Filmmaker John G. Avildsen had trouble following the success of Rocky (1976), so he returned to the formula that served him well to make a Summer blockbuster that appealed to every 80s kid. The Karate Kid franchise has been through every type of sequel: immediate follow-up, gender switch, race switch, TV Series, legacy sequel. It’s only a matter of time before we get a prequel detailing the days when Mr. Miyagi was a karate kid himself. The film was a huge hit, guaranteeing the cast would at least get articles detailing “where are they now?” The memorable small role for me is Rob Garrison as Tommy, the weasel of the Cobra Kai gang who taunts Daniel during the final match. (“Get him a body bag!”)
Often, when people come to Los Angeles with stardust in their eyes, they’ll take a day to visit all their favorite filming locations. The South Seas Apartments, where Daniel moved with his mom, would be a must for our generation. Located on Saticoy St in Reseda, it still looks exactly like it did back in 1984, only the pool is now usable.
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