)
 (From GeekTyrant. 23 May 2012, 10:30 PM, PDT)
Oscars to showcase movies under the stars in outdoor screening series
 (From EW.com - Inside Movies. 7 May 2012, 5:17 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Certainly one of the top movies of the '80s, if not all-time. See more (188 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Ralph Macchio ... Daniel Larusso

Pat Morita ... Mr. Kesuke Miyagi (as Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita)

Elisabeth Shue ... Ali Mills

Martin Kove ... John Kreese

Randee Heller ... Lucille Larusso

William Zabka ... Johnny Lawrence
Ron Thomas ... Bobby Brown
Rob Garrison ... Tommy
Chad McQueen ... Dutch

Tony O'Dell ... Jimmy
Israel Juarbe ... Freddy Fernandez

William Bassett ... Mr. Mills

Larry B. Scott ... Jerry
Juli Fields ... Susan
Dana Andersen ... Barbara
Frank Burt Avalon ... Chucky
Jeff Fishman ... Billy
Ken Daly ... Chris
Tom Fridley ... Alan
Pat E. Johnson ... Referee
Bruce Malmuth ... Ring Announcer
Darryl Vidal ... Vidal - Johnny's Semi-final Opponent

Frances Bay ... Lady with Dog

Christopher Kriesa ... Tournament Official
Bernie Kuby ... Mr. Harris, History Teacher (as Bernard Kuby)
Joan Lemmo ... Restaurant Manager

Helen Siff ... Cashier (as Helen J. Siff)

Larry Drake ... Yahoo #1 at Beach
David Abbott ... Yahoo #2 at Beach
Molly Basler ... Cheerleading Coach
Brian Davis ... Boy in Bathroom
David De Lange ... Waiter
Erik Felix ... Karate Student

Peter Jason ... Soccer Coach
Todd Lookinland ... Chicken Boy
Clarence McGee Jr. ... Referee #2
William Norren ... Doctor
Sam Scarber ... Referee #3
Scott Strader ... Eddie, Ali's Friend in the Corvette
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Chris Casamassa ... Tournament Guest (uncredited)
Tom Levy ... Cheering Kid (uncredited)

Andrew Shue ... Member of Cobra Kai (uncredited)
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Directed by
John G. Avildsen 
 
Writing credits
Robert Mark Kamen (written by)

Produced by
R.J. Louis .... executive producer
Bud S. Smith .... associate producer
Jerry Weintraub .... producer
 
Original Music by
Bill Conti 
 
Cinematography by
James Crabe (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
John G. Avildsen 
Walt Mulconery 
Bud S. Smith  (as Bud Smith)
 
Casting by
Pennie DuPont 
Caro Jones 
Bonnie Timmermann 
 
Production Design by
William J. Cassidy 
 
Set Decoration by
John H. Anderson 
 
Costume Design by
Richard Bruno 
Aida Swinson 
 
Makeup Department
E. Thomas Case .... makeup artist
Cheri Ruff .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Howard Pine .... unit production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Choi .... trainee assistant director
Clifford C. Coleman .... first assistant director
Hope R. Goodwin .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Craig B. Ayers Sr. .... greensman
Sam Gordon .... property master
William F. Matthews .... set designer
Michael Muscarella .... construction coordinator
 
Sound Department
Norval D. Crutcher .... sound effects editor
Samuel C. Crutcher .... sound effects editor
Thomas Cunliffe .... boom operator
Don Digirolamo .... sound re-recording mixer
Robert Glass .... sound re-recording mixer (as Robert J. Glass)
Dean Hodges .... sound mixer
J. Paul Huntsman .... post-production dialogue
Robert Knudson .... sound re-recording mixer (as Robert Knudsen)
Clive Taylor .... sound recordist
Glenn T. Morgan .... assistant sound editor (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Frank Toro .... special effects
 
Stunts
Johnny Atkinson .... stunts (as John Atkinson)
Clarke Coleman .... stunts
David Crockett .... stunts
Fumio Demura .... stunts
Pat Green .... stunts
Gary Hillenbeck .... stunts
Douglas Ivan .... stunts
Buck McDancer .... stunts
Bob Nichimura .... stunts
Alan Oliney .... stunt coordinator
Pat Romano .... stunts (as Patrick Romano)
Ronnie Rondell Jr. .... stunts (as Ronnie Rondell)
Spike Silver .... stunts
Lance Turner .... stunts
Scott Wilder .... stunts
Luke LaFontaine .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Peter J. Breen .... dolly grip
Malcolm Bryce .... electrician
Allen D. Easton .... first assistant camera
Brad Edmiston .... first assistant camera
Joel Kirschner .... second assistant camera
John London .... key grip
Ross A. Maehl .... gaffer
Tom D. May .... best boy grip
Ralph Nelson .... still photographer (as Ralph Nelson Jr.)
Patrick G. Ralston .... best boy (as Pat Ralston)
Stephen St. John .... Steadicam operator
Jonathan West .... camera operator
Don Zobel .... best boy
 
