Let's Talk - Movies

The Karate Kid (1984) - Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

• Just Curious Media • Episode 15

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Let's Talk - Movies
Episode 15: The Karate Kid (1984) - Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez break down the classic movie and talk about catching flies, John G. Avildsen’s connection to the Rocky franchise, and how Pat Morita went from Happy Days to the Academy Awards.

* Daniel lives at the South Seas apartments, not the Seven Seas as mistakenly mentioned in the episode.

Synopsis: A boy and his mother move to California for a new job. He struggles to fit in, as a group of karate students starts to bully him for dating a rich girl from their clique. It's up to the Japanese landlord, Miyagi, to teach him karate.

Director: John G. Avildsen
Writer: Robert Mark Kamen
Cinematographer: James Crabe
Cast: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, Randee Heller, Martin Kove, William Zabka
Composer: Bill Conti

Original Episode: S01E16 & S01E15

Recorded: 02-07-22 & 06-17-19
Studio: Just Curious Media
https://www.JustCuriousMedia.com/

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Jason Connell:

Welcome to Just curious media. This is let's talk movies. And I'm Jason Connell on the show. Today, I'm talking about the 1984 classic, The Karate Kid. And it's also a very special treat because this particular scene by scene breakdown was the very first thing just curious media ever recorded back in June 17 2019. Pre pandemic, the world was a very different place. But this recording was actually done for our first show. Let's talk Cobra Kai. And at that time, I had just got into that show. I was very reluctant because of my love. For the Karate Kid. I thought, man, they're gonna mess this up. They're gonna mess this up. I don't want to see this show. Well, I watched it, and I could not stop watching. And back then it was only on YouTube season one and season two, season two, it just come out. So I consume those fell in love with it. And was at that time developing just curious media and thought, hey, this is it. The first show for just curious media will be let's talk Cobra Kai. And so then I sought out a co host. Because I didn't want to do it alone. I figured it'd be better to ping pong back and forth, have a conversation. And I went and found myself one Salvador Rodriguez, Sal Rodriguez, a good friend of mine. And we had worked together for many years at my film festivals United film festivals. In Los Angeles, in particular, he was always at that branch, I actually met Sal, because he came and tried out for my first documentary, which was strictly background. So we go back to 2005. And I thought he would be the perfect co host. He's the one and only person I asked, he came aboard, and the rest is history. So on this wonderful night back in June 2019, we just gave this a test run. And I didn't want to start with Cobra Kai, I wanted to go back and do our first recording in covering the Karate Kid which of course launched Cobra Kai. Now I didn't think for a second or maybe in the back of my mind, I hoped that Cobra Kai would continue to grow. I knew it was great. A lot of people weren't talking about it. But I was thinking now this is really a good show. It's got a chance some staying power. Well, I didn't know Netflix would get involved and and take it to a whole other stratosphere. Season three they released on their platform. Of course, season four. Now they're really behind it. They're like the driving force. And who knows how far it'll go. But it all goes back to the roots. So this particular scene by scene breakdown was done for let's talk Cobra Kai. It's before I even got to meet bud s. Smith, who I interviewed on a previous episode who was associate producer and editor of The Karate Kid. So this goes back to those early origins. Now, when we recorded this particular episode, we do talk about let's talk Cobra Kai, the intro, I'm leaving it in. It was very rough and rudimentary being our first one and the outro as well. And we'll reference things in Cobra Kai, but Sal had not seen season one and season two of Cobra Kai. So we really stay on point. There's a little bit of talk of the show, but since he hadn't seen I think he may be seen the first episode or maybe not yet. So we're really just living in the Karate Kid. So it still holds up. We literally go scene by scene if you've heard other episodes. The first 10 episodes, we did scene by scene breakdowns of classic movies from the 80s. This not being one of them. But every year was a different movie. You know how it works for movies 90 minutes, the episode would be longer than that, because we give backstory, trivia, Cast all sorts of stuff as well as our forensic analysis on every scene. But this is a great one. And I'm really excited to dust it off and put it here on Let's Talk movies podcast because it's relevant. It's a great crossover. In fact, we also did the Karate Kid part two and part three, and it may just be in store for those as well. Now one small little thing I know I mentioned in this breakdown a mistake on my part. I've since corrected it and told all of our fans on Let's Talk Cobra Kai, but I mistakenly called Daniel Russo's apartment complex, which is the South Seas apartments. I was calling it the seven C's apartments. I think I got my wires crossed with that classic Eurythmics song sweet dreams are made of this and they reference seven seas and you can sing it to yourself. I'm sure you remember the lyrics if you're of the right age. But yeah, I did this repeatedly. I've actually been to the South Seas department on a couple of occasions in receita, California, but nonetheless I made that mistake and I'm here to tell you about it now because you'll be hearing it for sure. And those of you watching viewing consuming this on you To live unfortunately, you're going to have to download the audio podcast version because that's why I'm attaching the breakdown. But I hope you do. It's well worth the time. So without further ado, please enjoy the Karate Kid. Welcome to Just curious media. And this is let's talk Cobra Kai. I'm your host Jason Connell documentary filmmaker, churn. podcaster. Joined by Sal Rodriguez.

Sal Rodriguez:

Sure, comedian, writer, actor.

Jason Connell:

You name it. I brought Sal on. I've known him for years to help me tackle this show that I've recently fallen in love with Cobra Kai. And rather than start with the first episode, we wanted to go back to where Cobra Kai was born. Was it the original 1984 The Karate Kid?

Sal Rodriguez:

A classic. By the way, you would have this obsession with Cobra Kai start. I mean, do you have a karate background yourself?

Jason Connell:

I do actually. I trained taekwondo growing up and even in LA. I was training have keto for a while, which is Korean. I didn't know this martial arts. I love it. It's like the evil empire. You're always drawn to the dark side. Right? There's something so cool about the Cobra guy.

Sal Rodriguez:

So you want to be a Cobra Kai even over Karate Kid?

Jason Connell:

Well watching the movie I hated Cobra Kai. Yeah, I feared them I was young. But over time, Cobra Kai dislike, you know, it just looks so cool and menacing. And, and actually my hair truth be told it was very Gianni esque. And on two different Halloween I have dressed up as Cobra Kai.

Sal Rodriguez:

Ya know, when I first met Jason Connell, he had the Gianni hairstyle.

Jason Connell:

Yeah, he's true. Yeah, I had it just recently but I go in and out. I found a Cobra Kai shirt ripped off the sleeves black shirt, huge Coca Cola on the front. It had the what is their slogan? Strike first strike first

Sal Rodriguez:

strike hard. No, sir. I added the sir.

Jason Connell:

So I had that on the back of the shirt. And I went to these events and people are like swept the leg Johnny and one at LACMA. They said, Oh, there's a Danielson run around here. So we had a photo op. Really? Yeah, it was great.

Sal Rodriguez:

Did he do the cream?

Jason Connell:

No, but I would have seen that coming. Yeah.

Sal Rodriguez:

Then you would have slept? I would have thought that like oh, that's cool to know that about your soul scene is how you did martial arts. And you play soccer. I would be wary of your kicks. Good kicks. Yeah. Stay clear.

Jason Connell:

What about you?

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, I've just been a fan of mixed martial arts for many years and that has segwayed into I've taken boxing coaching. I've taken Muay Thai coaching, private coaching, but I'm just an overall fan of mixed martial arts. So mixed martial arts has then got me to appreciate the individual disciplines like karate. Yeah, and I know speaking of Karate Kid, I mean, definitely what speaking of UFC. The Karate Kid, I'm sure influenced GSP George St. Pierre, one of the greatest mixed martial arts ever, who was a former student who was bullied who then went into karate, and then became one of the greatest UFC champions ever. You can create a lot of parallels with the Karate Kid, and to how they manifested in real life.

Jason Connell:

Absolutely. Well, back to this movie. So came out in 1984. This is the 35th anniversary, kind of hard to believe. And guess what the budget was any idea?

Sal Rodriguez:

I'm gonna guess around 5 million. That's pretty good. Guess it was

Jason Connell:

8 million. Wow. Not a lot of big names. I mean, you got this young cast. Yeah, right. And Pat Morita wasn't household name. What did rough macho do prior to this? So he was in the academy. It was like this cheesy little movie and then he was in a ton of episodes of Eight is Enough

Sal Rodriguez:

where it was outsiders before or after Karate Kid. That's right before. Okay, so we this is coming right off outside.

Jason Connell:

He was in the outsiders, which was of all things filmed in my hometown, Tulsa, Oklahoma. I didn't know that Francis Ford Coppola came to town. It was written by se Hinton who was a Tolson, so I'm like 1112 years old. And here comes Coppola and company. And all you really knew at the time was Matt Dillon. Yeah, and you look back now and it's like, oh my gosh, you got me the rest of us. Tom Cruise. Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe. Diane Lane, it's loaded but you don't know all

Sal Rodriguez:

they were all that was a springboard for many of them. So they were not household names by any means.

Jason Connell:

And so much yeah, so seeing him on that that's what got him this role. Karate Kid so guess what? It grossed US gross.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, US gross. That's the budget of 8 million 50 million,

Jason Connell:

almost 91 million. Wow. So who knows what to do worldwide. These are just numbers from IMDb has no wonder they spawned so many sequels shows, etc, etc. Who got

Sal Rodriguez:

rich wine Trump?

Jason Connell:

Jerry Weintraub definitely got rich. Oh, for sure.

Sal Rodriguez:

There was an old thing I heard. It's like when they were talking about how much Tom Cruise earned and for Mission Impossible or whatever, you know, bragging about how biggest checks work. But then somebody said, Well, there was always some producer who who signed the check to Tom Cruise who was making more money than Tom Cruise. Oh, for sure.

Jason Connell:

Yes. So it still gets 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. 7.2 on IMDb. So I hadn't seen the film in a while and to start it. Did you realize that they were in like New Jersey in the beginning of this movie.

Sal Rodriguez:

I forgot that part for it all. I know what when I originally saw it, I might have come into the movie theater late. I might have missed I never knew it. No, I don't remember that at all. And then I

Jason Connell:

was roadshow for I'm New Jersey, yeah, to Los Angeles. And it's a whole opening credits montage. Yeah, that I totally was lost on me.

Sal Rodriguez:

But I expected to see all the states but they go from New Jersey. And the next thing you know, when I recognize because I've been there many times they're in Sedona, Arizona, so they went from New Jersey to Sedona, Arizona now getting gas, but I'm thinking, what, where did they stop in between all of a sudden they're in Sedona, then they're in California only

Jason Connell:

had a million dollars. They couldn't really go there and

Sal Rodriguez:

they jumped started the car. A lot of people don't know that you can do that. A friend of mine. A friend of mine, his motorcycle wouldn't start. I was like, let's push it man. And we push it and we started his motorcycle. But it was interesting to see them start up the car that way. And they traveled cross country jumpstarting this car. That's crazy,

Jason Connell:

a lot of foreshadow and then I learned how to drive on a standard. And I learned how to get it out of first on a big hill. So there was times popping the clutch was standard procedure. Yeah,

Sal Rodriguez:

that's tough, though, because I've tried clutch. Yeah, I've tried it. I know how to do it. I know what to do. But I'm really bad at it. I stole it first. It's just bad. I'm better on automatic.

Jason Connell:

I wish my car was standard. So anyway, they're on the long road trip. And then they wind up and of all places. receita. Yeah, why not? You know, at the seven seas, which I will say I went there three weeks ago, just to see if it was still standing. looks exactly the same.

Sal Rodriguez:

You know what, I'm really surprised to hear that because for those of you unfamiliar with what's going on in the area, President de Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley being a suburb I would almost call a former suburb, it's now becoming more urban. I'm surprised that building is still standing, because there's a lot of demolition going on. They demoed Marilyn Monroe's old house in North Hollywood over here not too long ago. Why would they care about Karate Kid apartment building. I'm so surprised and pleasantly surprised that it's still standing today and you can drive over there and see it today.

Jason Connell:

It's all that patch work that Miyagi did back in the day that he was he was good. He was good with his hands. So I even went up to the gate. It was pretty funny and not see through. So it's not that wooden gate that Daniel could not see through. And there's the pool. There's the waterfall. I didn't go in to look at apartment 20

Sal Rodriguez:

By the way, that apartment complex is on saticoy near Tampa.

Jason Connell:

That's That's exactly right. So we start off Daniel was so against moving and he's just got this bad attitude. His mother's so upbeat and excited to move some computer company has brought her West. We've got a downright positive attitude. super positive, and he's a little grumpy. Honestly, I'm

Sal Rodriguez:

not liking him so much. Not a little grumpy. He is really pass. Yeah, I'm just not into his character lukewarm about him. Yeah, I'm like, this ungrateful kid is devoted mother bringing them along in a cross country road trip. My mother never took me on a road for

Jason Connell:

single mother at that. Yeah. And she's got a job for them. And she relocated. So as first encounter with someone else his own age, he kicks open the door to the seven seas and knocks over Freddie. Yeah, who befriends him immediately and seems like a really nice guy. Yeah, it

Sal Rodriguez:

seems like a legitimate kid that wants to have a new friend. And when they're happy to welcome him to the building,

Jason Connell:

invites him to a cookout the next day. So immediately, he's got something in his day planner.

Sal Rodriguez:

I'm starting to figure out what day it is. So I'm figuring if they had a beach party, and then they had school the next day. So that means it must have been a Sunday. They arrive on a Saturday. They arrive on a Saturday. Yeah, go to the beach party on a Sunday and then have

Jason Connell:

school on Monday. And it wasn't as school it was first day in school.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay. Yeah. So this is actually a very interesting time. In the school year, as well. Yep. Not only in Daniel's son's life.

Jason Connell:

So we we made Friday he invites him and on the way up to an apartment 20 They passed this old lady with the dog. Now do you recognize that old lady at all? No, I didn't recognize her. She was happy Gilmore's grandmother. Oh, no more. Okay. And she was in a bunch of episodes of Seinfeld. Anyway, small bit, but I thought I knew she looks familiar.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, when Danielson brought the water for the dogs is when he started to redeem himself to That's right. Okay, well, he's kind of thoughtful now.

Jason Connell:

He was grumpy. His mom wouldn't stop. Yeah, maybe that was part

Sal Rodriguez:

but I thought it was a nice gesture. Yeah, it was a kind gesture. And that's when I started to think okay, maybe this Daniel son is not such a bad kid. after all.

Jason Connell:

We then meet Mr. Miyagi. And he's trying to catch flies with chopsticks. A little foreshadowing? Is that what he's doing in the beginning? The first time Daniel sees him, he sees what he's doing. Okay. Is that catching? No. Yes. Did you ever try to catch flies off chopsticks after this?

Sal Rodriguez:

I've never tried to catch flies with chopsticks. But I have tried to trap flies. Because I do a catch and release system. Remember this about the critters? Yeah. So I have tried to capture flies to them release them outside but have ever tried with chopsticks. Never tried them because you fight crush them? I would imagine that if you did catch a flight with a chopstick you would indeed end its life.

Jason Connell:

You know what I got good at with my cousin. We caught flies and our hands. Build scoop technique. Yes. And I got really good at that. And then what'd you do with it? I let him go. Let him go. We would tell each other. Catch him. Hold him for three seconds. Open your hands. He'll fly away. We'll come back because he's been in your heart. And sometimes that happened really? Yeah, we thought we were like kung fu masters. Yeah, it was pretty cool.

Sal Rodriguez:

No, that was a precursor to Kashmir with Jeff. So have you ever cut flies with chopsticks and never tried never tried? Well, you know what, there's a sushi place right across the street. They flies. Hopefully not, but they definitely have chopsticks. And I'm actually curious now to see if that is indeed possible. I wonder, did they just create that concept for the movie? Or is that actually some old samurai concept?

Jason Connell:

If and when we get ruff maggio on? It's a good question for him? Yeah. I like that. Because I'd like to know that too. Like, where did that come from? Is that in the script?

