Product Description
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The Karate Kid
A herless teenager faces his moment of truth in The Karate
Kid. Daniel (Ralph Macchio) arrives in Los Angeles from the east
coast and faces the difficult task of making new friends.
However, he becomes the object of bullying by the Cobras, a
menacing gang of karate students, when he strikes up a
relationship with Ali (Elisabeth Shue), the Cobra leader's
ex-girlfriend. Eager to fight back and impress his new girlfriend
but afraid to confront the dangerous gang, Daniel asks his
handyman Miyagi (Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita), whom he learns is a
master of the martial arts, to teach him karate. Miyagi teaches
Daniel that karate is a mastery over the self, mind, and body and
that fighting is always the last answer to a problem. Under
Miyagi's guidance, Daniel develops not only physical skills but
also the faith and self-confidence to compete despite tremendous
odds as he encounters the fight of his life in the exciting
finale to this entertaining film.
The Karate Kid: Part II
The price of honor. The power of friendship. The Karate Kid,
Part II. Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki "Pat" Morita re-create the
roles that brought them international accl in The Karate Kid.
Karate student, Daniel Larusso (Macchio), accompanies his wise
and whimsical teacher, Mr. Miyagi (Morita), to his ancestral home
in Okinawa. For the boy, it's a journey to an exotic new world
offering new clues to his mentor's secret past. For Miyagi, it's
an rtunity to see his her one last time and to rekindle a
romance with his childhood sweetheart (Nobu McCarthy). But
Miyagi's return also re-ignites a bitter feud with long-time
enemy, Sato (Danny Kamekona) - a feud that involves young Daniel
in a brilliant collision of cultures and combat. Now, far away
from the tournaments, the cheering crowds and the safety of home,
Daniel will face his greatest challenge ever when teacher becomes
student and the price of honor is life itself.
The Karate Kid: Part III
Karate Kid, Daniel Larusso, risks losing it all when he places
pride before principle in this dramatic film that reunites stars
Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki "Pat" Morita. When Daniel (Macchio)
decides not to compete in the upcoming karate championship, he
becomes the target of vicious Cobra Kai student, Mike Barnes
(Sean Kanan), who's determined to win the title back. Standing
firm, Daniel's mentor and trainer, Mr. Miyagi (Morita), instructs
him to ignore Mike's threats - and stay away from the tournament.
But when Mike's relentless abuse escalates into blackmail, Daniel
finds himself forced into competition - and at serious odds with
Miyagi, the one person he cherishes most. Desperate, Daniel turns
to another karate instructor, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith),
whose violent combat techniques are directly sed to Miyagi's
wise instruction. But when Daniel realizes that Terry and Mike
are allied with Mr Miyagi's old nemesis, Kreese (Martin Kove), in
an elaborate set-up for revenge, he also knows he has alienated
the only person who can help him. A riveting story of
independence, inner strength and self-enlightenment, The Karate
Kid, Part III is a powerful new chapter in this popular series of
films.
The Next Karate Kid
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita and Acacemy Award winner Hilary Swank
co-star in this story of a rebellious teen, Julie, who blossoms
with a little help from her friends - in this case, the wise Mr.
Miyagi and a trio of buddhist monks!
.com
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A sizable hit with both teen audiences and sports-themed movie
enthusiasts, 1984's The Karate Kid had the right combination of
heart and action to spawn three sequels of varying quality
between 1986 and 1994; all four features have been packaged
together in this three-disc set. Though plot elements varied from
film to film, the core story (and the series' greatest strength)
remained the same--the relationship between a wise Japanese
martial arts teacher (skillfully underplayed by comedian Pat
Morita) and his young American student (Ralph Macchio in the
first three films, and future O winner Hilary Swank in the
final entry, The Next Karate Kid). The first of the
Morita/Macchio matchups remains the best of the four features,
with excellent performances from both leads and director John G.
Avildsen (who also handled Rocky and the first two Kid sequels)
expertly balancing the emotional moments with the pure excitement
of the martial arts tournament that serves as its finale.
The subsequent sequels with Macchio seemed pulpier (especially
The Karate Kid, Part II, with its rekindled wartime romance
subplot), and the inevitable come-from-behind competitions
lacking the impact of the original; 1994's The Next Karate Kid
(directed by Christopher Cain) put a slight spin on the formula
by replacing Macchio with belligerent teen Swank, but it too
seems like a retread of the first film. Still, the messages
inherent to each film--finding one's inner strength, trusting
your heart--should ring true to new generations of younger
viewers. Fans may find the Collection light on supplemental
features--while all four films are presented in anamorphic
widescreen format, only the original (which was previously
released in pan-and-scan only) offers commentary by Avildsen,
Macchio and Morita and several making-of featurettes; the three
sequels, packed into two discs, offer no extras. --Paul Gaita