This movie holds a special place in my heart. Long story alert… My grandmother was from Okinawa, and she met my grandfather (white US soldier) during the Korean War. They got married, her family disowned her, and she came to America nearly 9 months pregnant and had my dad. Fast forward 40+ years, and my uncle had to go to Okinawa for work. He wound up finding our family there, and was able to call my grandmother and let her speak to her father for the first time in decades. Since then, she was able to visit several times. She passed a few years ago unfortunately, but with a small inheritance I got from her, I was able to go to Okinawa and visit our family for the first time in 2019! It was one of the best days of my life. Mr. Miyagi was always an inspiration for me, and I love tying it to my new found family.
What an amazing story! Always love to find such comments under a reaction that connects a movie with some touching real life story. Happy for you, mate.
My grandfather was of the Ainu people in Hokkaido. When the was broke out he was "enlisted" into the imperial army along with his two brothers. After Manchuria they deserted and wound up in LA. They worked their butts off and had homes and two fishing boats. When pearl harbor happened they were sent to the camps. After the war they were released and didn't even get a ride back to CA. When they got home, it wasn't there. All of their property and belongings were sold by the government as reparations for the families of the lost soldiers in Hawaii. Disgusted, they didn't want anything to do with the US, and since they were deserters, they couldn't even go back home to Japan. So they went south into Mexico, he met my grandmother there. She and her mother were Jewish refugees that had left Germany. All three of them actually led really happy lives there, it wasn't until 2011 that they were allowed to return to Japan, of course after they paid a fine for deserting a war they didn't want any part of, for a nation that treated (and still does) the Ainu people as second class citizens at best, or as sub-human at worst.
So Cobra Kai is set way after this, as if the real amount of time between the movies and series have passed. It is *REALLY* good, they do a fantastic job of taking a cheesy (but obviously nostalgic) move from the 80's and give it all kind of context and depth. It shows where the characters are today and how the events of the movies have affected their lives, both Johnny and Daniel. I cannot recommend checking out highly enough. I had a grin on my face through the whole thing.
While I agree with the overall sentiment I want to clarify one thing. It didn't *give* the prior films depth. It expanded upon depth that was already there. Even in the case of Karate Kid 3 that rings true (granted it got more from Cobra Kai than the the others did by a long shot).
The first season of Cobra Kai is great. The later seasons are not bad. Some good bits mixed in with a some contrivance. It got on my nerves, a little, how each episode, the two characters in conflict that episode started to make amends. And then some misunderstanding happens that snaps them right back where they started. There was some progression, eventually. The whole, Take Over The World theme in season 5 seemed a bit over-done, to me. I'm very surprised they're doing another season. I thought season 5 was a very natural stopping point. Still, it kept me watching. You won't regret watching the first season. And, most people will probably like the rest, too.
@@MightyDrakeC You're not wrong. I myself just decided to embrace the cheese, suspend disbelief and ride it to the end, but I'm ready for it to be done.
I always love the scene where Daniel bows to Mr. Miyagi even though he is passed out drunk. He shows such great respect even when no one else is there to see it.
The chemistry between Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita is what makes this movie so special. The scene where you discover his wife and child died at Manzanar breaks my heart every time. You need to visit and experience what it was like inside those dormitory blocks in the summer heat or winter cold. The Eastern Sierras are a harsh place.
I always felt two and three were shot out of order. I don't want to say why so I don't spoil the movies, but the stakes were much higher in two, than three.
The expert craft of this movie makes more sense when you realize the director also directed Rocky several years earlier. They have very similar structures, sensibilities, and aesthetics. Underdog poor Italians in a martial sport vs. arrogant rich highly-trained antagonist. A focus on down-to-earth problems, everyday life, and naturalistic dialogue. A sweet, innocent romance. Unusual training with inspiring music. A message that’s more about proving yourself than winning or getting revenge. And a freeze-frame ending at the emotional high. Rocky goes to high school, indeed!
The movie that brought “Sweep the leg,” into the lexicon. This is a classic movie that spawned several enrollments to karate studios across the country.
Karate Kid 2 is excellent as well. It picks up where it is left off here. KK 3 is mostly forgettable, however it does introduce a character that returns in the Cobra Kai series. The Next KK wasn't so good and the Jacky Chan remake changes too much.
"You're all right Larusso." There's just so many themes in this movie that are well done. Father son dynamic, coming of age, self defense and earning respect vs being a bully, teen dating, dealing with being not as wealthy as friends and not fitting in. Miyagi steals the show through it all.
At the time, so many of my friends' parents wouldn't let them watch it because it had fighting in it. Those same parents would have loved this film if they'd actually watched it.
The scene when Miyagi is drunk and Daniel brings him to his bed and reads the letter then bows to him and fades into him training with the music always gets me teary-eyed ( I'm not ashamed to admit it lol)
They didn't want this scene in the movie because it ruined the Asian Mystic troupe. It made Mr. Miyagi a real vunerable person with real trauma in his life. The director (I believe) insisted on it and it is such a powerful scene
I am rarely a fan of sequels, but Karate Kid part 2 is pretty great. Cobra Kai has been a fabulous revisit to the series. It's done really well, and has just the right amount of nostalgia for us Karate Kid fans. I hope you guys get there!
I agree the second is a good sequel. The writers seemed to realise that, despite the title of the film, Miyargi was the more interesting character and a movie could be based on him as the central character even if the camera followed Daniel more. The third film fell flat and came out as formulaic.
Yea, Part 2 is great. Part 3 should have never been made. Even the Hillary Swank Karate Kid movie was worth watching, but not as good as the first 2 of this series
Karate Kid Part 2 is surprisingly decent, if a little cheesy. I’m pretty sure you guys would enjoy it. Part 3 goes a bit hard on the ‘comical villain’ side, but I’d recommended it if you ever decide to watch Cobra Kai. It’s still a fun movie, but it’s not on the level of the first couple films.
Speaking of the abrupt ending, the opening scene of Karate Kid 2 was originally filmed as the last scene of this movie, but in editing, the director (incidentally, the same director who directed "Rocky") decided that Daniel's victory didn't need anything more, so he cut it.
It was originally WRITTEN for the film, but it wasn't actually filmed until they filmed the second movie. They brought the case back to film that scene later.
@@jennifersimpson1448 They never played the parking lot scene as the ending of the first film. There is no "extended ending". That scene was written for the first film but they didn't film it until they made the second film.
I think all of your suggestions as to why Mr. Miyagi made Daniel do manual labour were correct. He learned defensive techniques, trained the muscles for those techniques, and he learned disciple, focus, and patience.
It really isn't that different from genuine Okinawan training. You would have a bit more weight training for sure, and definitely more direct technique training and kumite, but the idea of blending Karate into every practice isn't new. Probably not something you would find in most types of Japanese Karate. Maybe old Kyokushinkai schools because of the Goju-Ryu influence, but it's not something I could verify immediately.
In chess, a 'good move' is something that will accomplish multiple things at the same time (such as: force your opponent to defensively react, AND reveal an attack by more than one piece, AND create a pathway to move additional pieces to an offensive position.) Miyagi's having Daniel do manual labor, was like that. (But, I think the most important component, was the repetition: repeat the correct Karate move so often, that you can't get it wrong, even if you wanted to.)
You mentioned how impressive it was for the “kid” (Ralph Macchio) to have remembered “so many lines.” While the character of Danny Larusso was supposed be like 16 years old, the actor (Ralph Macchio) was 22 years old when he filmed these scenes.
Macchio was quite a bit older than his character, and Morita was quite a bit younger than his character. The age gap between the characters is meant to be about 5 decades, but the age gap between the actors was only 3 decades.
The "kid" that you asked about is Ralph Macchico and he was 22yrs of in this movie. He was blessed with a youthful appearance that allowed him to play much young rolls for most of his adult life.
@wallyjackson9543 true but just because they play it doesn't mean they look it. Lol! Ralph Macchico played kids for most of his adult life and it was one of the things he was known for.. looking like a kid. Honestly your just really starting to see his age and he's 60 now. And it's not just his face but his body as well. Anyway I only mentioned it because George actually thought he was a child.
23 I think. But it's because there's laws about child actors and how much work they can do. It makes it difficult to film if your main actor can only work limited hours. That's why they're always adults.
The Director of this movie (John Avildsen) also directed Rocky, the cinematographer (James Crabe) also filmed Rocky which won Best Picture that year so that’s probably why you noticed the high quality of the shots and overall of this movie.
I don't know if it's as good, but it's a great sequel. Karate Kid 3 is stupid, but Thomas Ian Griffith's performance as the most petty villain ever made it really entertaining for me, and Cobra Kai season 4 and 5 retroactively improved it.
The "Birthday Dinner Cut" also includes about fifteen-to-twenty minutes of footage after the tournament, that was cut in favor of a brief, "freeze-frame" ending. FUN FACT: much of the post-tournament footage was later reused in the ending of "Return of the King" 20 years later, which is why that movie felt so long.
They gave Ralph Macchio the car as a gift after the third movie wrapped and he still owns it today. It is the only known original prop from the movies to show up in Cobra Kai. Also, "You're the Best" was in consideration to be the music that plays over the training montage in Rocky 3.
