Episode 287 - The Karate Kid

“Wax on, wax off.” Join your favourite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam, and the triumphant return of Megs (Kev’s still away… last seen jogging up a hill in a grey tracksuit muttering “No mercy”) – as we crane kick our way into our 287th episode, tackling the inspirational, emotional, and occasionally questionable The Karate Kid (1984). We’re trading crystal fortresses for dojo face-offs and dusty training montages as we discuss:

• Does Daniel LaRusso bring most of his problems onto himself? We break down whether he’s the underdog—or the instigator.
• What is the difference between a cute girl and a hot girl? And where does Elizabeth Shue’s Alli fall on the spectrum of '80s love interests?
• Does Ralph Macchio wear one of the all-time worst Halloween costumes in movie history? (Spoiler: Yes. Yes, he does.)
• Can you really learn black belt-level karate in just a few weeks? Or did Daniel unlock cheat codes under Mr. Miyagi’s tutelage?
• Ian goes to war with the score—and one particular song that just doesn’t belong.
• The film suggests America was batty about soccer in the '80s. Was that true… or just wishful screenwriting?
• Why the studio was reluctant to cast Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi—and how he proved them all spectacularly wrong.
• Ian finds a way to shave 10 minutes off the runtime—Miyagi would approve of the efficiency.
• Why does Daniel’s mother uproot their entire life for a job that seems… deeply underwhelming?
• Does Daniel deserve Alli in the end—or was she just too good for this drama-prone karate kid?
• We wax (lyrically) on and off about themes, nostalgia, and tournament ethics.
• And finally, whether The Karate Kid is the Best Film Ever.

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Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.