LIFE The Karate Kid

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT A sleeper hit when it debuted, The Karate Kid won over audiences with its tale of lovable underdog Daniel LaRusso and his steadfast sensei, Mr. Miyagi. More than 40 years later, their legacy endures—in a streaming series and sequels, including the latest, Karate Kid: Legends.…

THE TITLE WAS RIDICULOUS. SO ridiculous nobody thought it would stick. It was a name fit for a silly Saturday morning cartoon, a sappy after-school special, a flop. It certainly wasn’t a title for a movie that could launch an enduring Hollywood franchise. No, “The Karate Kid” had to go. “I mean, can you imagine?” Ralph Macchio wrote in his 2022 memoir, Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me. “If I ever did get this part and the movie hit, I would have to carry this label for the rest of my life!” Macchio got the part. And once he landed the lead, he fought to get the title changed. He wasn’t alone. Next to nobody liked it. But producer Jerry Weintraub wouldn’t budge. He knew it was memorable: “It’s…

DANIEL LARUSSO Ralph Macchio Daniel LaRusso is a Newark, New Jersey, transplant to sunny California who brims with natural charm. In his memoir, Waxing On, actor Ralph Macchio describes Daniel as someone who possesses “a sweet toughness.” This teenager also, unfortunately, seems to attract bullies. Before school even starts, Daniel takes a shine to classmate Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue). This ticks off her ex, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), who with his fellow martial arts thugs uses Daniel as a punching bag. Thankfully, Daniel comes under the protection of Nariyoshi Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita). For the fatherless Daniel, Miyagi develops into not only the father figure he craves, but also the martial arts master he needs. This allows Daniel to triumph over Johnny at the All Valley Championships. He soon accompanies…

“SHOW ME ‘WAX ON, WAX off,’” Mr. Miyagi demands of Daniel LaRusso. Miyagi then kiais his fists of fury at Daniel’s head. But somehow, this beanpole of a kid, he waxes on and waxes off, blocking his teacher’s blows with shocking ease. The amazement in Daniel’s eyes, the absolute astonishment at discovering that doing this old man’s chores has transformed him into a karate master, mirrored the awestruck faces of a million kids in a thousand theaters during the summer of 1984. As everybody underestimated Daniel and Miyagi, everybody underestimated The Karate Kid. Before he wrote the screenplay, Robert Mark Kamen lived a lot of the story of The Karate Kid. At the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, a gang of goons attacked and pummeled a teenage Kamen,…

I have learned that throughout Asia, the crane is a symbol of happiness and eternal youth. In Japan, the bird is considered a mystical or holy creature. It symbolizes good fortune and longevity because of its fabled life span of a thousand years. With that, I have personally accepted the good fortune of forever being linked to the crane in cinema and pop culture. Why not be associated with happiness, longevity, and eternal youth, right? Sign me up! The belief that good things to come may be associated with this species of bird lends itself to understanding yet another insightful piece of the Karate Kid puzzle. However, when it came to the crane kick itself, I will offer a favorite Miyagiism: “Not everything is as seem.” It’s interesting when I…

DANIEL LARUSSO FLIES TO victory on the wings of a crane kick to Johnny Lawrence’s kisser. Mr. Miyagi gives Daniel a kind, proud smile. Credits roll. The Karate Kid ended with triumph, redemption, and a lot of questions. Was Daniel’s feud with Cobra Kai truly over? Did Daniel and Ali with an i stay together? Did Mr. Miyagi’s story really end with just a grin and a nod? Audiences craved answers. So did Columbia Pictures. “They immediately wanted a sequel,” screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen said. Watching moviegoers come out of a screening doing excited crane kicks, producer Jerry Weintraub told Macchio he’d be making a few Karate Kids. Weintraub was right, and just after the first film started barreling toward $100 million in box office receipts, Columbia fast-tracked a follow-up.…