Based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders is the story of two young greasers who go on the run following a self-defense murder of a drunken rich kid in Tulsa as they deal with their roles in the world. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and screenplay by Kathleen Rowell, the film is coming-of-age story involving teenage kids from poor/working class environments dealing with the prejudice of their world as well as seeing if there’s a good life outside of these restrictions. Starring C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Diane Lane, Leif Garrett, Darren Dalton, Glenn Withrow, Michelle Meyrink, and Tom Waits. The Outsiders is an enchanting and evocative film from Francis Ford Coppola.
Set in the early 1960s in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the film revolves around a rivalry between two different gangs from different parts of the town that represent the social divide in the city. From the south of Tulsa are a group of kids from the working class/poor section of the town known as the greasers who wear denim, leather, and have grease on their hair while the kids from the north of Tulsa are the Socs who are rich kids who have their life set by their parents, wear letterman jackets, and posh clothes. In the middle of this conflict are a couple of young greasers who sneak into a drive-in movie venue where they befriend a young woman as they would later have an ugly encounter with her drunken boyfriend that ended with one of them killing a Soc in self-defense. With the help of another greaser, the two young men leave Tulsa and hide out where they deal with their roles as greasers as well as wondering if there’s more to offer as they encounter heroism as well as tragedy.
The film’s screenplay by Kathleen Rowell (that was largely re-written by Francis Ford Coppola) focuses on three young greasers in Ponyboy Curtis (C. Thomas Howell), Johnny Cade (Ralph Macchio), and Dallas “Dally” Winston (Matt Dillon) who spend a lot of time bumming around Tulsa as Curtis is still reeling from the death of his parents some years ago as he lives with his older brothers Darrel (Patrick Swayze) and Sodapop (Rob Lowe) where there’s tension Ponyboy and Darrel. Johnny is also from a dysfunctional family home as his friendship with Ponyboy is very close where they end up having to fight off a gang of Socs led by Bob Sheldon (Leif Garrett) who is angry over the fact that his girlfriend Cherry Valance (Diane Lane) befriended Ponyboy and Johnny as they didn’t play up the stereotypes of the greasers. Much of the film’s second act is set outside of Tulsa where Johnny and Ponyboy hide in an abandoned church where they change their look and view on the world until they reunite with Dally who gives them news about what they did to Sheldon.
Much of the film’s second half isn’t just about the act of heroism from Johnny, Ponyboy, and a reluctant Dally but also the fallout of Sheldon’s murder leading to a climatic rumble between the greasers and Socs with fellow greasers Two-Bit Matthews (Emilio Estevez), Steve Randle (Tom Cruise), and Tim Shepard (Glenn Withrow) helping out the Curtis brothers and other greasers with a sudden appearance from Dally. Yet, it’s the aftermath of the rumble that would change things as it relate to the reality of the world and the sacrifice that Johnny made into his act of heroism.
Coppola’s direction is intoxicating for not just shooting the film on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma and nearby locations but also in emphasizing some elements of realism into the film. There are also elements of styles in the compositions as the film and ends with Ponyboy Curtis reflecting on a memory and writing it all down on paper as if a book is coming to life. The usage of the locations doesn’t just play into this life in a 1960s town in the Midwest where there isn’t much to do but there is also this air of social divide as Coppola doesn’t dwell into the environment that the Socs live in as he prefers to show some of the dirtier side of the city including drive-ins, local shops, and other places that greasers would hang out at. While he would use some wide shots to establish some of the locations including a crane shot of sorts for the scene where Ponyboy and Johnny are confronted by Bob and his friends at the greasers’ turf.
Coppola would also create some stylish shots in the compositions in the way characters interact with one another that would include scenes where Ponyboy is presented in the background and Johnny in the foreground in a medium shot during the film’s third act in a chilling yet somber scene. There are also these dreamy moments during a key scene in the second act where Coppola create this shot of Ponyboy talking to Johnny about some of the stuff he read and this idea of purity and innocence that is presented in a golden shot of sorts. It’s an innocence that Ponyboy would struggle to carry towards the third act as it also play into some of the fallacies of masculinity as it relates to Dally who always act tough and thinks he’s smarter than everyone. Yet, he is unprepared for not just this reality in loss but also the reality that he’s still young who is in need of growing up. Overall, Coppola creates a majestic yet touching film about a gang of teenage greasers dealing with growing pains and the realities of their environment including the social divide.
