The One Where Peter Cetera Saves Karate Kid Part II

Now, you're all sat there thinking... "Wow. Did AT deliberately go on and on (and on) about the opening of Karate Kid (1984!), because the opening of Karate Kid II is so unique?"

Well, honestly... No. I totally forgot the opening of II meant I could have skipped the original film, and saved myself 127 mins.

I wouldn't have wanted too, obviously. It's a classic. But how cool is it that the credits come up over a total recap of the first film?

I love it.

The only comparison I have is waiting at the end of Matrix Revolutions, after the credits, for the trailer for the other one. Or was it the other way around? Whatever.

We're sort of owed that start, to be fair. The freeze frame on Miyagi at the end of Karate Kid may be the worst ending of all time. (Apart from Hot Tub Time Machine. But that kind of goes with out saying.)

What I also love about Part II, (like The Godfather. You need to treat this bad boy with some respect.) is that the opening scene is more violent than anything in the first one. Yet it's a PG.

No, I don't know what that bothers me so much. So stop asking.

What did strike me during Part II, was that it was a little...gay. Now that's not a problem. I fully appreciate Top Gun is the gayest film ever, but I felt a bit uncomfortable here. Daniel is a young man. He's a little bit obsessed with Miyagi. I'm probably reading too much into the fact that he let Elizabeth Shue leave him. I would never do that. I couldn't do that. I'd go Boxing Helena on her ass.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

 Just kidding. 

*Looks at the floor, then the sky, then to the left...*

Hit the picture up there for a link to one of the greatest songs of all time. In fact it's probably in my Top 100, so lets call this #4 Woman In Chains.

So... is Karate Kid Part II better than Karate Kid? That was a rhetorical question. Of course it's not.

I like that they go to Okinowa. But the fact they go with out saying goodbye to Mrs (Ms?) Larusso makes it feel like a tag on. I know that  Elizabeth Shue was on her way to better things, but... well, couldn't they have had a break up scene? With Peter Cetera singing in the background?

I'm being churlish, but I sort of mean it. A big part of a sequel for me is the characters coming back. Otherwise it gets frustrating. Bond is forgiven for the amount of films there's been. But others, like the Lecter (Lektar?) movies annoy the hell out of me. Especially when I preferred Julianne Moore (what happened to her??). It makes me want them to remake Silence with her in it. Because we all know Jodie never bettered THIS.

If we're really honest, Peter Cetera saves Karate Kid Part II. That, and the quirky opening credits.

In between it's just a re-run of the first one. Miyagi and Daniel-san, getting close. In a bonding sort of way. (It's a PG, after all).

There's also a lot of talk about War. And how War is very bad. Very, very bad.

Thankfully, fighting is OK. And the end fight is a doozy. (Did I just say doozy? Yeah. You pulled it off. Roll with it.)

The reason I love the end fight so much is simple. The yellow outfit the dude in yellow is wearing reminds me of Big Trouble In Little China. And what could be better than that??

And really, we HAVE to finish on this. Legend. *Bows, whilst maintaining eye contact*

I've been thinking for a while I may start doing an IMDb fact thing. MC did it on his own Blog, but after that Blog rising from the ashes (for a day), it's gone (again). Seems a shame to waste it. *Raises JD to MC*

Charlie Sheen turned down the role of Daniel LaRusso

According to Joe Esposito, "You're the Best" was originally written for Rocky III (1982) which explains the lyric "History repeats itself". The song had been rejected in favor of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger". Ironically, Survivor also performed the theme song ("The Moment Of Truth") for The Karate Kid. 


Former screenwriter Dennis Palumbo has said that he was offered the screen writing job for the film but reacted to the offer by saying he'd be "willing to do it if he (the title character, Daniel Larusso) lost the fight in the end." Palumbo explained his reasoning: "You can't have Mr. Miyagi tell him, 'It doesn't matter if you win or lose,' for 90 minutes and then have to have him win." Palumbo went on to say, "But that's because I was being a moron... Now, they made four sequels to that movie, so obviously I was wrong." (Palumbo's remarks appear in Tales from the Script (2009).)


Another little known fact, (not from IMDb). is that I don't really like Eye Of The Tiger.


And really, we HAVE to finish on this. Legend. *Bows, whilst maintaining eye contact*



Well, actually we should've ended on THIS, but whatever. Bonzai Mother Fucka. I know there were a lot of Links but you absolutely positively have to hit that last one. It may change your life.

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