Sal Rodriguez:

What if like the fly with chopstick was just improv for the day and they decided to keep it so impractical

Jason Connell:

to like, really catch that fly with a chapstick. So he meets Pat Moran and now Pat Marina was talking about him for a second came from Sanford and Son. You know, that's kind of would you say red fox discovered him

Sal Rodriguez:

red fox discovered Pat Merida through stand up comedy. Yes. You saw him doing stand up comedy. I don't know where I guess Los Angeles, and then had them come home and Sanford and Son so I believe that's where he got his television start was what was the character's name? Ah, choo. Choo. You never get away with that today. So aren't you played by Pat and Rita had his television debut Sanford and Son discovered by red fox a really good interesting bit of trivia.

Jason Connell:

And then of course, happy days, which I really remember him from is Arnold.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, so that's when I personally first learned about Pat. Marita was unhappy to me to

Jason Connell:

Jerry Weintraub, the producer did not initially want Pat Merida for the role.

Sal Rodriguez:

No, because he thought that he would make the role too comical because see, prior to the Karate Kid, Pat and Rita was known as a comedian. stand up comedian, then comedic actor. So then all of a sudden, they want to introduce them to this movie as playing some karate sensei. And Jerry Weintraub was like, no, he's a comedian. And he basically I think, had to audition and prove himself and then weintrob was impressed by his performance. And then what happened? Well, let me just give a little more please. What happened was so Pat Marina pattern, the role of Mr. Miyagi after sensei Fumio demora. And they had made a documentary about him in 2017 called the real Mr. Miyagi. So Pat Marieta pattern, Mr. Miyagi, after Fumio demora, a very famous Japanese karate martial artist.

Jason Connell:

And so to prove he really deserve the part, Mr. Miyagi goes on, gets nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar nominated for an Oscar doesn't win, either. But But what

Sal Rodriguez:

do you think when you're amazing when you're in a position like wine Trump's you're like, I didn't want this guy first. And now he's nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Does that do anything to you? I wonder. Is that the question? Question you're moving on?

Jason Connell:

I think you quickly say I signed off on that. Yeah, exactly. You take the credit, you spin it around. Yes. But like what I put in motion. Alright, so that's patent right. And we got a little bit of him. So now back on point, Daniels at the beach hanging out with Freddie hanging out with the guys playing soccer, which is cool to see. I'm a big soccer guy. And there's the first time we see a young Elizabeth shoe is Ali the love interest. Yes. And who would go on after this to be in movies like cocktail Back to the Future two and three adventures and babysitting Leaving Las Vegas she's had a really grab all the people from credit kids. She's probably had one of the best careers

Sal Rodriguez:

does she do bikini work and all of her films or was it just in the Karate Kid?

Jason Connell:

Well, there is a swimsuit and cocktail.

Sal Rodriguez:

Really? Yeah. Okay, note to self watch cocktail.

Jason Connell:

Now back to the futures they're not back in the future. Two or three artventurers of babies and other Leaving Las Vegas pretty gritty. It's a great movie, but she was dark Mike Vegas Feldman. There's a side to her. That's not the usual Elisabeth Shue

Sal Rodriguez:

interesting. Yeah. Cuz their role is very wholesome.

Jason Connell:

Right very much.

Sal Rodriguez:

This whole movie is urging supporting. Yes. Just wanted to be done with Johnny. Right. And

Jason Connell:

which is kind of shocking that she was with Johnny. And I know that's like it's over. And we don't see it happen on camera. But she was really with him. Well, you ran with the Cobra. Guys.

Sal Rodriguez:

You know what's funny is if they read this movie today, I guess they did like what the Karate Kid but let's forget about that for a second. They would have some sort of prequel. So in the prequel, we would get to see Ali and Johnny dating. We all have seen the jerk date the nice person. That's true. So it makes total sense that this sweet girl dated this jerk. That's true that eventually does try to break up with him.

Jason Connell:

And we've seen him away from the Cobra guys at the country club, for instance. And he fits in that society very well. And the parents liked and the parents liked him so that it can find like the parents that his parents and so they probably another side to him, and he probably got darker in Cobra Kai. Maybe that's why she broke

Sal Rodriguez:

up with him. A little bit of background on Johnny's character, or rather, should I say the actor portraying Johnny how he approached the role was that he Zabka Williams, aka William Zabka. Imagine that that his Sensei, when he did some research and into how he wanted to portray the role, the Sensei was the only father figure he's ever known. So that was sort of an attack. attachment he had to the sensei to the point where he's willing then later on crease yes later to do whatever he says is true because we don't meet Johnny's dad and Karate Kid. We don't know anything about his family.

Jason Connell:

I've actually seen Cobra Kai, we're saving that for the podcast. We get into that you do delve deep into Johnny's background with his parents. So

Sal Rodriguez:

it is almost a prequel in a way.

Jason Connell:

Yes, it's kind of like a lost you go back and forth and learn about the character. So back on the beach, I guess we never left and here comes the Cobra Kai riding dirt bikes on the beach, no helmets, looking like rock stars. They

Sal Rodriguez:

didn't have helmet law them

Jason Connell:

didn't have helmet law. So they come rolling up and immediately chaos ensues.

Sal Rodriguez:

This is where some people talk about how Danielson is actually the bully. And there are all these you can check online. There's all kinds of information about people theorizing that it's actually Daniel son, child psychologist, sociologist. Daniel was more of the bully and instigator than Johnny. This is due to the scenes involving Daniel quote unquote, standing up for himself, in fact being acts of retaliation against something Gianni has perceived to have done to ally so some people are downright say that Daniel Sutton was the bully.

Jason Connell:

I wouldn't go so far to say that but I also wouldn't call it Danielson answer Okay. I think he definitely helps fuel the fire. He's got that you know, he's from his from these coasts. He has a short fuse. Daniel obviously does. He's gonna stand up for himself. He stands up for himself. He goes over to an obviously bad situation with guys who look tough, and his buddies who he's barely buddies with and don't look to quickly fade away. And he's all by himself. And I gave him credit. He didn't back down

Sal Rodriguez:

yet. And also when he got pushed down. Yep, he threw that stereo side and got up ready to fight and

Jason Connell:

then punched him and that sucker punch but got a good hit on Johnny made his mouth bleed. And then John, of course, puts him down on the on the sand. So when that happens, the guy Freddy, who brings him to the beach quickly. disowns Daniel,

Sal Rodriguez:

he knows that he will not be getting any karate lessons as he had hoped for

Jason Connell:

Daniel lives in receita. This happened and where Malibu

Sal Rodriguez:

it was actually at Lille Korean state beach actually a place that I visit quite often. So what does that 20 miles? It's a little bit north of Malibu,

Jason Connell:

I believe. Exactly. So Daniel has no ride home. This is pre Uber pre lift.

Sal Rodriguez:

There was no bus at that time. There was RTD not Metro. There was no RTD Yeah,

Jason Connell:

it's Sunday night, dude. He's got school that next day Yeah, Friday leaves in Daniel to his pride kicks in and he shoves away Ali, like get away. I'm fine. I'll be fine. And so you know, you have no idea how he gets home, but he doesn't have any money. So that happens.

Sal Rodriguez:

So how does he get home? His friends left them Yeah, Ali's not wait. Did Ali take them home? No. He told her leave. Okay, so yeah, how do you get home maybe he walked

Jason Connell:

walked to a payphone called it now because he kept the whole thing a secret from his mother. The next day he wakes up he's wearing shades first day of school.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, so anyway, that's not called a blooper. What is it called a glitch? I don't know an answer question as skipping

Jason Connell:

ahead. I can't type every loosen. Yeah. Okay. So, a little bit before we go on a little bit about William Zakka. The Johnny Lawrence, the head Cobra Kai. He was in a few other movies. And some I really liked just one of the guys. Okay, National Lampoon's European Vacation, great movie Grizz waltz. He was dating the gridwall daughter. And a night he wasn't nice in that, but he also kind of here had a little bit of that aura about him. And definitely in the Rodney Dangerfield movie Back to school. It's almost like he plays a character named chess, but he's really almost playing Johnny in college. It was a real jerk in that movie. He's a swimmer. He's a diver, much like Rodney Dangerfield son, and it was a super jerk to him. It was in a frat. So he really nailed that like cocky, blonde all American persona.

Sal Rodriguez:

I've totally forgot about that. But after the movie, having had no martial arts experience prior to the film, he went on to become a I think it was a second degree. I think they call it a second degree Green Belt. Okay, I don't know the belts. Yeah, he started advancing in karate after this movie. But prior to all that he was actually an accomplished wrestler, maybe a high school wrestler or college wrestler. And to this day, he still owns the red leather jacket that he wore. The film still owns that today. It's a great looking jacket. Does he have it in Cobra Kai? He does. Okay, so that's his own personal prop. That's

Jason Connell:

a great jacket. Yes. A little Michael Jackson. I also was gonna say that they look down Daniel, and maybe this is not important or not but more soccer. Daniel Roth Macho is a pretty good juggler of the soccer ball. Yeah, I noticed. You know, he's using his knees a lot. And he was teaching Ali how to do it. Yeah, I guess when I saw this movie, I was inundated in soccer. And I've seen it was just natural. And now this many years later, there's like 20 Soccer scenes in this movie, which I Yeah, and I guess they go on the field. There's two different practices. What? No, no, you

Sal Rodriguez:

know what I gotta tell you. Okay, so I grew up in the San Fernando Valley where this movie is set right? Soccer was not a big thing. That was actually for the movies like the movie made it a bigger thing. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley attending all LAUSD schools in the San Fernando Valley soccer was not a big thing. Wow. So the movie made it a big thing. And now look where we are today. Soccer has become a bigger thing.

Jason Connell:

Yeah. So it all goes back to Karate Kid karate kid started the trend. Thank you karate kid. And I was also gonna point out one of the Cobra Kai's has a famous father.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, well, one of the Cobra Kai's will please Dutch named Chad McQueen, son of Steve McQueen.

Jason Connell:

He actually studied martial arts from Chuck Norris. Yeah, you know, he's got some moves. Yeah. When they get to the tournament much later the valley tournament of anybody. He looks the most legitimate of the Cobra guys. They have other people in the tournament that you could tell were real martial artists. They were sprinkling that man to give it the authenticity.

Sal Rodriguez:

You had the referee of the match name is Pat E. Johnson. He is a karate expert and former student going back to Chuck Norris again. And he instructed many movie stars in karate. He's credited at the end of the movie as the fight instructor choreographer for the film, but I didn't know that I didn't know what the referee was the fight choreographer. Make sense until the very end, you got to look at the credits. I encourage people to stick around for the credits of a movie. You see the movie theater people get up and leave. Well, now more people are staying because a ticket there's going to be a little inseam. But if it's not a Marvel movie, most people are going to get up and leave. You miss some star Ferris Bueller. Okay, you miss some stuff if you just get up and leave. So definitely stick around. There was also another guy a guy named Darryl Vidal, Darrell the doll who also portrays a tournament finalist in the movie. He is the guy that did the body doubling of Mr. Miyagi when he's doing the crane on the beach. Okay, yeah. So a guy from the tournament body double patent reader for the crane seen

Jason Connell:

$8 million movie, you gotta have multiple jobs. He was really light on his feet.

Sal Rodriguez:

I thought when he was doing those movements on that beam of water on that post. Yes. I really liked like a feather.

Jason Connell:

Yeah, it was good saying I'm more for shooting but we'll get to that that's ahead of us. Look if I'm jumping ahead. Okay, so here we are first day of school. Daniel has a shiner, and there's more soccer. We don't eat when I'm in the school. We're literally a soccer practice like 12 hours later he's soccer ring again. And he's juggling away. And then there's Cruel Summer that song is playing Bananarama and then Cobra Kaiser scheming plan. They've already bested him at the beach and bears him in front of the valley. And they're already scheming on the soccer field.

Sal Rodriguez:

They see him first I believe, I think they spot him first. Well, there's more of them. But yes, that's true. They spot him and that's when they start scheming.

Jason Connell:

So during a game soccer game. Bobby takes out Daniels obvious red card. Objection. What does Daniel do? Immediately fights back and slugs Bobby, and they always get the retaliation. Yeah, Coach rejects Daniel. Sure he's lost his mind. Ali oversees this whole thing. And Daniel looks like the crazy man because he's just, he's got a short fuse. He is being picked on.

Sal Rodriguez:

I thought he was gonna get kicked out of school because right before that, that little fight on the soccer field. He and Daniel and Ali are having a nice little flirtatious moment. Yeah, having a nice little moment. I thought to myself that she's thinking, Oh, he's going to be here at we're in school. We're going to date that's where she's probably thinking, Oh, yeah. And then he gets the boot. I'm thinking as the viewer he's getting expelled from school. And then she's looking at him going oh my gosh, there it is. It's over before it even started.

Jason Connell:

That's true. If you punch someone in my school and you're not just leaving soccer practice you're you are ejected from school

Sal Rodriguez:

today if you punch somebody you're probably getting arrested.

Jason Connell:

There's that yeah, this is the

Sal Rodriguez:

80s 80s you can get away yeah, he is he I think he had a knife good have a knife in school. It was no big.

Jason Connell:

Yes. The 80s Cut to which I think is more foreshadowing Daniel in his apartment reading a book about karate and doing some self lessons. Yeah, he's kicking. He's kicking in Mr. Miyagi. The maintenance man enters the scene and surveys what's going on? Because what

Sal Rodriguez:

did you fix the sink right there was a leak arresting? Yes. Okay. So Mr. Miyagi arrives to fix the sink and sees Daniel practicing kicks.

Jason Connell:

Exactly. Yeah. Just a little moment there, you know. And next we see Daniel's mom, Mrs. Lewis. So at a restaurant not at her computer job, which went under by the way, I missed that she even worked at the computer company. But Daniel tells Friday that in the beginning, and then there's a little bit of an exchange where she said they went under and then she lucked into this job at the Orient Express. And she became the hostess.

Sal Rodriguez:

So interesting. I'm wondering if maybe the production lost the location or something they had to dance. I mean, why would they just make that right turn all of a sudden, well, they stuck

Jason Connell:

her right next to the Cobra Kai Dojo to. Again, it's $8 million budget. Now you got to stay

Sal Rodriguez:

tight. Keep things

Jason Connell:

tight. We got a sweet cut that computer company. So she's at the restaurant and in the background. You can see it it says karate, right. Yeah. When I saw this movie, not as a kid, when I saw it, I don't know. I watched it about seven, eight years ago. And I saw a street and it was Cloverdale. And this is a miracle mile, Los Angeles and Wilshire Cloverdale Wilshire, when I was watching this movie, I was living at fourth and Cloverdale. And I just had this out of body experience like wait two, three blocks down the Cobra Kai dojo. So I got my dog as we walk down there, just to look at this building. Is this where it was done, and it was but that's one of two Cobra Kai locations. Yeah,

Sal Rodriguez:

they did cheat the locations. Apparently one is near off of Miracle Mile exterior exterior would be called the west side of Los Angeles. Then you jump back into the San Fernando Valley, and the Dojo is in North Hollywood on Lankershim

Jason Connell:

and both buildings are there but that's more prominent. They're all the indoor scenes that you see in the Cobra Kai Dojo or the one from Ohio.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, and the one I'm in Noho on Lankershim between Chandler and Magnolia in Noho. Arts District today was famous locally for being a dance studio. Apparently it was a very famous dancer. They also they also had aerobics classes. So when I first moved to Noho, 20 years ago, you had a lot of dance classes there. I used to see little did I know when I'd see the dance classes there when I would be eating at the Indian restaurant across the alleyway. I'm looking over at the dance class, not realizing that that was the Cobra Kai dojo.

Jason Connell:

That's amazing. You know if I was old enough in the 80s, or I'm surprised someone didn't do this. But why did they not roll out Cobra Kai studios everywhere? They could have definitely could.