Cinematographer Stephen H. Burum does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on low-key colors for some of the film’s daytime and nighttime exteriors as well as the usage of golden sunlight for a few key scenes as it play into Ponyboy’s innocence. Editor Anne Goursaud does excellent work with the editing as it help play into some the drama with some stylish dissolves and other cuts that also help play into some of the film’s energetic moments. Production designer Dean Tavoularis and set decorator Gary Fettis do fantastic work with the look of the abandoned church that Ponyboy and Johnny hide at outside of Tulsa as well as some of the interiors of the home where the Curtis brothers lived in.
The special visual effects work of Robert Swarthe is terrific for a lone sequence that relates to the assault of Ponyboy and Johnny by the Socs as it has an element of surrealism. Sound designer Richard Beggs does amazing work with the sound in creating sound textures for Ponyboy’s dream sequence as well as the natural atmosphere of some of the film’s locations. The film’s music by Carmine Coppola is wonderful for its rich and somber orchestral score that play into the dramatic elements of the film while the soundtrack features a couple of songs in the film from Them and a song by Stevie Wonder that was co-written with Carmine Coppola.
The casting by Janet Hirshenson is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it include some notable small roles and appearances from novelist S.E. Hinton as a nurse, William Smith as a store clerk Dally tries to threaten late in the film, Gailard Sartain as man that Ponyboy briefly talks to following the act of heroism, Sofia Coppola as a young girl asking for change, Tom Waits as a guardian of sorts for Dally in Buck Merrill, Glenn Withrow as a fellow greaser in Tim Shepard, Michelle Meyrink as Cherry’s friend Marcia, and Darren Dalton as a Soc named Randy Anderson who was Bob’s friend as he would have a conversation with Ponyboy during the third act stripping away the image of a Soc. Leif Garrett is terrific in his small role as the Soc Bob Sheldon who was Cherry’s boyfriend who berates her while being drunk as he has an immense disdain towards the greasers.
Diane Lane is fantastic as Cherry Valance as a mid-upper class girl who is part of the Socs though she dispels its stereotypes upon befriending Ponyboy and trying to help him over what happened. Tom Cruise and Emilio Estevez are excellent in their respective roles as Steve Randle and Two-Bit Matthews as a couple of greasers who are friends of the Curtis brothers with Randle as a tough kid who works with Sodapop while Matthews is a slacker of sorts who does watch over Ponyboy and Johnny during an encounter with the Socs. Rob Lowe is superb as Sodapop Curtis as the middle brother who works at a gas station with Randle as he is always trying to mediate between Darrel and Ponyboy. Patrick Swayze is brilliant as Darrel Curtis as the elder brother of Sodapop and Ponyboy who is trying to be responsible despite being too hard on Ponyboy.
Ralph Macchio is amazing as Johnny Cade as Ponyboy’s best friend who is a sensible person as he deals with what he had to do to save Ponyboy as well as pondering his own place in the world. C. Thomas Howell is marvelous as Ponyboy Curtis as a 14-year old greaser who is coping with loss as well as pondering a life outside of being a greaser as it’s a performance full of innocence and grace. Finally, there’s Matt Dillon in a phenomenal performance as Dally Winston as a young yet tough greaser who is cool but lacking in sensitivity as he is always tough where he tries to do whatever he can to protect Ponyboy and Johnny.
The Outsiders is a remarkable film from Francis Ford Coppola. Featuring an ensemble cast of future stars as well as gorgeous visuals, compelling themes of innocence and identity, and a lush musical score by Carmine Coppola. It’s a film that is engaging as well as displaying elements of realism and fantasy into the idea of growing pains in early 1960s Tulsa. In the end, The Outsiders is an incredible film from Francis Ford Coppola.