George is officially the best philosopher of all time. Many nails to build crib, one screw to fill it had me dying. Funniest thing I've heard in awhile.
Pat Morita was nominated for an Oscar for this movie, but Haing S. Ngor, a Vietnamese doctor in his debut movie, eventually won. Since then, no Asian man has won in this category. Hopefully next week, that will all change when Ke Huy Quan, another Vietnamese-born actor, wins for "Everything Everywhere All At Once".
@@cjmars822 Wow, the academy actually got something right for once. It's rare that a movie that dominates the awards the way EEAAO did actually deserves it, but in this case it's well earned.
Haing S. Ngor was actually Cambodian, and his performance in The Killing Fields is amazing. The actor’s personal experiences share some of the trauma that his character goes through on screen. That film should be reacted to here-when I saw it in college, the usually rowdy Friday night crowd of students was dead silent within ten minutes of the film’s beginning and all that could be heard throughout were occasional sniffles and muffled sobs.
Ke Huy Quan's win was so long in coming that even Ariana DeBose's voice cracked when she announced his name as the winner. I'm not Asian but I always felt like the character of Data was one of the trailblazers in cinema for those of us who are ethnically Nerd-American.
George was on top of his comedy game in this one. Glad you guys really liked this movie. This movie was such a huge part of my childhood. I watched it so many times as a kid and Mr. Myagi was like another father figure in my life. I'm also glad you guys really appreciated the various aspects of the filmmaking in this like the cinematography, staging, and pacing etc of the film. I think one of the reasons this film has held up so well over the years is because even though the film's target demographic was kids and adolescents, the filmmakers didn't treat it like a kids movie. There's clearly a lot of care that went into the script and filming of the movie. And I think because they treated it like a legit drama it really elevated this into a great film. I still absolutely love watching this film all these decades later. On a side note for Simone: do yourself a favor and leave your memories of the Hillary Swank sequel as they are in your mind now and intact and don't go and rewatch that film now as an adult. :D
I do like Johnny's turn around at the end of the movie... him actually having a change of heart and congratulating Daniel on his win. It may seem like a movie trope.... but I can attest to it happening in real life. I was 80lbs when I went into high school in grade 9. A couple years before, in elementary school, I was in grade 7 in the same classroom as the grade 8's, and because I was small I became the target of massive bullying from a group of 4 or 5 guys that found it hillarious to torment me whenever the teacher left the room. When I moved on to grade 8 , and my bullies moves on to high school, it as like a sigh of relief. I was free from the torment that entire last year of elementary. Then came summer break where the pit in my stomach came back knowing I could see those same bullies in the high school that I was going to attend in fall. Most of those guys ended up going to the rival high school down the road, but I found a new group of bullies at the new school to torment me. I ended up going home in tears early on in grade 9 as I couldn't take the abuse anymore... and my parents told me to go back the next day and talk to the principal about it. I did, and when the principal came and brought me and the two guys who were bullying me, out of class together.... I thought I was going to get it worse for snitching. I'm not sure really how it went... being 38 odd years ago... but the principal put the fear of god into the two guys and suggested that they try to get to know me instead. I do remember being invited to one of their houses afterwards and it feeling very awkward to be hanging out with my bullies. But that was all it took... the three of us were inseparable for the remainder of high school. Three absolute best friends to graduation. I really wish I could remember how, exactly, that turned into friendships..... but I'm proof that it actually can happen like in the movies.
I was bullied early in my school years, especially by one kid. He was bigger than me, always punched me in the shoulder and laughed about it. After this was going on for months I finally reached a point where I had enough. He was sitting behind me and was punching me in the back, I got up and then he got up and I shoved him so hard he felt back into his seat with such a surprised look on his face. I told him don't ever touch me again. From the day forward he never hit me again. And the funny thing is we ended up becoming friends for the rest of our school years
Sometimes you gotta check people, but most times its realizing that we have more in common with each other than differences that really changes our perspective. I once saw a video where a principal of a school brought everyone into the gym and split the group evenly so that everyone could see each other pretty easily. Then asked the students as a whole different questions, some easy, some more personal and asked students to raise their hands when a question applied to them. The goal was to show that none of them were alone, that regardless of skin color or status or whatever, that we all share a lot of similarities and experiences. I think it was an eye opening experience for a lot of them and believe it should be implemented in all schools.
You never know what's behind the bully. I finally had enough of my bully and sucker punched him in the stomach as hard as I could. He probably didn't even feel it. He followed me and everyone thought he was going to kill me but when he cornered me instead he asked me why I did that. I told him and he apologized, said he didn't know he was taking it too far. Still talk to him on social media almost 40 years later.
Definitely watch 2, it’s good. 3 isn’t good but is fun, and y’all should absolutely keep watching them with how much you enjoyed this one. Also, as one of my favorite childhood movies that I think still holds up today, I absolutely loved seeing both of you engage with this movie and appreciate it.
I grew up watching this movie which is just a perfect movie and I was hesitant to watch the Cobra Kai TV show and it ended up being one of the most heartwarming wonderful funny TV shows I've ever seen ❤️ thank you for watching this 80s classic
Just cause you asked if Ralph Macchio (Daniel) still acts, YES HE DOES. He reprised his role in Cobra Kai on Netflix, which is an amazingly nostalgic show. And I used to have the biggest crush on him in the movies and even now, I think he looks really really good. 😅
"Does the kid still act? I wonder if he's in other movies." - Yes, there are 2 more sequels with him in them. Also there is a wonderful tv show Cobra Kai I'd suggest watching after the trilogy staring him and Johnny that's been on 5 seasons so far and follows the events of the films. Also watch the sequel if you want more of an ending for this film. It picks up directly after the first. The trilogy is definitely worth watching as it continues the story with Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. After that not so much as they lose the magic with only Pat remaining from the original cast.
He had a minor bit in "My Cousin Vinny" where Joe Pesci played his cousin (the lawyer). They also have a show called Cobra Kai where they continue the story but as the trainers
Elizabeth Shue as the mom? Aw, do the math. She was on the list of the actresses the young guys fell in love with back in the '80s. Still just as cute today, really.
The referee in the tournament was the main instructor. He taught Daniel and the guys from Cobra Kai separately to keep that tension between them. Watch parts 2 and 3, then watch the series. The biggest lesson out of it all there are no bad students - only bad teachers.
The thing that always gets me rewatching these films is how hilarious Mr Miyagi is. Of course, Pat Morita was a pretty accomplished comedian but it's still a welcome inclusion in this genre
Both Daniel and Johnny are still acting, the Cobra Kai tv series focuses around them both. The character development of Johnny and Daniel after the Karate Kid movies is excellent. Definetely watch KK2 and KK3, as characters from all 3 movies feature in the TV series. Then binge the Cobrai Kai TV series, one of the best TV shows ever made in my opinion.
Fun story about the ending: They had written more to be filmed, but the director got the last shot of Miyagi reacting to Daniel's victory and told everyone "I have my movie, that's it." They took the extra parts from the script and that's how the 2nd film opens. I really like the second movie, the third is kinda bananas but not horrible. Cobra Kai, the show, is excellent. The vibe is similar yet different. It's a great throwback. Lots of returning actors. Big fan.
This movie meant so much to me as a kid and I probably wouldn't be nearly the same person I am now without it. I couldn't finish it on rewatch myself, but your reaction is a sort of best of. Glad that you liked it more than I do now! Ralph Macchio was 23 when the movie came out but man did he have a babyface.
@@The-Underbaker Part of me wonders if I ever liked the whole movie, even as a kid, and just looked forward to "the good parts". That happened a lot back then. I think Mr. Miyagi's teachings influenced me a lot, though. Now, the combination of intense bullying and mid-80s aesthetics is just not something I enjoy. Even if the good guy wins at the end, the journey is a bit too rough.
the real crazy part, is by the time they made the third movie, he was like 27, and he is older than terry silver, even though in that movie he looks like he could be Daniels dad daniel is actually older than him:P
Love this movie! I’d say Karate Kid 2 is worth the watch and then the franchise gets bad after that. Cobra Kai is campy and a little cheesy but I enjoy it. Thanks for this awesome reaction. Glad you both enjoyed this one.
"All over my face." Uhhh... wow. No, really... wow. Thank you, George, for bringing attention to the obvious awkwardness of the moment. Well done. 🤣Now you guys need to do Karate Kid 2. It picks up right where this ends.
"That was a very abrupt ending." That's correct. Originally, The Karate Kid had a different ending, which ended up being moved to the opening scene of The Karate Kid Part II where Miyagi confronts and defeats Kreese, who is berating and assaulting Johnny for losing the match. Director John G. Avildsen, the director of Rocky, decided to end The Karate Kid on the final shot of Mr. Miyagi smiling so that the film would end on an emotional high, which is the same thing he did for the ending of Rocky. Sylvester Stallone's original ending for Rocky was where Apollo Creed challenges Rocky to a rematch, and Rocky says, "Don't want one" before walking out of the arena hand in hand with Adrian, an ending that Avildsen felt lacked the right emotional power.
