The Karate Kid
Harald Zwart ’s remake of the classic number - of - age martial artistic creation movieThe Karate Kidturned 10 year old this past June . star Jaden Smith andJackie Chan , the film follows a young African American son who is forced to relocate to China with his individual female parent . When he arrive , Dre ( Smith ) is befriended by Mr. Han ( Chan ) , a martial arts expert who slowly teaches the male child how to defend himself .
Released on June 11 , 2010,The Karate Kidbecame a massive hit at the domestic and international box - spot . The film cost roughly $ 40 million to make and gross more than $ 176 million in North America and an additional $ 182 million internationally for a total take of $ 358 million .
The Remake Was Almost Titled The Kung Fu Kid
Although the movie have zero karate , original series manufacturer Jerry Weintraub insisted on keeping the pop title intact to make as much money as possible . Weintraub shortly see changing the deed of conveyance toThe Kung Fu Kid , but ultimately decided otherwise .
However , the film claim differs in various Asian territory . In the People ’s Republic of China , the film is calledThe Kung Fu Dream . In Japan and South Korea , the movie is weirdly calledBest Kid .
Jaden Smith Studied 3 Martial Arts Techniques
For the purpose of 12 - year - old Kung Fu student Dre Parker , Jaden Smith spent three calendar month training in various martial art techniques . One of the proficiency watch in the film include the Crane Style of Kung Fu , which Dre witnesses a woman practise atop the dragon point at the temple .
Crane Style includes like an expert balancing on one groundwork , which is very reminiscent of the " Harold Hart Crane kick " that Mr. Miyagi ( Pat Morita ) teach Daniel LaRusso ( Ralph Macchio ) in the originalTheKarateKidfilm . The woman also defy a cobra Snake River , another link to the Cobra Kai dojo from the original series .
Jackie Chan’s Eminence Helped Production
consort to Jaden ’s father , Will Smith , Jackie Chan was so highly revered in his native Chinathat his mere presence in the country opened doors for the production ofThe Karate Kidin way nobody else mayhap could .
Chan ’s distinction in China led to several productions favor , such as being granted license to film in areas strictly forbidden in the region . Chan ’s inclusion in the film cue the Chinese governance to set aside filming at the Great Wall of China , the Forbidden City , and the Wudang Mountains .
There Were Certain Conditions For Filming At The Great Wall Of China
Although the Taiwanese government permit Zwart and his squad to shoot at the Great Wall of China , conditional confinement were put in position . Since airplanes and helicopters are prohibited from vanish over the rampart , all of the camera equipment had to be transport by hand .
Production was finally granted permission to film sealed overhead shot of the wall from a helicopter at sunset , but only when military preparation routines were completed .
It’s The First Film To Shoot In The Forbidden City Since 1987
In addition to filming at The Great Wall of China , The Karate Kidbecame the first picture show to film in China ’s sanctified Forbidden City in more than 20 years . The castle mega - complex in the nerve of Bejing , which once served as the imperial abidance of the Ming Dynasty , had not been interpret on film since Bernardo Bertolucci ’s 1987 filmThe Last Emperor .
The newThe Karate Kidmarks the first fourth dimension the Chinese government activity granted license to shoot in The Forbidden City since Bertolucci ’s diachronic biography .
Ralph Macchio Declined A Cameo
Although Ralph Macchio ultimately hold to reprise his function of a lifespan as Daniel LaRusso in the belovedCobra Kaisequel serial , he turned down the opportunity to make a cameo visual aspect inThe Karate Kidremake .
While no specific reason was cited for his disinterest , Macchio was publicly displeased with his experience makingThe Karate Kid Part IIItwo decades prior . This probably informed his refusal of a quick cameo , though his rancour may have since waned as examine by his enthusiasm forCobra Kai . In 2010 , Macchio instead appeared in an episode ofLaw & Order : Criminal Intent .
James Horner Replaced The Original Composer
Icelandic composer Atli Orvarsson was primitively employ to scoreThe Karate Kidremake . However , he was replaced by two - meter Oscar victor James Horner , who come through awards for Original Score and Song forJames Cameron’sTitanic . This marked the first picture show Horner compose since Cameron’sAvatar .
The grudge forThe Karate Kidwas discharge four days after the film on June 15 , 2010 . Jaden Smith and Justin Bieber performed the film ’s official motif birdcall , " Never Say Never . "
The Director Gave A Shout-Out To FFK
Prior to makingThe Karate Kid , Dutch director Harald Zwart was known for helming family film such asAgent Cody BanksandThe Pink Panther 2 . In every one of his plastic film , Zwart makes an effort to shoutout his beloved football cabaret , Fredrikstad ( FFK ) .
InThe Karate Kid , the FFK logo can be spotted on the jacket of the doctor during the championship tournament succession . The logotype is boast on a button wear on the doctor ’s coat .
There Are References To Original
Several references to the originalTheKarate Kidseries can be establish in the remaking . For representative , when Dre begins take with Mr. Han with the poles , Dre does the iconic crane - kick move from the original film in silhouette . Mr. Han also performs the wax - on / wax - off proficiency when Dre commences his education regiment .
When Dre is being browbeat at school , he wears a shirt nearly identical to the one Daniel LaRusso wore during the tea leaf rite inThe Karate Kid Part II . Also , Dre succeed the tournament in the final stage by using the Cobra Strike he learned from the woman in the temple . The move ’s name is a nod toCobra Kai , the antagonists of the original film .
Dre Was The Bad Guy In The Chinese Cut
For its acquittance in China , several vista had to be reedited to abide by with the nation ’s strict censorship police force . For example , the shots of Dre kiss Meiying ( Wenwen Han ) had to be removed . to boot , scenes depicting rough bullying at school had to be nip off down . But most infamously and polemically , China ’s censors essentially edited the film in such a way that it told a wholly different story .
Because of the censor ' demand that Chinese type not be portray in a disconfirming light , the pic ’s Chinese adaptation was reshaped to make it appear as if Dre stir up all of the fights , makingThe Karate Kidmore of a redemption arc than an underdog tale . This actually support a long - function possibility about the originalTheKarate Kidwhich lay claim Daniel LaRusso was always the true resister and that the real Karate Kid was Johnny Lawrence , an slant that the sequel seriesCorba Kaihas defend .
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