Francis Ford Coppola Films: (Tonight for Sure) – (The Bellboy and the Playgirls) – Dementia 13 - (You’re a Big Boy Now) – (Finian’s Rainbow) – (The Rain People) – The Godfather - The Conversation - The Godfather Pt. II - Apocalypse Now/Apocalypse Now Redux - One from the Heart - Rumble Fish - The Cotton Club - (Peggy Sue Got Married) – (Garden of Stone) – (Tucker: The Man & His Dreams) – New York Stories-Life Without Zoe - The Godfather Pt. III - Bram Stoker's Dracula - (Jack) – (The Rainmaker) – (Youth Without Youth) – Tetro - (Twixt)
© thevoid99 2018
Directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen, The Karate Kid Part III is the third film of the series where both Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi become victims in a revenge scheme by an old foe, his friend, and a young contender where the two find themselves diverging into different paths. The film is a revenge tales of sort but from the antagonists point of view where it’s the good guys that get attacked forcing them to fight back as both Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki “Pat” Morita respectively reprise their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Keisuke Miyagi. Also starring Thomas Ian Griffith, Robyn Lively, Sean Kanan, and Martin Kove as Kreese. The Karate Kid Part III is a silly and idiotic film from John G. Avildsen.
The film is a revenge tale of sorts as it relates to character of John Kreese where the film picks up months after the events in the second film where he loses his student and his dojo is going bankrupt where he gets help from his old Vietnam comrade in Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) who is a billionaire that actually founded the dojo. Silver decides to give Kreese a vacation to Tahiti while he would be the ones to find LaRusso and Miyagi and make their lives hell with the help of a vicious karate fighter who wants LaRusso’s title where Silver promises a cut of dojo’s profits if he beats LaRusso. It’s a film that is very strange in the way it handles the concept of revenge as it’s told from the side of its antagonists where it is an interesting idea but there’s a lot of problems with the way it’s handled.
Robert Mark Kamen’s script (which was largely re-written by another writer) doesn’t just portray many of the revenge aspects of the film to be very silly but it’s also in the motivations. While Kreese has legit reasons for wanting revenge on Miyagi and LaRusso, the character of Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan) is only involved because of money while Silver is just there for kicks. For LaRusso and Miyagi, the script has them returning from Okinawa where Miyagi loses his job until LaRusso has an idea to create a bonsai tree shop for Miyagi that he could run. At the same time, LaRusso is asked to return to defend his title but doesn’t want to at first until he is threatened and blackmailed by Barnes which only causes a schism in his relationship with Miyagi where he unknowingly turns to Silver for help unaware of Silver’s true intentions. The development in LaRusso is very startling in how bad his character would regress from confronting someone who is able to kill him to now being whiny and doing stupid things around guys who are just as idiotic.
Another aspect of the script that doesn’t work is another love interest for LaRusso in a pottery shop clerk named Jessica (Robyn Lively) who is really an uninteresting character that is put in bad situations whenever LaRusso finds himself in trouble with Barnes and his goons. It adds so much to LaRusso’s regressive development where he would become scared of these guys forcing Miyagi to finally step in and set his student back on the right path.
John G. Avildsen’s direction doesn’t really do anything new at all in terms of compositions and such but that isn’t really the problem with the film at all. Avildsen does manage to keep things lively and engaging at times despite the many problems with the script but it’s really a lot of things that is wrong. The film is set months or days after the event of the second film as it had been three years since the release of that second film and five years since the release of the first. There is something wrong with the way it is set as LaRusso looks older as well as the fact that a lot of things had changed in the past five years from the music and the culture itself. It is among the many things in the film that feels very wrong not just tonally but also in some of the visual aspects of the film. It’s also a bit more violent as it also adds to the awkwardness of what Avildsen wants. Even as the climax where LaRusso would face Barnes comes off as idiotic and pointless. Overall, Avildsen creates a very messy and nonsensical film about a man and his student being victims in a silly revenge scheme.
Cinematographer Steve Yaconelli does some nice work with the cinematography as it does have some amazing lighting in the sequence where Miyagi confronts Kreese, Silver, and Barnes along with some of the daytime exteriors as it‘s shot largely in Southern California. Editors John G. Avildsen and John Carter do OK work with the editing as it relates to some of the suspense and action though not enough work is put into trimming a few things that went on for too long. Production designer William F. Matthews, with set decorator Catherine Mann and art director Christopher Burian-Mohr, does terrific work with the sets from the look of Miyagi‘s home to the bonsai tree shop he and Daniel would hope to run.
