Because I am SO hip and with it, I just found out about two days ago that there is a new Karate Kid movie out. My immediate reaction, of course, was, "How can you RE-MAKE The Karate Kid? It's a classic! Without scrawny little Ralph Macchio and Elisabeth-with-an-s Shue, how can it possibly be the same?"
I am, of course, a child of the 80s, and so The Karate Kid holds a very special and specific place in my childhood nostalgia. The thought of updating it is just wrong to me, because The Karate Kid is pretty much an icon of the 80s. If it's not an 80s movie, then what is it?
I haven't seen the new movie, but I did have a viewing of the original last night, just to remind myself of what it was actually like. And I am now more convinced than ever that there is NO WAY to re-make that movie properly in this brave new century. I mean, we're talking about a movie featuring kids from 30 years ago. Kids that had no cell phones, no computers, and apparently, at least in the case of Daniel Larusso, no attitude. The kid actually listened to his mother. How refreshing to see a kid without a smart mouth in a movie. If the kid had had an attitude, he sure as hell would not be sanding fifteen miles of wooden decks and painting five million miles of board fence just because some weird old man told him to.
Also? Arcades were the hang-out venue of choice and Alli-with-an-i actually lounged around the beach in a one-piece bathing suit. How quaint. I'm sure the new movie has much better fight choreography and more fashionable clothing, but it doesn't have the nostalgia factor for me.
I mean, really. Arcades. Totally rad.
totally agree, the sad part is that kids that are going to watch the new Karate Kid don't even realize it is a remake...(at least all of my students anyway) we do live in the country so maybe more sophisticated teenagers(is that possible?) know that it is? but I am guessing they have never seen or heard of the original!
ReplyDeleteThe Karate Kid was AWESOME. The new movie got pretty good reviews, but I still will stick to the original.
ReplyDeleteI guess maybe each generation needs to see it in a now version for them so they can relate.
ReplyDeleteIt would be good for kids today to see someone their age RESPECT someone. Beth
They are also remaking Footloose and talking about an Overboard remake. I just don't understand why. Write some new movies and quit remaking ones from our youth!
ReplyDeleteI reject this Karate Kid remake on the basis that Ralph Macchio still looks like a 14 year old and could still play that part.
ReplyDeletePlus, the original is a total 80s classic that should be left alone.