4.29.2008

The Karate Kid

Man, The Karate Kid is a superb example of a sustained artistic vision. I love the juxtaposition of Bananarama's "Cruel Summer" with Daniel getting into trouble in front of his best girl on the P.E. field.

When we talk about complication, we're talking about that little corner of fate and coincidence. This happens here when Daniel heads down to the office and catches Mr. Kesuke Miyagi trying to snare flies with his chopsticks. It's a sweet film, and one that has held up really well over two+ decades...

By the way,

FEAR DOES NOT EXIST ON THIS BLOG, DOES IT?

NO, SENSEI!

PAIN DOES NOT EXIST ON THIS BLOG, DOES IT?

NO, SENSEI!

DEFEAT DOES NOT EXIST ON THIS BLOG, DOES IT?

NO, SENSEI!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do not get me started on all that is wrong with this story. TOO LATE!!! Daniel is an ass who deserved every thing he got. Let's reflect; Johnny hanging out with his buds riding around on the beach come across some of their friends on the beach where his long time girl friend Ally (they've been having some problems) is and he tries to talk to her to work things out. Then this greasy kid from Jersy gets up in his grill about a fricking raido? I smell an ass whooping! It's like this the whole movie! Daniel gets in his way, Daniel gets pummeled. Then our hero gets in a lucky crane kick and who's the better man...Johnny! He shakes the winners hand an wishes him well. I'm done...R Pence

Daniel Powell said...

That's a fair view of the story. I see Daniel as a classic pariah, a kid who struggles as an outsider and uses an inside track to level the field. I think Johnny comes off ok in all of this. I like his sportsmanship in the final scene, but come on, he's no angel.

As Miyagi said:

one against one -- fair

five against one -- not fair

And when Kreese asked him to sweep the leg, he was reticent about it, but did he sweep it? Hell yes.

Daniel rose up and busted that sucker in the nose, scoring one for the bullied everywhere. And the beauty is in the journey. He learned karate through home improvement.

I respect your take, Ryan, but I can't say "Daniel is an ass." I just can't. And just wait until we go overseas. That's right. Karate Kid II...

Anonymous said...

Every one does love an underdog, and Daniel is that. But let's take the sceen from the halloween dance. Johnny is minding his own business rolling a dube in a bathroom stall and Dill-hole Larusso (unprovoked) pours water on his head and ruins his blunt. Only Hillary Clinton could forgive that. Did he deserve a five way beat down? Hell yeah, they were going to pass the duchie to the left hand side.

Daniel Powell said...

Daniel did exactly what you would do in that situation. He tried to show his moxie by fucking with the big dog. Props to Daniel for the prank, and if Johnny was doing anything other than dropping a super duece (the joint thing is not developed in the plot), well, then he deserves a bunch of water on his stupid skeletal dome.

Again, I think idiotic bullies should go someplace else if they want to try to menace the new kid. And if they really want to see how he feels, they should approach him after they do a dirty leg sweep...

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