Sound editor Scott Hecker does nice work with some of the sound in the way action is presented along with some of the intense moments in the Californian forests. The film’s music by Bill Conti is superb though it‘s just really just re-hashes of previous scores from the other films though they‘re still effective while music supervisor Brooks Arthur provides a terrible music soundtrack of pop and rock music of the late 80s that just sound very dated and slick.
The casting by Caro Jones is alright for the cast that is assembled as it features appearances from Frances Bay as the old lady that lived in Daniel’s old apartment complex, Randee Heller as Daniel’s mother, Gabe Jarret as a guy that was harassing Jessica at a club that Daniel would brutally beat up, fight choreographer Pat E. Johnson as the tournament referee, and Jonathan Avildsen as one of Barnes’ friends and goons in Snake who is just very annoying. Sean Kanan is alright as Mike Barnes as a skilled and vicious karate fighter who agrees to antagonize and scare LaRusso into taking part of the tournament for Silver with a cut of whatever Silver plans to do for the resurrection of the Cobra Kai dojo. Martin Kove is terrific as John Kreese as the former Corba Kai sensei who feels humiliated by Miyagi as he turns to Silver for help where gladly takes part in Silver’s plan for vengeance.
Robyn Lively is terrible as Jessica as this young woman who works at a pottery shop that finds herself in trouble whenever she’s around Daniel as it involves Mike Barnes as she and Macchio have no chemistry at all. Thomas Ian Griffith is fantastic as Terry Silver where he just exudes the idea of a slimy billionaire that wants to help his friend Kreese and just bring hell to Miyagi and LaRusso where he is just fun to watch. Noriyuki “Pat” Morita is excellent as Miyagi as the karate master who is concerned with LaRusso’s behavior as well as becoming disappointed with LaRusso’s decisions where he try to stay out of the way until he realizes what is really going on. Finally, there’s Ralph Macchio in a horrible performance as Daniel LaRusso where he spends a lot of the film either being whiny or being angry where Macchio would overdo things as he just makes LaRusso even more pathetic than he was in the first film.
The Karate Kid Part III is a horrible film from John G. Avildsen. Despite a few top-notch performances from Noriyuki “Pat” Morita and Thomas Ian Griffith, the film isn’t just a re-hash of sorts of the original but it lacks heart and characters to care for. In the end, The Karate Kid Part III is a film that just plainly fucking sucks.
John G. Avildsen Films: (Turn on to Love) - (Guess What We Learned in School Today?) - (Joe) - (Cry Uncle!) - (Okay Bill) - (Save the Tiger) - (The Stoolie) - (Fore Play) - (W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings) - Rocky - (Slow Dancing in the Big City) - (The Formula) - (Neighbors) - (Traveling Hopefully) - (A Night in Heaven) - The Karate Kid - The Karate Kid Part II - (Happy New Year) - (For Keeps) - (Lean on Me) - (Rocky V) - (The Power of One) - (8 Seconds) - (Inferno)
© thevoid99 2016
Directed and co-edited by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen, The Karate Kid Part II is the sequel to the 1984 film as Mr. Miyagi returns home to Okinawa to see his ailing father while being accompanied by his student Daniel LaRusso where they deal with an old enemy and his brutish nephew. The film is a continuation of a father-son bond of sorts between Miyagi and LaRusso as they’re once again respectively played by Noriyuki “Pat” Morita and Ralph Macchio. Also starring Nobu McCarthy, Tamlyn Tomita, Danny Komekona, Yuji Okumoto, and Martin Kove as John Kreese. The Karate Kid Part II is a heartfelt and thrilling film from John G. Avildsen.
Set six months after the events in the first film, Kensuke Miyagi receives news from his home island of Okinawa in Japan that his father is dying as he decides to return home. With his student/friend Daniel LaRusso wanting to accompany him as an act of gratitude, the two deal with Miyagi’s own past actions as they’re confronted by an old friend of Miyagi who has a legitimate grudge towards him over a woman Miyagi wanted to marry. Adding that troubling turmoil is the man’s nephew who targets LaRusso where LaRusso realizes the concepts of honor is very different in Japan than in America where he tries to maintain the idea of what is right. Robert Mark Kamen’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the concept of honor but also cowardice as the latter is something Miyagi is accused of from his former friend Sato (Danny Komekona) who was also a student of Miyagi’s father.
