Elisabeth Shue in 2007 | |
Born | October 6, 1963 (age 55) Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |
---|---|
Other names | Lisa Shue |
Alma mater | Harvard University (2000) |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1982–present |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 3 |
Relatives | Andrew Shue (brother) |
Elisabeth Judson Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an American actress, best known for her starring roles in the films The Karate Kid (1984), Adventures in Babysitting (1987), Cocktail (1988), Back to the Future Part II (1989), Back to the Future Part III (1990), Soapdish (1991), Leaving Las Vegas (1995), The Saint (1997), Hollow Man (2000), and Piranha 3D (2010). She has won several acting awards and has been nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. She starred as Julie Finlay in the CBS procedural forensics crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from 2012 to 2015.[1] More recently she had supporting roles in Battle of the Sexes (2017) and Death Wish (2018).
Shue was born in Wilmington, Delaware, the daughter of Anne Brewster (née Wells; b. 1938), and James William Shue (1936–2013),[2] a one-time congressional candidate, lawyer, and real estate developer, who was president of the International Food and Beverage Corporation. Her mother was a vice president in the private banking division of the Chemical Banking Corporation.[3][4][5] Shue grew up in South Orange, New Jersey. Her parents divorced when she was nine.[6][7] Shue's mother is a descendant of Pilgrim leader William Brewster, while her father's family emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in the early 19th century.[8][9] Shue was raised with her three brothers (William, Andrew and John) and was very close to them. Her younger brother, Andrew, is also an actor, best known for his role as Billy Campbell in the Fox series Melrose Place. Shue graduated from Columbia High School, in Maplewood, New Jersey, where she and Andrew were inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1994. She has two half-siblings from her father's remarriage, Jenna and Harvey Shue.[10][11]
Shue attended Wellesley College and, in her junior year, was inspired by a friend to work in television commercials as a way to pay for college. She transferred to Harvard University in 1985, from which she withdrew to pursue her acting career one semester short of earning her degree.
She returned to Harvard in 1997 and completed her B.A. in political science in 2000.[12]
During her studies at Columbia High School and after her parents' divorce, Shue began acting in television commercials, becoming a common sight in ads for Burger King, also featuring future stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Lea Thompson (whom Elisabeth would later co-star with in both television and film), DeBeers diamonds, and Best Foods/Hellmann's mayonnaise.[13] She had small parts, credited as Lisa Shue, in The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana (1982) and Somewhere, Tomorrow (1983) which provided an early starring role for Sarah Jessica Parker.
Shue made her feature film debut in 1984, when she co-starred opposite Ralph Macchio in The Karate Kid as Ali Mills, the love interest of Macchio's main character.
She was a series regular as the teenage daughter of a military family in the short-lived series Call to Glory between 1984-1985. In 1986 she starred alongside Terence Stamp and an orangutan in the British simian horror film Link. In 1987 she continued with a television movie Double Switch (part of the Wonderful World of Color series) co-starring with George Newbern, who would go on to support her in her first star vehicle, the hugely popular Adventures in Babysitting in the same year.
She next appeared in Cocktail as the love interest of Tom Cruise's character in 1988. In 1989 she starred in the short 'Body Wars' which was used at Epcot in an ATLAS Simulator attraction in the Wonders Of Life Pavilion until 2007. She appeared as Jennifer Parker in Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Back to the Future Part III (1990), replacing Claudia Wells who declined to reprise the role from Back to the Future because of a family illness. It was around this time her older brother, Will, died in a tragic accident on a family holiday. Although her career was on the rise with her playing lead roles, Elisabeth elected to take on the smaller supporting role of Jennifer in these sequels to allow her to deal with her family loss. The sequels were filmed back to back, she featured prominently in Part II. However, in Part III she only appeared briefly at the beginning and end, having been asleep on a veranda swinging bench for majority of the movie.
In May 1990, Shue made her Broadway debut in Some American Abroad at the Lincoln Center.[14]
In 1991, she appeared in the comedies The Marrying Man with Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin, and Soapdish with Sally Field, Robert Downey Jr., Kevin Kline and Whoopi Goldberg.
Between 1992 and 1994 she appeared in a variety of supporting roles in both film and television. These included the comedy Twenty Bucks reuniting with Christopher Lloyd from Back to the Future, noir thriller The Underneath, a guest appearance in Dream On, and the romantic comedy Heart and Souls reuniting with Robert Downey Jr. She also returned to Broadway in 1993, performing in Tina Howe's production of Birth and After Birth.[15]
Although often cast as a girl-next-door type, in a career-defining role she starred as a prostitute in the 1995 film Leaving Las Vegas with Nicolas Cage. The role earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She was also nominated for a BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG Award for Best Actress, and won Best Actress at the Independent Spirit Awards, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards and the National Society of Film Critics Awards.
Her career flourished after her Oscar nomination, landing her diverse roles. She starred in The Trigger Effect in 1996. Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry (1996) showcased her comedic abilities amongst heavyweight co-stars Billy Crystal, Demi Moore, Robin Williams and Stanley Tucci. Shue also displayed some action movie skills in the 1997 spy remake The Saint opposite Val Kilmer. The thriller Palmetto (1998) afforded her the chance to play a film noir-ish femme fatale opposite Woody Harrelson; she co-starred in Cousin Bette (1998) with Jessica Lange,and Paul Verhoeven's Hollow Man (2000) with Kevin Bacon proved another summer blockbuster.