Sal Rodriguez:

They didn't capitalize off it might

Jason Connell:

have been too early and it definitely helped prime karate and America.

Sal Rodriguez:

I say this as a toy collector. Why didn't they have the whole line of action figures immediately? Or did they I don't think that they had original Emirati kid or Cobra Kai action figures because Lucas didn't make this movie. If Lucas would have made this, we would have Cobra Kai motorcycles. You would definitely have the motorcycles the dirt bike? Oh, yes. You'd have the Cobra Kai dirt bikes. Absolutely.

Jason Connell:

The red jackets.

Sal Rodriguez:

Oh, you'd have the red jackets. You'd have the headbands and bands,

Jason Connell:

you'd have shops to have it all. I mean, they had a few trinkets here and there. I did see some I went to video stores back then. That's how I even found credit card. I didn't see it in the theater. Unfortunately. One video store called all the right movies. They had this thing behind the counter and it was chopsticks like karate kid branded. So there was a little bit of that going on. But not enough, not what they would have today. I mean, had it come out now. Cobra Kai would be everywhere. It would be like the Chapelle day of karate dojos you know why not? Sure are the Starbucks Daniels talking to his mother getting the lowdown sharing about Ali this love interest. And he's excited because he's gonna although Daniels reading his book about karate. He knows he needs to learn from master. So he goes and inquiring At the Dojo, not knowing its Cobra caught.

Sal Rodriguez:

Oh, that's right. He walks into get legitimate lessons not realizing he was walking into the belly of the beast.

Jason Connell:

Exactly. He sees crease and he sees it. This commanding sensei has control over the whole class. And it was until certain people bow and he sees Johnny's eyes lock on him.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, cuz Chris has Johnny take over the class. That's later. That wasn't at that moment when Johnny was in Ben's day down to That's right bow sees AC Daniel. Yeah, that's when they make eye contact and Daniel's like, Oh, no. What am I doing?

Jason Connell:

And so my question to you is, what if Daniel had just stayed stomach did talk to crease and became a Cobra Kai

Sal Rodriguez:

Wow, look how close we were to them what the movie being and then Daniel goes back as a Cobra Kai and beats up Fred.

Jason Connell:

It's all going back to Freddy. Now, I mean, I know what the movie is over, but he's just not wanting to back down from things. So Daniel decides to leave as opposed to staying there, which would have probably solved all of his problems, goes back his temperaments different, he's dejected. He's chosen the one dojo in the world that the Cobra guys is at. And he's talking to his mother and if you remember that scene, I think the scenes actually well done. You see the Cobra Kai coming out of the studio and they spot him Oh yeah,

Sal Rodriguez:

cuz he's they're having lunch or dinner with his mother right in the window. Right they come out of the dojo and then actually they don't see him at first it's the one guy who sees it runs back tells Johnny Hey, and then that's when they what do they do with that?

Jason Connell:

So then we we cut to Daniel Ryan his bike from which that would have been from Miracle Mile to receipt it impossible but we won't get into that entourage used to do stuff like that. So he's riding his bike calm. It's kind of eerie out they didn't do a good job of that.

Sal Rodriguez:

You know what I was reminded of his when he was riding his bike at that moment, kind of having et flashbacks. It's like I think et filmed in the valley too, and went to the house one time Okay, so et film in the valley. Yeah. and they had the you know, the bicycle riding at night, I was totally reminded of scenes from et when Daniel is riding his bike there before he gets accosted by these brutes on dirt bikes. And this time they're wearing helmets. They did have helmets, so that's to be anonymous. Oh, good point. Yeah. Cuz they knew they were going to do dirty. So like when they showed up at the beach, they were just going to show up at the beach and be idiots. That's true. But you're right. They knew they were going to

Jason Connell:

get the point that yeah, it was premeditated. Yes, exactly. And I want to talk about crease real quick. Yeah, crease the Cobra Kai sensei. He's played by Martin Cove. is a longtime TV actor. Yeah, he went on to play. I want to say almost 200 episodes of Cagney and Lacey.

Sal Rodriguez:

While at the time I saw Karate Kid for the first time. I had definitely seen him in lots of stuff. So many things. Yeah, I'm sure like I probably saw him in hunter or Oh, yeah. Falcon Crest. All those shows the 80s. I think I saw him and I definitely had seen him before.

Jason Connell:

I doubt he was on Love Boat.

Sal Rodriguez:

Maybe fantasy. Everybody else was on.

Jason Connell:

Martin Cove. He's in Cobra Kai.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay. I'm looking forward. I know. Chuck Norris was rumored to have been asked to play that role. But he was never asked to play that. That's right. Yeah. But the rumor was he was asked to play that role and turned down the role because he thought he would portray karate senseis in a negative light.

Jason Connell:

That's a good point.

Sal Rodriguez:

Now what Chuck Norris came back and said, it's Yeah, that's true. I was never offered the role, but I would have turned it down for that very reason. That's a

Jason Connell:

good point. I agree. His image was much cleaner than that. And so I wouldn't have fit for him. I'm glad that Chuck Norris wasn't that role. I think he's great, but I don't think he could have portrayed it as evil.

Sal Rodriguez:

I'm just wondering if Chuck Norris has ever played bad guy. He doesn't play bad guy play

Jason Connell:

tough guy like lone wolf McQuade he was tough. Guy. No, he's not a bad guy. And then Texas. What was that? Walker, Texas Ranger Walker, Texas Ranger. It was more of a silly campy

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, but he's always good guy.

Jason Connell:

Is it good guy? Yeah. So I don't know. I mean, they got the right guy. Yeah, he's crease if he's in karate or not. He didn't even have to do much does his

Sal Rodriguez:

presence he never does karate in the movie. Yeah, he

Jason Connell:

looks like a GI Joe figure. He just looks like he's chiseled out of some other, you know, like, Eastwood.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah. Well, speaking of Gi GI Joe and Eastwood, when they first go into the dojo, you see some items on the wall. Yes. And one of those is some sort of Vietnam shot that shows that Chris was a veteran of Vietnam. So a Vietnam War veteran turn sensei. But speaking of Eastwood, Eastwood son, Clint Eastwood son, not Scott, not Scott Kyle Eastwood auditioned for the role of Daniel. And then when he didn't get the part, his father, Clint Eastwood banned all Coca Cola products from the sets of all his movies, because at that time, Columbia Studios owned Coca Cola at the time. So that was Clint Eastwood way of getting back at Columbia for not casting his son, Kyle Eastwood, to play Daniel. I think guess what others famous and we have, as you mentioned earlier, Steve McQueen. So we have Steve McQueen, son, and then Clint Eastwood is like, Oh, you're not going to have my son in the movie? Well, no Coca Cola products on my sets. And

Jason Connell:

Steve McQueen son was a real legitimate karate expert. And he also wasn't Daniel. Yeah, you know, I mean, Daniel was going to the right guy, rough macho was the right guy.

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, he's the right guy. But at the same time, other actors who were considered for Daniel, Sean Penn at one time considered see Thomas Howe considered I could see him doing it. You can see see Thomas,

Jason Connell:

because he's got that sympathy, you know, more than Chompin too tough. Yeah, he could have been Johnny. Well, Sean

Sal Rodriguez:

Penn at the time, turned down the offer. I don't know if he ever auditioned but turned down the offer, because he thought he wanted to do more adult roles at that time. You know, these guys are like in their early 20s. Well, I could either go back and play high school again, or college or I could play adult roles. But you also had Charlie Sheen, also considered for the

Jason Connell:

role Charlie eat might have been able to do it. Yeah,

Sal Rodriguez:

I forgot about Charlie Sheen's early roles. I forgot what he did early on.

Jason Connell:

Well, young guns is the first time I remember him coming on the scene. Oh, and then Lucas. What am I saying? Of course, he was in Lucas with Carrie green and Corey Haim. Okay. And he was also in young guns, but his brother was much bigger at the time. Yeah. Let's see Thomas. How had that persona he would have been a good. Another choice. Tom Cruise also could have probably done it.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yes. So you're looking at grabbing from the outside everybody in the outsiders like yeah,

Jason Connell:

unravel up. Now. Rob was too pretty boy, he would have had a hard time having sympathy for him. I thought rajmachi was great. It was like the role he was supposed to have.

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, what's interesting is when you look up all this trivia on who was considered for any given role, it doesn't say anywhere how they finally landed on Ralph Machiel. How they got back to rough macho after all these other guys. Yeah,

Jason Connell:

that's a question for Ralph Maggio. We will have definitely gonna have to get him on one of our shows. Alright, so now the Cobra guys are coming bearing down on Daniel on his bicycle, and having watched the same It's a little comical. So they come rolling up on him. And there's a massive Hill and watching the SAL I just thought if they didn't trip him, they didn't do anything. They just kind of got close to him. And on his own, you know, momentum. He took himself down the hill and wiped out and rolled and everything and I just thought if Dan had just stopped his bicycle got off because he hadn't really done anything to them. They were more heckling him. He probably could have avoided some of the situation. But he just kind of he gets in his own way. Sometimes they did

Sal Rodriguez:

what you would call running him off the road, but I would have stopped Well sure. Maybe not maybe not what the fall because you see always going down and all of a sudden boom, you hit something and

Jason Connell:

well the bike so I watched this just before we came on, the bike literally goes about five feet. Yeah, not crushed. And then he got a scratch on it. Next time we see the bike. It's got a cracked tire frame, and he's still in the dumpster. Yes, that's okay. That's movie magic. I get it. But it wasn't as bad as we were led to believe

Sal Rodriguez:

the bicycle that Daniel was writing was a mongoose. Right after the movie mongoose sales skyrocketed. And the reason why I may get bicycles like diamond backs and mongoose is confused is because in real life, what fights a snake among us. So in the neighborhoods where I grew up in, you either had a diamond back or you had a mongoose, and you ran with a different crowd. If you run a diamond back versus a mongos Karate Kid Oh, after Karate Kid, you want Cobra Kai's could be on a diamond back another snake or the Mongoose forcing right killer snake killer like karate kid crowded on the mongooses. And I myself, I'm proud to say I had a BMX mongoose, so that

Jason Connell:

that was done on purpose that that's his mongoose to fight off the Cobras.

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, I like to create parallels and I'd like to create meaning I will take something meaningless and put meaning if it makes sense to me. So when I look at the bike he's on which is a mongoose and mongoose is fight snakes and what are Cobras? They are snakes. Yes. Wow. Alter mind

Jason Connell:

blown. Wow, that should be like the subtitle. So after the Wipeout on the hill, meltdown ensues. By the time he gets home and throws his bicycle in the dumpster. His mother is just now getting home. So you know his ordeal took a while, also had to ride along way. He's just kind of melting down in front of his mother. He's sad. He's beat up. He's been beat up several times. Now who overhears this entire exchange?

Sal Rodriguez:

Who's eavesdropping?

Jason Connell:

I don't even know he's just there. His little shop is right there. But Mr. Miyagi here's this whole thing comes out. And we as the audience, you realize like, Oh, this guy is probably going to intervene in some way. Yeah. We don't know how. But we don't even know what he's capable of, at this point. Sure.

Sal Rodriguez:

We just know that he's the maintenance guy of the building. That's another thing that I thought about is originally when we first see the original meeting between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi. It's Daniel coming down to ask them to fix the sick. Now, today, you send an email to your building maintenance. And that's what I do. I send an email to my maintenance, and then they send a maintenance guy, I would never go down. There's nobody to go down to there's no maintenance guy living there. So this also represents another era where maybe there was a custodian on site. Yeah. You just don't see that.

Jason Connell:

Well, in fact,

Sal Rodriguez:

I thought after that scene, he lived there. That's what I thought too. Yeah,

Jason Connell:

I thought that forever until we'll get there. But we find out he doesn't live there. No, this is officer in fact, at one after after we realize he doesn't live there. We never see him there again. We only see him at his house.

Sal Rodriguez:

Once you see his house. I wouldn't want to live there either. Yeah, he's got a cool stuff. You got it. Who knew?

Jason Connell:

He's just been stashing away money and has no you know, no kids and no wife. So we're back at school. And Daniel runs into Ali and he turns down a trip to the arcade with her own friends, because he sees the Cobra Kai's at school. I didn't really understand

Sal Rodriguez:

that was that when he says goodbye to Allah like, I gotta get here. Exactly. Yeah.

Jason Connell:

And he's wearing and let me just point this out. He's wearing fatigue pants with a plaid button up with a white shirt and bright red collar underneath. I'm a product of the 80s and I would never put all those things together. I don't really know he looks like an idiot. But yeah, so he sees Cobra Kai at school. She wants to go off site to an arcade. But he doesn't even want to walk around them. And he bowed out and runs home. So he's really becoming an introverted scared, runs back home.

Sal Rodriguez:

And he did what anybody who was antagonized by, you could call it a gang. I mean, it's not officially a get street gang as we would know a gang but they're a gang. That's true. They're a gang. And they threatened him. You see them at school, so you walk the other way.

Jason Connell:

It's a pretty healthy dose of bullying for sure they did never

Sal Rodriguez:

used the word bullying which is a very popular word. But never was the word bully used. It may have been used if this movie were made today, because that's what was happening is he became then bullied. But he just took off to avoid being bullied. Yes. Which anybody would probably do. I mean, what are you gonna do you can stand up to these six karate guys. I mean, come on,

Jason Connell:

but I would have told Ali amici at golf and stuff. And what right around the Cobra guys meet yet Pac Man. Miss Pac Man at that. So now Daniel goes home. And there's his bike. Perfect condition. The mongoose. Yeah. Amazing. And you immediately know Mr. Miyagi has got to kind heart. He's got some skills. Yeah, that bike look better than it looked when he wrote it for the first time.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, cuz you know what? It takes a lot of skill to true. A rim. Yeah. Do you know what it means to true a rim? It means you got to take a ramp from bent to straight. That takes a lot of time and patience. Which Mr. Miyagi?

Jason Connell:

Obviously he's got that. Yeah. So he brings in I mean, this is like the best. Not the best. This is like one of the first bonding scenes between them, and not only fixes the bike Danya goes to thank him. And he brings him in and gives him a bonsai lesson. Yeah. And it's pretty cool. I gotta say, Are you into bonsais at all? So

Sal Rodriguez:

so the bonsai trees I totally love. I have a couple. My brother in law's a bonsai master teaches bonsai workshops.

Jason Connell:

I did not know that I've always been fond to them. Yeah, had a few had a few at my office, and I never really understood the trimming aspect, but I love the miniature tree thing and you're a big collector so I could see you also liking them but

Sal Rodriguez:

I like what he tells him. Close your eyes. Yes. Imagine tree and then turn the back of the tree goes. Remember tree make into tree. Very simple. You don't get any much more simple than that. And that's what that's the whole key to Mr. Miyagi. Right? It's very simplicity. Yes. Very, very simple.

Jason Connell:

So then Daniel's mother joins them she gets

Sal Rodriguez:

a tree Yes. So she offers to pay him for the

Jason Connell:

for the bike. He says no, I will not take your money. And now he realizes Daniel has no father figure Yes. And he's in need of help. And so he's taking on that role

Sal Rodriguez:

so maybe Mr. Miyagi has no son we don't know we don't know yet. We never hear well, we hear later. We hear later about children. Yes, we do. I completely forgot. I'll

Jason Connell:

get into that. So trees for Oh, yes.

Sal Rodriguez:

Now I remember what you're talking about the kid. Okay. Let's not give that away. No, no, no.

Jason Connell:

So trees for everybody. Yes. Mr. Miyagi is the man he's giving everyone bonsai trees, BTS, and a few beats later, Mr. Miyagi is carving up pumpkins for Halloween. This guy, he's super festive. Yeah, like a renaissance man. Really? When I first saw him, I thought, this guy kills it. I could see why he kept coming back to play this character. He's amazing. Yeah. So he's doing the Halloween bit. And off camera. He builds Daniel, a great costume for Halloween. Because Daniel comes back. He doesn't want to be with the kids. And his new, you know, mentor, father figure helps them and if you watch that scene, again, it's kind of funny. You can see the shower curtain and the rod in the back. There's a four shots right there again. And so, bam, there we are at the dance. And how did Allie know that was Daniel as the shower curtain?

