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The Karate Kid

Updated: 12/11/2025, 10:22:06 AM Wikipedia source

The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen. It is the first film in The Karate Kid franchise. The film stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, and William Zabka. The story follows Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey who moves with his widowed mother to the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, LaRusso encounters harassment from bullies, one of whom is Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), the ex-boyfriend of LaRusso's love interest, Ali Mills (Shue). LaRusso is taught karate by a handyman and war veteran named Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help LaRusso defend himself and compete in a karate tournament against his bullies. Kamen was approached by Columbia Pictures to compose a film similar to Avildsen's previous success Rocky (1976), after Columbia signed the director. Kamen drew inspiration from the real-life events of an eight-year-old Tum Pai student's story in Hawaii when writing the film. As a result, he maintained strong opinions regarding cast, and petitioned heavily for Morita's inclusion. Preparations for the film began immediately after the final edit of the script was complete, and casting took place between April and June 1983. Principal photography began on October 31, 1983, in Los Angeles and was completed by December 16. The film was Macchio's second major film role, following The Outsiders (1983). The Karate Kid was theatrically released in the United States on June 22, 1984. It received positive reviews from critics, many of whom praised the action sequences, writing, themes, performances, and music. The film was also a commercial success, grossing over $130 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 1984 and Hollywood's biggest sleeper hit of the year. The Karate Kid revitalized the acting career of Morita, who was previously known mostly for comedic roles, and it earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film subsequently launched a media franchise and is credited for popularizing karate in the United States.

Infobox

Directed by
John G. Avildsen
Written by
Robert Mark Kamen
Produced by
Jerry Weintraub
Starring
mw- Ralph Macchio Noriyuki "Pat" Morita Elisabeth Shue
Cinematography
James Crabe
Edited by
John G. Avildsen Walt Mulconery Bud S. Smith
Music by
Bill Conti
Productioncompanies
Delphi II Productions Jerry Weintraub Productions
Distributed by
Columbia Pictures
Release date
June 22, 1984 (1984-06-22)
Running time
127 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$8 million
Box office
$130.8 million

Tables

· Reception › Accolades
1985
1985
Year
1985
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Nominee
Pat Morita
Result
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Year
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Category
Nominated
Young Artist Awards
Young Artist Awards
Year
Young Artist Awards
Award
Best Family Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Won
Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
Year
Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
Award
William Zabka
Category
Nominated
Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
Year
Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
Award
Elisabeth Shue
Category
Won
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result
Ref.
1985
Academy Awards
Best Supporting Actor
Pat Morita
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Nominated
Young Artist Awards
Best Family Motion Picture – Drama
Won
Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
William Zabka
Nominated
Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
Elisabeth Shue
Won

References

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