In 1999, Shue starred as the titular Molly as an autistic young woman placed into the care of her unwilling bachelor brother, played by Aaron Eckhart. She played a mother that reveals her dark past to her teenaged daughter in the 2001 ABC movie Oprah Winfrey Presents: Amy and Isabelle. She has since stated she was 'extremely proud of that film, which no one ever saw, so it's a good lesson that you do work for yourself and not necessarily for the end result'.
Shue starred in Leo (2002) with Joseph Fiennes and Dennis Hopper, Mysterious Skin (2004) opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hide and Seek (2005) opposite Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning, and Dreamer (2005) again opposite Dakota Fanning and Kurt Russell.
In 2007, Shue and her two brothers, Andrew Shue and John Shue, produced Gracie. Her husband Davis Guggenheim also produced and directed. She played the mother of the main character who was loosely based on her own experiences as the only girl on a boys' soccer team. Andrew also appeared as the soccer coach, and her previous co-star from The Trigger EffectDermot Mulroney played the father of the main character. Andrew Shue initially conceived of it as a story about their late brother William, the oldest Shue sibling, who was the captain of the high school soccer team; he died in a freak accident while the family was on a vacation in 1988. The older brother character of Johnny was based on Will.[16][17] She also starred in the little seen First Born (2007) with British actor Steven Mackintosh.
In 2008, Shue starred in Hamlet 2 as a fictionalized version of herself. In the film, she has quit acting to become a nurse and is the favorite actress of Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan). In 2009, Shue appeared on the seventh season of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm as an actress competing with Cheryl Hines's character for the part of George's ex-wife for the Seinfeld reunion. In 2009 she starred alongside Thomas Haden Church in Don McKay.
In 2010, Shue starred in Piranha 3D as Sheriff Julie Forester. In addition she played the former groupie mother of Abigail Breslin in Janie Jones and a psychologist in Waking Madison alongside Sarah Roemer and Imogen Poots.
In 2012, Shue appeared in three wide-release theatrical films: the thriller House at the End of the Street with Jennifer Lawrence; Curtis Hanson's Chasing Mavericks opposite Gerard Butler; and David Frankel's Hope Springs as Karen the bartender in a cameo scene with Meryl Streep.
The year 2012 also marked Shue's return to television in a series regular role when she joined the cast of Season 12's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Julie Finlay opposite Ted Danson, and replacing Marg Helgenberger. Finlay is the newest CSI, who just finished anger-management classes.[18] She continued in the role until the end of Season 15 where her character's fate was left hanging in the balance, later revealed in the two-part 2015 TV movie wrap-up finale of the entire series to have died (Shue did not appear). During her time on the series, being a massive tennis fan as well as regular tennis player, she jokingly suggested to the producers they have an episode centered around a murder at a tennis tournament. In Season 13 her wish was granted, and her friends and former pros-turned commentators, 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert, three-time Grand Slam winner Lindsay Davenport and two-time mixed doubles Slam champ Justin Gimelstob appeared in an episode as themselves. She also re-united with Back to the Future alumna Lea Thompson, who guest starred in an episode of Season 14.
In 2014 she appeared as a cougar in Behaving Badly along with Selena Gomez, Nat Wolff and Heather Graham. In 2015 she guest-starred in an episode of the Patrick Stewart series Blunt Talk.
In 2017, she provided a strong supporting role in Battle of the Sexes, opposite Steve Carell and Emma Stone. She had originally signed on as a tennis adviser for the film which recounts the 1973 showdown between female player Billie Jean King and former men's champ Bobby Riggs.
In 2018 she co-starred in Eli Roth's remake of Death Wish opposite Bruce Willis as his ill-fated wife. In the movie, Shue was also re-united with Vincent D'Onofrio, who appeared in Adventures in Babysitting with her.
In 2019, she will be a series regular in the upcoming American superhero drama television series, The Boys, with Karl Urban and Jack Quaid, and will be playing the lead role in the TNT television pilot Constance, playing a corrupt former beauty queen. In the latter she will also be one of the executive producers along with Robert Downey Jr. (whom she previously co-starred with in Soapdish and Heart and Souls) and his wife Susan Downey among others. Constance is not going forward to series so remains to be seen it the pilot will air as a television movie. [19]
She has already filmed Greyhound opposite Tom Hanks, to be released in 2020.