Sal Rodriguez:

When she said that's Daniel. And then I think a friend says how do you know and she says, I just do something like that. I did not know how she knew that. That was Daniel. I mean, do we ever see him build stuff, create stuff wear costumes? I don't know how she knew that was Daniel maybe has a sixth sense. Maybe?

Jason Connell:

I guess she knows he likes to hide in plain sight.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, I'll go for that. And now she has. She figured it out. But yeah, I thought how does she know that?

Jason Connell:

It was kind of a money outfit. When she came over and he helps a curtain and brings in and closes the curtain. That was pretty cool. Like that's pretty provocative. And my school that would have had to be clear. You could not have gotten away with that.

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, I'm always looking for the first kiss or the first makeup there. They were in the shower together. They didn't get fully clothed like weird science. They didn't kiss. They looked they kissed golf and stuff. Yeah, they didn't kiss in the shower now well, they weren't in there very long. It wouldn't make that said if that were me.

Jason Connell:

So she gives him a flower and then she Ali goes on about you know, Johnny's gonna get his do someone's gonna stand up to him. He helps his shower curtain. There's a chicken, someone just a chicken. And they joke about real eggs. And Daniels hit with an egg.

Sal Rodriguez:

By the way, that person in the costume. You remember Bobby? From the Brady Bunch? Yes. Okay, Bobby's brother Peter. No, no. Bobby's real life, brother, Larry. I don't know. Bobby's real life brother was in that chicken soup. That's a little bit of trivia.

Jason Connell:

That is a it's a lot of trivia. Some odd trivia Bobby's neighbor.

Sal Rodriguez:

Bobby's neighbors cousins, roommates.

Jason Connell:

So Daniel is hit with an egg. Yes. And he's gotta go clean out. Yes. And what is he doing? He's in the restroom.

Sal Rodriguez:

That's when he does the well. Johnny is in a stall rolling a joint joint. Definitely a joint interest. Yeah. He went up a notch and coolness at that moment. Yeah, he's got his

Jason Connell:

headphones on which we've established Johnny in school, like many scenes earlier having his headphones on in a class. So he's got his headphones rockin. Yeah. And you're always listening to oh, that's probably something heavy. I think you do hear it

Sal Rodriguez:

later or something like that? Probably. I'm imagining a guy like that would have been probably into some metal. Maybe Metallica was Metallica around them. But yeah, definitely

Jason Connell:

in the 80s Yeah, I have to say before I don't know if someone was around heavy. I know.

Sal Rodriguez:

Slayer was definitely around. Yeah, I mean, he's made and how about they're listening to Motley Crue that he's probably listening to Motley. He's not listening to Depeche Mode. I'll

Jason Connell:

tell you that not listening to Flock of Seagulls know what's your cool, but not for Johnny. So he's in there rolling. He's listen to some heavy Yeah.

Sal Rodriguez:

And then Daniel takes us water hose and does this prank where he puts it over the stall and then turns on the water and gives Johnny a dose of water

Jason Connell:

and I say why? He finally got Cobra Kai's to give you a little distance. They've not attacked you lately. No. You know, like let

Sal Rodriguez:

sleeping dogs lie. You're with Ali on the dance floor in the shower here with the hottest girl

Jason Connell:

in school and she's dumped him and she's nd you but you've taken what she said. And you want to retaliate

Sal Rodriguez:

or we're gonna get into where he gets chased and causes an automobile x three car. When that happened. Really? I'm thinking Are you serious? You just cause an auto accident. This is

Jason Connell:

Daniel with his no is not a very good chess player. No, Daniel comes out of the gate. Yeah, he's one man. There's like eight Cobra Kai's? Why not just stand there and cover up in your outfit. Or why not just hide in the stall. He tries to run

Sal Rodriguez:

for it. Run for it as a shower as a shower.

Jason Connell:

I would have ran to the nearest school attendant and said these guys are picking on me. I'm one man against eight but he runs in the middle of the street outside. And the parking lot. Three cars literally crashed. Looks like an episode of chips. He jumps on another cars hood. He almost takes a hit. Yes, that's right. And he runs for the fence. Yeah. And the Cobra guys are coming. They're on his tail on his tail. They're so close. They're wearing cool skeleton outfits too.

Sal Rodriguez:

And I'm thinking there's no way he's gonna get away. Look how close he's dressed as a shower. Yeah, there's guys on his tail and skeleton outfits. This guy's not getting away. I mean, Ali

Jason Connell:

buys him five seconds with the tripping. Yeah, which was nice. Okay, that was good. She got his back. But that didn't buy him enough time. Yeah. So when I'm watching this scene, what cracks me up is he jumps over a fence. It's another one of those real eerie fields. They know that it looks like there's almost like fog coming up. And he's going to mate across his field. His apartments right there. So Danny, he lives two minutes from school. That's the logistics.

Sal Rodriguez:

I would never run to my house. Because I don't want them to know where I live.

Jason Connell:

But he lives that close. Yeah, I wouldn't have left school.

Sal Rodriguez:

He lives running distance. Oh,

Jason Connell:

if I'm Daniel, I run and pull a fire alarm. Yeah. You know, but he's not very smart. So he makes it all the way to the gate looking at his parking lot. And what happens?

Sal Rodriguez:

He's climbing the gate. Yes. And right at that moment. I think one of them was a Johnny. I'm not sure if it was John, what are the Cobra Kai grabs him? pulls him. I'm surprised he made it that far. That's true. He's a pretty good runner. If he made it that far, because they would have should have caught him back in the parking lot. Really? They were hot on his tail. He makes his way climbing up almost to the top one of the Cobra Kai gasm. They start wailing Oh, Johnny, I think it was Johnny's like let me have him right now. Johnny's mad. Yeah, yeah. Because Johnny's the one that he pranked in the bathroom. And Dutch is also mad, but he's always mad. Yeah, he just has that about him. So Johnny is given him some give me a little one to write giving them some kicks and some punches. Yep. And then oh, and then even one of the Cobra Kai says, Okay, that's enough. That's when that's when Johnny says I'll say when it's enough for all decide when it's enough. Yep. And then he's about to get him again. But we

Jason Connell:

see something lurking in the background. Mr. Miyagi has slowly climbed. The fence which is unlocked, by the way, and jumps intersects Johnny's impeding kick and takes Johnny down and then literally goes into a mirage of great moves and takes out every Cobra Kai.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, well, that to be exact was stunt double. Fumio dimora Yeah, that makes sense. So what happened in that scene is more cool trivia is full Meo, tried it with the actors, and they had to do take after take after take and the actors were complaining. He's kicking us to her. I mean, these people are actors. In the end, they're not official martial arts not competitive martial artists. So production, they're not black belts. No. Okay, so what happened is then Flavio says let me use my guys. He brings his students. They put on the skeleton costumes, and they bang out the fight scene, which some people say is one of the greatest on camera fight scenes. It's good. They bring it out in one take.

Jason Connell:

Yeah, it was smart. They were on the skeleton outfits. Their faces are made up and Johnny someone has his hair. It was perfect. Yeah, they nailed it. Yeah, I watched it again today before this thinking why Mr. Miyagi is doing pretty good there. I mean, they brought him in for the close

Sal Rodriguez:

ups, but I guess the two guys gonna be tricky flips the two Exactly. Yeah.

Jason Connell:

What cracked me up about that sequence was the fact that after he goes and helps Daniel up and takes him back to the place all you see from the Cobra guys is just a little bit of moving. Yeah, not audible anymore. And it's like, yeah, okay, that's a bit far fetched.

Sal Rodriguez:

You think they would have started getting up by now.

Jason Connell:

I mean, their pride was more hurt than they were it's not like he took death blows but whatever. He's bested them. They're beaten.

Sal Rodriguez:

I could have sworn there was audio like oh there's that

Jason Connell:

but no one's saying anything Cobra Kai style. No mercy I think they would have gotten up and had like another round or something. So cut to Mr. Miyagi is helping you know Daniel, heal up with some Okinawa medicine and agrees to go to the Cobra Kai Dojo to talk to the sensei to have them stop picking on Daniel.

Sal Rodriguez:

But originally, he turns it down at first. Daniel asked him will you go with me? Doesn't he say something like that? Will you go with me and Mr. Miyagi at first says no. Yes. So then I think Daniel gets mad. Right. He tends to do that. Yeah, he gets angry. And then I think then Mr. Miyagi does a turn and says, Okay, fine. I'll go with you. He got his way. Yeah. So basically, Daniel throws a tantrum. And then he gets his way.

Jason Connell:

That is a constant thing. So and Mr. Miyagi has a it's a great moment. It's small. It's poetic. It even even here that little Miyagi music comes in. But as they walk away, because he's asking Mr. Miyagi, what belt? He is, because obviously, you know, Daniels consumed by belts having seen the Cobra Kai's, Mr. Miyagi, gives him some wisdom and says, karate is here, and his head here in his heart, and not here where a belt is, yeah, that's a great moment. And so the next day, we're with Mr. Miyagi, and we find out does not have a license. And nor does Daniel for that matter.

Sal Rodriguez:

So got that he didn't have a license. And Tony says, we had Daniels drive them and

Jason Connell:

Daniel doesn't have his license yet. So here's to

Sal Rodriguez:

know Wait a second. Remember, he whips out his license, and he just got it. That's later.

Jason Connell:

Well, that's his birthday party. Oh, yeah. So he's literally saying I don't have my neither. So we have to authorize guys bouncing around town. Yeah. And they drive to the dojo. Yes. Were they in the yellow car? No, they were in Mr. Miyagi. He's like main car.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, it wasn't in the 1948 Ford Super Deluxe convertible.

Jason Connell:

Now, we're not there yet. Okay, but we can't wait to get there. No, we've not been to his house yet. This is the last time I believe that we see Mr. Miyagi at the apartment complex. Okay, because that's where he brought him back to health. It was at the complex. He's got a little bed. This little workshop. Yes. And so cut to a walk in the dojo. I don't even think Mr. Miyagi has much of a plan. But he's going to confront this guy and see if he can, you know, speak some reason to him. And well, he didn't have

Sal Rodriguez:

any plan because I think when they got to the dojo, Mr. Miyagi, looked up and saw the tournament sign.

Jason Connell:

All Valley tournament December 19.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, I don't think Mr. Miyagi legitimately had any sort of plan.

Jason Connell:

We've probably hoping that it wasn't going to be a guy like crease. He probably wasn't anticipating crease. Yeah, it was like, Oh, I can't talk or this blockhead. Yeah. So when he gets there, you can see that the students the cobra, guys are injured. damaged. Johnny's got a black eye this time. One of them's in a sling. Yes.

Sal Rodriguez:

So that's Mr. Miyagi having beaten, creases, students.

Jason Connell:

Correct. And you can see Johnny whisper to crease the sensei. And then he has all the students fallen behind him. So they can have this discussion at the dojo, which is a great moment. I love the same. Sure. And so Mr. Miyagi asked them to stop picking on Daniel. And Chris is having none of it. He orders Daniel to the mat. And he's like, not in your dojo. It's unfair, but where, and then he kind of nods to the poster in the background. And so it's on and now Daniel, who knows nothing about karate is going to be in the all Valley tournament.

Sal Rodriguez:

Now wait a second, though. He didn't know nothing. Because remember when he first kicks the door when he's

Jason Connell:

ready. Okay. He's a white belt. Okay, maybe

Sal Rodriguez:

he had he took a class. Oh, I think that he took a lot of why the why. Okay, so we had the most bare minimum. Okay, so he's a

Jason Connell:

white belt, but these guys are black belts. Yes. They've been training for years, maybe all of high school. Probably most of middle school. Sure. Even if they're in a same tournament, they would not be in the same class. No, it's

Sal Rodriguez:

like I say about myself. Like, I've had enough fight training, where I can probably kick somebody's ass. Who has had no fight training? Yes. But could I kick somebody's ass? Who's been taking martial arts for 510 years? No. That's probably at the level he was at. He could kick the air. He could kick Freddie's ass. Yeah, right. But he's not going to kick these. No,

Jason Connell:

no way. And I think that's, I mean, the point Miyagi just wants him to stand up for himself in this setting, and then squash this thing. Yeah, right. But none of us know this. And we just assumed like Daniel is going to I mean, at the time, I didn't know the difference between belts, so I just thought, okay, he's gonna fight these guys somehow, some way. And this dojo of course, this time is not Miracle Mile. We are definitely in North Hollywood. No, Whoa, yeah. For this whole sequence. And you know, who I noticed is a Cobra Kai in the scene.

Sal Rodriguez:

Oh, Lamar from Revenge of the Nerds. Actually, yes, he's later on in the tournament. Yes, he is. Larry. Even credit is credit. Okay.

Jason Connell:

He is in it. Larry Scott, who? Yes, Lamar from Revenge of the Nerds and all of its sequels. He was also an iron Eagle.

Sal Rodriguez:

I forgot about space camp.

Jason Connell:

I forgot about the movies. But those are some really fun ones from the 80s.

Sal Rodriguez:

I mean, he's so iconic as Lamar, Revenge of the Nerds. I mean, such a memorable character that they probably maybe couldn't get away with today.

Jason Connell:

Yes, the Empress did throw the javelin throw. Yes. So I noticed when they visited the Cobra Kai dojo, it's all black belts. Everyone's black. There is no one below that. Wow. And so you look at that and just think, yeah, wow, this is quite I mean, it's probably an All Black Belt session. But still,

Sal Rodriguez:

do they have that? Yeah, there are some okay. Yes, this class is all black belts.

Jason Connell:

Yeah. And that's obviously what's most Cobra Kaiser that's pretty heavy

Sal Rodriguez:

duty a class with all black but yeah. Okay. Okay. So then look where we're at at this moment in time, then. We just had Halloween. That's right. And the tournament is winning in December, December 19. Do that. Okay, so we got two months to defeat the Cobra.

Jason Connell:

So it's November you're right, we got a month and a half. To really get ready and get rolling. I got

Sal Rodriguez:

a month and a half to defeat a black belt, or some black more than one black and try to become

Jason Connell:

a black belt become a black belt and, and not just Johnny, he's the last man standing, you're gonna get to the other ones to get to him.

Sal Rodriguez:

Now there are these things called prodigies. And speaking of martial arts, a famous martial artist by the name of BJ Penn, nicknamed The Prodigy. When he took Brazilian Jujitsu, this guy picked it up so fast, and record breaking time became a black belt started beating black belts in Brazilian jujitsu. So it's not entirely unheard of that somebody could come along and just start to kick butt right away. It's so rare, but it can happen. So in other words, it's not so far fetched that in two months, a person can beat up remember also there are rules. It's not a street fight. No, there are dispatcher

Jason Connell:

there were street fighting. When they were taking him down with the sweeping the legs. Daniels done. Yeah. But it is technical. You

Sal Rodriguez:

have officials, you have a referee private doctor on the side. When it comes to tournaments. It's very protected. I fought in some tournaments. Yeah. Okay. So there.

Jason Connell:

They take you off immediately. It's point no point. I remember, I want a couple of tournaments. And it's more adrenaline. You don't even feel anything and headshots are illegal. We'll get into that later. And so at least when I was fighting, but you could always fight up. That's one thing I remember. I was like a yellow belt at the time. And I was we were a pretty good group and of Taekwondo. We were called The Wild Bunch. And you could always fight up. So meaning I could be a yellow and I could challenge the blue who were like two belts up and I would beat some of those

Sal Rodriguez:

blues. That sounds good, but they couldn't fight down. You know, that

Jason Connell:

would be like saying back excuse me white belt, but this black belt challenge. Alright, so,

Sal Rodriguez:

so they're on the dojo. They look to the poster they agree to fight in the all Valley tournament coming up on December 19.

