From the sounds of Cruel Summer by Bananarama to the sights of Daniel sanding the deck to the pure adrenaline rush of the final Crane Technique kick in the chops, The Karate Kid is a pure classic time capsule of the 1980’s. Quality of the films not withstanding, there is no way that the recent remake is going to replace the 1984 original. And although Pat Morita’s performance as Mr. Miyagi was worthy enough to be nominated for an Oscar, those who were teens when this movie came out could better related to Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso.
This wasn’t the first time that Macchio had delivered an amazing performance either. He had also portrayed Johnny Cade in the classic teen film The Outsiders one year earlier. Nor would it be the last. If the first Karate Kid was the best of the series, The Karate Kid Part II was a close match. Let’s all try and forget the travesty that was The Karate Kid Part III, at which time Macchio, who was playing a character who had just graduated from high school, was now 28 years old.
The memorable roles have since dwindled, with My Cousin Vinny being his last great success in my estimation. But clearly the boyish charm has remained with Ralph Macchio. Perhaps this is why it is hard to get such meaty roles now that he is 48 years old. Some who saw him said that he looked very different, but I disagreed completely. I didn’t think he looked like he had changed much at all.
And because it was like opening that time capsule from my beloved 1984 era, I went ahead and shelled out the $50 for the combo of getting a signed photo and a picture with the Karate Kid when I saw him at the Hollywood Show on April 24.2010. The only thing I can say is that for whomever came up with those prices, “it must be take-a-worm for a walk week!”
Look eye, always look eye!
But for every Karate Kid out there, there are enemies lurking about…and we will see some of them in our next installment of celebrity encounters from the April 2010 Hollywood Show…
Leave a Reply