She auditioned for the Ione Skye role in Say Anything.. (1989), being a runner-up along with Jennifer Connelly.[20]
She was one of several Hollywood actresses considered for the iconic role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman (1990), famously portrayed by Julia Roberts. [21]
She auditioned for the Sherilyn Fenn role in Of Mice and Men (1992).[22]
She was slated for the Adrienne Shelly role in Teresa's Tattoo (1994). (read in edition of Film Review magazine in 1994)
She was considered for the Anne Heche role in The Third Miracle (1999).[23]
She was originally cast in The Number 23 (2007) but was let go due to her third pregnancy and replaced by Virginia Madsen.[24]
She was tapped to reunite with Val Kilmer in The Hard Ride in 2007. The film was to also star Karl Urban who she would later star alongside in The Boys (2019 TV series).[25]
She was offered the lead role in The Good Wife (2009-2016) with the role finally going to Julianna Margulies. [26]
She was slated as series regular for TV series Pitch (2016) but departed and was replaced by Ali Larter.[27]
She is heavily rumored to be appearing in Season 3 of Cobra Kai reprising her role, Ali, from the original 1984 film The Karate Kid. The series serves as a continuation of the original films.[28]
Shue married film director Davis Guggenheim in 1994.[29] The couple have three children, Miles William (1997), Stella Street (2001), and Agnes Charles (2006).[30][31][32]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Somewhere, Tomorrow | Margie | |
1984 | The Karate Kid | Ali Mills | |
1986 | Link | Jane Chase | |
1987 | Adventures in Babysitting | Chris Parker | |
1988 | Cocktail | Jordan Mooney | |
1989 | Body Wars | Dr. Cynthia Lair | Disney attraction |
1989 | Back to the Future Part II | Jennifer Parker | |
1990 | Back to the Future Part III | ||
1991 | The Marrying Man | Adele Horner | |
1991 | Soapdish | Lori Craven / 'Angelique' | |
1993 | Twenty Bucks | Emily Adams | |
1993 | Heart and Souls | Anne | |
1994 | Radio Inside | Natalie | |
1995 | The Underneath | Susan Crenshaw | |
1995 | Leaving Las Vegas | Sera | Nominated for Academy Award for Best Actress |
1996 | The Trigger Effect | Annie Kay | |
1997 | The Saint | Dr. Emma Russell | |
1997 | Deconstructing Harry | Fay | |
1998 | Palmetto | Mrs. Donnelly / Rhea Malroux | |
1998 | City of Angels | Pregnant woman | Uncredited Cameo |
1998 | Cousin Bette | Jenny Cadine | |
1999 | Molly | Molly McKay | |
2000 | Hollow Man | Linda McKay | |
2002 | Leo | Mary Bloom | |
2002 | Tuck Everlasting | Narrator | |
2004 | Mysterious Skin | Mrs. McCormick | |
2005 | Hide and Seek | Elizabeth Young | |
2005 | Dreamer | Lilly Crane | |
2007 | Gracie | Lindsay Bowen | |
2007 | First Born | Laura | |
2008 | Hamlet 2 | Herself | |
2009 | Don McKay | Sonny | |
2010 | Piranha 3D | Julie Forester | |
2010 | Janie Jones | Mary Ann Jones | |
2010 | Waking Madison | Dr. Elizabeth Barnes | |
2012 | Hope Springs | Karen, The Bartender | |
2012 | House at the End of the Street | Sarah Cassidy | |
2012 | Chasing Mavericks | Kristy Moriarity | |
2014 | Behaving Badly | Pamela Bender | |
2017 | Battle of the Sexes | Priscilla Wheelan | |
2018 | Death Wish | Lucy Kersey | |
2020 | Greyhound | Eva Krause | Post-production |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana | Lynn Osborne | Television film |
1984–1985 | Call to Glory | Jackie Sarnac | Main role (23 episodes) |
1987 | Wonderful World of Color | Kathy Shelton | Episode: 'Double Switch' |
1992 | The General Motors Playwrights Theater | Alice Adams | Episode: 'Hale the Hero' |
1993 | Dream On | Maura Barish | Episode: 'Oral Sex, Lies and Videotape' |
1994 | Blind Justice | Caroline | Television film |
2001 | Amy & Isabelle | Isabelle Goodrow | Movie |
2009 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Virginia | Episodes: 'Officer Krupke', 'Seinfeld' |
2012 | American Dad! | Detective Lacey Sole | Episode: 'Less Money, Mo' Problems' |
2012–2015 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Julie Finlay | Main role (71 episodes) |
2015 | Blunt Talk | Suzanne Mayview | Episode: 'The Queen of Hearts' |
2019 | The Boys | Madelyn Stillwell | post-production |
2019 | Constance | Constance Young | Pilot |
Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | Young Artist Awards | Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama | The Karate Kid | Won |
1986 | Saturn Awards | Best Actress | Link | Nominated |
1995 | Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Actress[citation needed] | Leaving Las Vegas | Won |
Independent Spirit Awards | Best Female Lead | Won | ||
Los Angeles Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Won | ||
National Society of Film Critics | Best Actress | Won | ||
Academy Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
BAFTA Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated | ||
Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama | Nominated | ||
Screen Actors Guild | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role | Nominated |
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The Karate Kid | |
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Directed by | John G. Avildsen |
Produced by | Jerry Weintraub |
Written by | Robert Mark Kamen |
Starring | |
Music by | Bill Conti |
Cinematography | James Crabe |
Edited by | |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | |
Running time | 127 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $8 million[2] |
Box office | $91 million[3] |
The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial artsdrama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in The Karate Kid franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita, and Elisabeth Shue.[4][5]The Karate Kid Twilight part 1 watch online. follows Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), a teenager taught Gōjū-ryū karate by Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help defend himself and compete in a tournament against his bullies, one of which is the ex-boyfriend of his love interest Ali Mills (Shue).
Kamen was approached by Columbia Pictures to compose a film similar to Avildsen's previous success Rocky (1976), after signing the director. Kamen drew inspiration from his own life when writing the film.[6] As a result, he maintained strong opinions regarding cast, and petitioned heavily for Morita's inclusion.[7] Preparations for the film began immediately after the final edit of the script was complete, and casting took place between April and June 1983. Principal photography began in September 1983 in Los Angeles, and filming was complete by December 1983.
The Karate Kid was theatrically released in the United States on June 22, 1984. The film received universal acclaim from critics, many of whom praised the action sequences, writing, storyline, acting performances, and music. The film was also a commercial success, grossing over $91 million worldwide, making it among the highest grossing films of 1984.