Funny you mentioned Rocky because the director, John G. Avildsen, also happened to direct the original "Rocky." He also directed the next two Karate Kid movies. KK2 kicks off right where this one ended and shows the scene everyone wants to see, the reaction of the evil Karate instructor Kreese (played by Martin Kove) and his confrontation with Mr. Miyagi (IMHO, the highlight of the trilogy).
Seeing this movie in a theatre heightens the experience. The scene where Miyagi claps his hands before ”healing” Daniel’s knee injury for example: The rumbling low note that plays when his hands meet makes it epic, when coming out of a theatre’s sound system. And the final kick that gave Daniel the tournament win…people were standing up, hollering. There’s nothing like a bully victim’s revenge story, I guess. I wonder how many kids started taking karate lessons after seeing this movie.
Genuinely, we riot if yall don't check out the rest and Cobra Kai (Edit) in a caring way. And Cobra kai will really flip your perspectives of characters from the movies
19:47, yes he does, he's currently reprising his role in the Cobra Kai series, which is a continuation of this movie, and the best part is that everyone reprised their roles, every one of them who are alive came back, and I think the show is still running.
There was a scene that was meant to come after the tournament win, involving a face-off between the two teachers. It ended up getting cut from the movie, but was used to open Karate Kid part 2.
There is no one I can sit through an entire movie with just to see their reaction to it except you guys. A true testament to your personalities and perspectives! Keep it up guys
Ralph Macchio was on the Outsiders and other movies before this. This one made him a huge star. He kind of dropped out for a bit, but now there is a series called Cobra Kai that picks up this story years later and he's back, along with Johnny. There is also a theory that Daniel is actually the bully here which is kind of funny.
I was 13 when this movie came out and still one of my favorites. We had some timeless classics in the 80’s with Back to the Future trilogy, Indiana Jones trilogy, Top Gun, Princess Bride, Big and so many more. We had no clue how incredibly cool the movies were that we got to watch. These remain my top movies.
The 442d Infantry Regiment was made up entirely of Japanese-American soldiers, many of whose families were interned at home while they fought, just like in the movie. The 442d became, and remains to this day, the most decorated unit in the history of the US Army in any war, showing that there as no lack of bravery or patriotism among the Japanese-Americans who served. I always thought someone should make a movie about it.
People forget that Pat Morita was a stand up comic before he started acting so that scene where we learn about his wife and son is all the more impressive. Got pipped to the Oscar that year by another amazing performance by someone with even less serious acting experience
A lot of people probably weren't old enough to know that. my first exposure to him was from Sanford & Son and other comedic performances in 70s tv shows. I never knew he had that range.
Pat Morita made Karate Kid the untouchable classic it still remains (no offence Jackie Chan). The character Morita created in Miyagi is still remembered now as is his lessons (you saw the Mr. Miyagi-like Mentor poster in the Megamind film). The scene where Miyagi tearfully celebrates his anniversary to his dead wife still makes me cry (and it was this scene that won him the role. The director wasn't sure this comedian could perform such a serious moment until he saw Morita do the scene and was blown away). I was also impressed an 80s film mentioned the US Japanese internment camps as the tragedy it was. Over time "Johnny" was is still remembered as the villain, with his redemption at the end forgotten but the film did teach who the real villain was, the Cobra Kai sensei, John Kreese, (another reason you should watch the sequel). Another one of Mr. Miyagi's timeless quotes, "No Such Thing as Bad Student, only Bad Teacher".
21:58 somebody is definitely gonna clip that up... oh simone 🤣 the karate kid is a an absolute right of passage growing up for certain generations, still holds up well today
This movie is so great! Seeing it as a kid in the early 90s! Still holds up today! So much sentiment too. And Omg I had such a crush on Elizabeth Shue as a kid.
Omg. I'm laughing so much at George's comment: "Man who drops watch in toilet has shitty time." 🤣 🤣 I can't wait to see Simone's reaction to when Mr Myagi gets drunk and Daniel finds out about his family.
This movie was responsible for me being called 'Daniel-san' by everyone throughout elementary school. It also conditioned me at a young age to expect to be bullied mercilessly once I got into high school.
0:50 An important thing to note about Miyagi and Daniel's profiles on the poster, you can tell from the angle of their necks leaning in sharply that they are bowing to each other, locking eyes just as Miyagi commanded.
The scene where Miyagi gets drunk is why Pat Morita got an Oscar nomination. The anguish and sorrow is palpable and Daniel being there is the catalyst that elevates their relationship from teacher/student to more of a father/son one. It gets a lot of flack but the remake with Jaxkie Chan has a similar scene and it makes the rest of the movie worth the watxh.
The idiots at the studio wanted to cut that drinking scene because it supposedly slowed the movie down. Ridiculous. The director fought for it to stay in.
It's a classic for a reason, you know... :) Pat Morita RIP (Mr. Miyagi) made this voice on the spot for his audition for this movie series, his real voice was totally different, oh, and he was a comedian in "Saturday Night Life" (if you ever heard of it). Bothe the Japanese camps and the military unit (422, if I remember correctly), are legit. This scene is strong. Ralph Macchio (Daniel) got the yellow car at the end of shooting as a gift from the production. The end scene you asked about does exist but was cut from this movie and transferred to the second. watch the rest, and the Cobra Kai series.
Karate Kid 2 is great and definitely worth a watch. KK3 .... has Robyn Lively. No clue about the TV show, as I haven't seen it. Not knowing who Ralph Macchio is means you need to add "The Outsiders" and "My Cousin Vinnie" to your list to react to and "Crossroads" to your list of movies to watch in private.
I may have misinterpreted, but, it sounds to me like you didn't recognize... Daniel is the same actor (Ralph Macchio) as played one of the defendants in My Cousin Vinnie! This is one of the great films of my youth! You *MUST* do Karate Kid 2! It's one of those rare instances where the sequel is as good or better than the 1st! KKIII is worth watching, especially if you're going to do Cobra Kai, which I *HIGHLY* recommend!! Cobra Kai is an awesome series! As far as the Hillary Swank film, "The Next Karate Kid," sure, if you wanna, but, it's not required viewing by any means!
I have been watching this film over and over for 35 years and never did it occur to me that Daniel blew off his mother on his birthday even after he left Mr. Miyagi's house. That's hilarious.
In my head they always just jumped past it. I figured he went to dinner with his mom and then went out and found the girl, but the dinner wasn't important to the movie, itself, so it was skipped.
You can start watching the Cobra Kai first season after this movie, but just the first one. You need to see two and three to see the rest of the show. Karate Kid II and III are watchable, Cobra Kai defenetly worth it.
I wouldn't say the third movie is required viewing. I've never seen the 3rd movie and I've enjoyed the show plenty. It does a good enough job showing relevant flashback clips that you get the gist.
@@shaggjones4854 And yet, I haven't seen the 3rd movie and feel like I appreciate the show just fine. But please, continue to explain how my view of a subjective opinion is incorrect.
@@chriswhinery925 easy, the biggest villain is in the 3rd one, also the biggest villain in the show, simple, now theres my opinion...you can now go take your Chris ''Whine''ry ass elsewhere
@@chriswhinery925 You could also enjoy a sequel without seeing its prequel, but you cannot get any reference. If you don't watch Karate Kid III you cannot feel the perception of the villain by the protagonists. It's like seeing a movie from the second half: can you enjoy it? Yes, but you cannot fully understand it if you missed the development and construction of the characters.
28:32 There was a scene in the script that has more of a wrapup to the story, but the director opted not to film it. He knew the ending they had was perfect. Although they did do a few pickup shots of closeups of Pat Morita. The wrapup scene was saved for Part II and opens that film.
Part 2 picks up right after this. Originally the beginning of Part 2 was part of the script for Part 1, though it was cut and not filmed until Part 2, so at least in the original script it was not that abrupt. Also, when you mentioned how old the movie is and how you weren't even born yet when it came out, man did I feel old.
I was born in 1971 and started to listen to heavy metal rock since 1987 (of course after the Peter Cetera's The Glory of Love), and I just found out a lot of RUclipsrs thought some heavy metal classics from over 35 years ago were too violent. I feel old.
The ending is very abrupt because they filmed more and then decided that footage deserved more time so they ended up using the original ending of this film to begin the second film. I think because the themes of the second film are more in line with it. But yes, the original ending had one more scene but if yall watch Karate Kid 2, you'll see it
This movie was huge for me, largely because I was the same age as Daniel and because I changed high schools. It was a hurtful time for me. We moved 1000 miles when I was a sophomore.
I got beat up a lot when this movie came out and it showed me a positive way to channel that anger through discipline instead of lashing out like just another bully. I ended up getting a job loading trucks and learning karate from the same guy who taught Elvis, Master Khang Ree.
I love that the Karate shirt, headband and the yellow car was given to Ralph Macchio. And years later when they made the (really good) Cobra Kai spinoff he still has the original ones and they became part of that show.
