The Karate Kid (1984)

The movie was filmed at authentic San-Fernando Valley locations to give the realism that the director was searching for. Exclusively visit the filming locations at our site, listed in the links section.

In an interview with ESPN Classic, Ralph Macchio explained that the crane kick was actually supposed to be done with one leg. As we know, his left leg was hurt by Johnny in the tournament. He was supposed to be able to put the left leg up in the crane and jump high enough with the right leg to both use it to kick and then land on it again, but Ralph couldn't do it and refused to let the directors hire a double to perform it. Ralph credits Billy Zabka's (Johnny's) reaction to the kick as a way of not noticing it, but you can see he does land back on the injured left leg, but he quickly switches so that he's standing on the good right leg again. -Thanks to Lisa Venezia

Pat E. Johnson, who choreographed the fight scenes is an actual champion of Tang Soo Do, an art which he learned in Korea in exchange for English lessons. In the scene where Mr. Miyagi is doing the crane kick on the beach while Daniel is getting hit by waves, it's actually Pat with a wig on. -Thanks to Alex

In the scene where Daniel is being chased from the dance by Johnny and the gang and he runs through the open field behind his apartment complex. If you look closely at one of the trees in the middle of the field, you can see a smoke machine pumping out smoke to make the scene look foggy. Not very well hidden! -Thanks to Matt

In the scene where Johnny Lawrence rams Ali's radio at Daniel LaRusso, the speakers are initially facing Daniel; when Daniel, shown at a different angle, takes the radio's brunt in the belly and falls over, the speakers of the radio are facing Johnny! Oops! -Thanks to Edward Fong

When Mr. Miyagi saves Daniel from Johnny and his gang by the fence, he picks up Daniel and puts him over his shoulder but on the very next shot he opens the fence and Daniel is on the other shoulder. In the same scene, Mr. Miyagi never punches Johnny in the face but the next day at the dojo he has a black eye. -Thanks to Alex Ruiz

A boom mic is clearly seen behind the car when Daniel goes to Miyagi's door before going to the Cobra Kai dojo. -Thanks to Alex

When Daniel gets beaten up after the dance he has a bruise on his face and a band-aid. He then goes on his date with Ali and the damage on his face disappears. The next day, when he enters Miyagi's back yard for his first day of training, the bruise and band-aid are back on his face. -Thanks to Alex / Brandi

There is a scene where Mr Miyagi is trying to catch a fly with chop sticks, if you look very carefully, you can see the fine glimmering effect of the wire that is suspending the fake fly. -Thanks to Tom Hutchison

In the scene where Ali is dancing with her father at the fancy restaurant, we see Johnny sit down at the table next to Ali's mother. During the same shot Ali asks, "Hey Dad, what time is it?" The shot switches to an opposite angle, and the father replies, "Well, it's about...9:40" just as Johnny and the mother dance into the shot from the right side of the frame. There is no way they could have arrived there that fast from where they were sitting.

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