The film is also notable for kickstarting the career of Macchio, as well as revitalizing the acting career of Morita, who was previously known mostly for comedic roles, and earned Morita a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.[8]The Karate Kid subsequently launched a media franchise, and is credited for popularizing karate in the United States.[9][10]
17-year-old Daniel LaRusso moves with his mother Lucille to Reseda, Los Angeles, California from Newark, New Jersey at the start of the school year. Their apartment's handyman is an eccentric, but kindly and humble Okinawan immigrant named Mr. Miyagi.
Daniel befriends Ali Mills, an attractive high school cheerleader, which draws the attentions of her arrogant ex-boyfriend Johnny Lawrence, a skilled practitioner and top student from the 'Cobra Kai' dojo, where he studies an unethical and vicious form of karate. Johnny and his Cobra Kai gang continually torment Daniel, savagely beating him up on Halloween until Mr. Miyagi intervenes and single-handedly defeats them with ease. Amazed, Daniel asks Mr. Miyagi to teach him karate. Miyagi refuses, but agrees to bring Daniel to the Cobra Kai dojo to resolve the conflict. They meet with the sensei, John Kreese, an ex-Special ForcesVietnam veteran who callously dismisses the peace offering. Miyagi then proposes that Daniel enter the All-Valley Karate Championships, where he can compete with Johnny and the other Cobra Kai students on equal terms, and requests that the bullying cease while Daniel trains. Kreese agrees to the terms, but warns that if Daniel does not show up for the tournament, the harassment will continue on both Daniel and Miyagi.
Daniel's training starts with menial chores that he believes only makes him Miyagi's slave. When he becomes frustrated, Miyagi demonstrates that these actions have helped him to learn defensive blocks through muscle memory. Their bond develops and Miyagi opens up to Daniel about his life that includes the dual loss of his wife and son in childbirth at the Manzanarinternment camp while he was serving with the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War II in Europe, where he received the Medal of Honor. Through Mr. Miyagi's teaching, Daniel learns not only karate but also important life lessons such as the importance of personal balance, reflected in the principle that martial arts training is as much about training the spirit as the body. Daniel applies the life lessons that Miyagi has taught him to strengthen his relationship with Ali. On Daniel's birthday, Miyagi presents him the uniform he will wear at the tournament and his own car as his birthday gifts.
At the tournament, Daniel surprises everyone by reaching the semi-finals. Johnny advances to the finals, scoring three unanswered points against Darryl Vidal. Kreese instructs his second best student Bobby Brown, one of his more compassionate students and the least vicious of Daniel's tormentors, to disable Daniel with an illegal attack to the knee. Bobby reluctantly does so, severely injuring Daniel and getting disqualified in the process. Daniel is taken to the locker room, with the physician determining that he can't continue, but Daniel believes that if he does not continue, his tormentors will have gotten the best of him. He convinces Miyagi to use a pain suppression technique to allow him to continue. As Johnny is about to be declared the winner by default, Daniel returns to fight. The match is a seesaw battle, as neither is able to break through the other's defense.
The match is halted when Daniel uses a scissor leg technique to trip Johnny, delivering a blow to the back of the head and giving Johnny a nose bleed. Kreese directs Johnny to sweep Daniel's injured leg, an unethical move. Johnny looks horrified at the order, but reluctantly agrees. As the match resumes, Johnny seizes Daniel's leg and delivers a vicious blow, doing further damage. Daniel, standing with difficulty, assumes the 'Crane' stance, a technique he observed Mr. Miyagi performing on a beach. Johnny lunges toward Daniel, who jumps and delivers a front kick to Johnny's face, winning the tournament. Johnny, having gained newfound respect for his nemesis, presents the trophy to Daniel himself, as Daniel is carried off by an enthusiastic crowd.
The Karate Kid is a semi-autobiographical story based on the life of its screenwriter, Robert Mark Kamen. At age 12, after the 1964 New York World's Fair, Kaman was beaten up by a gang of bullies. He thus began to study martial arts in order to defend himself.[6] Kamen was unhappy with his first teacher who taught martial arts as a tool for violence and revenge. So he moved on to study OkinawanGōjū-ryū karate under a Japanese teacher who did not speak English, but was himself a student of Chōjun Miyagi.[6]
As a Hollywood screenwriter, Kamen was mentored by Frank Price who told him that producer Jerry Weintraub had optioned a news article about the young child of a single mother who had earned a black belt to defend himself against the neighborhood bullies. Kamen then combined his own life story with the news article and used both to create the screenplay for The Karate Kid.[6] Additionally, given John G. Avildsen's involvement with both films, Sylvester Stallone often joked with Kamen that the writer had 'ripped off' the Rocky films with The Karate Kid.[6]
