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The Karate Kid (1984)
Released By: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment   Rating: PG   In Theaters: N/A
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Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Genre: Family
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: John G. Avildsen
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita, Ralph Macchio
Published ID: 550
UPC: 043396040694, 043396101302,
Plot: Newly arrived in California from New Jersey, teenager Daniel (Ralph Macchio) almost immediately runs afoul of karate-trained high school bullies. He is rescued by Japanese janitor Miyagi (Noriyuki Pat Morita), who agrees to teach Daniel how to harness karate for good instead of brutality. The film culminates in a championship karate bout, pitting Daniel against his sworn enemy Johnny (William Zabka) - the cruel and thuggish boyfriend of Ali (Elisabeth Shue) with whom Daniel has fallen in love (and vice-versa). Real-life karate champ Chuck Norris was offered the role of Kreese, the sadistic coach who goads Johnny into fighting dirty, but Norris turned down the role, refusing to be shown utilizing his skills negatively on screen. Vastly popular, The Karate Kid spawned three sequels of rapidly descending merit, as well as a Saturday morning cartoon series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
Great Video! In great shape!
Added 9/11/2009

bought this for my grandchildren.. they loved it
and had no problems with it!

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Classic Film!
Added 3/28/2009

The Karate Kid was great in the '80s when I saw it in the theater and it is still great. My whole family loves the movie (and that's saying something because there are a lot of us). All the kids love it, and their ages range from 22 yrs to 5 yrs. My wife and I still thinks it's terrific!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
a good movie
Added 2/21/2009

This is a good movie you can watch with the whole family. It's one of those feel-good movies.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
"Daniel why did you throw your bike away"?
Added 1/15/2009

I feel I should give a disclaimer before anyone reads this review. I love to hate this movie and hate to love this movie. I can recall seeing this movie as a child growing up and thinking it was pretty cool. Then many years went by and I had totally forgotten this film. About five years ago this movie was played every single night during the summer on HBO or Showtime. So I watched this movie with an older and more matured pair of eyes. This resulted in a different viewing experience. The following review is somewhat insidious and is deliberate in its caustic tone. Nevertheless, "The Karate Kid" is still such a guilty pleasure for me and a classic film in its own right.

I don't know where to start or stop in this movie. This motion picture captures all the 1980s staples: hair, music, fashion and dumb behavior that only transpires in a teenage film from the 1980s. All I know is I am glad Daniel LaRusso got his face kicked in the entire movie. He was the underdog I really didn't care about. As a matter of fact, I don't understand how an Italian teenager from Newark, New Jersey kept getting his butt kicked by a California teenage punk (named Johnny) riding a motorbike and wearing some red jacket. This California teenage punk is played by none other than William Zabka, who was the staple villain of teenage cinema in the 1980s.

As for Daniel's background, I feel strongly that Daniel was a bastard, you know born out of wedlock. I believe his mother was the "other woman" and this was the reason that only "Daniel and his mother" moved from New Jersey to California. I don't buy that explanation that his mother "found a better job", this is hogwash. This is only my theory. Consequently a theory is only a theory and not a fact but can result in a following that can morph public opinion and over time become the truth.

Look for a young Elisabeth Shue playing Ally (with an I, hence Ali). Ali is the estranged ex-girlfriend of Johnny (a California teenage punk riding a motorbike and wearing some red jacket). I digress, I like when Ali tells Daniel that her name is "Ali with an I" and Daniels says his name is "Daniel with an L". What a moron. Another "rock star" moment brought to you in part by Daniel LaRusso is how pleased he was when he beats Ali in a game of Air Hockey, while they are on their first date. And what was up with Daniels wardrobe? He deserved having the tar beat out of him. Did I mention that Elisabeth Shue, I mean "Ally with an I" was totally hot in this movie?

We all know that Mr. Miyagi is Yoda personified. So no need to demonstrate the courtship of tautology on this tidbit. I would have to say my favorite part of this film is when Daniel is force down a huge hill while on his bike, by Johnny (the Cali teenage punk) and his gang. Once Daniel "wipes out" so to speak, he throws his bike away. You read this correctly, he throws his bike away as if it was his bike's fault. What's that about?

Once Daniel starts learning karate and stick up for himself the movie becomes rather humdrum.

0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
A minor classic!
Added 12/1/2008

It's a little surprising to realize that "The Karate Kid" is now 24 years old. Made in 1984, it still holds its own in 2008. In fact, it's a LOT better than many of the movies being churned out today.

Why? For me, it's simply the excellent acting. Somehow, the chemistry between "Daniel-san" and "Mister Miyagi" is excellent, and memorable. Without this, the movie would have been forgotten decades ago.

"Daniel's" mother also does an excellent job, deftly managing to portray a total airhead without so much as a hint that anything is wrong. (What DID happen to Daniel's father, anyway?)

To my mind (and time will tell) this re-make of "Rocky" is, oddly enough, a lot better than the original! That doesn't happen very often!

A very high recommendation, especially if you are getting tired of films full of nothing but explosions.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
For The Glory Of Love.
Added 11/8/2009

The Karate Kid Part II continues the story of Daniel(Ralph Macchio) and Miyagi(the late Pat Morita) as they travel to Japan to help out Miyagi's old girlfriend and her niece(Tamlyn Tomita from The Joy Luck Club), howver they are confronted by Miyagi's old foe Sato and his nephew and Daniel's new enemy, Chozen. The martial arts sequences were great to watch as well as the romance scene with Daniel and Tomita's character. The theme song of the film "For The Glory Of Love" became a big hit in 1987 and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music Score. This is the best of all the Karate Kid series.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Could be the best Karate Kid movie out of all 3!
Added 10/3/2009

Daniel Larusso travels with Mr. Miagi to Oki Nawa in Japan in order to check on his father, who is very ill. When they return, they are received by Sato, who wants to fight with Mr. Miago in order to defend his honor. He got dishonoured when Miyagi fell in live with his girlfriend before he decided to escape to the US. On the other side, his nephew Chozan is bullying Daniel all the time. He is such a great Karate fighter.

Great movie!

I like it because it represents the real purpose of Karate, which is self defence.
There are no tournaments to compete in. It's about surviving.
The only thing I think could have been done to improve the movie was to give Daniel actual Karate lessons before making this movie. His moves are not convincing at all. They are weak and incorrect sometimes. People who do martial arts could immediately recognize the flaws in his techniques. Johny from Part 1 and Chozan from Part II are way better than him, in which Daniel surprisingly still managed to defeat them.

Anyway, the Karate Kid could easily be one of the best movies of our times.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Contrived.
Added 5/23/2009

The Karate Kid Part II is no way as memorable as the orginial but at least it's not unwatchable like Part III. Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita have always had this natural chemistry - you can tell they were really good friends on camera and off. Some of the acting from the supporting cast is just plain awful and the pace of the film is rather slow. So-so sequel - stick to the orginial.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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