The Karate Kid (1984)

A boy and his mother move to California for a new job. He struggles to fit in, as a group of karate students starts to bully him for dating a rich girl from their clique. It's up to the Japanese landlord, Miyagi, to teach him karate.

Director:

John G. Avildsen

Writer:

Robert Mark Kamen

Stars:

Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ralph Macchio	...	Daniel
Pat Morita	...	Miyagi (as Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita)
Elisabeth Shue	...	Ali
Martin Kove	...	Kreese
Randee Heller	...	Lucille
William Zabka	...	Johnny
Ron Thomas	...	Bobby
Rob Garrison	...	Tommy
Chad McQueen	...	Dutch
Tony O'Dell	...	Jimmy
Israel Juarbe	...	Freddy
William Bassett	...	Mr. Mills
Larry B. Scott	...	Jerry
Juli Fields	...	Susan
Dana Andersen	...	Barbara

Storyline

Daniel and his mother move from New Jersey to California. She has a wonderful new job, but Daniel quickly discovers that a dark haired Italian boy with a Jersey accent doesn't fit into the blond surfer crowd. Daniel manages to talk his way out of some fights, but he is finally cornered by several who belong to the same karate school. As Daniel is passing out from the beating he sees Miyagi, the elderly gardener leaps into the fray and save him by outfighting half a dozen teenagers. Miyagi and Daniel soon find out the real motivator behind the boys' violent attitude in the form of their karate teacher. Miyagi promises to teach Daniel karate and arranges a fight at the all-valley tournament some months off. When his training begins, Daniel doesn't understand what he is being shown. Miyagi seems more interested in having Daniel paint fences and wax cars than teaching him Karate.

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Plot Keywords:

karate | teenager | fight | paint | training | 

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Taglines:

He taught him the secret to Karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Family | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

22 June 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Karate Kid

Filming Locations:

5225 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,031,753, 24 June 1984

Gross USA:

$91,077,276

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$91,077,276

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Delphi II Productions, Jerry Weintraub Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the commentary track on the home video versions of the movie, William Zabka came up with a loose backstory for the Johnny Lawrence character, in order to better "get the feel" for playing the character. He states in the commentary that he envisioned Johnny as having no father, and that Kreese is the closest thing to a father figure he had in his life.

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Goofs

In the Country Club dance scene, as Ali dances with her father, we see Johnny take a seat next to Ali's mother. In the same shot, Ali asks, "Hey Dad, what time is it?" The shot switches to the opposite viewpoint, and the father replies "Well, it's about, uh...9:40" just as Johnny and the mother dance into the shot from the right side of the frame. They could not have arrived there so quickly from where they were seated. (This occurs around 1 hour and 21 minutes into the film.)

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Quotes

Lucille Larusso: [DELETED SCENE: At their apartment, Daniel's mom is reading the fine print on the All-Valley Tournament application] ... This says I won't hold anybody responsible if you're injured. Are you NUTS?
Daniel: Mom, I've gotta do this.
Lucille Larusso: Do WHAT? Get KILLED?
Daniel: Nobody gets hurt, Ma.
Lucille Larusso: Then why do I have to sign anything?
[She crumples the application and throws it away]
Lucille Larusso: Good night, Daniel.
[after she retires, Daniel rescues the application and un-crumples it. Then he signs his mother's name to it]

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Alternate Versions

Also cut from AMC airings are the scenes in which Daniel talks to a history teacher, the bathroom footage of Johnny rolling a joint (though the action is still referenced), and a frame in the scene where Miyagi rescues Daniel from the Cobra Kai guys (the frame of Miyagi kicking one of the guys in the crotch area is removed.)

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Connections

Referenced in Cougar Town: Saving Grace (2013)

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Soundtracks

You're the Best
Music by Bill Conti
Lyrics by Allee Willis
Produced by Bill Conti
Performed by Joe Esposito

User Reviews

not just a teen movie

A lot of posts focus on the 'coming of age' aspect of this movie, but the very overlooked part is the role it played in helping to alleviate many of the stereotypes a very Asian phobic America was after WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

They make a point of showing Miyagi in a US Army Uniform--and a War Hero-- and makes references to detention camps Miyagi's family was sent to (a horribly dark period in American history)...where Miyagi's wife was being sent (pregnant) and where she and his unborn child (son) ultimately die during childbirth. There are also a few scenes in which ethnic slurs are used by rednecks toward Miyagi.

Taking this into light, and taking the fact that Daniel has no father that we know of in this movie, the name Daniel-san (sounds like Daniel-SON) helps demonstrate a father son bond that is overlooked. Much of the conversation between Daniel and Miyagi is about Miyagi's great father in Okinawa, because Miyagi has acquired all this knowledge and wants to share it. Daniel substitutes for the son Miyagi never had and Miyagi substitutes for the father Daniel doesn't have.