A number of actors were considered for the part of Daniel, including Robert Downey Jr., Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Nicolas Cage, Anthony Edwards, and Eric Stoltz.[6] Ultimately, Ralph Macchio was cast due to his performance in The Outsiders (1983).[6] Macchio later commented that, 'the character was originally named Danny Weber. As soon as I walked in the room, it changed to LaRusso.'[6] The studio originally wanted the role of Mr. Miyagi to be played by Toshiro Mifune, who had appeared in the films Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), and The Hidden Fortress (1958), but the actor didn't speak English.[6]Pat Morita later auditioned for the role, but was rejected for the part due to his close association with stand up comedy, and for the character Arnold on Happy Days.[6] After a few failed attempts, Morita grew a beard and patterned his accent after his uncle, which led to him being cast in the role.[11]
Crispin Glover was considered for the role of Johnny, but the studio later opined for William Zabka. After his audition, Zabka saw Macchio, who noted '[Zabka] scared the shit out of me' during his audition to the studio.[6]Demi Moore was also considered for the role of Ali, but Elisabeth Shue was cast based partly on a Burger King commercial that became widely popular in the early 1980s. The film marks the debut roles of both Zabka and Shue.[6] Late in production, Valerie Harper was considered for the role of Lucille, but the studio later instated Randee Heller for the role.[6]
Filming began on October 31, 1983,[12] and wrapped on December 16, 1983.[13] Additionally, Columbia Pictures needed to obtain permission from DC Comics to use the Karate Kid title due to DC's existing ownership of the character, Karate Kid.[14]
The musical score for The Karate Kid was composed by Bill Conti, a frequent collaborator of director John G. Avildsen since their initial pairing on Rocky (1976). The instrumental score was orchestrated by Jack Eskew and featured pan flute solos by Gheorge Zamfir. On March 12, 2007, Varèse Sarabande released all four Karate Kid scores in a 4-CD box set limited to 2,500 copies worldwide.[15]
A soundtrack album was released in 1984 by Casablanca Records containing many of the contemporary songs featured in the film. Of particular note is Joe Esposito's 'You're the Best', featured during the tournament montage near the end of the first film. Originally written for Rocky III (1982), 'You're the Best' was rejected by Sylvester Stallone in favor of Survivor's hit song 'Eye of the Tiger'. Coincidentally, Survivor also performed the main theme ('The Moment of Truth' Music & Lyrics: Bill Conti, Dennis Lambert, Peter Beckett) for The Karate Kid.
Bananarama's 1984 hit song 'Cruel Summer' also made its U.S. debut in The Karate Kid but was excluded from the film's soundtrack album. Other songs featured in the film but left off the album include 'Please Answer Me' performed by Broken Edge and 'The Ride' performed by The Matches.
The Karate Kid ranked #40 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 Best High School Movies.[16]
The film received an approval rating of 88% on review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes based on 43 reviews, its consensus reads: 'Utterly predictable and wholly of its time, but warm, sincere, and difficult to resist, due in large part to Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio's relaxed chemistry.'[17]
On its release, Roger Ebert called the film one of the year's best, gave it four stars out of four, and described it as an 'exciting, sweet-tempered, heart-warming story with one of the most interesting friendships in a long time.'[18]Janet Maslin of The New York Times also gave a positive review.[19]
Upon release of the 2010 remake, Dana Stevens wrote,
'The 1984 original .. may have seemed like a standard-issue inspirational sports picture at the time, but (as with another box-office hit of the same year, The Terminator) a generation of remove reveals what a well-crafted movie it actually was. Rewatched today, the original Kid, directed by Rocky's John G. Avildsen, feels smart and fresh, with a wealth of small character details and a leisurely middle section that explores the boy's developing respect for his teacher.'[20]
Year | Award | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | Academy Awards[21] | Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Pat Morita | Nominated |
Golden Globes[22] | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Pat Morita | Nominated | |
Young Artist Awards[citation needed] | Best Family Motion Picture - Drama | Won | |
Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama - Elisabeth Shue | Won | ||
Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama - William Zabka | Nominated |
The first film led to The Karate Kid franchise.
The original 1984 film had three sequels, and it launched the career of Macchio, who would turn into a teen idol featured on the covers of magazines such as Tiger Beat. It revitalized the acting career of Morita, previously known mostly for his comedic role as Arnold on Happy Days, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Miyagi. Morita reprised his role in three subsequent sequels, while Macchio returned for two.[23]
The music video for the song 'Sweep the Leg' by No More Kings stars William Zabka (who also directed the video) as a caricature of himself and features references to The Karate Kid, including cameo appearances by Zabka's former Karate Kid co-stars.[26]
Kove and Zabka[27] appeared on an episode of Tosh.0 as their original characters for 'Board Breaker Web Redemption'.