Yes, Bobby, the Cobra Kai who was ordered by Kreese to put Daniel "out of commission" was the same one who kept telling Johnny to leave Daniel alone, saying "he's had enough." There was a scene cut out of the movie where after Bobby kicks Daniel in the leg, he walks over to Kreese, takes off his black belt, and drops it on the floor in front of Kreese before walking out on the Cobra Kai.
@@matthewrottaris7554 idk i tried to like it but the dialogue writing and camera production is B tier maybe even C tier if im being strict. Have some similarities with dexter (yes dexter has some noticeable flaws despite the popularity)
You really should watch Part ll, there is so many wonderful moments and especially one after a Death, that shows the beautiful friendship between the two and their acting abilities, it is so beautiful to watch. o7
Mr. Miyagi's backstory has him having served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War 2 (and earning the Medal of Honor during his service). Worth a bit of research into that unit, along with the American internment of people of Japanese descent during the war.
The 442d Infantry Regiment was made up entirely of Japanese-American soldiers, many of whose families were interned at home while they fought, just like in the movie. The 442d became, and remains to this day, the most decorated unit in the history of the US Army in any war, showing that there as no lack of bravery or patriotism among the Japanese-Americans who served. I always thought someone should make a movie about it.
Hands down one of my and my family's FAVOURITE franchises, Harry Potter included. We LOVED watching Cobra Kai together, and adore the fact that the original cast is still so passionate.
Karate Kid 2 is a brilliant film, more I think for the Mr Miyagi storyline than for Daniel's journey which feels somewhat copy pasted from this one. Then Karate Kid 3, wow. The lesson Daniel learns in that one was powerful. After that, the entire COBRA KAI series picks up in modern times and is actually phenomenal. A must watch after seeing these films. I barely remember the Hillary Swank one. But it was the final appearance of the Mr. Miyagi character and I remember thinking it was ok. The remake was also ok, even though it's Jackie Chan teaching Jaden Smith to use Kung Fu which makes keeping the franchise name kinda silly.
Mr. Miyagi is one of my favourite movie characters. ♥ I highly recommend watching at least KK2. Watch KK3 for context (it's not bad) if you plan to watch Cobra Kai, which is incredibly well done.
The Karate kid 1,2,3 is a great trilogy. They are the perfect example of the Hero's journey. It's not only Daniel's story but as well as Mr. Miagi's journey. Kobayashi kai is the direct continuation of the trilogy. It is Jonny's redemption story. Like Mr. Magi said "their is no such thing as bad student, only bad teacher". Plus you will see Daniel back as Jonny's Rival but Daniel still has a few more lessons to learn as well, not as a man but as a parent. Though Pat Marita passed on Mr. Miagi's spirit is still felt. I highly recommend you watch the part 2 and 3.
I was 16 when this movie came out, and I feel it is one of those movies that defines a generation. Karate Kid II is also really good. Everyone loved this movie and everyone who could afford to joined Karate classes.
Much like the Rambo franchise, I would love to see a prequel to this movie. Miyagi had a really eventful life following the events of this movie. I would love to see a miniseries showing his early life in Okinawa, immigrating to the US, his wife, the interment camps, fighting in WW2 and losing his wife and child. And of course, him learning martial arts. It would be a great story if done right.
If you look carefully, it's another actor on the stump doing the crane kick, not Pat Morita. I believe it was the same actor who made it to the semifinals, but was defeated by Johnny. And I think it was a good decision not to have the mother at the birthday scene. The two of them together is what makes the scene so touching. Bobby was the same one telling Johnny to leave Daniel alone as "he had enough." Bobby was the voice of conscience in Cobra Kai. He certainly was no saint as he had no qualms about joining in the bullying, but he at least had limits compared to that psycho Dutch.
Adventures in Babysitting and Cocktail are great films with Elisabeth Shue. While it gets a lot of criticism of and not an 80s film, I also like Hollowman- Directed by Paul Verhoeven and also starring Kevin Bacon.
Another Elisabeth Shue film that I really like is Heart and Souls, starring Robert Downey Jr., Tom Sizemore, Alfre Woodard, Charles Grodin, and Kyra Sedgwick. Supposedly a romcom, but Shue, the romantic interest, has less screen time than the rest of that cast.
Minor Historical Trivia: notice anything missing from the scenes at school? :) Nobody has a backpack. Backpacks to carry your binder and books and stuff weren't a thing then. You had your binder, which was usually the biggest thing, and you stacked your books on top of it, and just carried the stack. Girls often carried their stack in the crook of one arm curled up, while boys often carried their stack dangling down at the end of their arm with their hand curled around, unless they had too many books for that to work. You went back and forth to your locker; in junior high and high school, I never had more than two classes in a row before a break or lunch, and everyone went to their locker then to change out books. But kids today can't imagine carrying all their crap to school without a backpack. The only backpacks available in the 70s and early 80s were the big ones for actual *backpacking.* Most people didn't have one, and you'd never haul that to school even if you did. The smaller ones specifically for students came along later.
I really love the way they portrayed the variety of personalities and frames of mind within the Cobra Kai dojo, with some kids being more reluctant and conflicted, others being outright sadistic, and with Johnny Lawrence actually somewhere in between. "You're alright, Larusso!" might be the most important line in the entire movie, as it cements the film's central conflict as being between regular teenagers, not just your typical tale of good vs evil. Also, Season 6, episode 4 of the TV series Community does one of the best tributes to The Karate Kid of all time. I highly recommend the whole show to you, but that one episode in particular should be a lot of fun after seeing the movie.
Surprised they didn't recognize Ralph Macchio from My Cousin Vinny
Was looking for this comment. :)
This movie holds a special place in my heart. Long story alert…
My grandmother was from Okinawa, and she met my grandfather (white US soldier) during the Korean War. They got married, her family disowned her, and she came to America nearly 9 months pregnant and had my dad. Fast forward 40+ years, and my uncle had to go to Okinawa for work. He wound up finding our family there, and was able to call my grandmother and let her speak to her father for the first time in decades. Since then, she was able to visit several times. She passed a few years ago unfortunately, but with a small inheritance I got from her, I was able to go to Okinawa and visit our family for the first time in 2019! It was one of the best days of my life. Mr. Miyagi was always an inspiration for me, and I love tying it to my new found family.
What an amazing story! Always love to find such comments under a reaction that connects a movie with some touching real life story. Happy for you, mate.
@@deiwi Thanks, I appreciate it!
That is so awesome. 😀
That's a truly inspiring story 👏 hope you get to visit often 😊!
My grandfather was of the Ainu people in Hokkaido. When the was broke out he was "enlisted" into the imperial army along with his two brothers. After Manchuria they deserted and wound up in LA. They worked their butts off and had homes and two fishing boats. When pearl harbor happened they were sent to the camps. After the war they were released and didn't even get a ride back to CA. When they got home, it wasn't there. All of their property and belongings were sold by the government as reparations for the families of the lost soldiers in Hawaii. Disgusted, they didn't want anything to do with the US, and since they were deserters, they couldn't even go back home to Japan. So they went south into Mexico, he met my grandmother there. She and her mother were Jewish refugees that had left Germany. All three of them actually led really happy lives there, it wasn't until 2011 that they were allowed to return to Japan, of course after they paid a fine for deserting a war they didn't want any part of, for a nation that treated (and still does) the Ainu people as second class citizens at best, or as sub-human at worst.
So Cobra Kai is set way after this, as if the real amount of time between the movies and series have passed. It is *REALLY* good, they do a fantastic job of taking a cheesy (but obviously nostalgic) move from the 80's and give it all kind of context and depth. It shows where the characters are today and how the events of the movies have affected their lives, both Johnny and Daniel.
I cannot recommend checking out highly enough. I had a grin on my face through the whole thing.
Couldn't agree more; that and the change of perspective are so well done. Cobra Kai please!!!
YES! Cobra Kai is so well done.
While I agree with the overall sentiment I want to clarify one thing. It didn't *give* the prior films depth. It expanded upon depth that was already there. Even in the case of Karate Kid 3 that rings true (granted it got more from Cobra Kai than the the others did by a long shot).
The first season of Cobra Kai is great. The later seasons are not bad. Some good bits mixed in with a some contrivance.
It got on my nerves, a little, how each episode, the two characters in conflict that episode started to make amends. And then some misunderstanding happens that snaps them right back where they started. There was some progression, eventually.
The whole, Take Over The World theme in season 5 seemed a bit over-done, to me.
I'm very surprised they're doing another season. I thought season 5 was a very natural stopping point.
Still, it kept me watching. You won't regret watching the first season. And, most people will probably like the rest, too.
@@MightyDrakeC You're not wrong. I myself just decided to embrace the cheese, suspend disbelief and ride it to the end, but I'm ready for it to be done.
I always love the scene where Daniel bows to Mr. Miyagi even though he is passed out drunk. He shows such great respect even when no one else is there to see it.
yep - just the camera crew, director, all of the audio people, stunt coordinators, agents, studio folks, etc.
GET HIM A BODY BAG is one of my favorite lines in cinema. its so cartoonish, i love it
The payoff of that line in Cobra Kai hits pretty hard, though.
@@shouryu I was thinking about that too.
