The Karate Kid Collection DVD: Review By Brian

One word. Finally. Honestly from the moment I got a DVD player back in 1997 (one that cost me $700!) I have wanted to see The Karate Kid films on DVD. Slowly but surely the films of yesteryear, which have defined the man I am today, are steadily leaking onto DVD. And this one in particular ranks in the top 3 of those beloved 80's inspirational flicks I hold so high.

For years fullscreen versions of The Karate Kid and it's sequels have been available on DVD. But anyone who actually cares about the cinema they enjoy in their homes knows that a sole fullscreen version of any movie on DVD isn't cutting any mustard with fans. So, finally, after years of festering and tons of talk from rabid fans, the good people at Sony Home Entertainment have "pony-boy'd" up the cash to serve a full collector's edition box set of all 4 Karate Kid movies, flush with loads of Miyagi, fists full of Cobra Kai, and of course heaps of yelps from the ever iconic Daniel-san.

The Karate Kid

Name one boy in the 80's that didn't try the "crane kick" on one of his friends and I'll show you a kid with a fat lip...brought on by, of course, the "crane kick." This is the movie that did it all. Every kid on the block wanted to be The Karate Kid, and of course I was one of them.

The Karate Kid was powerful in so many ways. Adult enough to appeal to an older audience, but themed in a way that younger generations could latch onto. These elements create an ultimate classic tale, in the sense that the drama that occurs in high school and the lessons everyone learns are essentially the same, no matter what day and age you drudged through those 4 years.

Not only did this movie revolutionize the the genre of teen action dramas, but it kicked off an era of teen flicks, which if the formula was mimicked correctly (new kid in town, wants the girl, gets to be the best at something with the help of some old guy, gets the girl, battles the bad guy for the turf, gains the attention he sought after) they would have a successful film on their hands. See North Shore, RAD, Gleaming the Cube...the list goes on.

One of my favorite scenes in the film has to be the revelation Daniel has from all his wax on wax off, paint the fence, paint the house side-to-side training. Powerful to say the least.

The Karate Kid II

Trying to rekindle the magic of the first film, The Karate Kid II picks up at the exact moment the first film leaves off and takes us on a journey to Miyagi's homeland of Okinawa where he must face his dying father as well as the one who was his best friend, now, a ruthless enemy with a big grudge.

In the sequel, the filmmakers successfully capture the essence of the first film and put a bit of a twist on things. The focus now leaning more towards Miyagi, Daniel becomes more a friend at the disposable to his teacher. Of course the same formula applies in the sequel as it did in the original film...the new kid in town, not liked by the locals, get's the girl and proves himself in the end. Pure genius.

The Karate Kid III:

The 3rd Karate Kid flick is where I consider the series to end. The guidelines were set in the first two films, and part III took those elements, raised the bar a bit, and served it cold. The original Cobra Kai villain, John Kreese is back, but with a fellow ex-marine buddy who is out to get justification for his friend. Daniel is grown a bit and more confident in his abilities which drive him to defy the word of his teacher throughout the film.

This film is a definitive final chapter in the Karate Kid saga, a great way to go with a bang. While the magic of the first film may not be entirely intact, this film is for the fans of the story that have followed it from the beginning.

The Next Karate Kid:

What can I say? I haven't experienced this film in it's entirety yet. I feel a little bit like I'd be cheating on Ralph Machio if I watched a Karate Kid film he didn't star in. Machio IS the Karate Kid. Nothing against Pay Morita of Hilary Swank for their work on this film, it just isn't something I'm interested, and sadly, I think that most fans of the first 3 films feel the same way.

Is The Next Karate Kid a good film? Maybe. But some of us will never truly know.

As if the movies themselves weren't worth the price alone, we are also served up some of truly special features tailored for the people who love these films.

The Karate Kid:

Full Length Commentary with director John G. Avildsen, writer Robert Kamen, and actors Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio:

Watch the movie with Miyagi, Daniel and it's creators! What more could you ask for? A commentary track filled with loads of info and antidotes. The non-stop commentary track portrays a sense of the chemistry these people had together on screen. Lots of laughs within and an extremely entertaining treat for the fans.

Featurettes: The Way of the Karate Kid, Beyond the Form, East Meets West: A Composer's Notebook, and Life of Bonsai

Great featurettes are included on the first disc accompanying the first film. Contemporary doc*mentaries walk through the various important elements and themes of the first film. Each feature ranges in length, but each is pretty hefty and worthy of any featurette you'd see in a half house HBO special.

I especially enjoyed these docs as a fan. Honestly I could watch these things all day long. Everyone is a little older today, and a little thicker in the neckline region, but everyone pours their heart out for this special film. You know you have something great on your hands when Pat Morita is choked up and tearing at the end. Behind-the-scenes photos, home video footage, and tons of never-before-seen content make these docs worth the price of admission on their own, so being a fan, I am extremely greatful.

The East Meets West doc*mentary takes you into the creation of Bill Conti's score, which any Karate Kid fan knows is a memorable one. Conti takes you through the various techniques he used for his cues and the different inspirational aspects behind them. From Miyagi's themes to the contemporary tracks of the 80's, these elements are just as important to the magic as any of the directing, acting, or screenwriting elements are. Watch The Karate Kid again...you'll know exactly what I mean.

More Content

Theatrical trailers, photos, a DVD -ROM game (incompatible with Macintoshes!), and more. The special content is more then you could ever want from these films. My only complaint is that the special features were not packed onto a special features disc by themselves. This means the films were compressed a bit heavier allowing for more content on the disc. Once the HD technology is fully baked I hope to see an immaculate version of these films hit store shelves so that I can forever archive the magic of The Karate Kid.

Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen all of the films have been given an upgrade of sorts. Remastered in high definition, the films look exactly as they should. A lot of the grain and look that was captured in the 80's comes across throughout each film as there is very little noticeable enhancement on the telecine side. So rather then look like the slick action flicks of today, these films exactly like they did, if not slightly better, when they were screened during their theatrical releases.

That said, they look exactly as I remember them, and exactly like I want to remember them.

We're a sort of lo-fi soundtrack here as we get audio streams in Dolby 2.0 Surround. Honestly, for these films, I know what to expect, and the audio, like the video, isn't too cleaned up, hence serving the film closer to how it was originally intended. Take my word for it, there is nothing disappointing here, even on the most high end systems.

Let's face it. The artwork isn't terribly good. Packaged in a new slicked up photoshoped version of some old artwork the slip sleeve cardboard box serves more like an ad for all four film rather then capturing the intrigue of the films. Nonetheless, I'm just happy to see Daniel and Miyagi on the cover with the Miyagi-do Karate logo. Nuff' said. Just give me the movies!

If you grew up in the 80's like I did and you haven't seen The Karate Kid then something is wrong and I highly doubt you're living a complete, happy and fulfilling life.

Go get this box set now. I don't care who are. These movies define the formula for which almost every single teenage inspirational flick since has gotten it's heart.