Miyagi tries to settle matters with Sato without violence but things don’t work out so well easily where Miyagi’s home village and its villagers are also being targeted for Miyagi’s refusal to fight. Adding to the complications is Sato’s nephew Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) who is quite corrupt and has a very distorted view of honor. While LaRusso does admit that he finds Chozen intimidating, he doesn’t back down knowing that Chozen is driven by profit and intimidation where LaRusso finds a way to get the upper hand and fight another day. The script doesn’t just explore the dire situations both Miyagi and LaRusso are in but also their own relationship as LaRusso helps his mentor cope with loss while getting to know Okinawa. It’s a world LaRusso would embrace despite his encounters with Chozen as it is among the highlights though the elements of romance that involve LaRusso falling for a young woman named Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita) isn’t entirely successful as it feels like an attempt to give LaRusso something else to do.
John G. Avildsen’s direction is quite straightforward for the way he portrays these two different worlds of Southern California and Okinawa as the latter was actually shot on Oahu, Hawaii with a cast of Okinawan-born actors or those of Okinawan descent to give the film an authentic feel. While the film opens with a sequence that picks up where the last film left off as it involves an antagonist from that film in John Kreese. It does open the film with a bang as it gives audience that confrontation between Miyagi and Kreese but in a way that is unexpected. The film then shifts to six months after that moment where the main narrative takes place as Avildsen’s compositions for the scenes in Southern California are straightforward while many of the scenes set in Okinawa are quite rich and entrancing. There are also these moments that are very intimate in some of the romantic elements between LaRusso and Yukie but it feels very underdeveloped. The moments where LaRusso is confronted by Chozen are very engaging with the usage of low camera angles where the latter is often dominant but LaRusso does find a way to fight back as it does lead to this very intense climax where the two fight as it is about honor and what is right. Overall, Avildsen creates an exciting though flawed film about a man and his student dealing with sins as well as loss and the idea of honor.
Cinematographer James Crabe does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography in the way Okinawa looks in day and night in its exteriors along with the usage of shadows for some of the scenes set at night including the rainstorm sequence. Editors John G. Avildsen, David Garfield, and Jane Kurson does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s action and fight scenes. Production designer William J. Cassidy, set decorator Lee Poll and art director William F. Matthews, does amazing work with the look of homes set in Okinawa as well as some of the places in its towns.
Costume designer Mary Malin does terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual along with the look of the Japanese robes that many of the local Okinawans wear. Sound editor Tom C. McCarthy does superb work with the sound in capturing the intensity of the storm in the rainstorm sequence along with some raucous moments in a dance club scene as well as sparse moments in the fights. The film’s music by Bill Conti is excellent for its mixture of orchestral-based music with some traditional Japanese-based string instruments and woodwinds to play into some of the romantic and traditional Japanese elements while music supervisor Brooks Arthur creates a soundtrack filled with pop and rock pieces from New Edition, the Moody Blues, Dennis DeYoung of Styx, Carly Simon, Paul Rodgers, Southside Johnny, and the film’s love theme The Glory of Love by Peter Cetera.
The casting by Caro Jones is great as it features some appearances and small roles from Clarence Gilyard as an army soldier at an Okinawan bar, Ron Thomas and Rob Garrison respectively reprising their roles as former Cobra Kai students Bobby and Tommy, William Zabka as the top Cobra Kai student Johnny who is being choked to death by Kreese, Charlie Tanimoto as Miyagi’s ailing father, Joey Miyashima and Marc Hayashi as Chozen’s goons, and Martin Kove in a superb performance as John Kreese who gets himself into a disastrous confrontation against Miyagi. Danny Kamekona is excellent as Miyagi’s old friend Sato who has a grudge towards Miyagi and wants to fight him really bad where also controls the village that Miyagi lived in. Nobu McCarthy is fantastic as Miyagi’s old flame Yukie who was the source of Sato’s falling out with Miyagi as she had been taking care of Miyagi’s father while catching up with Miyagi on old times.