@@shouryu 😭💀☠💀
For me it was always the maniacal "Yeah!" afterwards and his face.
@Snap Rowsdower i hate this movie because of that cringe moment..and the fact that Daniel is a putz , and deserved what he got to begin with
The chemistry between Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita is what makes this movie so special. The scene where you discover his wife and child died at Manzanar breaks my heart every time. You need to visit and experience what it was like inside those dormitory blocks in the summer heat or winter cold. The Eastern Sierras are a harsh place.
The karate kid part two is a must. It also gives more of an ending to this movie after they leave the event.
I always felt two and three were shot out of order.
I don't want to say why so I don't spoil the movies, but the stakes were much higher in two, than three.
Pt. II is really Miyagi's story. They'll enjoy it.
I might have gotten some of that wrong. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen them
I think the 'must watch' are 1, 2 and Cobra Kai. 3 is a bit moustache twirling and as far as 4...
I always assumed Karate Kid 3 was terrible and never watched it until I was well into Cobra Kai, and I must say that I really enjoyed it.
The expert craft of this movie makes more sense when you realize the director also directed Rocky several years earlier. They have very similar structures, sensibilities, and aesthetics. Underdog poor Italians in a martial sport vs. arrogant rich highly-trained antagonist. A focus on down-to-earth problems, everyday life, and naturalistic dialogue. A sweet, innocent romance. Unusual training with inspiring music. A message that’s more about proving yourself than winning or getting revenge. And a freeze-frame ending at the emotional high. Rocky goes to high school, indeed!
The movie that brought “Sweep the leg,” into the lexicon. This is a classic movie that spawned several enrollments to karate studios across the country.
The inclusion of the word "several" makes me laugh.
@@MightyAvengingLeo There were dozens of them!
There was a band in the UK called Sweep The Leg Johnny. Edit... That's a lie, they are American
@@IntoTheWhite04 Did they cover “You’re the Best Around”?
Look for "Sweep the Leg" by No More Kings from 2007 - features several cast members of The Karate Kid.
I'm shocked George didn't remember Daniel after he was so frustrated by him previously. "Just say TUNA!"
Karate Kid 2 is definitely worth watching.
They definitely should do the whole trilogy and than the show, they can ignore Next Karate Kid and Kung Fu Kid.
Karate Kid 2 is excellent as well. It picks up where it is left off here. KK 3 is mostly forgettable, however it does introduce a character that returns in the Cobra Kai series. The Next KK wasn't so good and the Jacky Chan remake changes too much.
@@jkelley14701 Jackie gives a really good performance but otherwise the movie is forgettable.
@@joemckim1183 Jackie is always OK. But I don't know why they call it "Karate Kid" since he teaches him Kung Fu.
@@RyoHazuki224 because they wanted to ride the name
"You're all right Larusso." There's just so many themes in this movie that are well done. Father son dynamic, coming of age, self defense and earning respect vs being a bully, teen dating, dealing with being not as wealthy as friends and not fitting in. Miyagi steals the show through it all.
At the time, so many of my friends' parents wouldn't let them watch it because it had fighting in it. Those same parents would have loved this film if they'd actually watched it.
The scene when Miyagi is drunk and Daniel brings him to his bed and reads the letter then bows to him and fades into him training with the music always gets me teary-eyed ( I'm not ashamed to admit it lol)
They didn't want this scene in the movie because it ruined the Asian Mystic troupe. It made Mr. Miyagi a real vunerable person with real trauma in his life. The director (I believe) insisted on it and it is such a powerful scene
I am rarely a fan of sequels, but Karate Kid part 2 is pretty great. Cobra Kai has been a fabulous revisit to the series. It's done really well, and has just the right amount of nostalgia for us Karate Kid fans. I hope you guys get there!
cured my asthma
I've never been a big fan of this trilogy. But I always thought the first one was a good flick. So I had no idea how much I would love Cobra Kai
I agree the second is a good sequel. The writers seemed to realise that, despite the title of the film, Miyargi was the more interesting character and a movie could be based on him as the central character even if the camera followed Daniel more. The third film fell flat and came out as formulaic.
@@gabagool_and_psychiatry4856 asthma doesn't exist in this Dojo
@@GhostWatcher2024 maybe but Terry silver is a great villain even better than kreese
"You pretty ok, too." That's old school dad speak for "I love you, son."
Part 2 and the series are definitely worth it.
Part 3 is a fun ball of cheese BUT Cobra Kai made it good
Yea, Part 2 is great. Part 3 should have never been made. Even the Hillary Swank Karate Kid movie was worth watching, but not as good as the first 2 of this series
Agreed, the second movie is also good. Things deteriorate after that until Cobra Kai, which is excellent.
Karate Kid Part 2 is surprisingly decent, if a little cheesy. I’m pretty sure you guys would enjoy it. Part 3 goes a bit hard on the ‘comical villain’ side, but I’d recommended it if you ever decide to watch Cobra Kai. It’s still a fun movie, but it’s not on the level of the first couple films.
Agree Part 2 is great - I hated Part 3 for ruining what should have been - Daniel eventually marrying Kumiko.
Speaking of the abrupt ending, the opening scene of Karate Kid 2 was originally filmed as the last scene of this movie, but in editing, the director (incidentally, the same director who directed "Rocky") decided that Daniel's victory didn't need anything more, so he cut it.
Unless you watched it in theaters when it came out. I did lol and they played the extended ending.
It was originally WRITTEN for the film, but it wasn't actually filmed until they filmed the second movie. They brought the case back to film that scene later.
@@jennifersimpson1448 They never played the parking lot scene as the ending of the first film. There is no "extended ending". That scene was written for the first film but they didn't film it until they made the second film.
Mandela Effect
I heard that they added the scene to the beginning of the second movie as they ran out of film when recording the 1st
I think all of your suggestions as to why Mr. Miyagi made Daniel do manual labour were correct. He learned defensive techniques, trained the muscles for those techniques, and he learned disciple, focus, and patience.
muscle strengthening, muscle memory, patience, discipline, focus etc etc
It really isn't that different from genuine Okinawan training. You would have a bit more weight training for sure, and definitely more direct technique training and kumite, but the idea of blending Karate into every practice isn't new. Probably not something you would find in most types of Japanese Karate. Maybe old Kyokushinkai schools because of the Goju-Ryu influence, but it's not something I could verify immediately.
guess you guys never heard of capitalism
@@nuligebla1173 They mastered it
In chess, a 'good move' is something that will accomplish multiple things at the same time (such as: force your opponent to defensively react, AND reveal an attack by more than one piece, AND create a pathway to move additional pieces to an offensive position.) Miyagi's having Daniel do manual labor, was like that. (But, I think the most important component, was the repetition: repeat the correct Karate move so often, that you can't get it wrong, even if you wanted to.)
You mentioned how impressive it was for the “kid” (Ralph Macchio) to have remembered “so many lines.” While the character of Danny Larusso was supposed be like 16 years old, the actor (Ralph Macchio) was 22 years old when he filmed these scenes.
Yeah, Ralph is an amazing freak of nature. Even when he was 30 he looked like a kid, and now he's 61 but looks 40.
@@finkployd6110 yep
Macchio was quite a bit older than his character, and Morita was quite a bit younger than his character. The age gap between the characters is meant to be about 5 decades, but the age gap between the actors was only 3 decades.
The "kid" that you asked about is Ralph Macchico and he was 22yrs of in this movie. He was blessed with a youthful appearance that allowed him to play much young rolls for most of his adult life.
To be fair most 20-26 year olds still play high school students today
@wallyjackson9543 true but just because they play it doesn't mean they look it. Lol! Ralph Macchico played kids for most of his adult life and it was one of the things he was known for.. looking like a kid. Honestly your just really starting to see his age and he's 60 now. And it's not just his face but his body as well. Anyway I only mentioned it because George actually thought he was a child.
The guy is blessed with insanely good genes.
23 I think. But it's because there's laws about child actors and how much work they can do. It makes it difficult to film if your main actor can only work limited hours. That's why they're always adults.
@@awlabrador Jordache are the best
The Director of this movie (John Avildsen) also directed Rocky, the cinematographer (James Crabe) also filmed Rocky which won Best Picture that year so that’s probably why you noticed the high quality of the shots and overall of this movie.
And Bill Conti scored both films.
You guys definitely need to do part 2. It's just as good as the original and different enough to stand on its own.
it's not as good as the original
Definitely as good as the first in my opinion. Higher stakes.
I don't know if it's as good, but it's a great sequel. Karate Kid 3 is stupid, but Thomas Ian Griffith's performance as the most petty villain ever made it really entertaining for me, and Cobra Kai season 4 and 5 retroactively improved it.
I love that they have Shue acting all, "what's this soccer thingy?!", when she was the only girl on her soccer team as a kid.
I feel you, George. We're all holding out for the Mom's Birthday Dinner director's cut.
I always assumed he went home, did the party with his mom, then went to Golf N Stuff to see Allie.
