Tag Archives: John G. Avildsen

1984 Films, Drama, Kids, Sports

The Karate Kid-1984

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The Karate Kid-1984

Director John G. Avildsen

Starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita

Scott’s Review #1,241

Reviewed April 2, 2022

Grade: B+

The Karate Kid (1984) is a wholesome and predictable film from the commercial era of the 1980’s cinema.

With a clever marketing pitch about a bullied boy overcoming obstacles, the film is utterly predictable. But the warm message and chemistry between the two leads make the film work marvelously.

It’s a truthful film that showcases the power of friendship.

The film was a smash at the box office, becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest sleeper summer hits of 1984, making the lead actor, Ralph Macchio, an enormous star and household name. It also successfully brought karate to American households, spanning a new trend and appreciation for Asian sports.

Three tired sequels before the franchise finally ran out of steam. A relaunch emerged in 2010 with mixed results.

Daniel (Macchio) moves to Southern California with his mother, Lucille (Randee Heller). Still, he quickly finds himself the target of a group of bullies who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo.

This heightens in severity when he becomes smitten with the ex-girlfriend (Elisabeth Shue) of the lead bully, Zabka (Johnny Lawrence), who vows revenge on Daniel.

Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita), a kindly repairman who is a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate, and prepares him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.

The Karate Kid is very sweet but never too saccharin-laced, and is easy to compare to Rocky (1976).

In a clear example of manipulation and copycatting, Robert Mark Kamen, who wrote the screenplay, was instructed to write something similar to Rocky, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Avildsen also directed that critically acclaimed film.

The result is Rocky-lite. The Karate Kid would be a great warm-up film before the headliner, Rocky, takes the screen.

The mission is to tell a story about an underdog rising to glory while staying true to himself. The Karate Kid is a product, but it is extremely likable and a fist-pumping good time. It’s not the sort of film one necessarily needs to see repeatedly, nor will it be studied in film school.

The main reason The Karate Kid works is the chemistry and connection between Macchio and Morita. The latter is terrific casting since Morita was usually known for comedic roles, but he works against type in his memorable role.

His character is kind and humble, and it’s impossible not to fall in love with him. As a mentor, he coaches Daniel on valuable, truthful life lessons.

Macchio surprisingly carries the film. Handsome and charismatic, he also represents anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or different from everyone else. He’s the boy next door but with an ethnic overtone.

He is clearly different and, therefore, disliked by some.

The elements that don’t work as well are the traditional love triangle, hardly a triangle because one of the three is the villain, and the stereotypical nature of the bully gang.

Shue plays her part well, but the romance between Ali and Daniel is the supporting act to the fight scenes, which inevitably show up mostly towards the end of the film.

The finale is very familiar in sports-type films because it’s all too obvious how events will play out. Surprisingly, though, it’s a satisfying payoff as every character wins out, even the villainous Johnny.

Though he is soundly defeated, he learns a lesson from Daniel and comes to respect him. So, he repents.

It’s a powerful message that stayed with me and made me appreciate the approach to valued storytelling.

Safe and sturdy for a PG audience, The Karate Kid (1984) may feel dated and struggle to resonate with modern audiences, but the message remains poignant and fresh—hard work, determination, and respect equal success and satisfaction.

This may be a point easy to ridicule and pick apart, but the film works well.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actor-Pat Morita

2003 Films, Documentary

A Decade Under The Influence-2003

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A Decade Under the Influence-2003

Director Ted Demme, Richard LaGravenese

Starring Francis Ford Coppola, William Friedkin, Ellen Burstyn

Scott’s Review #392

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Reviewed April 5, 2016

Grade: B+

Produced by the cable network Independent Film Channel (IFC), A Decade Under The Influence explores the 1970s in film, a decade that was arguably the most creative and liberating decade for filmmakers and audiences alike.

A period in film defined by the directors securing creative freedom instead of the studios, where artists, instead of corporations, finally ruled the roost.

A Decade Under the Influence offers an overview of the era.

Despite some conspicuous omissions, I enjoyed this informative piece a great deal.

The documentary is divided into numerous segments, including sections on women in film, the transition into a different period in Hollywood, and the subsequent close of the decade.

The interviews are plentiful, including a who’s who of stars: Martin Scorsese, Ellen Burstyn, Clint Eastwood, Robert Altman, Julie Christie, Francis Ford Coppola, and numerous other influential directors, actors, and filmmakers.

Each individual describes their perspective on 1970s cinema and shares personal anecdotes about experiences or challenges.

Ellen Burstyn, for example, describes how the success of The Exorcist afforded her a plethora of other film offers, but all of the roles were of prostitutes, dutiful wives, or women in peril.

She needed roles more stimulating than those, so she chose to star in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, which was a much better-written role.

What I found a bit sad is that there are still limited, layered roles for women in Hollywood, unless one goes the independent film route, which this documentary touts as a savior.

Francis Ford Coppola explains that The Godfather was never expected to be a success, but rather that he was chosen to direct the film merely because he worked cheaply and was Italian-American.

How ironic that the film became such a monumental success and an influence on filmmaking as a whole for generations to come.

The documentary at times seems like an overview of the decade, with many clips of classic 1970s cinema interspersed with talking points.

Despite being three hours long, I still felt there was so much more the documentary could have explored. Not surprisingly, the stars granted interviews were granted heavy screen time for their films.

The documentary was fine, but could have delved much deeper- I could see a multiple-disc set of ten or more hours dedicated to the decade.

One conspicuous omission was Robert Altman’s Nashville, arguably, the best film of the decade. While it was briefly mentioned and a still frame of a scene from it appeared, I felt it warranted more dissection and discussion.

This was more surprising given that Altman was interviewed for the documentary.

Another miss was Halloween or any mention of John Carpenter films. Halloween influenced many horror films to come, and The Exorcist received heaps of coverage, undoubtedly because star Burstyn and director William Friedkin appear at length throughout the production.

Additionally, in the horror genre, Black Christmas (a highly influential horror film) was not mentioned at all.

A celebration of my favorite decade of cinema, A Decade Under the Influence is a documentary that is a basic must-see for fans of 1970s cinema, or film students perhaps immersing themselves into the world of great film for the first time.