Jason Connell:

All Valley karate championship December 19. I would love to have one of these recreated posters. Amazing. And so here we are, it's right before the holidays. And then like he said, he's a month and a half to become a black belt. So what do we do? Well, next we learn for the first time that Mr. Miyagi does not live at the apartment complex. He drives Daniel to his house, which is really nice. And he's got land for classic cars out front. Yes. And a little boat. Like who know. Yeah. And this is where he's going to train. Daniel.

Sal Rodriguez:

His backyard is totally decked out. Totally cool. A little bridge going over a pond. He's got some koi in

Jason Connell:

the ponds gonna pull in a pond. Yeah, no, no, no,

Sal Rodriguez:

he had the ponds. Caddyshack. Okay, so he has the pond there with koi as a little bridge. He's got a whole Zen garden there. But it looks totally cool. But it also looks like he's putting it together as we speak. So this could have been like You know, something that he's wanted to have on his bucket list is a nice home with a nice backyard manicured back lawn. Bonsai trees pond. It looks really good and a little helper. And in the system, even when Daniel first arrives there first thing he says, Oh, this is beautiful. That's the first thing out of his mouth when he walks in there.

Jason Connell:

So I read that they actually tore that house down in the 80s

Sal Rodriguez:

Don't make me cry. I know. Well, like I said, I am I am pleasantly surprised about the seven seas apartment because so much is going down. So the fact that that went down is not surprising.

Jason Connell:

And Cobra Kai does have a recreation so there is a new Miyagi house that toy does live on. But that particular one I read was that so we go there first lesson iconic wash and wax the cars wax on, wax off.

Sal Rodriguez:

We don't know as the viewer if you've never seen the movie, you don't know no way that this is part of the methodology.

Jason Connell:

You think it's this madman has taken advantage of Dan, not a madman. But you think it's this guy who's going to just have a helper all of a sudden? Sure. And maybe if he helps enough, he'll give him some less. Yeah, exactly. That's what he thinks. Can

Sal Rodriguez:

you do a good job on my cars? Then we'll start your first lesson. Yeah, cuz

Jason Connell:

he's not a bad guy. He's already saved him from getting beaten up. Yeah, he brought him back to life. You don't know the plan. My question to you is how they're four classic cars outside. And why are they exposed to the elements of the valley? Because these are beautiful cars.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, and then we're without covers, and especially the main yellow car which is a 1948 Ford Super Deluxe. And we'll get into that a second. The difference between this car and the car that looks like it from Greece and the car that looks like it from Back to the Future. But none of the cars have roofs they're all I think I don't know if their roofs Okay, no, I'm sorry that what that one does not the all the 1948 Deluxes do not have roofs beautiful car. They're a fantastic car. But yeah, you leave it sitting out. It's collecting dust it's getting rained on no those cars would not be in that shape. I'm assuming off camera again. You can't type every loose end like you say off camera the cars recovered at night. And maybe he just uncovered them when he knew Daniel was coming

Jason Connell:

let's hope because it breaks my heart to see them sitting there and knowing how hot it would get out there. Oh yeah, it would be too much no no you know they're they're not in bad shape. They don't have sun damage. They're a little dirty and that's about it. Now I did read that rough macho did receive this car as a gift was it the director who gave him the car John Appleton who we haven't talked about much and I guess we could have a quick Oh I'd like to definitely talk about that. We should have talked about him earlier so John Allison directed rocky yeah amazing came back to Rocky five did other really

Sal Rodriguez:

turned on Rocky to Rocky but did not turn down Karate Kid two and Karate Kid three

Jason Connell:

he should have turned down three. Okay, so

Sal Rodriguez:

he directed three Karate Kid movie starting with Karate Kid then Karate Kid two then credit get three. That's pretty interesting. Actually. You don't hear a lot of franchises having the same director coming back at all really? I mean, look how many Iron Man movies when we have a director comeback look about some a Spider Man movies do we have a director comeback.

Jason Connell:

Man was Jon Favreau the first two okay, he did the first George Lucas only did the first Star Wars and came back and did those weird ones in the middle.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, awful. You just never heard of the same director back to back to back. Yeah, it's weird.

Jason Connell:

And he also did the movie neighbors, which is a interesting dark comedy, which I love. But it was horrendous shoot. But I've always admired John Adelson and he unfortunately just two years ago, we lost him he passed away what

Sal Rodriguez:

talk about iconic recipes. Talk about iconography. He directs rocky turns down rocky two, but does not turn down Karate Kid two. Maybe he learned his lesson. Maybe he did learn a lesson. So another bit of trivia. Our director here. John Albertson was also the original director of Saturday Night Fever from 1977 but he pulled out and then he was then he was replaced by John bad MO You may remember from other live well, I'm not gonna get into John Batum. But the point is, is that the director of Karate Kid was the original director of Saturday Night Fever. Good point. He did rocky when they do the montage. Rocky in Karate Kid. You have to think of rocky Oh yeah. But apparently the director is known for montage. That's that's one of his devices.

Jason Connell:

The Karate Kid has a lot of that rocky spirit. Yeah, you know and you could see why it was in his hands and rightfully so the right yeah, it was it was beautiful. Those are now the sequels whatever I don't care I mean, he came back he did rocky five which was a miss at the box office and I didn't like it compared to three and four. But he got it right those times

Sal Rodriguez:

the song you're the best or we're

Jason Connell:

gonna get into that now.

Sal Rodriguez:

We're gonna get to that now.

Jason Connell:

Let's wait Are we let's wait because I have a whole thing on Okay, good. Let's hold off because there's a tie in with Rocky we probably have a lot of things wait for the song to come on. So Daniel's doing his first lesson. Not real thrilled about it. But before he does the first lesson, Mr. Miyagi makes him take the oath. I'm your teacher, you have to agree with everything, no arguing, and so he's got him. So boom he does first lesson. Next thing we know

Sal Rodriguez:

he doesn't want to wax cars. But he agreed to do whatever Mr. Miyagi said. And so

Jason Connell:

far Mr. Miyagi has not led him astray, although he's got him in a tournament that he can't handle, but he has had his back every step of the way. So he's going to follow along for now. So we're off on a date with Ali, and Daniel, and his mother. Oh, and this scene. This is like it's almost sort

Sal Rodriguez:

of a pickup alley from her house. Exactly. And then the parents see the boy from receita

Jason Connell:

this scene is almost as hard to watch is like that same from swingers when he keeps calling Nikki on the answering machine. Like this is the scene that you never want to be the poor guy but you gotta you know, gone out with like, a much richer girl, but then they see your mom and your car and what do they got to do to get the car started?

Sal Rodriguez:

They gotta push start the car, hobby, the clutch and

Jason Connell:

they let Ali do it and her parents are just like, they're just leaving the club. They got their tennis, like, bigs I roll sigh like and you can see when Daniel gets out of the car, he's just beside himself.

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, you to imagine that parents are just thinking, this is a phase.

Jason Connell:

So what algo slumming tonight, you know, yes, exactly. That's all it is. If that one off day, but

Sal Rodriguez:

I understand because I personally, I've always dated up. Yeah, I believe me. I know.

Jason Connell:

Good job. So Daniel meets the parents and much like seven seas. I've driven by the House still stands in Encino Hills still is beautiful. And it's right there. I mean, I mean, I've stopped twice and taken a couple of photos of it. So

Sal Rodriguez:

I wonder if that happens to them all the time. Like the Brady Bunch house. The Brady Bunch house is over here in Studio City. Well, I saw that recently. Right. They did sell it recently, I think or they had we're gonna make a reality show about it. But you know, you have these iconic houses that's more iconic because that's the Brady Bunch house. Well, if you're a fan of the movie Karate Kid,

Jason Connell:

but you never I mean as much as I liked it. It's not like we ever went in alleys house.

Sal Rodriguez:

No. So it's just to me it's it's a really that

Jason Connell:

scene. That scene is what you're remembering. Yeah. Oh, right here on they pulled away it's cool. But Brady Bunch is a whole I mean, how many scenes went on and I'm assuming they shot on maybe they had

Sal Rodriguez:

the Brady Bunch was only used the houses on

Jason Connell:

the exterior story. Yeah. Okay, that makes sense. But still that shows so I'm

Sal Rodriguez:

trying to bring up the seven C's apartment and Ali's house to the level of Amityville house or Brady Bunch.

Jason Connell:

I like that. All right, let's get it up there. So anyway, I drove by go check it out. Don't knock on the door. Just drive by. But it's beautiful valley here. Yeah. Hey, cup up the clutch. So great times on their date at golf and stuff, which I've actually been wanting to visit and it is out in Norwalk, Norwalk. And so

Sal Rodriguez:

it's still there. It's their waterslide and all great reviews. Oh my gosh, I never know because you know, going back to a little bit of San Fernando Valley history. We in the San Fernando Valley have not one but two water slides. We had a water slide on with Syd and vanowen. We had a waterslide in Northridge on Nordoff. near Tampa, between Corbin and Tampa. We have two water slides here. So here. That would be funny. Here in the Karate Kid. We have a waterslide. And it's still standing today and

Jason Connell:

it gets great reviews. I was gonna go on a date there recently at the Putnam park just to try it out.

Sal Rodriguez:

That's fantastic. I would totally go because you know why? Maybe I don't want to spend all the money for hurricane harbor or Soak City. Oh, I want to pay you know, 10 $15

Jason Connell:

instead of a podcast outing,

Sal Rodriguez:

that will be fun. Like today told you. Well, I

Jason Connell:

want you to the waterside. I was when I go on the arcade? I'm an arcade junkie.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, can you miss Pac Man? All right. So that pinball machines there? They probably don't have their games. You know, they open up a pinball place over here on Lankershim. I believe it Yeah, right. arcades are driving $10 for one hour unlimited play of pinball machine.

Jason Connell:

Well, there is a barcade downtown named 82. Good Year, and they have classic games and pinball, and I've loved

Sal Rodriguez:

my quarters, all quarters. I like it a quarter of the hour

Jason Connell:

and the beers are great. And I've taken my soccer team there before we had the record for Pac Man that night. It was over 100,000 Miss Pac Man. It's a sped up version. You know,

Sal Rodriguez:

so let's talk about it's faster than Pac Man. Oh, no. This

Jason Connell:

is like a new sped up version. She's moving triple time. You gotta move faster, but I'm at screens. I've never made it to as a 12 year old. So 11 year old me is looking saying hey, well done, sir.

Sal Rodriguez:

Since we're bragging, I can flip Galaga I'll have you know, that's pretty impressive.

Jason Connell:

Okay, so great time at the arcade state. Great date. Yeah. And then the end of the day Cobra Kai comes rolling up although they're kind of cool. They say hey, Ally, you can bring your friend with you. And then missile Russo rolls up in the frame and they're like, like your car. Mrs. Larousse. Oh, and Daniel's just like, not happy. And now he's got this horrible mood going. And that's how the date in

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, well, that moment where they roll up and then they say to Ally can bring your friend. Yeah, that was a weird moment I'm thinking what are they doing here?

Jason Connell:

They were following their senseis orders, yes. But

Sal Rodriguez:

I mean, you don't think they're gonna know I don't think that

Jason Connell:

they just wanted to hang out with Ally and they were just gonna kind of go along with it also could have changed history

Sal Rodriguez:

he could have been a member of I keep waiting for

Jason Connell:

I want to change history history revisited

Sal Rodriguez:

you made me see these fine lines between Daniel becoming a Cobra Kai. I never thought of that before. Yeah, when he goes to the dojo the first time. This time he could have jumped in the car with Ali everybody could have Daniel's cool. Yeah, you know, could happen at this point. They could see, wow, Daniel might actually be a good Cobra Kai. Exactly. Yeah, I know. He's willing to stand up for himself. He's willing to fight.

Jason Connell:

There's nothing like play. So I'm playing competitive soccer leagues. And when I see a great player we go against, I admire that. But if that player ever wants to be part of our team, I am the first to bring a great player in the fold for it because a great player will find his way onto your team. And he'll fit in because that's what great players do. And so they're loyal. But usually you want to go you want them in your foxhole. So yeah, Daniel and Johnny probably get along very well on the Cobra Kai, you know, reality, but we wouldn't have a movie. We wouldn't have a million spin offs or sequels and whatnot. In fact,

Sal Rodriguez:

I'm kind of thinking Daniel getting into Cobra Kai when they call it ooh, syrup uncertain.

Jason Connell:

Yeah. Johnny Johnny. Wow. And they both could just talk about ally

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, we can get into another so cut

Jason Connell:

to Daniel's back at Mr. Miyagi his house secondary training today sanding lessons, right the circle Yeah, left a circle the whole porch and his deck is massive Yes. Beautiful, different layers and you know well constructed so Daniel didn't really fight this second time he's not that upset he

Sal Rodriguez:

starts joking when he gets the Sanders he's started Hi, Krishna. That's me the choice stir Yeah. Oh, and that's when Mr Miyagi says Danielson always much humor that's right so then he that's what he teaches them right sand. What's the secretary of wax on wax off the right to

Jason Connell:

circle left this Okay, there we go. Right this circle

Sal Rodriguez:

left this Breathe in. Breathe out.

Jason Connell:

I love how Mr. Miyagi just keeps saying it as he just fades out. He always lets Daniel this work on his own, which is great when Mr.

Sal Rodriguez:

Miyagi retires to his place a Daniels out there working. I was wondering what he's doing in there. Watching TV. What's the no

Jason Connell:

I don't think he has a TV. Sometimes he was meditating. Oh, yes. Sometimes he goes fishing, which we'll get to. Yes. And sometimes he gets drunk No, he's gonna get there working. learning karate. So okay, next day Daniel does the impossible.

Sal Rodriguez:

What does he do? He lost me.

Jason Connell:

He snags a fly with the chops. Oh, yes. Yes. As soon as he walks in, Mr. Miyagi is back at it and you knew

Sal Rodriguez:

it was going to happen. Well, hang on, let's back up once because there's a moment in time after he finishes with the with the deck and it's nightfall. And Mr. Miyagi, I think comes out pickiness, right like he just had a nice meal. Right? Right. And Daniel's like, Oh, my shoulder right. He's complaining and then Mr. Miyagi says Come back tomorrow 6am and dance when ganache goes? What the hell am I doing? You can tell he's thinking, what are we doing right? What am I doing here? And then he shows up at 6am Pretty much bright eyed and bushy tailed I was surprised after the night before he seemed downright pissed. But that's when he shows up then at 6am and Mr. Miyagi is then at that moment trying to catch the flag with the chopstick yes

Jason Connell:

yes, this is the third day the point of him catching the fly was that he can do the impossible he could do anything now I guess that's what he says the

Sal Rodriguez:

first time we see Mr. Miyagi try to catch a fly. And Daniel questions him Mr. Miyagi says he who catch fly with chapstick. accomplish anything. Talk about a foreshadow This is starting to make more sense to me now. So then when Daniel does it had been our beginner's luck Yeah, but we there's the viewer should know he who catches fly with chopstick accomplish anything. So they should then know Okay, he's going to victory.

Jason Connell:

I figured he's at least going to represent yourself well in the tournament. Yeah, but I don't know about beating all of them. But you're right. Aren't get the girl right. Yeah, I guess you've kind of already got the girl just don't screw it up. So, so this lesson this day is paint the fence? Yes. Both sides. Big Board right hand small board left hand up, down and you gotta hold that pot, you know. It's a lot and then of course, Mr. Miyagi retires. And all three days of training have gone into The evening. Yes, Daniel is tired, he's sore. But he's got good spirits, you know. So he comes in the fourth day of training now coming to the fourth day in a row. This begs the question, this is not Christmas break. Four days in a row in vain. somebody's missing some school. Where's the truant officer? All of a sudden? I mean, he is literally just going in and skipping school. Okay,

Sal Rodriguez:

hang on. Maybe this happened over Thanksgiving break. Oh, you know

Jason Connell:

what guess Thanksgiving could be the tournament is the 90.