😄
The "Birthday Dinner Cut" also includes about fifteen-to-twenty minutes of footage after the tournament, that was cut in favor of a brief, "freeze-frame" ending. FUN FACT: much of the post-tournament footage was later reused in the ending of "Return of the King" 20 years later, which is why that movie felt so long.
@@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 Yeah, you beat me to it. I always assumed that as well.
They gave Ralph Macchio the car as a gift after the third movie wrapped and he still owns it today. It is the only known original prop from the movies to show up in Cobra Kai. Also, "You're the Best" was in consideration to be the music that plays over the training montage in Rocky 3.
George is officially the best philosopher of all time. Many nails to build crib, one screw to fill it had me dying. Funniest thing I've heard in awhile.
Community's episode about The Karate Kid is (among other things) a surprisingly sincere & affectionate tribute.
Pat Morita was nominated for an Oscar for this movie, but Haing S. Ngor, a Vietnamese doctor in his debut movie, eventually won. Since then, no Asian man has won in this category. Hopefully next week, that will all change when Ke Huy Quan, another Vietnamese-born actor, wins for "Everything Everywhere All At Once".
Boom.
well, this post aged well
@@cjmars822 Wow, the academy actually got something right for once. It's rare that a movie that dominates the awards the way EEAAO did actually deserves it, but in this case it's well earned.
Haing S. Ngor was actually Cambodian, and his performance in The Killing Fields is amazing. The actor’s personal experiences share some of the trauma that his character goes through on screen. That film should be reacted to here-when I saw it in college, the usually rowdy Friday night crowd of students was dead silent within ten minutes of the film’s beginning and all that could be heard throughout were occasional sniffles and muffled sobs.
Ke Huy Quan's win was so long in coming that even Ariana DeBose's voice cracked when she announced his name as the winner. I'm not Asian but I always felt like the character of Data was one of the trailblazers in cinema for those of us who are ethnically Nerd-American.
Simone: I really want a training montage.
Also Simone: talks about spaghetti during beautiful training montage.
George was on top of his comedy game in this one. Glad you guys really liked this movie. This movie was such a huge part of my childhood. I watched it so many times as a kid and Mr. Myagi was like another father figure in my life. I'm also glad you guys really appreciated the various aspects of the filmmaking in this like the cinematography, staging, and pacing etc of the film. I think one of the reasons this film has held up so well over the years is because even though the film's target demographic was kids and adolescents, the filmmakers didn't treat it like a kids movie. There's clearly a lot of care that went into the script and filming of the movie. And I think because they treated it like a legit drama it really elevated this into a great film. I still absolutely love watching this film all these decades later.
On a side note for Simone: do yourself a favor and leave your memories of the Hillary Swank sequel as they are in your mind now and intact and don't go and rewatch that film now as an adult. :D
I do like Johnny's turn around at the end of the movie... him actually having a change of heart and congratulating Daniel on his win. It may seem like a movie trope.... but I can attest to it happening in real life.
I was 80lbs when I went into high school in grade 9. A couple years before, in elementary school, I was in grade 7 in the same classroom as the grade 8's, and because I was small I became the target of massive bullying from a group of 4 or 5 guys that found it hillarious to torment me whenever the teacher left the room. When I moved on to grade 8 , and my bullies moves on to high school, it as like a sigh of relief. I was free from the torment that entire last year of elementary.
Then came summer break where the pit in my stomach came back knowing I could see those same bullies in the high school that I was going to attend in fall. Most of those guys ended up going to the rival high school down the road, but I found a new group of bullies at the new school to torment me. I ended up going home in tears early on in grade 9 as I couldn't take the abuse anymore... and my parents told me to go back the next day and talk to the principal about it. I did, and when the principal came and brought me and the two guys who were bullying me, out of class together.... I thought I was going to get it worse for snitching.
I'm not sure really how it went... being 38 odd years ago... but the principal put the fear of god into the two guys and suggested that they try to get to know me instead. I do remember being invited to one of their houses afterwards and it feeling very awkward to be hanging out with my bullies. But that was all it took... the three of us were inseparable for the remainder of high school. Three absolute best friends to graduation. I really wish I could remember how, exactly, that turned into friendships..... but I'm proof that it actually can happen like in the movies.
I was bullied early in my school years, especially by one kid. He was bigger than me, always punched me in the shoulder and laughed about it. After this was going on for months I finally reached a point where I had enough. He was sitting behind me and was punching me in the back, I got up and then he got up and I shoved him so hard he felt back into his seat with such a surprised look on his face. I told him don't ever touch me again. From the day forward he never hit me again. And the funny thing is we ended up becoming friends for the rest of our school years
Sometimes you gotta check people, but most times its realizing that we have more in common with each other than differences that really changes our perspective. I once saw a video where a principal of a school brought everyone into the gym and split the group evenly so that everyone could see each other pretty easily. Then asked the students as a whole different questions, some easy, some more personal and asked students to raise their hands when a question applied to them. The goal was to show that none of them were alone, that regardless of skin color or status or whatever, that we all share a lot of similarities and experiences. I think it was an eye opening experience for a lot of them and believe it should be implemented in all schools.
You never know what's behind the bully. I finally had enough of my bully and sucker punched him in the stomach as hard as I could.
He probably didn't even feel it.
He followed me and everyone thought he was going to kill me but when he cornered me instead he asked me why I did that. I told him and he apologized, said he didn't know he was taking it too far.
Still talk to him on social media almost 40 years later.
I think the coolest thing about the cast is they all remain friends to this day.
Definitely watch 2, it’s good. 3 isn’t good but is fun, and y’all should absolutely keep watching them with how much you enjoyed this one.
Also, as one of my favorite childhood movies that I think still holds up today, I absolutely loved seeing both of you engage with this movie and appreciate it.
Oh yeah.. And fun fact: Ralph Macchio still has the yellow car "Daniel" was gifted by Mr. Miyagi. He uses it in the show.
I grew up watching this movie which is just a perfect movie and I was hesitant to watch the Cobra Kai TV show and it ended up being one of the most heartwarming wonderful funny TV shows I've ever seen ❤️ thank you for watching this 80s classic
Just cause you asked if Ralph Macchio (Daniel) still acts, YES HE DOES. He reprised his role in Cobra Kai on Netflix, which is an amazingly nostalgic show. And I used to have the biggest crush on him in the movies and even now, I think he looks really really good. 😅
"Does the kid still act? I wonder if he's in other movies." - Yes, there are 2 more sequels with him in them. Also there is a wonderful tv show Cobra Kai I'd suggest watching after the trilogy staring him and Johnny that's been on 5 seasons so far and follows the events of the films.
Also watch the sequel if you want more of an ending for this film. It picks up directly after the first. The trilogy is definitely worth watching as it continues the story with Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. After that not so much as they lose the magic with only Pat remaining from the original cast.
He had a minor bit in "My Cousin Vinny" where Joe Pesci played his cousin (the lawyer). They also have a show called Cobra Kai where they continue the story but as the trainers
He had a supporting role. The lady with the thick glasses had a minor bit.
My Cousin Vinny was excellent. [nod] Well worth watching, for Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei. Macchio did a good job with his character too.
Elizabeth Shue as the mom? Aw, do the math. She was on the list of the actresses the young guys fell in love with back in the '80s. Still just as cute today, really.
The referee in the tournament was the main instructor. He taught Daniel and the guys from Cobra Kai separately to keep that tension between them. Watch parts 2 and 3, then watch the series. The biggest lesson out of it all there are no bad students - only bad teachers.
The thing that always gets me rewatching these films is how hilarious Mr Miyagi is. Of course, Pat Morita was a pretty accomplished comedian but it's still a welcome inclusion in this genre
Both Daniel and Johnny are still acting, the Cobra Kai tv series focuses around them both. The character development of Johnny and Daniel after the Karate Kid movies is excellent. Definetely watch KK2 and KK3, as characters from all 3 movies feature in the TV series. Then binge the Cobrai Kai TV series, one of the best TV shows ever made in my opinion.
Fun story about the ending: They had written more to be filmed, but the director got the last shot of Miyagi reacting to Daniel's victory and told everyone "I have my movie, that's it." They took the extra parts from the script and that's how the 2nd film opens.
I really like the second movie, the third is kinda bananas but not horrible.
Cobra Kai, the show, is excellent. The vibe is similar yet different. It's a great throwback. Lots of returning actors. Big fan.
These movies were so impactful in me starting martial arts, but also remembering to work toward balance in my life on a regular basis.
This movie meant so much to me as a kid and I probably wouldn't be nearly the same person I am now without it. I couldn't finish it on rewatch myself, but your reaction is a sort of best of. Glad that you liked it more than I do now!
Ralph Macchio was 23 when the movie came out but man did he have a babyface.
Why couldn't you finish a rewatch and why has it diminished in your eyes over the years?
@@The-Underbaker Part of me wonders if I ever liked the whole movie, even as a kid, and just looked forward to "the good parts". That happened a lot back then. I think Mr. Miyagi's teachings influenced me a lot, though.
Now, the combination of intense bullying and mid-80s aesthetics is just not something I enjoy. Even if the good guy wins at the end, the journey is a bit too rough.
