Chad McQueen | 80's Movie Guide

Taglines: He taught him the secret to Karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands. The Karate Kid movie storyline. Daniel and his mother move from New Jersey to California. She has a wonderful new job, but Daniel quickly discovers that a dark haired Italian boy with a Jersey accent doesn't fit into the blond surfer crowd. Daniel manages to talk his way out of some fights, but he is finally cornered by several who belong to the same karate school. As Daniel is passing out from the beating he sees Miyagi, the elderly gardener leaps into the fray and save him by outfighting half a dozen teenagers. Miyagi and Daniel soon find out the real motivator behind the boys' violent attitude in the form of their karate teacher. Miyagi promises to teach Daniel karate and arranges a fight at the all-valley tournament some months off. When his training begins, Daniel doesn't understand what he is being shown. Miyagi seems more interested in having Daniel paint fences and wax cars than teaching him Karate. The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film produced by Jerry Weintraub, directed by John G. Avildsen, written by Robert Mark Kamen, that stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita and Elisabeth Shue. It is an underdog story in the mold of a previous success, the 1976 film Rocky, which Avildsen also directed. The Karate Kid was a commercial success upon release and garnered critical acclaim, earning Morita an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The film became the first in a series, spawning three sequels and a remake in 2010. The Karate Kid (1984) Directed by: John G. Avildsen Starring: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, Martin Kove, Randee Heller, William Zabka, Chad McQueen, Israel Juarbe Screenplay by: Robert Mark Kamen Production Design by: William J. Cassidy Cinematography by: James Crabe Film Editing by: John G. Avildsen, Walt Mulconery, Bud S. Smith Costume Design by: Richard Bruno, Aida Swinson Set Decoration by: John H. Anderson Music by: Bill Conti Distributed by: Columbia Pictures Release Date: June 22, 1984