Ep. 2 - The Karate Kid
This week, Nate shares one of his favorite childhood films with Adam, The Karate Kid (1984). Immortalized by The Simpsons in “Dead Putting Society” (S2E6), this VHS classic brings together a potent mix of eighties style, karate action, and touching drama. You’re the best!
Also in this episode:
A deep dive into Simpsons episode “Dead Putting Society,” our first beat-by-beat movie parody
The unsung filmography of John G. Avildsen, a master of naturalism, underdog stories, and the training montage
An honest, unglamorous portrait of Los Angeles on film
Adam and Nate test out a different format for the show (let us know what you think!)
Next week, Nate and Adam revisit a movie they’ve both only seen once a long time ago, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964).
Every Reference to The Karate Kid on The Simpsons
By our count in The Simpsons Movie Reference Database, The Karate Kid has been directly referenced in 2 episodes of the first 13 seasons of The Simpsons, including 1 plot parody and 1 smaller reference. The first reference appears in “Dead Putting Society” (S2E6) in 1990, 6 years after the release of the movie.
Scene & Plot Parodies
Dead Putting Society (S2E6): The plot of this entire episode borrows heavily from The Karate Kid. Much like in the movie, two adults strike a wager on a childen’s sports tournament, but whereas Mr. Miyagi’s deal with Sensei Kreese is to fend off Daniel’s bullies, Homer’s bet with Flanders is mostly about petty jealousy.
Much like Mr. Miyagi teaching Daniel karate reflexes using household chores, Lisa draws on some ancient Buddhist wisdom to help Bart tap into his intuitive mini-golf skills: “What’s the sound of one hand clapping?” (Given his answer, Bart is either an idiot or a genius.)
Leading up to the day of the tournament, we are treated to a classic John G. Avildsen-style training montage, in the spirit of Rocky (1976), The Karate Kid, Lean on Me (1989), and countless imitators. It culminates in Bart striking the famous “crane technique” pose on top of a garbage can.
As homer gets under Flanders’ skin In this episode, we get a preview of his eventual breakdown in “Hurricane Neddy” (S8E8). In the heat of the tournament, Flanders even channels the villainous Sensei Kreese by yelling, “Mercy is for the weak, Todd!”
Small References
When Flanders Failed (S3E3): When Lisa tells the school bullies that Bart will beat them up with the help of his martial arts classes (which he has been secretly skipping), Kearny skeptically calls Bart “karate kid.”
Extra Credit
Looking for more like this or an interesting double feature? Here are our recommendations.
From Nate: Rocky (1976), Bend It Like Beckham (2002) & Creed (2015)
Further Reading & Viewing
Article: “Editor’s Table,” The Chautauquan, June 1883, Volume 3, Issue 9, p. 543. This is one of the first mentions in writing of the “tree falling in the woods” quandary featured in “Dead Putting Society” (according to Wikipedia). Ironically, it includes a pretty clear answer.
Ephemera: The Karate Kid VHS Clamshell (1987), VHS Collector, 2016. For our summary of the film, we turned to this questionable 1987 VHS clamshell. Did they actually watch the movie?
Visualization: “Rocky Morphology,” Fathom, December 2013. The Karate Kid borrows heavily from the "morphology” of the Rocky series, a pattern of fights, training, montages, and pre-fight pep talks. Based on the work of Vladimir Propp’s studies of Russian folklore, this visualization shows how these elements play out in every Rocky movie side by side.
Definition: "Koān," Encyclopedia Britannica, Apr. 24, 2017. Even before Lisa decided to become a Buddhist in “She of Little Faith” (S13E6), she often showed an affinity for Buddhist philosophy as “Dead Putting Society” (S2E6) demonstrates. When looking into the origin of “one hand clapping” in this episode, we came across this useful entry on Buddhist koāns.
Documentary: Derek Wayne Johnson, John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs, Aug. 1, 2017. While it sometimes feels embarrassingly congratulatory, King of the Underdogs does a great job of revealing Avildsen’s influences and process as a director. If you want to understand where the naturalism and emotional highs of The Karate Kid come from, start here.
Article: Alex Prewitt, “The Crane Kick is Bogus: A Karate Kid Oral History,” Sports Illustrated, May 1, 2018. This is a fun behind-the-scenes look at one of the most iconic moments in The Karate Kid. It’s always good to be reminded that movies with huge success and longtime cultural influence rarely feel like a sure thing in the moment.
Article: Ashley Amber, “9 Ways ‘Rocky’ and ‘The Karate Kid’ Are Connected,” Collider, Feb. 13, 2022. Beyond just the plot similarities, The Karate Kid and Rocky have some more specific shared DNA, from music to an unmade crossover movie.
Wiki Entry: “Training Montage,” TV Tropes, 2022. Perhaps one of Avildsen’s biggest contributions to moviemaking is the popularization of the training montage. Just check out that list of imitators and parodies!