Yuji Okumoto is excellent as Sato’s nephew Chozen as a man who does his uncle’s bidding but also is very corrupt in the way he cheats villagers where he would antagonize Daniel over his distorted view of honor. Tamlyn Tomita is wonderful Yukie’s niece Kumiko who introduces Daniel to the world of Okinawan culture as she would later fall for him though the way some of the romance is handled is very clunky and cheesy. Noriyuki “Pat” Morita is amazing as Miyagi as a man who returns to his home island to see his dying father as he copes with accusations of cowardice by his old friend Sato as well as trying to protect his village from Sato and his nephew. Finally, there’s Ralph Macchio in a brilliant performance as Daniel LaRusso who accompanies Miyagi to Okinawa as an outsider as he deals with Chozen’s antagonistic attitude where he knows he’s being out-skilled and out-matched but wouldn’t back down.
The Karate Kid, Part II is a stellar yet flawed film from John G. Avildsen. While it does feature an amazing cast, compelling themes on the idea of honor, and some fine music. It’s a film that starts off great yet has some bumps along with the way in its narrative but ends on a satisfying note. In the end, The Karate Kid, Part II is a wonderful film from John G. Avildsen.
John G. Avildsen Films: (Turn on to Love) - (Guess What We Learned in School Today?) - (Joe) - (Cry Uncle!) - (Okay Bill) - (Save the Tiger) - (The Stoolie) - (Fore Play) - (W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings) - Rocky - (Slow Dancing in the Big City) - (The Formula) - (Neighbors) - (Traveling Hopefully) - (A Night in Heaven) - The Karate Kid - (Happy New Year) - (For Keeps) - (Lean on Me) - The Karate Kid Part III - (Rocky V) - (The Power of One) - (8 Seconds) - (Inferno)
© thevoid99 2016
Directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen, The Karate Kid tells the story of a young New Jersey teenager who moves to California with his mother where he would encounter bullies who are taught a vicious form of karate. Following repeated encounters with the bullies, the young man is suddenly saved by an Okinawan handyman who would later teach him karate in order to defend himself from the bullies leading to a confrontation at a tournament. A blend of coming-of-age story and the underdog story, the film is an exploration into a young man not just standing up for himself but also find some balance in his young life with the help of an old man. Starring Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, Elisabeth Shue, Randee Heller, William Zabka, and Martin Kove. The Karate Kid is a majestic film from John G. Avildsen.
The film is a simple story of a young teenager from New Jersey who arrives to California with his mother for a new life where he meets a girl only to be bullied by that young woman’s ex-boyfriend and his friends through a vicious form of karate. After a series of encounters where Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) tries to get revenge only to be getting a worse beating, he is saved by an Okinawan handyman named Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita) who would teach Daniel karate and later have him confront the bullies in a karate tournament. It’s a film that has a simple premise but has so much more where there is this unique bond between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi as the former had just lost a father while the latter is a loner who likes to keep to himself yet is a master at karate. In teaching Daniel through unconventional means, he would show Daniel that there’s more to karate than just punching and kicking but also a way to find balance in the boy’s life.
Robert Mark Kamen’s screenplay plays up to that sense of the underdog in Daniel LaRusso as he’s this kid from New Jersey that just arrived to California where it’s a world full of beaches and palm trees. Upon meeting the rich girl Ali (Elisabeth Shue), it seems like the best decision to move from working-class Jersey to California until he meets her ex-boyfriend in Johnny (William Zabka) who is upset that she’s met someone else as he beats up Daniel with this brutal form of karate. Though Daniel only knows a few moves, he learns that Johnny and his friends go to school where their master is a former Special Forces Vietnam veteran in John Kreese (Martin Kove). One of the intriguing aspects of the script isn’t the fact that Johnny and his friends are really bad kids but misguided one as their teacher is the real villain. Kreese is a man who doesn’t believe in the idea of mercy or restraint as he’s all about destroying and ending the enemy.
It’s an ideal that is the opposite of what Mr. Miyagi would teach to Daniel who becomes frustrated with his encounters as he plead to his mother (Randee Heller) about wanting to go home. Yet, one last beat down from Johnny and his Cobra Kai gang would have Daniel find a true ally in Miyagi. Miyagi would meet with Kreese at the latter’s dojo as Miyagi would ask Kreese to have his boys leave Daniel alone until the tournament where it would be an uneasy decision for both Miyagi and Daniel to make. Still, Miyagi would prepare Daniel for inevitable through unconventional means in muscle memory It’s not just this relationship between the two that builds where Daniel learns more about Miyagi but his relationship with Ali would also grow as she would become his supporter where she would help both of them during the climatic tournament in the film’s third act.