Macchio and Zabka made a guest appearance as themselves in the How I Met Your Mother episode 'The Bro Mitzvah'. In the episode, Macchio is invited to Barney Stinson's bachelor party, leading to Barney shouting that he hates Macchio and that Johnny was the real hero of The Karate Kid. Towards the end of the episode, a clown in the party wipes off his makeup and reveals himself as Zabka.[28]
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(help). (closing credits)Wikiquote has quotations related to: The Karate Kid |
John G. Avildsen |
Robert Mark Kamen | .. | (written by) |
Ralph Macchio | .. | Daniel | |
Pat Morita | .. | Miyagi (as Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita) | |
Elisabeth Shue | .. | Ali | |
Martin Kove | .. | Kreese | |
Randee Heller | .. | Lucille | |
William Zabka | .. | Johnny | |
Ron Thomas | .. | Bobby | |
Rob Garrison | .. | Tommy | |
Chad McQueen | .. | Dutch | |
Tony O'Dell | .. | Jimmy | |
Israel Juarbe | .. | Freddy | |
William Bassett | .. | Mr. Mills | |
Larry B. Scott | .. | Jerry | |
Juli Fields | .. | Susan | |
Dana Andersen | .. | Barbara | |
Frank Burt Avalon | .. | Chucky | |
Jeff Fishman | .. | Billy | |
Ken Daly | .. | Chris | |
Tom Fridley | .. | Alan | |
Pat E. Johnson | .. | Referee | |
Bruce Malmuth | .. | Ring Announcer | |
Darryl Vidal | .. | Karate Semi-Finalist | |
Frances Bay | .. | Lady with Dog | |
Christopher Kriesa | .. | Official | |
Bernie Kuby | .. | Mr. Harris (as Bernard Kuby) | |
Joan Lemmo | .. | Restaurant Manager | |
Helen Siff | .. | Cashier (as Helen J. Siff) | |
Larry Drake | .. | Yahoo #1 | |
Abbott Alexander | .. | Yahoo #2 (as David Abbott) | |
Molly Basler | .. | Cheerleading Coach | |
Brian Davis | .. | Boy in Bathroom | |
David De Lange | .. | Waiter | |
Erik Felix | .. | Karate Student | |
Peter Jason | .. | Soccer Coach | |
Todd Lookinland | .. | Chicken Boy | |
Clarence McGee Jr. | .. | Referee #2 | |
William Norren | .. | Doctor | |
Sam Scarber | .. | Referee #3 | |
Scott Strader | .. | Eddie | |
Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Chris Casamassa | .. | Tournament Guest (uncredited) | |
Donald DeNoyer | .. | Karate Student (uncredited) | |
Charles Gallant | .. | Karate Fan (uncredited) | |
Katheryn Gallant | .. | Karate Fan (uncredited) | |
Kelly Gallant | .. | Karate Fan (uncredited) | |
David LeBell | .. | Guy at Halloween Dance (uncredited) | |
Tom Levy | .. | Cheering Kid (uncredited) | |
Freeman Love | .. | Waiter (uncredited) | |
Monty O'Grady | .. | Club Patron (uncredited) | |
Richard Patrick | .. | Beachgoer (uncredited) | |
Andrew Shue | .. | Member of Cobra Kai (uncredited) | |
Sharon Spelman | .. | Mrs. Mills (Ali's Mother) (uncredited) | |
Milanka Stevens | .. | Club Patron (uncredited) | |
Nick Stevens | .. | Club Patron (uncredited) | |
Robert Strong | .. | Club Patron (uncredited) | |
Duff Tallahassee | .. | Karate Fan #4 (uncredited) |
R.J. Louis | .. | executive producer |
Bud S. Smith | .. | associate producer (as Bud Smith) |
Jerry Weintraub | .. | producer |
Bill Conti |
James Crabe | .. | director of photography |
John G. Avildsen | ||
Walt Mulconery | ||
Bud S. Smith | .. | (as Bud Smith) |
Pennie DuPont |
Caro Jones |
Bonnie Timmermann |
William J. Cassidy |
John H. Anderson |
Richard Bruno |
Aida Swinson |
E. Thomas Case | .. | makeup artist |
Cheri Ruff | .. | hair stylist |
Howard Pine | .. | unit production manager |
Peter Choi | .. | trainee assistant director |
Clifford C. Coleman | .. | first assistant director |
Hope R. Goodwin | .. | second assistant director |
Craig B. Ayers Sr. | .. | greensman |
Sam Gordon | .. | property master |
Mentor Huebner | .. | production illustrator |
William F. Matthews | .. | set designer |
Michael Muscarella | .. | construction coordinator |
Rick Ash | .. | foley mixer |
Norval D. Crutcher | .. | sound effects editor |
Samuel C. Crutcher | .. | sound effects editor |
Thomas Cunliffe | .. | boom operator |
Don Digirolamo | .. | re-recording mixer |
Robert Glass | .. | re-recording mixer (as Robert J. Glass) |
Dean Hodges | .. | sound mixer |
J. Paul Huntsman | .. | post-production dialogue |
Robert Knudson | .. | re-recording mixer (as Robert Knudsen) |
Clive Taylor | .. | sound recordist |
Glenn T. Morgan | .. | assistant sound editor (uncredited) |
Frank Toro | .. | special effects |
Johnny Atkinson | .. | stunts (as John Atkinson) |
Clarke Coleman | .. | stunts |
David Crockett | .. | stunts |
Fumio Demura | .. | stunts |
Pat Green | .. | stunts |
Gary Hallenbeck | .. | stunts (as Gary Hillenbeck) |
Douglas Ivan | .. | stunts |
Buck McDancer | .. | stunts |
Bob Nichimura | .. | stunts |
Pat Romano | .. | stunts (as Patrick Romano) |
Ronnie Rondell Jr. | .. | stunts (as Ronnie Rondell) |
Spike Silver | .. | stunts |
Lance Turner | .. | stunts |
Scott Wilder | .. | stunts |
Luke LaFontaine | .. | stunts (uncredited) |
Alan Oliney | .. | stunt coordinator (uncredited) |
Peter J. Breen | .. | dolly grip |
Malcolm Bryce | .. | electrician |
Allen D. Easton | .. | first assistant camera |
Brad Edmiston | .. | first assistant camera |
Joel Kirschner | .. | second assistant camera |
John London | .. | key grip |
Ross A. Maehl | .. | gaffer |
Tom D. May | .. | best boy grip |
Ralph Nelson | .. | still photographer (as Ralph Nelson Jr.) |
Patrick G. Ralston | .. | best boy (as Pat Ralston) |
Stephen St. John | .. | steadicam operator |
Jonathan West | .. | camera operator |
Don Zobel | .. | best boy |
Richard Alderete | .. | associate editor |
Seth Flaum | .. | associate editor |
M. Scott Smith | .. | associate editor |
Richard Davis Jr. | .. | location manager (as Richard Davis) |
Brooks Arthur | .. | music supervisor |
Tom Boyd | .. | oboe soloist |
Stephen A. Hope | .. | music editor |
Russ Regan | .. | music supervisor |
Dan Wallin | .. | score mixer |
Gheorghe Zamfir | .. | musician: pan flute |
Bill Conti | .. | conductor (uncredited) |
Jack Eskew | .. | orchestrator (uncredited) |
Angela Morley | .. | orchestrator (uncredited) |
James Thatcher | .. | musician: French horn solos (uncredited) |
Celia Weiner | .. | music editor (uncredited) |
Alan Falco | .. | transportation coordinator |
Chris Haynes | .. | driver |
Pete Emmet | .. | unit publicist |
Alvin Greenman | .. | script supervisor |
Jeannie Jeha | .. | production coordinator |
Pat E. Johnson | .. | martial arts choreographer |
Pat Romano | .. | instructor: bicycle riding (as Patrick Romano) |
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 25 - Pat Morita, whose portrayal of the wise and dry-witted Mr. Miyagi in 'The Karate Kid' earned him an Oscar nomination, died on Thursday at his home in Las Vegas. He was 73.
