Wax on. Wax off. Sweep the leg. Few films have left a bigger mark on pop culture than The Karate Kid, and in this episode we're stepping into the dojo to uncover the stories behind the classic.

Joining us is Sam, one of our fantastic Patrons, who chose this week's film. Together we dig into behind-the-scenes secrets, surprising casting stories, production trivia, martial arts myths, and the moments that turned this modest underdog movie into a worldwide phenomenon.

Whether you're Team Daniel, Team Johnny, or just here for Mr. Miyagi's wisdom, there's plenty to discover.

A huge thank you to Sam for picking this episode and for supporting the show!

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The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen. It is the first film in The Karate Kid franchise. The film stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue and William Zabka.[3][4] The story follows Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey who moves with his widowed mother to the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, LaRusso encounters harassment from bullies, one of whom is Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), the ex-boyfriend of LaRusso's love interest, Ali Mills (Shue). LaRusso is taught karate by handyman and war veteran Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help LaRusso defend himself and compete in a karate tournament against his bullies.