I was in elementary school when it came out, I got tired seeing posters of him plastered all over teen girls rooms back then
the real crazy part, is by the time they made the third movie, he was like 27, and he is older than terry silver, even though in that movie he looks like he could be Daniels dad daniel is actually older than him:P
@@ge2719 Oh wow, haha.
The movie is not about Katate. It’s about bullying, friendship, and personal growth.
Anyone who was bullied can appreciate Mr. Myagi
Love this movie! I’d say Karate Kid 2 is worth the watch and then the franchise gets bad after that. Cobra Kai is campy and a little cheesy but I enjoy it. Thanks for this awesome reaction. Glad you both enjoyed this one.
Yeah but they need to watch the third one if they’re going to watch Cobra Kai
"All over my face." Uhhh... wow. No, really... wow. Thank you, George, for bringing attention to the obvious awkwardness of the moment. Well done. 🤣Now you guys need to do Karate Kid 2. It picks up right where this ends.
"That was a very abrupt ending." That's correct. Originally, The Karate Kid had a different ending, which ended up being moved to the opening scene of The Karate Kid Part II where Miyagi confronts and defeats Kreese, who is berating and assaulting Johnny for losing the match. Director John G. Avildsen, the director of Rocky, decided to end The Karate Kid on the final shot of Mr. Miyagi smiling so that the film would end on an emotional high, which is the same thing he did for the ending of Rocky. Sylvester Stallone's original ending for Rocky was where Apollo Creed challenges Rocky to a rematch, and Rocky says, "Don't want one" before walking out of the arena hand in hand with Adrian, an ending that Avildsen felt lacked the right emotional power.
Funny you mentioned Rocky because the director, John G. Avildsen, also happened to direct the original "Rocky." He also directed the next two Karate Kid movies. KK2 kicks off right where this one ended and shows the scene everyone wants to see, the reaction of the evil Karate instructor Kreese (played by Martin Kove) and his confrontation with Mr. Miyagi (IMHO, the highlight of the trilogy).
Seeing this movie in a theatre heightens the experience. The scene where Miyagi claps his hands before ”healing” Daniel’s knee injury for example: The rumbling low note that plays when his hands meet makes it epic, when coming out of a theatre’s sound system. And the final kick that gave Daniel the tournament win…people were standing up, hollering. There’s nothing like a bully victim’s revenge story, I guess. I wonder how many kids started taking karate lessons after seeing this movie.
Genuinely, we riot if yall don't check out the rest and Cobra Kai
(Edit) in a caring way. And Cobra kai will really flip your perspectives of characters from the movies
19:47, yes he does, he's currently reprising his role in the Cobra Kai series, which is a continuation of this movie, and the best part is that everyone reprised their roles, every one of them who are alive came back, and I think the show is still running.
There was a scene that was meant to come after the tournament win, involving a face-off between the two teachers. It ended up getting cut from the movie, but was used to open Karate Kid part 2.
There is no one I can sit through an entire movie with just to see their reaction to it except you guys. A true testament to your personalities and perspectives! Keep it up guys
Ralph Macchio was on the Outsiders and other movies before this. This one made him a huge star. He kind of dropped out for a bit, but now there is a series called Cobra Kai that picks up this story years later and he's back, along with Johnny. There is also a theory that Daniel is actually the bully here which is kind of funny.
My cousin Vinny!!!! You all watched that a while ago. He steals the tuna
How I met your mother had Barney using that theory, and even had the actor William Zabka and Ralph Macchio in it!
I was 13 when this movie came out and still one of my favorites. We had some timeless classics in the 80’s with Back to the Future trilogy, Indiana Jones trilogy, Top Gun, Princess Bride, Big and so many more. We had no clue how incredibly cool the movies were that we got to watch. These remain my top movies.
The Mr. Miyagi character was a member of the 442nd Infantry Regiment in World War Ii. If you're not familiar with their story, its worth your time.
The 442d Infantry Regiment was made up entirely of Japanese-American soldiers, many of whose families were interned at home while they fought, just like in the movie. The 442d became, and remains to this day, the most decorated unit in the history of the US Army in any war, showing that there as no lack of bravery or patriotism among the Japanese-Americans who served. I always thought someone should make a movie about it.
People forget that Pat Morita was a stand up comic before he started acting so that scene where we learn about his wife and son is all the more impressive.
Got pipped to the Oscar that year by another amazing performance by someone with even less serious acting experience
A lot of people probably weren't old enough to know that. my first exposure to him was from Sanford & Son and other comedic performances in 70s tv shows. I never knew he had that range.
How people could forget Pat Morita? Teenagers barely watched Morita's works before Karate Kid came out
Pat Morita made Karate Kid the untouchable classic it still remains (no offence Jackie Chan). The character Morita created in Miyagi is still remembered now as is his lessons (you saw the Mr. Miyagi-like Mentor poster in the Megamind film). The scene where Miyagi tearfully celebrates his anniversary to his dead wife still makes me cry (and it was this scene that won him the role. The director wasn't sure this comedian could perform such a serious moment until he saw Morita do the scene and was blown away). I was also impressed an 80s film mentioned the US Japanese internment camps as the tragedy it was.
Over time "Johnny" was is still remembered as the villain, with his redemption at the end forgotten but the film did teach who the real villain was, the Cobra Kai sensei, John Kreese, (another reason you should watch the sequel). Another one of Mr. Miyagi's timeless quotes, "No Such Thing as Bad Student, only Bad Teacher".
21:58 somebody is definitely gonna clip that up... oh simone 🤣
the karate kid is a an absolute right of passage growing up for certain generations, still holds up well today
This movie is so great! Seeing it as a kid in the early 90s! Still holds up today! So much sentiment too. And Omg I had such a crush on Elizabeth Shue as a kid.
Omg. I'm laughing so much at George's comment: "Man who drops watch in toilet has shitty time." 🤣 🤣
I can't wait to see Simone's reaction to when Mr Myagi gets drunk and Daniel finds out about his family.
Man who walk backwards into airport turnstile is going to Bangkok.
I lived in L.A. and did karate as a kid when this came out. It was amazing to see it in theaters!
This movie was responsible for me being called 'Daniel-san' by everyone throughout elementary school.
It also conditioned me at a young age to expect to be bullied mercilessly once I got into high school.
0:50 An important thing to note about Miyagi and Daniel's profiles on the poster, you can tell from the angle of their necks leaning in sharply that they are bowing to each other, locking eyes just as Miyagi commanded.
The scene where Miyagi gets drunk is why Pat Morita got an Oscar nomination. The anguish and sorrow is palpable and Daniel being there is the catalyst that elevates their relationship from teacher/student to more of a father/son one. It gets a lot of flack but the remake with Jaxkie Chan has a similar scene and it makes the rest of the movie worth the watxh.
The idiots at the studio wanted to cut that drinking scene because it supposedly slowed the movie down. Ridiculous. The director fought for it to stay in.
@Kathy Astrom it does slow it down but it just elevates the movie to another level.
It's a classic for a reason, you know... :) Pat Morita RIP (Mr. Miyagi) made this voice on the spot for his audition for this movie series, his real voice was totally different, oh, and he was a comedian in "Saturday Night Life" (if you ever heard of it). Bothe the Japanese camps and the military unit (422, if I remember correctly), are legit. This scene is strong. Ralph Macchio (Daniel) got the yellow car at the end of shooting as a gift from the production. The end scene you asked about does exist but was cut from this movie and transferred to the second. watch the rest, and the Cobra Kai series.
Karate Kid 2 is great and definitely worth a watch. KK3 .... has Robyn Lively. No clue about the TV show, as I haven't seen it.
Not knowing who Ralph Macchio is means you need to add "The Outsiders" and "My Cousin Vinnie" to your list to react to and "Crossroads" to your list of movies to watch in private.
I may have misinterpreted, but, it sounds to me like you didn't recognize... Daniel is the same actor (Ralph Macchio) as played one of the defendants in My Cousin Vinnie!
This is one of the great films of my youth! You *MUST* do Karate Kid 2! It's one of those rare instances where the sequel is as good or better than the 1st! KKIII is worth watching, especially if you're going to do Cobra Kai, which I *HIGHLY* recommend!! Cobra Kai is an awesome series! As far as the Hillary Swank film, "The Next Karate Kid," sure, if you wanna, but, it's not required viewing by any means!
The Karate Kid franchise and Cobra Kai hold a giant place in my heart 🤣🥰
"here's a gun"...the best comment/reaction! I was laughing like a fool alone in the night
I have been watching this film over and over for 35 years and never did it occur to me that Daniel blew off his mother on his birthday even after he left Mr. Miyagi's house. That's hilarious.
In my head they always just jumped past it. I figured he went to dinner with his mom and then went out and found the girl, but the dinner wasn't important to the movie, itself, so it was skipped.
@@Galiant2010 i dunno, tho. If i was a teen and i just scored that car I might wanna show people
@@Galiant2010 I always assumed the same thing.
The Original Ending for the movie was added to the beginning of the Second movie as they ran out of film when recording the First movie
You can start watching the Cobra Kai first season after this movie, but just the first one. You need to see two and three to see the rest of the show.