Sal Rodriguez:

I'm trying to make sense of it. All

Jason Connell:

right. Yeah. I'll give you that. Okay, so oversell is starting to really get worried. Okay, you're right.

Sal Rodriguez:

over Thanksgiving weekend. That's good. That's what you have four days. Spare me,

Jason Connell:

I guess a good scheduler. He's got the paint ready. He knew.

Sal Rodriguez:

So in fact, we could maybe deduce that Miyagi was looking for a Daniel Sutton prior to meeting Daniel surf

Jason Connell:

or how many data senses he had for how many runs and how many run ins as he had with a cobra guys over the years.

Sal Rodriguez:

Places like Miyagi you again, another one of your kids. Friday was his first Yeah, exactly. Freddy was the original Karate Kid. That's

Jason Connell:

hilarious. So alright, so we go to this day. Daniel shows up. Miyagi is gone. There's a note on the house. Yes. And this is when he loses it and now it's like Gone Fishing. I don't know. Did he say fishing? I think it says Gone Fishing. Fishing paint house tells him how to do it. Yes, I decided stroke. Yes, I decide. And it's green paints, little arrows, little arrows. And I believe Daniel crumpled it up throws it and he's mad. But then he does it. He does it. Yes. Because he said he made a made an oath. A vow he vowed itself to follow Mr. Miyagi these rules. And so again, it's late in the evening. He's nearly done is like a little patchy is finishing and Miyagi shows up and lets him know he was fishing. And Daniels just blows up

Sal Rodriguez:

once all but before that, though, Mr. Miyagi says something like you missed a spot.

Jason Connell:

That's right. Yeah, yeah, totally. He's not done. And so he confronts him. He lets him have it. Mr. Miyagi, listens, and they're arguing but Daniels got a real sore shoulder to end Mr. Miyagi wants him to finish. So what do we see here?

Sal Rodriguez:

That's where he does the famous hand rubbing. thing on. Let's see if I can duplicate the sound.

Jason Connell:

That's it. I think he I think he does this first, though. He doesn't clap. He does that in a tournament for sure. Okay, he does a clap. And then his hands get much hotter than ours. Because it's like superpowers. Yeah. And he feels better. Daniel. Yeah. And some sort of acupressure Accu heat back you heat Miyagi heat. And then comes what I like to call the Kaiser so say moment, when Daniels losing his mind, Miyagi brings him over and has him run through everything. And it just speeds into this a wonderful exchange that he's realizing all this muscle memory. He's kind of like Jason Bourne. And how do all these things all of a sudden, yes, how did I do that? Show me

Sal Rodriguez:

paint the fence and and show me wax on wax off. Couple times

Jason Connell:

are clunky, because it goes to bend down. And he's like, Yeah, but when he got through it, they worked on that it was really good exchange. Yeah. And then you knew like as an audience get crystallized like, oh my gosh, he's really picking some things up this is actually working. And well that's where

Sal Rodriguez:

the How comes in where you go. Oh, this is why he did all that. Exactly. This is why you

Jason Connell:

guys are so safe from usual suspects it all fell into place. So next day, more training worth the ocean. Okay, he takes so

Sal Rodriguez:

again before the canoe on the lake, this is a day. Okay, same day,

Jason Connell:

first time he gets him out there in the waves and Mr. Miyagi is on the training. And then he's on the edge of the boat, which now we're five days in a row. So I guess maybe Thanksgiving break, but I'm still questioning school. And we're not seeing his mother and like forever. She's in overtime at the restaurant. She's totally Orient Express, was doing some water balancing in the ocean trying to stand up with waves crashing on him. And as they leave the ocean for the first time, they run into a couple of Yahoo

Sal Rodriguez:

Yahoo's now they who the hell these guys are drinking beer at Miyagi car and resting their beer bottles on his car on his classic car who does this?

Jason Connell:

And obviously, it's a very racially charged seem. They're making fun of him. Well, one of those guys Yahoo. Number one was Larry Drake. Now Larry Drake was an LA law. Yes, he played Dark man. Okay, and he played Dr. Google, okay. He grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He went to my high school, Edison Senior High. He was the commencement speaker at my graduation. And this is years before that, though. So I'm like who is this guy but that's why he went on to be he actually he's passed away as well, which is another rest in peace. But he played a real jerk in this role. Yeah,

Sal Rodriguez:

I didn't recognize him at that moment. Because I know who that I know who you're talking about when

Jason Connell:

you see it again, when you watch him again, you you'd see on the left or the right. He's your number one. Okay.

Sal Rodriguez:

He had the most lines. Okay, it's got the right. Yeah, in fact, the guy that left I don't even know if he had any lines.

Jason Connell:

No pocket has been one Yahoo, but it would have been weird to have one guy. Yeah. So it can add a dog, a guy dodging a beer. So Miyagi comes over and does an impossible bottle trick, I

Sal Rodriguez:

think. Yeah. What does he do? He karate. It's not a karate chop, but a karate slice because he goes horizontal. But he does a palm up, horizontal slice across four bottles, that ended up staying on the car. And then he slices through these bottles and knocks the tops off, not the top off, but not the top, but like the top glass, the top, the skinny part of the bottle. He knocks off leaves the broad part of the bottles sitting there.

Jason Connell:

So I think this is impossible. I think it's impossible. Even he had the sharpest sword in the world. It would be impossible. Okay.

Sal Rodriguez:

I did actually see a guy on YouTube do this. And now that I'm thinking about it, maybe he got the idea from Karate Kid. I did see a guy who made sword so I follow this YouTube video of how he's making the sword. And then at the end, he does do that with the sword with these bottles. So yeah, can you do it with your hand, but the bottles would have to be held down. Yeah, secure down. I'm

Jason Connell:

not even doubting that Miyagi of someone in that elk could do it. I'm saying maybe there's someone out there, but you got to hold the bottles down. Yeah, he's got to hit it so clean.

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, he'd have to have a razor on the side of his hand. Even then they're not

Jason Connell:

secured. Yeah, it was impressive. Sure. It would have been equally impressive. If he just sliced him on. They broke him. It's blew up

Sal Rodriguez:

now. Okay, wait a second, though. If you're gonna say that's impossible. Why isn't Pat Merida Pat Norris? Noriyuki. Marina was 52 years old when he took this role on do you think it's impossible for 52 year old guy to beat up six teenage martial artists? No, not impossible. Not impossible. Okay, yet the bottle will you consider to be impossible? Yes. Okay. All right. Physics. Okay. Yeah, I don't believe it. God. Okay, so that but as a kid I didn't. didn't mind how about this? Throw the bottle up slice in midair would love that. That could have been possible. Totally. Yeah.

Jason Connell:

Okay. Yeah. It was just the fact that they stayed there because I almost I've watched it again today. And you see him kind of like being held somehow. Yeah. Anyway, he scares the Yahoos impresses Daniel and presses himself. Sure.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah. Because because Daniel says something like, how did you know that? You can do that? Or have you ever done that before?

Jason Connell:

First time? Yeah. Okay, so he never did that. So cut two more train at the ocean, this time balancing on the boat until Miyagi dumps him in the water. Oh, yeah. So this is the first time he was on the boat on the edge of the boat. So next we're off to the Encino oaks Country Club. Yeah, so Daniel is gonna go meet with Ali odd for him to meet Ali at the country club could have just met her anywhere but the country club but he's gonna go there. Johnny sees him in the kitchen because for some reason, oh, she was gonna meet Daniel up front. He got tired of waiting. She got held up. So he went inside to the kitchen. Okay, I know. And he was peeking through the restaurant window.

Sal Rodriguez:

I was curious why he went through the kitchen. He was an invited guest and I take it was it?

Jason Connell:

No, he was going to meet her out front. He wasn't an invited guest. So he just popped. Yeah, so he had none of the attire. So Johnny of course Cobra Kai instincts spots him looking and lays one on Ali to make it look like like they're making more making out like old school. The old days.

Sal Rodriguez:

Daniels looks through these you know, swing doors of the kitchen through the window sees Johnny totally making out with Ali are kissing wants. Well, from his perspective, it looks like they're making out Yeah. And then he runs off before she pushes has a chance to push Johnny away.

Jason Connell:

But when he runs off, What's he do? Oh, he

Sal Rodriguez:

runs into a waiter and knocks over like this whole giant plate of spaghetti.

Jason Connell:

That was pretty Exactly. So he's

Sal Rodriguez:

mortified. Yeah, well, because everybody like the whole place stops and

Jason Connell:

sees one of those classic 80s movie seeing the whole all the, you know the rich country club. It was very Caddyshack, these snobbery these saw him wipe out and laughed at him.

Sal Rodriguez:

Sure. And Ali was receipt of boy again. Terry is

Jason Connell:

Oh, you're not still seeing that boy, are you? So Daniel is embarrassed, runs off and takes refuge at Mr. Miyagi. He's who is in full military gear and he's drunk. Okay, so he was having a night in? Yes, doing his own thing. Yes. We learned some things to save names such as how Mr. Miyagi lost his wife and newborn child? Yes. And it was in childbirth.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yes, his wife died during childbirth. And his son was born. It

Jason Connell:

was a newborn newborn son. So what happened to the son They both died it was I guess newborn and then there was there was a problem and they lost them both.

Sal Rodriguez:

They both died at birth. Yes, her birth and the baby the baby died too. How does that happen? You talk about the bottles. I thought

Jason Connell:

it was unborn and then hearing it today they said newborn and he And so Mr. America doesn't tell Daniel Daniel read recent paper Yes. What's the paper pie would be in Japanese but it was an English for Daniel's sake. And so

Sal Rodriguez:

well from a lot of the trivia I've been looking up Mr. Miyagi was in the Japanese division of the USSR.

Jason Connell:

Okay, so hey, I think correct Yeah. So it reads that we can see it had this permanent hole and Mr. Miyagi knows what she's never as far as we know, married anyone else never had children. So this this bond between him and Daniel is is a special to him as it is to Daniel and a kind of a touching same and it's nice to see that Mr. Miyagi is vulnerable.

Sal Rodriguez:

He is a regular man, to regular man, regular man who happens to be a karate master. Also, though, you'd be bring up who happens to

Jason Connell:

be a maintenance man and a collector of cars.

Sal Rodriguez:

We hear no mention ever of Daniel's father, right? There is no Daniel's Father,

Jason Connell:

we would have to go back to those New Jersey scenes and see if something is said.

Sal Rodriguez:

They're just taken off in the car. You know,

Jason Connell:

it's a question for rough mochi. Yeah, I

Sal Rodriguez:

don't think there's any reference to a father. So either there's never been a father or

Jason Connell:

horse or whatever. I mean, there was a father at some point at some point, but we don't know. We don't know. Yeah. And so he's carrying that around, too. That's a lot of baggage. You know?

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay. Yeah. So there's that bonding, and it's very tender and sweet. Daniel puts Mr. Miyagi on his bed puts a blanket over him. That's when he sees the metals. That's when he reads about that's when it starts to make sense. He starts to know more about Mr. Miyagi, because we don't we don't know much about Mr. Miyagi prior to this. So that's what we realized since World War Two, he's literally grieving, deceased wife and child, which is how much more heartbreaking can you get, you

Jason Connell:

know, and they built this incredible place just for himself. You know, he's pretty lonely. So I can see why he spends time at the complex. He's carving pumpkins. All we don't know is Mr. Miyagi. Probably has a bond with other families inside that complex. Interesting. You know, if I've been there forever, yeah. You know, seven, Sally

Sal Rodriguez:

has helped Freddie with his bicycle. Yeah, totally.

Jason Connell:

That old lady the dog. He's probably that guy. And that's his family. But Daniel needed more help than most. Yeah, they owe this bond to Cobra Kai.

Sal Rodriguez:

Good enough for COBRA. Kai has a

Jason Connell:

lot to do with this happening.

Sal Rodriguez:

So in other words, maybe Cobra Kai is not so bad. Yeah.

Jason Connell:

So back to training. Daniel. This time is alone. He's taking the initiative. And he's working on the Crane Kick. He's in the boat by himself. I mean, maybe maybe Mr. Miyagi is around but Daniel has stepped up his game because it's all starting to happen. But I was even watching this thinking he isn't sparred with anybody. You know? It's a lot of karate already

Sal Rodriguez:

worked in any defense. Exactly.

Jason Connell:

So well, I

Sal Rodriguez:

don't know. No, no, you don't say that. The wax on wax off. Its defensive. Is defensive. Yeah.

Jason Connell:

But then exane Mr. Miyagi is teaching him the one inch punch. Yeah. And he's got the baseball field next to the lake. Exactly. Which I think is a Bruce Lee thing if I'm not mistaken

Sal Rodriguez:

with a one inch punch I think was was brutally which was amazing.

Jason Connell:

And so and there's a little bit of Finally he's punching something not just air because Mr. Miyagi is wearing like the catcher's protective gear. And he's hitting him he's got the mask on. Yeah. And that was nice to see like it was like it was a beautiful shot. You got the car you got the sunset you have the lake in the field. It's a nice

Sal Rodriguez:

shot and then Daniel starts being silly and starts dancing and shifting his feet around like he's a boxer in the race Muhammad Ali are our Sugar Ray Leonard Yeah, he starts being kind of silly. And then doesn't Mr. Miyagi, take them down, takes him down. It takes it down. Knock it off.

Jason Connell:

Knock it off, Dennis. So cut to Daniel's birthday. And Mr. Miyagi can do any and everything so he makes a great cake. He's got two presents.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, the second president. I mean, once you they're both really cool. But especially the second president of course,

Jason Connell:

we saw the first president is an amazing gi that's not It's not homemade. It was handed down. It was like it was Mr. Miyagi Gi. Yes. So he gets a beautiful GI and peppery

Sal Rodriguez:

to actually design the emblem. Oh, he did. Yeah. Does not have the emblem on the GI.

Jason Connell:

Oh, that's great. Well, well done, sir. So I was thinking during all this training, schoolwork avoiding Cobra Kai, and plus ally time, Daniel managed to get his driver's license. Yes, that's where he's displays. He has it off camera of course. And I guess he's been driving Mr. Miyagi around so much. He probably got good at stuff. Yeah. So he has his license, but it clicks in Daniel's mind. Oh my gosh, my mother's making me a special cake. Yeah, his second birthday cake. I gotta get out of here I just remembered. So he he's in a hurry to leave and he's got one cake there. And Mr. Miyagi has the second gift. Yeah.

Sal Rodriguez:

And the second gift is where he takes him out, shows him the four cars, and says to Daniel choose, and there's keys in all of them. Yeah. So he gives Daniel the choice of all the cars and of course, Daniel chooses the cars. Any high school kid, probably most guys will choose. And that is the Cool Convertible, which happens to be a 1948 Ford Super Deluxe. And I stress the word super, because the carbon grease that they use in the greased lightning scene is 1948 Deluxe, not super deluxe. These are the little things I always

Jason Connell:

want to tell us what we're looking at here.

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, what I have in my collection, because I'm a toy collectors, I have a Hot Wheels, the Karate Kid, yellow 1948 Ford Super Deluxe replica from the movie. And that's what had me to then discover that this same car was used in Greece, and Back to the Future biFs car. This is a super deluxe. That was a 1946 Super Deluxe 46. Yeah, the Biff car from Back to the Future were the manure. That was a 1946 Ford Super Deluxe. The Greased Lightning car was a 1948 Ford Deluxe. So on that note sticking with 1948 This is the only one of these Well, this car, the 1948 Ford Super Deluxe from the Karate Kid is more Greased Lightning. Then Greased Lightning.

Jason Connell:

Well done, sir.

Sal Rodriguez:

That's pretty fast.

