Karate Kid Collection Box Set (DVD, 2005, 3-Disc Set)

Directed by John G. Avildsen
Written by Robert Mark Kamen

Starring:
Ralph Macchio
Pat Morita
Elisabeth Shue
Martin Kove
William Zabka

Produced by Jerry Weintraub
R.J. Louis (executive producer)
Bud S. Smith (associate producer)
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date June 22, 1984
Runtime 126 min.


About the Karate Kid - One of the best 80s movies and Sports movies

The Karate Kid is about a teenage boy, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who moves with his mother from Newark, New Jersey to Reseda, California, in the San Fernando Valley district of L.A.. The handyman of their apartment building is a kindly and humble Okinawan immigrant named Mr. Kesuke Miyagi (Pat Morita).

The last night of summer, Daniel and his new friends, including Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue), are at the beach, when Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and his friends, pull up on motorbikes. Johnny and Ali begin arguing, and Ali blasts a radio. Angered, Johnny throws the radio to the ground. Daniel moves to pick it up, and ignores Johnny's warning not to get involved. Soon Daniel and Johnny fight, but Daniel loses. Unwittingly, Daniel has made an enemy of one of Cobra Kai karate dojo's best students. The Cobra Kai dojo is an arguably over-the-top portrayal of a sadistic, macho, and prideful form of martial arts, perhaps a symbolic representation of the "dark side" of martial arts.

Johnny and his cronies torment Daniel as much as they can. When Daniel retaliates with a prank at a Halloween dance (where Johnny is seen rolling what appears to be a marijuana cigarette laced with PCP), he is pursued by Johnny and his friends, who proceed to beat him until he can barely stand. Just then, Mr. Miyagi intervenes and rescues Daniel in a surprising display of karate (stunt work by Fumio Demura). Daniel, upon learning this, asks Mr. Miyagi to be his teacher (sensei).

With some persuasion, Miyagi agrees to accompany Daniel to confront the sensei of the Cobra Kai dojo and insist that he tell his students to stop their harassment of Daniel. However, the sensei, John Kreese (Martin Kove), is a vicious fighter (later revealed in the sequels as a Vietnam Veteran) who regularly barks out condemnations of mercy or restraint. To settle the matter, Miyagi announces Daniel will enter a Valley-wide tournament where Cobra Kai students can fight Daniel on equal terms. Miyagi also requests that Johnny and his friends stop bullying Daniel in the interim while the boy is trained. Kreese assents and orders his students to leave Daniel alone, but threatens that if Daniel does not appear at the tournament, the harassment will resume and Miyagi himself will be targeted as well.

Without spoiling the movie's ending, Mr. Miyagi and Daniel experience conflict as Daniel-son struggles with a male authority figure so intent on teaching focus and patience. But Daniel LaRusso's skill and mental toughness are put on the line in the ending karate tournament where Daniel must face the Cobra Kai clan!

We love this set. Very cool to have ALL the Karate Kid movies in one set.
They are all pretty family-oriented,except for some sporatic language,and some scenes of violence & mild peril.
It really takes us back 'to the eighties':The Music,the clothes,etc. Anyways,we got a very good deal on E-Bay.
The shipping took about 10 days on this one,but it was totally worth the money we saved (I think we might have payed about 15$....not bad)
I'd say we give this DVD-set a five-star rating! Well worth the money!
Thank you E-Bay, and Mr. Miyagi....may I have another!!!

I have always loved the Karate Kid series. They teach good morals to our young people. They teach that there is another way other than fighting. It teaches kids how to channel their anger in a good way. The story line of these movies are excellent in each movie Daniel faces a new challenge which keeps it exciting. Another thing I like about these movies is there is no bad language in them so they are suitable for all ages.

What more can be said of these classic movies (I refer of course to the first three only)? The Karate Kid movies are packed full of comedy, wisdom, and 1980's style martial arts. Mr. Miyagi is up there with Yoda on the wisdom chart! "Never choose passion over principle....even if you win, you lose!"

I bought this for my son, who is 9, because he is in Karate lessons for 3 years now and is a current Red belt and Junior Leader at the studio. He is understanding the importance behind karate and why he is there to learn. These movies help reinstate what Master Cannon is teaching to the youth. Karate is not for fighting to win, karate is not used to pick fights, karate is not who is the strongest physically but who had the connection between body mind and spirit and knowing when to use and when not to use karate. THese movies are great for the whole family and I believe will be around forever as classics and great actors. I loved these movies as a kid as well. These movies were great to get my son for Christmas. He loves to watch them often.