The Karate Kid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Karate Kid
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John G. Avildsen
Produced by	Jerry Weintraub
Written by	Robert Mark Kamen
Starring	Ralph Macchio Noriyuki "Pat" Morita Elisabeth Shue
Music by	Bill Conti
Cinematography	James Crabe
Editing by	John G. Avildsen Walt Mulconery Bud S. Smith
Studio	Delphi II Productions Jerry Weintraub Productions
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	June 22, 1984 (1984-06-22)
Running time	127 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$8 million
Money made	$91 million

The Karate Kid is a super popular American martial arts movie from 1984. It was written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. This film is the very first one in The Karate Kid series. It stars Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, and Elisabeth Shue.

The story is about Daniel LaRusso (played by Ralph Macchio). He is a teenager who learns Gōjū-ryū karate from Mr. Miyagi (played by Pat Morita). Daniel needs to learn karate to protect himself from bullies. He also wants to compete in a big tournament against them. One of the bullies is the ex-boyfriend of a girl Daniel likes, Ali Mills (played by Elisabeth Shue).

The movie's writer, Robert Mark Kamen, got the idea from his own life. He really wanted Pat Morita to be in the film. Filming started on October 31, 1983, in Los Angeles. It finished quickly by December 16, 1983.

The Karate Kid came out in theaters on June 22, 1984. Critics loved the movie, praising its action, story, acting, and music. It was also a huge success, earning over $91 million worldwide. This made it one of the highest-earning movies of 1984.

The film helped make Ralph Macchio a star. It also brought Pat Morita back into the spotlight. He was mostly known for funny roles before this. Morita even got nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role. The Karate Kid also made karate very popular in the United States.

Movie Story: Daniel's Journey

In 1984, a teenager named Daniel LaRusso moves with his mom, Lucille, from Newark, New Jersey to Reseda, Los Angeles, California. Their apartment's handyman is a kind and humble man named Mr. Miyagi. He is from Okinawa.

Meeting Ali and the Bullies

Daniel quickly becomes friends with Ali Mills. She is a high school cheerleader. This makes Ali's ex-boyfriend, Johnny Lawrence, very angry. Johnny is a skilled karate student from the "Cobra Kai" dojo. His dojo teaches a mean and unfair style of karate.

Johnny and his Cobra Kai friends constantly bully Daniel. One Halloween, Daniel sprays water on Johnny. Johnny and his gang chase Daniel and beat him up badly. Suddenly, Mr. Miyagi steps in. He easily defeats all of them by himself.

Learning Karate from Mr. Miyagi

Daniel is amazed and asks Mr. Miyagi to teach him karate. Miyagi says no at first. But he agrees to go with Daniel to the Cobra Kai dojo to solve the problem. They meet the sensei, John Kreese. Kreese is a tough former soldier. He doesn't want to make peace.

Mr. Miyagi then convinces Daniel to enter the All-Valley Karate Championships. This way, Daniel can fight Johnny and the Cobra Kai students fairly. Miyagi asks Kreese to stop the bullying while Daniel trains. Kreese agrees, but warns that if Daniel doesn't show up for the tournament, the bullying will continue for both Daniel and Miyagi.

Unusual Training and Life Lessons

Daniel's training starts with simple chores. He thinks he is just Miyagi's helper. But when he gets frustrated, Miyagi shows him that these chores have taught him defensive moves. This happens through muscle memory.

Their friendship grows stronger. Miyagi tells Daniel about his sad past. He lost his wife and son during childbirth in a special camp where Japanese-Americans were held during World War II. Miyagi was serving in the army at the time.

Through Miyagi's lessons, Daniel learns more than just karate. He learns important life lessons, like the need for balance. He understands that martial arts is about training your mind and spirit, not just your body. Daniel uses these lessons to improve his relationship with Ali. For Daniel's birthday, Miyagi gives him a Karate gi for the tournament and his own car.

The Tournament and Final Fight

At the tournament, Daniel surprises everyone by reaching the semi-finals. Johnny also makes it to the finals. Kreese tells his second-best student, Bobby Brown, to hurt Daniel's knee. Bobby is one of Daniel's less mean bullies. He doesn't want to do it, but he does.

Bobby's illegal attack badly hurts Daniel's knee. Bobby gets disqualified. Daniel is taken to the locker room. The doctor says he can't continue. But Daniel believes he must keep fighting. He convinces Miyagi to use a special healing technique to help him continue.

Just as Johnny is about to win by default, Daniel returns to fight. The match is very close. Neither fighter can get past the other's defense. Daniel uses a scissor-leg move to trip Johnny, hitting him on the back of the head. Johnny gets a nosebleed.

Kreese tells Johnny to attack Daniel's injured leg, which is unfair. Johnny looks horrified but agrees. As the match restarts, Johnny grabs Daniel's leg and hits it hard, causing more pain. Daniel stands with difficulty. He takes the "Crane" stance, a move he saw Mr. Miyagi do on the beach. Johnny lunges at Daniel. Daniel jumps and kicks Johnny in the face, winning the tournament! Johnny, now respecting Daniel, gives him the trophy himself. Daniel is then carried off by the excited crowd.

Main Cast

See also

In Spanish: The Karate Kid (película de 1984) para niños