His death, of natural causes, was announced by his wife, Evelyn.
Mr. Morita, who began his career as a stand-up comedian, had his breakthrough role as Arnold, the restaurant owner on the sitcom 'Happy Days,' in 1975. Before that he had played small parts in films like 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' and on television series like 'Sanford and Son,' 'M*A*S*H,' 'The Odd Couple' and 'Green Acres.' After one season on 'Happy Days,' he briefly starred in his own series, 'Mr. T and Tina,' in 1976. He returned to 'Happy Days' for the 1982-83 season.
In 1984, Mr. Morita first played the role that would define his career and spawn countless affectionate imitations, Kesuke Miyagi in 'The Karate Kid.' As the mentor to Ralph Macchio's 'Daniel-san,' he taught karate while trying to catch flies with chopsticks and offering such advice as 'wax on, wax off' to guide Daniel through chores to improve his skills.
His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. He lost to Haing S. Ngor, who won for his role in 'The Killing Fields.'
'The Karate Kid' was followed by three sequels. In the last, 'The Next Karate Kid' in 1994, Mr. Morita's student was played by a young Hilary Swank.
Continue reading the main storyMr. Morita was prolific outside the 'Karate Kid' series as well. He appeared in 'Honeymoon in Vegas,' 'Spy Hard,' 'Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,' 'The Center of the World' and numerous other movies. He also provided the voice for a character in the animated Disney feature 'Mulan' in 1998.
Born in Northern California on June 28, 1932, the son of migrant fruit pickers, Mr. Morita spent most of his early years in the hospital with spinal tuberculosis. He later recovered, only to be sent to a Japanese-American internment camp in Arizona during World War II.
After the war, Mr. Morita's family tried to repair its finances by operating a restaurant in Sacramento. It was there that Mr. Morita first tried his hand at comedy, performing for patrons.
Because prospects for a Japanese-American stand-up comic seemed poor, Mr. Morita found steady work in computers at Aerojet General. But he entered show business full time at 30 and went on to achieve considerable success in nightclubs and, later, on television.
Mr. Morita is survived by his wife and three daughters from a previous marriage.
The Next Karate Kid | |
---|---|
Directed by | Christopher Cain |
Produced by | Jerry Weintraub |
Written by | Mark Lee |
Based on | Characters created by Robert Mark Kamen |
Starring | Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita Hilary Swank Michael Ironside |
Music by | Bill Conti |
Cinematography | László Kovács |
Edited by | Ronald Roose |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | |
Running time | 107 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $12 million |
Box office | $15.8 million |
The Next Karate Kid (also known as The Karate Kid Part IV) is a 1994 American martial artsdrama film starring Pat Morita and Hilary Swank. It is the fourth installment in The Karate Kid film series. It was directed by Christopher Cain, written by Mark W. Lee, and produced by Jerry Weintraub, with music by Bill Conti. It is the first film in the series not to feature Ralph Macchio in the lead role as Daniel LaRusso.
It was released on September 9, 1994. Upon its release, The Next Karate Kid was a critical and commercial failure; though many critics praised the acting, they ultimately saw the film as unnecessary.
Mr. Miyagi travels to Boston, Massachusetts to attend a commendation for Japanese-American soldiers, who fought in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. He meets Louisa Pierce, the widow of his commanding officer, Lieutenant Jack Pierce. At Pierce's home, they catch up on old times and war stories.
Miyagi is introduced to Pierce's granddaughter, Julie, a teenage girl struggling with anger issues due to her parents' death in a car accident. Her behavior has led to friction between Julie and her grandmother, along with her fellow students. She sneaks into the school at night to care for an injured hawk, whom she names Angel, which she keeps in a pigeon coop on the roof.
Miyagi invites Louisa to stay at his house in Los Angeles to enjoy peace and quiet tending his garden while he stays in Boston as Julie's caretaker. At school, Julie meets and befriends Eric McGowen, a security guard in training and a pledge for a shady school security fraternity, the Alpha Elite. The members are taught to enforce the school rules, mostly by using physical force, by a self-styled colonel, Dugan. In this group is Ned, the short-fused leader and Dugan's toughest, strongest, and most aggressive student, who makes repeated unsuccessful sexual advances on Julie. Eric learns of Angel and promises to feed her while Julie is with Miyagi.
