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Rewatching Karate Kid AGAIN and I noticed...

Okay, so I know, I know, I've seen The Karate Kid (1984) like, a million times. But it's a classic for a reason, right? This time around, something about Daniel's mom Lucille really struck me. She's trying SO hard to give him a good life in California, but you can see the stress on her face whenever Johnny and his Cobra Kai buddies are harassing him. She just wants them to be left alone! I almost feel bad for her. I'm probably reading too much into it, but I think it's there. And speaking of Johnny... he's a terrible bully, obviously, but I kinda get where he's coming from. That sensei of his, Kreese, is clearly manipulating him. It's messed up, but you can see Johnny has some internal conflict sometimes. Like when he's forced to really hurt Daniel at the tournament. (Sidenote: The crane kick is and will forever be ICONIC, even though I still think it's probably an illegal move, lol.) Also, did anyone else notice how Mr. Miyagi's apartment is super cluttered but also weirdly zen at the same time? Like, you know he's dealing with some serious stuff from his past, but he's got this calm aura. What a contrast! Actually, thinking about it, the whole movie is about contrasts like that. Rich vs. poor, violence vs. peace, cocky jerks vs. quiet heroes. It just works so well. I think that's why it resonated with people then and still does now. Anyway, just some random thoughts from my latest rewatch. Anyone else pick up on anything interesting?

hannahfilmbuff
3 months ago
4 comments
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