Prior to seeing "The Karate Kid" for the first time in the mid-80s, I already liked Pat Morita. I knew him as Arnold on "Happy Days", a show I watched regularly as a kid. When I first saw "The Karate Kid", I stopped seeing Arnold when I saw Pat Morita. Pat became Mr. Miyagi.
I was ten or eleven years old when I first saw "The Karate Kid" and I instantly loved it. I'd watch it over and over and over again. You could relate to Daniel-san. I'll bet every boy born in 1974 was able to relate to Daniel-san and I'll bet we all adopted "The Karate Kid" as our movie and Miyagi as our mentor. When I listed my five favourite songs that pump you up and motivate you to win it all back in April, Joe Esposito's "You're The Best" was number one with a bullet. How many of you tried that martial arts crane stance?
Pat Morita has passed on, but we're left with his words of wisdom from this inspiring flick. Here are a few of my favourites.
- Wax on... wax off. Wax on... wax off.
- We make sacred pact. I promise teach karate to you, you promise learn. I say, you do, no questions.
- First learn stand, then learn fly. Nature rule, Daniel San, not mine.
- Daniel-san, must talk. Man walk on road. Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk down middle, sooner or later, get squished.
- Hai - can see. No such thing a bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do.
You're the best! Around! Nothing's gonna ever keep you down...