When Julie survives almost being hit by a car by jumping into a tiger position, she reveals to Miyagi that she was taught karate by her father, who learned from her grandfather, Miyagi's student. The next time she sneaks into the school to feed her bird, she is detected by the Alpha Elite, and chased through the school. Julie hides in the cafeteria until Ned finds her, at which point she hits a fire alarm with her backpack, causing Ned to let go of her. Escaping the school, she is arrested by the police and gets suspended for two weeks by Colonel Dugan. Miyagi uses this time to take Julie to a Buddhistmonastery to teach her the true ways of karate and how to handle her anger issues.
Julie learns through direct lessons about balance, coordination, awareness and respect for all life. She befriends several monks, including the Grand Abbot. The monks host a birthday party for her, giving her a cake and an arrow that Miyagi had caught while it was in flight in a demonstration of Zen archery.
Upon Julie's return to school, she discovers that Angel is now able to fly, and Miyagi assists Julie in releasing the bird back to the wild. In preparation for the prom, Miyagi teaches Julie how to dance, and purchases her a dress. While Julie goes to the prom with Eric, Miyagi and the Buddhist monks go bowling. A local player challenges them, loses the match, and accepts their tutelage. Under the orders of Colonel Dugan, the Alpha Elite bungee jump into the prom. When one of the members breaks his arm, Eric shows concern, but Ned tells him to mind his own business.
Eric drives Julie home and kisses her. Ned follows them, and smashes Eric's car windows with a baseball bat. Ned challenges Eric to a fight at the docks, and is joined by Colonel Dugan and the Alpha Elite. They set fire to Eric's car and severely beat him, but Eric is saved by Julie and Miyagi.
Ned tries to grab Julie, but she challenges him to a fight. She holds her own, using the karate she has learned, until Ned cheats by throwing sand in her face. Despite the disadvantage, Julie defeats Ned and turns her back on him. Colonel Dugan bullies the rest of the group to continue the fight, but they refuse. Miyagi challenges Colonel Dugan to fight and wins, leaving the Alpha Elite disappointed in their instructor. The film concludes with Angel flying freely above the water.
All the interior and exterior scenes were filmed on the Brookline High School campus, except for the scene in the gymnasium.[citation needed] The exterior shot is the Brookline High School gym, but the interior was Cousens Gymnasium at Tufts University. Other scenes from the movie were shot in the Boston area. For example, the scenes at Julie's house were filmed in nearby Newton.
The first three movies in the series, which featured Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, were set in Los Angeles, California. In this movie, the setting is changed to Boston, Massachusetts.
Mr. Miyagi's approach to karate-training is different as well, although he still has Julie wash cars ('Wax on, wax off') in order to teach her how to block punches and kicks. In the original 1984 film, Daniel used to think karate came from Buddhist temples; Miyagi chides him, 'You watch too much TV.' (Shaolin Buddhist temples were actually some of the origin locations of kung fu.) In The Next Karate Kid, Miyagi actually trains Julie at a Japanese monastery.
Because Hilary Swank could learn the advanced 'flashy' moves and had trouble with the beginner moves, Pat E. Johnson, the martial arts choreographer, awarded her with a 'Pink' belt, a mix of the white (beginner) and red (the one just under black in that particular style).[citation needed]
In all the four movies, the reunion scene is the only time Miyagi actually wears his Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is worn on a silk ribbon around the neck, not pinned through a jacket. The only other decoration issued by the United States worn in a similar manner is the Legion of Merit.
Conforming to the title changes of the first, second and third The Karate Kid films for their releases in Japan, The Next Karate Kid was renamed Best Kid 4 (ベスト・キッド4/Besuto kiddo 4); the major and obvious change is that this movie's translated title now explicitly identifies it as the fourth in the series.
The 1994 top ten hit 'You Gotta Be' by Des'ree was featured during the ending credits of the film.
The Next Karate Kid has been critically panned.[1] However, many critics praised Swank, and it is still considered to be her break-out performance. The films consensus on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes is 'The Next Karate Kid is noteworthy for giving audiences the chance to see a pre-Oscars Hilary Swank, but other than a typically solid performance from Pat Morita, this unnecessary fourth installment in the franchise has very little to offer.' The film received an approval rating of only 7% based on 27 reviews.[2]Stephen Holden said it 'may be the silliest episode yet in the popular Karate Kid series,' a film that 'doesn't even try to achieve surface credibility;' about the only thing positive Holden says about the film is that Swank makes an 'appealing debut.'[3]
In February 2005, upon the release of the three-DVD 'Karate Kid Collection,' Variety magazine called The Next Karate Kid a 'boilerplatecoming-of-age sequel,' but notes that Swank's 'plucky determination and athletic drive shines through' as she would later do in Million Dollar Baby.[4]
The Next Karate Kid was by some margin the least successful movie of the series at the domestic box office. Indeed, the film's performance ensured that the franchise disappeared from cinemas for sixteen years, only reappearing in 2010 with a remake of the original movie. The total box office gross for The Next Karate Kid was $8.9 million, compared to $90.8 million for the original, $115.1 million for Part II, $38.9 million for Part III, and $171.8 million for the 2010 Karate Kid.[5]
The film was released on DVD on August 28, 2001. A manufacture on demand Blu-ray release was released on September 6, 2016, as part of Sony's Choice Collection.
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