Jason Connell:

This is a great thing. By the way. It's Hot Wheels. It's unopened, of course. And of course and the background is the crane. This was like some of the merch that really existed. Yeah, this

Sal Rodriguez:

is Daniel son doing the crane on the wooden pole. Beautiful backgrounds. But this is a new item. This is from 2014 Oh, okay. Yeah, this is not vintage. No, this is from 2014 had me Hot Wheels came out with all kinds of recent cars. Christina Lopresti. From the movie, Christine, Stephen King. I got the grease car. Okay, I was gonna get the Biff car from Back to the Future. But it doesn't look like manure. You know what it looks like when they read manure on there. They put manure on the Biff cars beef in it. I don't know why they did that because it doesn't even look like that. They don't have Danielson in there. No, that's weird. Yeah, it is kind of weird. The Galley in there and then. But yeah, you can go ahead and get a Hot Wheels by Mattel, the Karate Kid. 1948 Ford Super Deluxe car looks just like in the movie. And I'm proud to own it.

Jason Connell:

So when that movie came out, and he chose that car, I remember thinking, Yes, that's a great car. However, when I watch it now, I got my eyes on that black car, whatever that was the BlackBerry was really stylish. There's a couple there was so easy to look now I'm looking past what I know. Because you wouldn't have chosen this car at the time. Yes. Now something else really? I've got my eyes on a couple of other cars when you watch it again. Look, it's because you've looking past those. Yeah. So there's there's a couple style unconscious, whatever missing Americans got good taste.

Sal Rodriguez:

He gives him a car. It's given me a car my parents never gave

Jason Connell:

me I didn't give him some old Honda Accord gave him a collector's

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah. And then what does he do? He hops in the car drives to golf and stuff

Jason Connell:

was so well, right. He's supposed to go see his mom bought his birthday. So maybe it was off camera.

Sal Rodriguez:

That's right. He said I gotta rush off because my mother has something.

Jason Connell:

I oversaw her making the cake. I think he I hope he went by saw Mom. off camera. Yeah. Because my you know, maybe they shot it. And then he

Sal Rodriguez:

goes to golf and stuff. Let's hope otherwise. He just his mother,

Jason Connell:

or his mom disappears for a big chunk of the movie. She comes back in the tournament, but she's gone. So seven seas. Yeah. So

Sal Rodriguez:

Freddie's out of the movie at the beach. Right? We don't see him again. Do we?

Jason Connell:

Know why? No, I think he's at the tournament. Freddy's at the tournament to tournament I've totally forgot he's all sudden he wants to get his autograph. No, I will show you he's at the turn. So you're right. So he's off he's doing bonds

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, that's right a bonds inside bonsai bonsai

Jason Connell:

goes to golf and stuff and it relates to when Ali back because she's really kind of fed up with Daniel at this point. Yeah,

Sal Rodriguez:

she's kind of fed up with his tantrums him running off all the time. him starting stuff I can like at like at the dance when he he's dresses the shower. He instigated that night.

Jason Connell:

And he tried to be mad at her for what he didn't know happened at the country club. Yeah, one of her friends tells

Sal Rodriguez:

one of her friends says Hey, you didn't see the punch. Exactly. That's right. So so the friend explained to Daniel that she pushed him away and punched him. Daniel didn't see that. That's when he goes over to try to make up with Ali and he does they do make up

Jason Connell:

make up because they golf in his car. Yeah, he lets her drive his car that I thought was an odd choice. He really got some points there.

Sal Rodriguez:

I never let a woman drop MA Not a greased lightning. Yeah, that was interesting that he had her drive but hey, she knows how to drive stick. She popped the clutch. Remember

Jason Connell:

that stick Yeah. Oh, that's cool. Yeah, okay, I didn't know that. Okay, so they drive off. And so now it's here. It is the big day. And Daniel is a black belt. But how did he get his black belt?

Sal Rodriguez:

Well, you're talking about how they got to the target they got to the tournament they get to the tournament they're signing in at the registration desk and I guess they have a prerequisite the guys like oh what belt is your student and then Mr. Miyagi lies right he doesn't he officially lie.

Jason Connell:

Yeah, not to plan it on Mr. Miyagi as part here not to have a belt. They're kind of sneaking

Sal Rodriguez:

them into the tournament sort of. Yeah. And then Mr. Miyagi says black belt, and then he leans in distracts the guy at the desk who's signing them in. He has alley kind of Oh, it doesn't have alley grab something.

Jason Connell:

He steals a black belt out of a bag and enhanced alley.

Sal Rodriguez:

That's what happens. Okay, so he grabs Ali's ham distracts the guy has alley the belts stolen right out of the guy's bag. Ali takes the belt gives it to Daniel Daniel puts it out of the locker room.

Jason Connell:

I mean, it's a ninja move for sure.

Sal Rodriguez:

It's total ninja but at the same time I'm thinking Miss chicken Mr. Miyagi. He's doing some scam meanwhile, that

Jason Connell:

guy has a fight in a little while. He's probably not fighting that guy is pretty badass. That guy's probably just to overseer but he's

Sal Rodriguez:

got no belt. No, that sucks. No Mr. Miyagi stole his belt.

Jason Connell:

Although a guy like that probably has a second belt. Sure

Sal Rodriguez:

that guy well, the belt is just symbolic. You might have 10 at home but yeah, the point is when Mr. Miyagi did that, you know characters in movies or TV? They'll do something where you start to second guess who they are. So you start to think yeah, he's not Mr. St. Innocent for sure.

Jason Connell:

You could paint a different picture if you saw him drawn console him taken advantage of Daniel and yeah, in hitting the beer bottles. You may have a different image of Mr. Miyagi. You

Sal Rodriguez:

could make a trailer that you really The Karate Kid shows. The bad

Jason Connell:

guy increases a good guy. He's

Sal Rodriguez:

a good guy. Johnny's

Jason Connell:

footage of Chris being very good, Johnny, maybe. So we're at the tournament,

Sal Rodriguez:

all roads have led to the ole Valley tournament. And I'm thinking based on what's occurred based on my experience of living in the San Fernando Valley. I'm playing this tournament tournament happens in Northridge Northridge, probably a good spot. Tarzana, I'm thinking that somewhere going to be West Valley I'm not thinking this tournament going to take place in the east valley North Hollywood. No. Sherman Oaks

Jason Connell:

No, no,

Sal Rodriguez:

this is happening West

Jason Connell:

I think it was also once called Deep valley. No, I'm just kidding. Okay.

Sal Rodriguez:

So I'm thinking I'm thinking Tarzana, Northridge maybe Chatsworth

Jason Connell:

found that a school so we can look it up. Oh, it

Sal Rodriguez:

was Northridge it was That's That's awesome. Okay. Yeah. Well, they don't mention it in the movie. Not but the location was his Cal State University Northridge in Northridge. And that was pre earthquake. The earthquake was 94. Yeah, 94 Northridge earthquake. Yeah, so this was pre earthquake. Okay.

Jason Connell:

So, we're at the tournament, and as we're walking through and Daniel's put in his belt, well, first of all the cover guys give him crap backstage, but that's broken up pretty quickly.

Sal Rodriguez:

In the locker room in the locker room, the Cobra Kai comes in to intimidate. Yep. And I think it's the referee.

Jason Connell:

Referee comes in to say, hey, says, Hey, what the heck and it wasn't even Johnny. It was really Dutch was kind of leading the effort. He's also just a really bad guy. Yeah. And so but as we're walking through the tournament, Mr. Miyagi has to kind of pull a fast on again, because they don't let anyone on the mat. And then he pretended he couldn't speak. Yeah. Interpreter translator Yes. And they tricked them, and then they get to stay. But Ali also knows the rules. And she clearly tells Daniel, you know, headshots are legal. It's one point and kind of gives them the breakdown of the body. However, we go on to see a lot of headshots get deductions. Yes. And so there is a little bit of controversy there. If you're watching the tournament, you're seeing some not count and which kind of leads to the Crane Kick as well. Was it legal, not legal.

Sal Rodriguez:

From what I've read, some karate experts have said that we're in a legitimate tournament. And Daniel were to do the crane kick that he would have been disqualified. Yes. I've heard that too. So in other words, what we're finding out is that the Crane Kick then would have been as impossible to win by as it is to slice bottles on a car.

Jason Connell:

I still think slicing bottles is more unbelievable. However, after all that Daniel went through with the D cues and the takedowns of his legs. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I think allowing him to have that moment. And then Johnny had come what we're way ahead of ourselves. We're way ahead. We're getting there. So

Sal Rodriguez:

cut to cut to the montage of the tournament happening,

Jason Connell:

right? Well, right when the montage is happening. I noticed this earlier. Daniel is in his first battle first fight, which is a little overwhelming. He's a little rusty. He's getting pushed out of the ring. He's pushed out of bounds and they warn him when we're out of bounds. He's out

Sal Rodriguez:

of his element. Like you said, we never saw him spar and he never so this

Jason Connell:

is like he's got to catch up with this very quickly and get the speed down. And he gets a point he scores a point with like reverse Some sort of hit. We heard Ali say you're the best. And I swear that's when they cue up the infamous Joe Esposito song. You're the best and we go into this incredible montage and that song immediately becomes iconic Yeah, but we have some backstory on the song

Sal Rodriguez:

The backstory I believe of the year the best song is that that song was going to be used in Rocky three I

Jason Connell:

believe it was created for Rocky three great for Rocky three. It was replaced by

Sal Rodriguez:

bass by survivors. I have the tiger. Exactly. So then they decided to then use the song for the Karate Kid.

Jason Connell:

No, no, no if there's another one. Oh, so that was the first? Yes. And then they considered it for Flashdance. Oh, wow. And then it became maniac. Oh, wow. So

Sal Rodriguez:

this song has been bumped out twice. Well till it finally landed in karate.

Jason Connell:

Also the 80s had an embarrassment of riches of like, hit soundtrack songs. And the songs is floating around. I mean, yeah, it's an incredible song could have worked in so many movies. You know, good like a Top Gun. You know, how many Kenny Loggins songs that he Yeah, he was Kenny Loggins.

Sal Rodriguez:

Way to the danger zone.

Jason Connell:

He also the Caddyshack.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah. Like it's so songs over the top. In fact, would you say that more good songs came out of 80s movies, the 90s movies? I can barely remember any songs out of 90s movies.

Jason Connell:

Yeah, that came from the movie. Yeah, I probably 80s Yeah. So this montage is going on for a while

Sal Rodriguez:

and a fight tournament or any tournament. You will fight multiple times in a night. Yeah, exactly.

Jason Connell:

You got four or five fights to get there. Because, again, a lot of times it's only 2.2 and three points. You're when it's over. I remember being in them and it's more your own adrenaline is cranking and that fight didn't last that long. Sure. This isn't a boxing match. It's going 12 grueling rounds and you're slugging it out yet. The point is not that you're going for points and you've got to stay fresh and you're young and and there's some good fighting in this sequence you're seeing I think you're seeing real black belts

Sal Rodriguez:

go one of those guys. Definitely tournament semifinalist Darrell Vidal. He's great. Yeah, he really was kicking butt. Yes.

Jason Connell:

And even Dutch. You could tell. You can separate the men from the boys. I mean, yes. Daniel did great as to Johnny, but those other guys are doing those really big kicks and sweeping moves. And they're losing because they have to, but they're gonna

Sal Rodriguez:

tell that they actually had some real legit martial arts experience. Yeah, it was a

Jason Connell:

really well done tournament, and I like the whole look and feel of it. I'd never seen a criterium at that point in time in my life. And the board in the background. I'd never been to one that had a board like that. That was nice to see as I've had golf board, you kept moving up and seeing LORUSSO move up to take the Cobra Kai's and the way Chris was increasingly mad, as you saw, like Cobra Kai, after Cobra Kai, not necessarily lose to Daniel, but just getting bested elsewhere. Or sometimes it's Cobra Kai and Cobra Kai.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yes, it happens. Sure. Well, you what you start to see as Chris become frustrated, yes. And that's when he starts to say, let's we're gonna start playing dirt. Yeah.

Jason Connell:

I remember being in a tournament and making it to the finals. And I had to find my own guy, my own Wild Bunch, guy. And much like in sports, whatever I want to win, but it was also a little like, ah, and I was hoping I would fight another guy. Sure. It was like, seriously a credit card moment. And it was two two. And we both went in. And I lost

Sal Rodriguez:

three guys still friends after that. Night. That guy?

Jason Connell:

Yes, of course. We're friends. We did drive home together. So I had the second place and he had the first place trophy. So we are at the tournament. And you're the best is playing great song. And Daniel's moving through the ranks.

Sal Rodriguez:

Wait, you're the best is playing at this moment in time before the locker room? Yeah. Okay. I thought it plays after

Jason Connell:

No, it doesn't play in the end. Remember that score. Okay. It's that early montage when he just gets his footing. Okay. And the tournament screws in a lot. All right. So we're listening to your the best and it helps us kind of get through the early parts of the turn. Okay. And a Cobra Kai on Cobra Kai, some really good martial artists and Daniel's understanding his way. And along that journey. He's waiting a few too many matches for crease the Cobra Kai sensei. Yeah, so he orders Bobby to

Sal Rodriguez:

finish him. stuff. He's not finished him. Put them down. What

Jason Connell:

does it send down?

Sal Rodriguez:

Put him down? And he goes, but I can win this.

Jason Connell:

So basically DQ yourself for the team?

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah. And so he does. So in other words, Chris wants to punish Daniel.

Jason Connell:

He doesn't want to take any chances. Yeah. And so he does instruct Bobby to who Bobby's proved himself throughout the film to. Yes, he's a Cobra Kai, but he's also showed mercy every now and again. And he takes Daniel down. Yeah, and it gets disqualified. And he gets DQ but he immediately runs over and apologize. Yeah. As soon as he

Sal Rodriguez:

takes him down and Daniels there writhing in pain. He runs over to him. He says I'm sorry, I'm Sorry, he felt for him. But he followed the commands of his sensei. So yes,

Jason Connell:

he did that. And Daniel looks like he's done. In fact, they brought a house doctor with a white coat and everything. White Coat. He's in the locker room and two official standing over him with shirts that said official and his mother and his girlfriend Ali and Mr. Miyagi. Oh, you're missing is a is a priest. Yeah. And he's out of there. He's done. And the doctor says, I'll go report this to everybody that you know, sorry, kid. Yeah. Next time.

Sal Rodriguez:

So the doctor goes off to tell the tournament officials that Daniel Lewis was done, and that's when they're going to start handing out the trophy is

Jason Connell:

going to Johnny. Yes, DQ Here you go for forfeit. I guess that's what it would be. Yeah. Not DQ. And the presenters great texts. He's got a little, you know, Western outfit. Yeah. And so Daniel does not want to hear it. He shoots his mother and Ally away. And Mr. Miyagi looks into his eyes, and then performs the Miyagi magic. And he does that,

Sal Rodriguez:

but we don't see it that we cut away. Yeah, we know what happens. We know what happened. He does. He does the warm hands on his knee. I guess. It would be his knee. Yeah, the back of his knee. Yeah. So he does the warm hands on his knee. You know, we cut so we don't but we know what's happening. They cut and now they're given the trophy to Johnny but then Ali runs out.

Jason Connell:

I wish I had known Mr. Miyagi. Before I had my ACL. I could have avoided surgeries just right there done. And so yes, Ally comes running out. Daniel's gonna fight Daniel Russo's gonna fight and then the crowd just starts to go berserk. Because we got ourselves a fight. Yeah. And it's a good one. Yeah. You know, Daniel comes out is hobbled. But he's, he's moving. And they have a very good sequence much better than I remember. I mean, by now, they probably practiced a lot together, especially choreographed sequences together. They look really good. Johnny's looking like, you know, a pretty good martial artist.