Editorial Department
Richard Alderete .... associate editor
Seth Flaum .... associate editor
M. Scott Smith .... associate editor
 
Music Department
Brooks Arthur .... music supervisor
Stephen A. Hope .... music editor
Russ Regan .... music supervisor
Dan Wallin .... score mixer
Gheorghe Zamfir .... musician: pan flute
Angela Morley .... orchestrator (uncredited)
James Thatcher .... musician: French horn solos (uncredited)
Celia Weiner .... music editor (uncredited)
 
Transportation Department
Alan Falco .... transportation coordinator
 
Other crew
Richard Davis Jr. .... location manager (as Richard Davis)
Pete Emmet .... unit publicist
Alvin Greenman .... script supervisor
Jeannie Jeha .... production coordinator
Pat E. Johnson .... martial arts choreographer
Pat Romano .... instructor: bicycle riding (as Patrick Romano)
 

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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
126 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Japanese
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 | Peru:PT | UK:15 (1986) (video release) | UK:PG (cut) (1984) | Netherlands:6 | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Australia:PG
Filming Locations:
19223 Saticoy Street, Reseda, Los Angeles, California, USASee more »
Company:
Columbia Pictures CorporationSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
The legendary Toshirô Mifune auditioned for the role of Mister Miyagi. Although he was great in the audition (according to director John G. Avildsen in the DVD Commentary), it was felt that his version of Miyagi was "too serious" and played much like the samurai warriors he played in the Akira Kurosawa movies. Because of this, he was turned down.See more »
Goofs:
Plot holes: When Daniel is at school talking to Ali and Susan, he says he has a "bike". They ask him what kind of motorcycle he has, and he says a "Miyagi Turbo". He has not yet learned Miyagi's name.See more »
Quotes:
Daniel:Oh, great, that solves everything for me. I'll just go down to the school and straighten it out with the teacher, no problem.
Miyagi:Now use head for something other than target.
Daniel:Hey, I was just kidding about that.
Miyagi:Why kidding?
Daniel:Because I'd get killed if I go down there.
Miyagi:Get killed anyway.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in From Paris with Love (2010)See more »
Soundtrack:
(IT TAKES) TWO TO TANGOSee more »

FAQ

Why does Mr Miyagi call Daniel "Daniel-san"?
Was Mr Miyagi supposed to be Japanese or Chinese?
Is "The Karate Kid" based on a book?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
51 out of 70 people found the following review useful.
Certainly one of the top movies of the '80s, if not all-time., 5 January 2004
Author: (lging34)

"The Karate Kid" is the tale of Daniel Laruso (Ralph Macchio), a young man who, on the heels of his mother's finding a new job, is uprooted from Newark, New Jersey, to the sunny shores of California. Daniel's mother has visions of a new start, a new life with the sky as the limit. Daniel, however, quickly finds that, for him, the West Coast holds nothing but hard times.

With the comforts of his rough, middle-class neighborhood thousands of miles away, Daniel tries to make friends and blend with the well-to-do, upper-class kids in his new home. At first, Daniel seems to do alright but, before long, he crosses paths with Johnny (William Zabka), the tough, rich leader of a group of karate students who attends Daniel's new school. To make matters worse, Johnny is the ex-boyfriend of Ali (Elisabeth Shue), a girl Daniel is pursuing.

Enter Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita), an aging handy-man who works at Daniel's apartment building. Struggling for friends and failing to fit in, Daniel finds support in Miyagi. After enduring several beatings at the hands of Johnny and his gang, Daniel comes to learn that Miyagi, in fact, knows karate. Following a vain attempt to speak with Johnny's karate teacher (Martin Kove) about being left alone, Daniel is suddenly entered into the All-Valley Karate Tournament, where he will attempt to win the respect that Johnny and his gang have taken.

As he trains for the karate tournament with Miyagi, Daniel learns invaluable lessons about life and love. And brought to the foreground of this karate story is Daniel's pursuit of Ali, who truly is the single person who gave the new kid a chance.

On many levels, "The Karate Kid" is an uplifting movie. It illustrates how a lonely, out-of-place kid triumphs against the odds, and the movie doesn't need computer-animation or special effects to get its story across. But, for me and anyone who loves '80s movies, the "The Karate Kid" has to be appreciated for its nostalgia trip back to "better times." For that reason alone, this movie is a classic.

I've enjoyed few movies, if any, more than "The Karate Kid." I highly recommend this flick to anyone who loves a touching, uplifting story, or to anyone who simply can't get out of the '80s!!!

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (188 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Karate Kid (1984)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
What Movie Were Y'all Watching? Notzi81
In real life Daniel would have lost his fights a-meibomlarsen
Why was Jimmy even there? dnasty68
Songs that remind you of Daniel Ernest_Hero
Miyagi Home Remodeling m_miranda_m
Mr. Miyagi at end of Tournament bronxbomber1983
See more »

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