The Karate Kid and the emasculation of martial arts in the US

**Olorin** · Posted On: 3/08/2005 12:07am

The minor problem with this article is twofold. First is it hard to compare the two movies. They are different in theme, style, and intended audience. Second, it is hard to judge the impact of a movie. You would need to show that attendance in Karate classes increased after the movies released and then demonstrate that the movie was the cause. It would be just as hard to judge if the movie affected the public’s attitude about what Martial Arts are all about. Nevertheless, on both of these counts, I think you are probable right; the movie had a negative impact.

I think you are reading too much into the character of Daniel. If you are applying a deconstruction approach then the movie meant whatever you wanted it to mean. However, the writers and director clearly wanted the audience to be sympathetic to Daniel and view him as bullied teen that learns to stand up for himself. The way the Cobra Ki’s trained was intended to increase the obstacles for our protagonist. As far as the Cobra Ki’s and their Sensei, I view this as a dangerous cult of personality, where the Sensei dominates the class and rules without question. I think that the makers of the movie intended this too. They show the students applying the message of their Sensei and as a result acting inappropriately. It is meant to show how an evil teacher can influence impressionable minds.

I think that you are over reading this movie, it is a get-in get-out have a good time flick, and not intended for serious analysis, But I enjoyed your article nevertheles

**SMF** · Posted On: 3/08/2005 4:46am

One postive thing I think you can take from 'The Karate Kid' is'there are times when you do what your trainer says because you trust his experience. Of course you don't completly stop thinking critically and you never compromise your own values. Also i'm not saying you should paint your sensei's house! Yet there are going to be times when you got to do what you're told, without bullshit argument, if you want to learn things.

**Astrosmurf** · Posted On: 3/08/2005 5:46am

I think the "painting fence drill" and the "wax on wax off" is some of the most annoying scenes in any mainstream MA-films I have ever seen. The fact that Daniel-san does the paint/wax training before he knows that what he trains have any fighting application and without knowing of the purpose of the drill is probably what bugs me the most. It feeds the "blindly do as sensei/sifu says even if it seems meaningless and ask no queastions mentality".
I really hate that movie.

**Vargas** · Posted On: 3/08/2005 6:01am

It could have been worse. Go to the Mega-Threads and Classics subdivision and read the 'Moons of Jupiter' thread ifyou want to see a sensei asking his students to do some weird ****. Daniel-san had it a lot better than those poor aikido guys. . . :angry7:

**Astrosmurf** · Posted On: 3/08/2005 6:46am

It could have been worse. Go to the Mega-Threads and Classics subdivision and read the 'Moons of Jupiter' thread ifyou want to see a sensei asking his students to do some weird ****. Daniel-san had it a lot better than those poor aikido guys. . .

Maybe someone can use that story for an adult version of the Karate Kid.

**TXBudoka** · Posted On: 3/10/2005 11:55pm

I always thought that Karate Kid III was the most realistic. He gets his butt kicked the WHOLE movie, doesn't get the girl, and doesn't beat the other (better and more skilled)fighter but only out points him.

My teen years were in the 80's and this was when I was in Shotokan with a teacher about three or four steps below the intensity of Sensei Krease. I liked it because it was karate and the people were protrayed as being about the same age as me.

However, you did bring up food for thought.

**DuckofDeath** · Posted On: 3/11/2005 9:29pm

An Investigation into the Proliferation of Crane Style Mysticism in the Martial Arts Following the Release of the Film The Karate Kid

Great title for a doctoral dissertation that would surely net some kind of grant.

**Omar** · Posted On: 3/11/2005 11:34pm

This seems to be the crux of why everyone around here hates that movie so much:

Originally Posted by Astrosmurf

I think the "painting fence drill" and the "wax on wax off" is some of the most annoying scenes in any mainstream MA-films I have ever seen. The fact that Daniel-san does the paint/wax training before he knows that what he trains have any fighting application and without knowing of the purpose of the drill is probably what bugs me the most. It feeds the "blindly do as sensei/sifu says even if it seems meaningless and ask no queastions mentality".
I really hate that movie.

I can only figure that "The Karate Kid" must have been the first fucking MA movie you'd ever seen in your pathetic little lives because THAT is the basic structure of countless CLASSIC gong fu fu movies especially from the golden age of chop socky, the Shaw Brother's era. Doesn't anyone remember "Shaolin Temple" where one poor sucker gets stuck in the kitchen mixing all the rice with a 10 foot pole so he can reach all of them and in the end he becomes the top spear fighter of the whole temple? Then his buddy who was stuck loading firewood for the kitchen ends up with the ultimate tiger claw grip AVA! Sucker number 3 is given the task of laying out the copied sutras on all those pointy rocks to dry and he learns the ultimate "lightness skill" (can jump over buildings and ****)

There's folktales like that all throughout China and I assume Japan as well. It's a standard convention of the genre.

*pfft* amateurs.

**TheLeastOne** · Posted On: 3/12/2005 12:01am

Hmm... Jet Li IS better in sub-title movies. Bloodsport had much more appeal. I mean...a french Frank Dux doing the splits and punching the guy in the jewels 6 times...(or was that multiple camera angles?)...And at the end of the movie they said it was based on a true story. What could be more real?

:D