Karate Kid II and III are watchable, Cobra Kai defenetly worth it.
I wouldn't say the third movie is required viewing. I've never seen the 3rd movie and I've enjoyed the show plenty. It does a good enough job showing relevant flashback clips that you get the gist.
@@chriswhinery925 oh no 3 is a must to enjoy Cobra Kai to the fullest
@@shaggjones4854 And yet, I haven't seen the 3rd movie and feel like I appreciate the show just fine. But please, continue to explain how my view of a subjective opinion is incorrect.
@@chriswhinery925 easy, the biggest villain is in the 3rd one, also the biggest villain in the show, simple, now theres my opinion...you can now go take your Chris ''Whine''ry ass elsewhere
@@chriswhinery925 You could also enjoy a sequel without seeing its prequel, but you cannot get any reference.
If you don't watch Karate Kid III you cannot feel the perception of the villain by the protagonists. It's like seeing a movie from the second half: can you enjoy it? Yes, but you cannot fully understand it if you missed the development and construction of the characters.
28:32 There was a scene in the script that has more of a wrapup to the story, but the director opted not to film it. He knew the ending they had was perfect. Although they did do a few pickup shots of closeups of Pat Morita.
The wrapup scene was saved for Part II and opens that film.
Part 2 picks up right after this. Originally the beginning of Part 2 was part of the script for Part 1, though it was cut and not filmed until Part 2, so at least in the original script it was not that abrupt.
Also, when you mentioned how old the movie is and how you weren't even born yet when it came out, man did I feel old.
I was born in 1971 and started to listen to heavy metal rock since 1987 (of course after the Peter Cetera's The Glory of Love), and I just found out a lot of RUclipsrs thought some heavy metal classics from over 35 years ago were too violent. I feel old.
The ending is very abrupt because they filmed more and then decided that footage deserved more time so they ended up using the original ending of this film to begin the second film. I think because the themes of the second film are more in line with it. But yes, the original ending had one more scene but if yall watch Karate Kid 2, you'll see it
This movie was huge for me, largely because I was the same age as Daniel and because I changed high schools. It was a hurtful time for me. We moved 1000 miles when I was a sophomore.
I got beat up a lot when this movie came out and it showed me a positive way to channel that anger through discipline instead of lashing out like just another bully. I ended up getting a job loading trucks and learning karate from the same guy who taught Elvis, Master Khang Ree.
I love that the Karate shirt, headband and the yellow car was given to Ralph Macchio. And years later when they made the (really good) Cobra Kai spinoff he still has the original ones and they became part of that show.
I want a new channel of just George's motivational phrases! 🤣
Yes, Bobby, the Cobra Kai who was ordered by Kreese to put Daniel "out of commission" was the same one who kept telling Johnny to leave Daniel alone, saying "he's had enough." There was a scene cut out of the movie where after Bobby kicks Daniel in the leg, he walks over to Kreese, takes off his black belt, and drops it on the floor in front of Kreese before walking out on the Cobra Kai.
Watch 2 and 3, then go into Cobra Kai
I like karate kid but cobra kai is kinda mid
Don't forget the Next Karate Kid.
@Matthew Rottaris
Only Season 1 of Cobra Kai is amazing.
The other seasons are romance melodramatic Disney style rubbish
@@matthewrottaris7554 idk i tried to like it but the dialogue writing and camera production is B tier maybe even C tier if im being strict. Have some similarities with dexter (yes dexter has some noticeable flaws despite the popularity)
Badass
"He looks like Nick Lachey from 98°." I can't unsee it now 😅
That pay-off scene with the chores=defensive moves is still so great.
You really should watch Part ll, there is so many wonderful moments and especially one after a Death, that shows the beautiful friendship between the two and their acting abilities, it is so beautiful to watch. o7
Mr. Miyagi's backstory has him having served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War 2 (and earning the Medal of Honor during his service). Worth a bit of research into that unit, along with the American internment of people of Japanese descent during the war.
The 442d Infantry Regiment was made up entirely of Japanese-American soldiers, many of whose families were interned at home while they fought, just like in the movie. The 442d became, and remains to this day, the most decorated unit in the history of the US Army in any war, showing that there as no lack of bravery or patriotism among the Japanese-Americans who served. I always thought someone should make a movie about it.
The 'abrupt' ending is because the beginning of Karate Kid 2 was originally filmed as the end pf Karate Kid 1, but was cut.
Part 2 effectively carries on from the end of the first. So you do get to see the aftermath of the contest.
Hands down one of my and my family's FAVOURITE franchises, Harry Potter included. We LOVED watching Cobra Kai together, and adore the fact that the original cast is still so passionate.
The 80s really were a golden age of cinema and music. That’s coming from someone born in 99
I'm from 1992, and I'll agree with the music. There are a lot of good movies before and after the 80s, same for music, but yea.
Karate Kid 2 is a brilliant film, more I think for the Mr Miyagi storyline than for Daniel's journey which feels somewhat copy pasted from this one. Then Karate Kid 3, wow. The lesson Daniel learns in that one was powerful. After that, the entire COBRA KAI series picks up in modern times and is actually phenomenal. A must watch after seeing these films.
I barely remember the Hillary Swank one. But it was the final appearance of the Mr. Miyagi character and I remember thinking it was ok.
The remake was also ok, even though it's Jackie Chan teaching Jaden Smith to use Kung Fu which makes keeping the franchise name kinda silly.
Mr. Miyagi is one of my favourite movie characters. ♥
I highly recommend watching at least KK2. Watch KK3 for context (it's not bad) if you plan to watch Cobra Kai, which is incredibly well done.
The Karate kid 1,2,3 is a great trilogy. They are the perfect example of the Hero's journey. It's not only Daniel's story but as well as Mr. Miagi's journey. Kobayashi kai is the direct continuation of the trilogy. It is Jonny's redemption story. Like Mr. Magi said "their is no such thing as bad student, only bad teacher". Plus you will see Daniel back as Jonny's Rival but Daniel still has a few more lessons to learn as well, not as a man but as a parent. Though Pat Marita passed on Mr. Miagi's spirit is still felt. I highly recommend you watch the part 2 and 3.
All the movies and the series are good and definitely need to be watched.
I was 16 when this movie came out, and I feel it is one of those movies that defines a generation. Karate Kid II is also really good.
Everyone loved this movie and everyone who could afford to joined Karate classes.
Much like the Rambo franchise, I would love to see a prequel to this movie. Miyagi had a really eventful life following the events of this movie. I would love to see a miniseries showing his early life in Okinawa, immigrating to the US, his wife, the interment camps, fighting in WW2 and losing his wife and child. And of course, him learning martial arts. It would be a great story if done right.
Who would you get to play him?
@@Obsolete386 I've wondered that myself. Maybe John Cho.
If you look carefully, it's another actor on the stump doing the crane kick, not Pat Morita. I believe it was the same actor who made it to the semifinals, but was defeated by Johnny. And I think it was a good decision not to have the mother at the birthday scene. The two of them together is what makes the scene so touching.
Bobby was the same one telling Johnny to leave Daniel alone as "he had enough." Bobby was the voice of conscience in Cobra Kai. He certainly was no saint as he had no qualms about joining in the bullying, but he at least had limits compared to that psycho Dutch.
Adventures in Babysitting and Cocktail are great films with Elisabeth Shue. While it gets a lot of criticism of and not an 80s film, I also like Hollowman- Directed by Paul Verhoeven and also starring Kevin Bacon.
Another Elisabeth Shue film that I really like is Heart and Souls, starring Robert Downey Jr., Tom Sizemore, Alfre Woodard, Charles Grodin, and Kyra Sedgwick. Supposedly a romcom, but Shue, the romantic interest, has less screen time than the rest of that cast.
She was also nominated for an Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas
Minor Historical Trivia: notice anything missing from the scenes at school? :) Nobody has a backpack. Backpacks to carry your binder and books and stuff weren't a thing then. You had your binder, which was usually the biggest thing, and you stacked your books on top of it, and just carried the stack. Girls often carried their stack in the crook of one arm curled up, while boys often carried their stack dangling down at the end of their arm with their hand curled around, unless they had too many books for that to work. You went back and forth to your locker; in junior high and high school, I never had more than two classes in a row before a break or lunch, and everyone went to their locker then to change out books. But kids today can't imagine carrying all their crap to school without a backpack. The only backpacks available in the 70s and early 80s were the big ones for actual *backpacking.* Most people didn't have one, and you'd never haul that to school even if you did. The smaller ones specifically for students came along later.
I really love the way they portrayed the variety of personalities and frames of mind within the Cobra Kai dojo, with some kids being more reluctant and conflicted, others being outright sadistic, and with Johnny Lawrence actually somewhere in between. "You're alright, Larusso!" might be the most important line in the entire movie, as it cements the film's central conflict as being between regular teenagers, not just your typical tale of good vs evil.
Also, Season 6, episode 4 of the TV series Community does one of the best tributes to The Karate Kid of all time. I highly recommend the whole show to you, but that one episode in particular should be a lot of fun after seeing the movie.