The Karate Kid **** (1984, Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, Martin Kove, William Zabka, Randee Heller, Chad McQueen) – Classic Movie Review 3,842

Ralph Macchio stars as bullied Italian-American teenager Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 martial arts drama film The Karate Kid. Macchio becomes more macho when his apartment’s handyman Mr Miyagi (Oscar-nominated Pat Morita) teaches him karate to fight back.

Director John G Avildsen’s 1984 American martial arts drama film The Karate Kid is the first instalment in the Karate Kid franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, Martin Kove, William Zabka, Randee Heller and Chad McQueen. It is written by Robert Mark Kamen, based on producer Jerry Weintraub’s idea. It cost $8 million and grossed more than $130 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 1984 and Hollywood’s biggest sleeper hit of the year.

Ralph Macchio stars as The Karate Kid, wide-eyed New Jersey Italian-American teenager Daniel LaRusso who becomes more macho when his elderly apartment block janitor/ gardener Mr Kesuke Miyagi (Oscar-nominated Noriyuki ‘Pat’ Morita) teaches him karate to give the California blond surfer bullies a lesson.

The 17-year-old Daniel LaRusso and his widowed mother Lucille (Randee Heller) move from Newark, New Jersey, to Reseda, Los Angeles, where their apartment’s handyman is the eccentric, kind and humble Okinawa immigrant Mr Miyagi. But Daniel encounters harassment from bullies, one of whom is Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), the ex-boyfriend of Daniel’s girl Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue). However, war veteran Mr Miyagi teaches Daniel to defend himself against the bullies and to compete in a karate tournament.

Director John G Avildsen’s 1984 sleeper hit of a film became a huge hit in the States. It grossed $100,400,529 in the US and Canada on an $8 million cost. That’s because it is a quintessential American fable, a sort of youth club version of Rocky. And, interestingly, Avildsen directed both films. As time goes by, The Karate Kid has become an Eighties iconic movie.

Its success is solidly based on Robert Mark Kamen’s strong, punchy but sentimental screenplay and the two knockout star performances. A word of warning though, cynics might need to beware this manipulatively schmaltzy feel-good movie. But if you are looking for an uplifting David vs Goliath story, here it is.

Also in the cast are Elisabeth Shue as Ali, Martin L Kove as Kreese, Randee Heller, William Zabka, Chad McQueen, Ron Thomas, Rob Garrison, Tony O’Dell, Israel Juarbe, William Bassett, Larry B Scott, Juli Fields, Dana Andersen and Larry Drake.

Ralph Macchio was cast on the strength of his performance as Johnny Cade in The Outsiders (1983).

The Karate Kid is directed by John G Avildsen, runs 127 minutes, is made by Delphi II Productions and Jerry Weintraub Productions, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Robert Mark Kamen, is shot by James Crabe, is produced by R J Louis and Jerry Weintraub, is scored by Bill Conti, and is designed by William J Cassidy.

Principal photography took place in Los Angeles from October 31, 1983, to December 16. It was released in US cinemas on June 22, 1984.

The fight choreographer is Pat E Johnson, a Tang Soo Do karate black belt who was in Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon (1973) and had worked with Chuck Norris. He also appears as the referee. Pat Morita’s stunt double is Fumio Demura, also a karate black belt who worked with Bruce Lee,

Its 1984 original UK theatrical release was cut by 19 seconds by the BBFC for a PG certificate. Later video releases were uncut with a 15 certificate. A cleaned-up TV version plays on British TV, edited for drugs and violence.

Two sequels followed – The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989).

Ralph George Macchio was born on 4 November 1961. So the ‘Kid’ was 27 by the time Part III was done in 1989. He played Daniel LaRusso again in the TV series Cobra Kai (2017).

Director John G Avildsen, writer Robert Mark Kamen, producer Jerry Weintraub and composer Bill Conti all stayed with the whole trilogy.

Then there was a TV series in 1989 and The Next Karate Kid followed in 1994 without Macchio. It was remade as The Karate Kid in 2010 with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.

The film was producer Jerry Weintraub’s idea after a 1983 news report about a bullied scrawny teenager who became a martial artist to fight back.

The cast are Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, Pat Morita as Mr Miyagi, William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence, Elisabeth Shue as Ali Mills, Martin Kove as John Kreese, Randee Heller as Lucille LaRusso, Chad McQueen as Dutch, Ron Thomas as Bobby Brown, Tony O’Dell as Jimmy, Rob Garrison as Tommy, Pat E Johnson as Head Referee, Israel Juarbe, William Bassett, Larry B Scott, Juli Fields, Dana Andersen and Larry Drake.

Noriyuki ‘Pat’ Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005) began his career as a stand-up comedian, becoming well known on TV as diner owner Matsuo ‘Arnold’ Takahashi in Happy Days (1975-83). He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Karate Kid (1984).

He nearly didn’t get the role. Columbia Pictures wanted Toshiro Mifune to play Mr Miyagi, but the actor did not speak English. So Pat Morita auditioned for the role but was rejected because of his stand-up comedy and his character on Happy Days. But then Morita grew a beard and patterned his accent after his uncle, and he was cast!

Chadwick Steven McQueen (December 28, 1960 – September 11, 2024)

Chad McQueen died at his Palm Springs ranch, seemingly from organ failure, on September 11, 2024, at the age of 63, having not fully recovered from a fall in 2022. He was the only son of Steve McQueen.

He began his career as a film actor, notably playing Dutch in The Karate Kid and (briefly) The Karate Kid Part II. He had main roles in direct-to-video action films, including Martial Law (1991), Death Ring (1992), and Red Line (1996). He then concentrated on a professional racing career.

His mother was Filipina American actress, singer, and dancer Neile Adams (born Ruby Neilam Salvador Adams on July 10, 1932). She made more than 20 appearances in films and television series from 1952 to 1991.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3,842

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