What's Not To Love, Karate Kid?

Finally I watched all of the previous four Karate Kid movies. I do not want to watch the remake of it starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith until I’ve watched the previous Quadrilogy. What can I say but I gotta love the Karate Kid. I think one of the main reasons I loved the Karate Kid so much is because even though Daniel Larusso (played by Ralph Macchio) was always getting beaten up or bullied in any way, he always ended up on top. It always gave me a sense of hope because he was such a fragile looking guy and he didn’t look like he could come out victorious but he always did in the end. "Paint the fence," "Wax on/wax off" or "Sand the floor" are such an immortal words that will no doubt be remembered for years to come. One of my favorite scenes in movie is the part when Larusso discovered that Mr. Miyagi (played by the late great comedian Pat Morita) is a valor. Scenes after that realization are very inspiring as the movie shows Daniel-san practicing more and doing it alone especially the crane kick. The background music simply just makes it better. The musical score of the movie is the best, very inspiring. I will say that my favorite part is the crane kick. You can see the determination of Daniel in his face. It’s insanely remarkable. What I felt after watching the four films is like I watched the Ten Commandments. While it is a heart-warming tale of the underdog overcoming tough odds, I think there are some lessons we can learn from this movie that most people miss. It’s really moving and the thoughts imparted in the movie are just captivating. Here are some of the unforgettable lesson-filled quotes that from the movie.

“First learn stand, then learn fly. Nature rule, Daniel-san, not mine.”
Daniel desperately wanted to learn how to do the crane kick after just a few lessons. Miyagi responded that there’s a specific order of things in Karate just like in nature. So he taught Daniel progressively more difficult strikes, balancing techniques, and blocks, built up his confidence, and only then did he allow Daniel-san to learn the Crane Kick.

“You mean there were times when you were scared to fight?” “Always scared.”
Mr. Miyagi, the guy who could single-handedly defeat six Cobra Kai at once, was always scared to fight. And yet, he still took care of business when necessary. This might be the most important lesson of all and one I’ll always remember.

“We make sacred pact. I promise teach karate to you. You promise learn. I say. You do. No questions.”
Mr. Miyagi had to ignore Daniel-san’s tendency to think he already knew what he was doing and to force Daniel to learn from the ground up, from scratch. He had to do this even when Daniel progressed to the level of punching with gloves and protective gear.

Daniel: When do I learn how to punch?
Miyagi: Better learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, karate good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up, go home. Understand?
...
Daniel: [practicing blocks in Mr. Miyagi's boat] When am I gonna learn how to punch?
Miyagi: Learn how punch, after you learn how keep dry! [rocks boat, throwing Daniel into the water]
-- perfect example of Be Patient with Progress; the “Why” Will Become Clear over Time

“Sweep the leg.” – Oh no, this is not inspirational but I just hate this famous dialogue. It scares me a lot.

Watch Karate Kid. I would definitely watch the 2010 version soon. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a leg to sweep! I mean I have a car to wax and a fence to paint.. =)