John G. Avildsen’s direction is pretty simple in the way he presents the film as this coming-of-age story about a kid who learns karate in order stand up for himself. Yet, Avildsen does create moments that is very accessible in terms of its compositions and drama while injecting some moments of humor. Some of the best moments of Avildsen include some wide and medium shots of the locations that includes this gorgeous shot of Mr. Miyagi practicing the crane kick in the beach. Much of it displays that sense of peace and balance that is in Mr. Miyagi and what Daniel needed in his life as he is still dealing with the loss of his father. Especially in the third act where he learns about Miyagi’s background as it would strengthen their relationship.
While much of the film’s karate moves, that is choreographed by Pat E. Johnson who plays the tournament referee, might not be impressive in comparison to other martial arts films. They do serve a purpose to the film where it would lead to this climatic tournament where it’s not about how much one person knows. It’s more about what one knows and how it can help them without the need to do something crazy. The film’s climax is definitely memorable in the way Avildsen position his camera and captures the action where it’s very engaging as there is that sense to root for Daniel to succeed as it plays to that underdog story. Overall, Avildsen crafts a very powerful and captivating film about a young man learning the balance in life through karate.
Cinematographer James Crabe does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the sunny look of some of the exteriors in the film‘s locations in California to some of the usage of light in some of its nighttime exterior scenes as well as the lights for the climatic tournament. Editors John G. Avildsen, Walt Mulconery, and Bud S. Smith do amazing work with the editing in its stylistic usage of dissolves as well as rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s action. Production designer William J. Cassidy and set decorator John H. Anderson do wonderful work with the look of the tournament arena as well as the Cobra Kai dojo that Kreese runs and the home that Mr. Miyagi lives when he‘s not working as a handyman.
Costume designers Richard Bruno and Aida Swinson do nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual along with the design of the Halloween costumes at the school dance as well as the karate robes for the tournament. Sound mixer Dean Hodges does terrific work with the sound from the way some of the punches and kicks sound to other moments in the film‘s locations. The film’s music by Bill Conti is just fantastic for its score that is this mixture of orchestral music that features some lush string arrangements as well as a serene pan flute performed by Gheorge Zamfir. Music supervisors Brooks Arthur and Russ Regan create a fun soundtrack that features music by Bananarama, Gang of Four, Survivor, Shandi, Paul Davis, and Joe Esposito.
The casting by Pennie DuPont, Caro Jones, and Bonnie Timmermann is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small performances from Frances Bay as an old lady with a dog, William Bassett as Ali‘s father, and Randee Heller in a terrific performance as Daniel‘s mother. In the roles of Johnny’s fellow Cobra Kai gang, there’s Chad McQueen as the cocky Dutch, Rob Garrison as the mocking Tommy, and Rob Thomas as the more compassionate Bobby. Martin Kove is amazing as the very chilling and antagonistic Kreese as a man who mocks the idea of mercy as there’s also a dark sense of humor in him. William Zabka is excellent as the arrogant Johnny as this rich kid who doesn’t like the idea of his ex-girlfriend hanging around with a working-class kid like Daniel.
Elisabeth Shue is wonderful as Ali as this young woman who wants something new as she finds Daniel refreshing while dealing with the advances of her ex-boyfriend as she proves to be no pushover. Ralph Macchio is great as Daniel LaRusso as this young kid dealing with his new surroundings as well as the bullies as he finds a new surrogate father figure in Mr. Miyagi who would help find the balance in life that he needed. Finally, there’s Noriyuki “Pat” Morita in a phenomenal performance as Mr. Miyagi as this very eccentric yet humble man who is also a master in karate as he maintains a great sense of restraint as a man with some demons inside him as he helps out this young man find balance in life.
The Karate Kid is a remarkable film from John G. Avildsen. It’s a film that features an amazing cast and Bill Conti’s soaring score as it’s truly a film that doesn’t just hold up since its release thirty years ago. It still has something to offer in not just the art of karate but what it really means as all of its imitators can wither away. In the end, The Karate Kid is a sensational film from John G. Avildsen.
The Karate Kid Films: Part II - Part III - (The Next Karate Kid)
© thevoid99 2014