Sal Rodriguez:

I definitely want to agree with you on that. It is a pretty good fight sequence. I remember I saw a movie called warrior that was based on mixed martial arts. You saw that with Dan Hardy, Joel Edgerton

Jason Connell:

and Joel Edgerton. Yeah. And Nick Nulty was nominated for an Oscar.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, but I liked it. I've already been a fan of mixed martial arts for so many years. So when I saw that movie, I just some things just really struck me as fake.

Jason Connell:

I cried. You know, that movie though? I'm sorry.

Sal Rodriguez:

Okay, so when I see Karate Kid, though, those moves look pretty real and pretty good.

Jason Connell:

It did. It's different, because they don't show a sequence that goes on this long in any of the fights so far. Yeah. This is the longest fight of the alternator. And they've stretched out for a reason. But yeah, good point. But they've choreographed this well. And they also give Dan to the lead. I mean, he's up to Oh, Johnny's got to rally back. So crease instructs him to sweep the leg. Certainly,

Sal Rodriguez:

he added damage to something that was already dead, right?

Jason Connell:

I'm surprised that Johnny wasn't D cued as well. He was worn, but I know it's the championship so

Sal Rodriguez:

they may score differently in championship. Yeah,

Jason Connell:

DQ, Sir, we're not gonna do that. So he hurts him at the end of this great battle. And Daniel is forced to barely put any pressure on that leg, which just happens to tie into the infamous crank. Yes. And so we know it's coming. We've seen in practice that we've seen Mr. Miyagi, practice it, but you know, hasn't seen it. Johnny? Johnny has seen it. Well, also,

Sal Rodriguez:

I don't know really know if if a viewer sees this movie for the first time, they saw the montage they saw the crane, but I don't know if they're going to assume that that move they saw on the wooden post at the beach is going to be the winning move. At the end.

Jason Connell:

I want to say that I remember it being it, but I probably didn't either. And I just knew he didn't have much more fight and him.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah. So he needed that one superior move. And remember, just like Mr. Miyagi said earlier when they talked about the crane earlier in the movie, if done, right, no can defend. That's fine. That's fine. So what is a superior move? It is a game changer. It's game changer. And

Jason Connell:

that's highly illegal.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, again, if you talk to some experts, supposedly they say you would not want to do that in a tournament. You would not be allowed to do that in a tournament. You kick your opponent in the face.

Jason Connell:

Yes. So this whole sequence to me when he comes back from the Miyagi magical hands healing. It's very rocky ask, yeah, what's really feeds into the director John Albertsons, you know, background, but unlike Rocky, Rocky doesn't win in the first Rocky, he loses to Apollo Creed, but he gets respect. I forgot that he doesn't he wins in the second

Sal Rodriguez:

one. Wait, rocky doesn't win in the first movie. No, he loses really.

Jason Connell:

He loses to Apollo Creed. But the whole thing is he's a bomb from Philadelphia off the street and he took the champ to the distance so he was a winner. Yeah, and his life changed, but then he got the rematch. Okay. And so he won. But you just knew something was brewing beneath the surface. The music was different. The score was swelling. And when he hung in there that long you just thought the longer Daniel stays in this thing. He's got a chance. Yeah. And then the infamous same would have which I'm so glad you sent me the photo from Floyd's in Encino.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, if you ever around in the city of Encino, on Ventura Boulevard, in Encino, it would be just east of white oak. There's a Floyd's barber shop and I believe that this mural was on the building prior to Floyd's taking over the lease. It's across from something called supercells market and sent Israeli market to yours. It should be so right there on the side of Floyd's is a wonderful I call it a mural but it's a painting beautiful and it's a beautiful painting of that scene, right before right when he's in the crane position a crane Yeah, and the roof is there with his hand out there. And it is that pivotal moment as Daniel goes into the crane. And then the referee is right there ready to call the action so that mural if you're ever in Encino is there on the side of the building looks fantastic. It's amazing.

Jason Connell:

I even heard that it was there before the movie.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, that's how iconic that image is.

Jason Connell:

We've got to build a movie around this sorry,

Sal Rodriguez:

I studied the crane because I I tried

Jason Connell:

to bring up the image that you sent me I was trying to grab it real fast. No, it's amazing. But what

Sal Rodriguez:

I what I wanted to see because I actually watched over and over the crane itself is what leg you're standing on and what leg you land on. Now, the way that Mr. Miyagi does the crane is he stands on one leg and then hops and then kicks with that leg and lands on the other leg. A little more simple. Well, Daniel does the crane if you look at the way Mr. Miyagi did the crane at the beach. You look at the way even Daniel did the crane at the beach versus the way he does it in a tournament. You have to add in the hurt leg. So it adds a third step. Yeah. It's not just jumping from one leg to the other clunkier.

Jason Connell:

Yeah, but he winds up kicking him with the healthy with the good lands on the bad leg which, you know, could have just fallen down there. Yeah, but he didn't. He land currently switched to the healthy lay. Yes. Yeah. You never could pull it off on the pole on the ocean. You would land on said pole, he would have

Sal Rodriguez:

fallen to the side. Yeah, but I just noticed that because obviously that image is so iconic of him and the crane position. And as a fan of Mixed Martial Arts, and I've seen so many kicks over the years. I was like, Well wait a sec. Okay. So you're standing on this leg, you use kick with that leg then you jump to the other leg. But then now you have the added hurt leg so you got to jump back on to the good leg. So yeah, he has to do a more complex crane than if he didn't have a hurt leg.

Jason Connell:

Good point. And I would also venture to say that the crane maybe at one point in time was indefensible post Karate Kid I can defense that is super defense on credit don't walk into the crank Yeah, you know make them come to you. Yeah. So take down music swells alley rushes on. Daniel's the winner and I like how movies in the 80s this kind of ended yeah a great sequence by the way before we forget. Johnny comes over and he's the one that gives Daniel the trophy Yeah.

Sal Rodriguez:

Something like you earn this or you deserve this season something like that.

Jason Connell:

I totally I remember seeing that and like having all the empathy in the world for Johnny like wow, he understood it. He respects Daniel now no more problems. Sure. So Mr. Miyagi is planned and worked all the beef is squashed. Right. It's over the whole alley bit all of it. Yeah, you're one of us, but not one of us. And that's a great moment and then we end on Mr. Miyagi. Who didn't bum rush at this day?

Sal Rodriguez:

No, he'll he allowed Daniel and his girlfriend I guess the mom also Freddie.

Jason Connell:

Joe does make it appearance at the tournament.

Sal Rodriguez:

Ready appears at the tournament on your best friend. Remember me? Remember me the guy that left you at the beach? Remember me? So yeah, so Miyagi, let him have his time. And that that's something I would do. By the way. I let people have their moment to shine, you know. So let them have their moment. You would just leave. Honestly. Yes.

Jason Connell:

What worse? Where's my son?

Sal Rodriguez:

He's drunk.

Jason Connell:

He's gone. He moved to Northridge

Sal Rodriguez:

He's wasted. Yeah, so he lets him have his moment. Yeah, Johnny runs up hands on the trophy all piece of squash but that's not the original way that they want it to end. So we end

Jason Connell:

on like, like, close up single shot close close up of like, Mr. Miyagi fly caller smiling kind of over this really a cool shot, and it's over? Yeah, we're not talking like a slow push. They could have done like, a pull out and send all these people leaving the stadium but that's how they ended movies then. So I had read The Karate Kid book. And when I say book, back in the 80s when I was a kid, you couldn't get the screenplays as far as I know. But they would release the book of the movie. Sometimes if I couldn't go see the movie right away, I would knock out the book. And I think I'd already seen karate kid. So I was just reading the book. I was so enamored with it. And the end of the book has a scene that is past this sequence. That is what starts karate kid too. Yeah. And let's talk about that scene just to kind of end this podcast because cardiac get to for the most part is in Okinawa. It's a whole different story. Cobra Kai doesn't really have a presence. Ali's not in it, Ali's not in it. So but we'll talk about this one opening sequence because it's kind of the end of Cobra Kai for a while.

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah, cuz though the beginning of Karate Kid two was supposed to be the ending of the Karate Kid.

Jason Connell:

And they did the right thing. They added one at the right. Yes. But the

Sal Rodriguez:

original intention was there was some sort of thing in the parking lot.

Jason Connell:

So yeah, so I watched just to get fresh again, because I have not seen karate kid too. And got maybe since the 80s. But so it's, you know, filmed years later, a few years later, but we are now leaving the auditorium. Yeah. And we're in the parking lot and Daniel's hobbled but he's got his clothes. You know his normal clothes on street clothes. He says Mr. Miyagi, he has a trophy. No mother. No ally. Yeah. So because Elizabeth she was not in the sequel when or what a mother wasn't in the seat. It was she may I don't know, that didn't keep watching but she wasn't in this particular sequence. Okay, maybe they didn't have her because where's Ali if you have the mother? Yeah. But from afar, you see, since the crease, not happy with any of the Cobra Kai No, and he's really getting vocal with Johnny. Oh, he takes his second place trophy and literally destroys it. shreds it slams it, and then puts a chokehold Johnny in a chokehold and that's it, Mr. Miyagi says

Sal Rodriguez:

what is child abuse at this moment, it's horrible. And all the other

Jason Connell:

they're trying to come and some some of the Cobra guys are trying to step in and break it up and he's like, No, he's tough enough to knock them back. So Miyagi has to intervene. And he comes over and asks him to release them and he doesn't so then he grabs I think creases one of his arms, puts it behind his back and crease tries to punch at Mr. Miyagi, Miyagi moves and he crushes a car window whoa crazy says hey pulls his right one of his hands up, blood everywhere. circles back tries to punch Mr. Miyagi again. Again, Miyagi moves. Another car window shatters so Chris has two super bloody knuckles Johnny's safe and I guess Mr. Miyagi drops into his knee and has his hand ready for like a kill shot could easily take him out you know shot to the nose anywhere vital if she didn't like those bottles, totally does unbelievable bottles. And he acts like he's gonna take him out there's a shot of Daniel like on looking thinking what is Miyagi doing is really gonna kill this guy. Sure. And he stops trying to at the very, you know, at a bridge of his nose, and hawks like hey, pinches it's kind of it's a bit much less humiliating It's humiliating but Chris is like near passing out for some reason falls down face down. And all the other Cobra Kai students are just kind of like wow what this happened oh,

Sal Rodriguez:

what were they going to drop their black belts at them?

Jason Connell:

Do they do that?

Sal Rodriguez:

Well that's what I read I read that they were going to have it so that they just dropped they dumped their black belts you know as limp body crease goes down so

Jason Connell:

ease Yeah, I know that he's got to busted hands I get that but he's more humiliated but then for the after the honk on the nose he does for a tough guy like that wouldn't went down like that. I could see him being bested and saying Fine, you got me but he does falls down. I get passed out. Yeah. So the Cobra guys have now as far as I know. That's the end of Cobra Kai is in the second Karate Kid. Yeah. Now the third one I know that make a comeback. But that's we'll save that for a rainy day. But this is the end of like the crease Cobra Kai Johnny, which is why it's a great lead into the show.

Sal Rodriguez:

So you're saying that a viewer can go straight from karate kid into Cobra Kai. Bypassing Karate Kid two and three if they want to? Yes. Well, it's kind of like, you know, when I've asked people who are diehard Star Wars fans, okay, let's say I've never seen Star Wars. Let's say I've never seen any of the movies. Where should I start? The first Star Wars, which is episode four.

Jason Connell:

Somehow first release more along the way. It became a new hope. But it was always Star Wars. Okay. You know what the first theatrical release the 70s? Yeah. And then I would watch empire. Yeah. And I would go ahead and watch return to the Jedi. Too bad the Ewoks are there and then I would skip ahead to the newest ones. The JJ Abrams won, skipping

Sal Rodriguez:

Clone Wars,

Jason Connell:

all that stuff. Okay, so

Sal Rodriguez:

there you go. So it's not that much different here. So

Jason Connell:

you're skipping to two I'm not even throwing under the bus because two is actually a pretty good story. They go to Okinawa. While and but it's it just a different story. He has a different love and a different love interests and Miyagi has a love interest. So it's actually worth seeing but for the sake of Cobra Kai yeah, let's talk Cobra Kai. Yeah, you can stay in the lane. And watch this. There might be a point we want to for special episodes explore two and three because three there is Cobra Kai presents. And there's even the wall with Hillary Swank. Yeah. And it was never saw

Sal Rodriguez:

there was also an animated show for a while a Karate Kid animated show in the 80s like the late 80s

Jason Connell:

Was it Miyagi and Russo? I know,

Sal Rodriguez:

I think so. Yeah. Let's just back up a little bit. The Karate Kid name was borrowed from DC Comics, there was a DC comic character named The Karate Kid. You see at the end of the Karate Kid movie, they think DC Comics. So the makers of the Karate Kid motion picture, approached DC Comics and asked Can Can we use this name Karate Kid for our motion picture? And I guess I don't know what one of the they threatened them with sweeping the leg.

Jason Connell:

Said clients already pulled off a Coca Cola. Who else is happening? So they

Sal Rodriguez:

said yes. So at the end of the movie, they do think DC Comics for the use of the name The Karate Kid. I did not know that. Yeah. More trivia.

Jason Connell:

Yes, good trivia. So that concludes Cobra Kai, how it came into being and really creases Cobra Kai, and Johnny, we will pick up let's talk Cobra Kai was season one, episode one on our next episode.

Sal Rodriguez:

Oh, great. I'm really looking forward to that because I have not seen Cobra Kai yet. Am I allowed to say that? Yeah. Okay. I haven't seen Cobra Kai yet. So this is going to be new to me. I've really enjoyed the Karate Kid. I'm looking forward to getting into Cobra Kai. I'm actually pretty excited about

Jason Connell:

me too. And episodes will be much shorter. This was this movie, which they don't make movies like this anymore. Almost a two hour runtime for a feel good movie. Yeah, heartwarming movie.

Sal Rodriguez:

He wouldn't say that a movie like this, you would think at about an hour and a half hour 40. Yeah, that's how

Jason Connell:

they do it now. So our episodes 22 minutes, our episodes will be shorter and jam packed. Because Cobra Kai is it's really well done, you're gonna like it. Well, also,

Sal Rodriguez:

it's a different era. Now. If you go back to the Karate Kid, there's no cell phones. There's no internet. There's not Cobra Kai, I guess has to have cell phones and internet its present day. Right.

Jason Connell:

Here's your touch on some good points we'll be talking about

Sal Rodriguez:

Yeah. Well, that's one of the things I would ask filmmakers when we were at the festival is I would ask them I would say I noticed that the movies in present day yet you don't have any cell phones. And they would make these decisions. They were intentional to remove cell phone to remove internet from a movie even though it's present day because it changes the dynamic. Oh yeah. You know, you can hop on your phone, dial 911 Whatever. Well, that changes everything.

Jason Connell:

So I will say this I will give you since I have seen Cobra Kai season one, season two, and I enjoyed it so much is what led me to want to create this podcast so I can't wait to revisit it and have notes and we'll be ready to roll. But I will tell you this. Johnny Lawrence is a little bit of a Billy Madison type. If I remember Billy Madison, when he goes back to school, he's still stuck in a different era. Yeah. Johnny Lorenz is a little bit of that he's still stuck in the 80s. And you'll see that and then you get to know OSI, the Johnny you'd never got to see in the movie. That'd be nice. And then it's cut with where Daniels in life. You know what they've done some good things and I'm excited to explore together.

Sal Rodriguez:

I'm excited to explore Cobra Kai as well. And I thank you for inviting me on this journey with you.

Jason Connell:

My pleasure. All right, we'll see you next time. Thanks for listening. Bye. So thank you so much for listening. And please be sure to subscribe to the let's talk movies podcast as well as the let's talk movies YouTube Live Channel. You can also really help us by giving the show a five star rating on Apple podcast. And for all you listeners that enjoy sharing your thoughts you can leave us a review on Apple podcasts, send us a direct message or post a comment on any let's talk movies social media platform. We also highly recommend checking out our other podcast and visiting just curious media.com

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