If you are a fan of the television series The 100 – a post apocalyptic tale in which one hundred delinquent teens are sent to an uninhabitable Earth to allow those on a space station to survive (only for them to discover that the planet, that was ravaged by a nuclear war ninety-seven years earlier, is, in fact, alive and well), then this will be exciting for you. Over the next couple of months, in order to celebrate the show’s seventh and final season (which started airing on May 22nd, 2020), I am happy to announce that there will be three Star Picks coming up in the near future with a triumvirate of stars from the extremely popular series.
First up, the series’ male lead – Bob Morley. An Australian actor who got his start on soap operas in his native country (his first big break coming when he was added to the main cast of Home and Away in 2006), just eight short years later and he’s found his way to Vancouver, Canada to shoot The 100, taking on the role of Bellamy Blake (who would quickly become a fan favourite) – a riveting character that we have watched grow over the past seven seasons.
Extremely generous with his time, Morley was most excited to chat with me about his favourite movie – The Karate Kid (1984). A film that he grew up on, he explained that he watched it constantly through his teen years. A story that he was drawn to (citing the relationship between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi, as well as the engaging underdog story), he would always enjoy it while snacking on a Mars bar (which he remembers cost just 55 cents back in the day). He was also happy to say that he is very much enjoying the television series Cobra Kai – which has reunited much of the original cast and continues the story in a very fulfilling way (adding that anyone who loves the original film will fall in love with this as well).
One of those classic 80s family movies (right up there with Adventures in Babysitting, The Goonies, Uncle Buck, The NeverEnding Story, among others), The Karate Kid is very much of its time. Directed by John G. Avildsen (Rocky), we join unhappy teenager Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) as he makes the move from the east coast to California – his mother Lucille (Randee Heller) has found a new job, the New Jersey native quickly finds out that Los Angeles isn’t for the faint of heart. Finding himself between Ali (Elisabeth Shue) and karate expert Johnny (William Zabka – with a modern lens, coming off like the original Draco Malfoy), who have called it quits in the last few weeks – Daniel quickly soars to #1 on Johnny’s hit list. . . constantly beaten and bullied by the much larger teen and his lesser skilled karate-practicing followers – they have all learned their craft from ruthless ex-Special Forces Vietnam vet, sensei John Kreese (Martin Kove), owner of the Cobra Kai gym. Keep an eye out for Shue’s brother, Andrew (of Melrose Place fame), in an uncredited role as one of the teenage members of the Cobra Kai.
Though there is clearly chemistry between Daniel and Ali, he must tread lightly, for Johnny is always on the lookout. Other than Ali, the east coaster has had a difficult time making friends. . . though he finally finds a kindred spirit in their building’s caretaker, Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki ‘Pat’ Morita – who earned an Academy Award nomination for his role) – a sage handyman who seemingly is a master at everything, from shaping banzai trees and fixing sinks, to the ancient art of karate.
Taking him under his wing, they confront sensei Kreese and his students, buying Daniel a few months of safety to train before he will have to face them at a city wide karate championship. Under the guidance of Mr. Miyagi (in what weirdly looks like forced child labour), Daniel will learn how to ‘wax on’ and ‘wax off’ his fleet of cars, sand his deck, paint his fence in an up and down motion (using his wrist), and painting his house in a side to side motion. Yet, this is clearly a well hidden ancient training technique, for all of these seemingly pointless jobs have actually trained him in the art of defending himself. Spending less time on the offensive aspects of the discipline, Mr. Miyagi does introduce Daniel to the crane kick. . . an extremely difficult one legged kick that can lure your opponent in with a false sense of security. Can Daniel, in just a few short months of training, surprise his nemesis and his friends? Could he actually be able to perform the near impossible crane kick? And, perhaps most importantly, has this all been a ruse by Mr. Miyagi in order to get chores done around his house for free?
A playful family film, The Karate Kid has all of the charm that made so many 80s films legendary. With a classic underdog premise, an east coast/west coast teen romance, entertaining karate action, an engaging relationship between mentor and pupil, as well as nice touches of comedy, it has something for everyone. . . and, when you take a step back and look at it by way of its director, clearly Avildsen is building a more family friendly Rocky with all of the same themes as his 70s classic (simply transporting us from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, and from training in a meat packing plant to doing backyard chores, replacing Adrian with Ali, Mickey with Mr. Miyagi. . . feels similar, doesn’t it?).
And, perhaps even more importantly, The Karate Kid has so many 80s staples: a fast paced action montage where a classic 80s song plays in the background (Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best” blaring as Daniel masterfully goes through opponents at the karate championship – funnily enough, it was originally meant for Rocky III, but was replaced with “Eye of the Tiger”. . . it also got cut from Flashdance, as “Maniac” was chosen instead); its excellent cast – everyone living their roles and keeping things grounded (which can be difficult in this sort of fantastical Hollywood fare); and simply those pieces of 80s technology, fashion and trends that are still missed or fondly remembered today – boomboxes, beach bonfires, cut-off tee shirts, arcades, and, oh my goodness, that hair. And, if you want real proof of a film achieving classic status – look to its dialogue entering the popular lexicon. . . almost forty years after its release, you can still hear people talking about ‘the crane kick’, ‘wax on, wax off’, and Cobra Kai’. So, grab a Mars bar and enjoy this lively 80s adventure – you’ll feel the best! Around!