The Karate Kid by Robert Mark Kamen

A kid's classic. Figured it would be useful as we prepare to write for kids. Outline on the next page. 

Here's the script link, in case we need it for future reference.

Lesson's Learned:

1) Keep things simple. Kid's stuff can and should be nuanced in some ways, but bad guys are bad guys and vice versa. This script has a clear "Save the Cat" moment. While the contrarian in me hates that stuff, it's effective, especially in this script. Make the kid likeable. He's a kid, so why the fuck not?

2) Magic and Mystery Are Key: Mr. Miyagi doesn't practice magic explictly. Really it's nothing close. But he is a mysterious character. He's all zenned out and he refuses to explain himself or his reasoning. That question of "What's with this guy?" is really helpful in terms of keeping the reader turning the page. The audience is inherently interested by the question of "what's up with this guy?" just like we're interested by people like that in real life. He has that "magical touch," too. It's basically masquerading as acu puncture, but this dude is a straight up healer, and that kind of fairy dust magic is so much of what's fun in kid's movies. 

3) Comedy From Conflict: There is an old lady that is clearly a source of comedy early on but in the rest of The Karate Kid, the comedy comes from Dan and his conflict with Miyagi. This isn't a comedy, so that makes sense (straight comedies would have more uh... straight comedy), but it was still interesting and valuable to observe. Even in straight comedies, comedy comes from conflict a lot of the time (or conflict is at least the seed of the comedic idea). 

4) Serious Moments Can Work. In the past I think we've been afraid to slow our scripts down in the back half of Act II, but this is actually a nice place to catch your breath before the break into three. That's where we learn about Miyagi's past in this script. It's a little dark (darker than what we're going for in our new project), but it's a good lesson in taking that minute and grounding things. It also clears up the Miyagi mystery just in time to really focus on the hero.

THE KARATE KID OUTLINE BEGINS.... BELOW. WAX ON, WAX OFF.

Dan and Mom arrive in LA. He doesn’t wanna be there. She is optimistic.

Dan meets Freddy. Realizes his new apartment complex is a dump. Freddy invites Dan to a party at the beach. *Karate interest set up here as he karate kicks the door and chats about it w/ Freddy.

Daniel talks to Lucille (MOM), not thrilled to be here. He fills up a bowl of water for the crazy neighbor’s dog.

He gives the dog water. Save the cat moment.

Fun quirky dialogue fits the tone and the audience…

“Where can I find the maintenance man?”

“You go down through there and you take a right, where it goes to the left, but not too far, then you go left, and it’ll be on the right.”

Dan with maintenance Miyagi. Mirage is cryptic.

Beach Party: Dan develops a crush on ALI, a rich girl from the hills. She admires his soccer handling skills.

LATER: Friends try to get Dan to hit on Ali. He is too timid. Friends want D to teach them his soccer skills. Danny turns down a joint.

LATER: Older kid JOHNNY spots Dan with Ali down on the beach.
BACK ON THE BEACH: Dan fights Johnny and gets his ass kicked. All his new friends see that Dan lied about his karate skills.

AT HOME: Mom discovers the black eye. Dan lies about it.

AT SCHOOL: Dan shows up. Freddy mocks him.

SOCCER FIELD: A moment of connection with Ali, who we learn is a cheerleader.

LATER: Daniel gets in a fight with BOBBY, one of Johnny’s cronies.

HOME: Dan doesn’t tell mom. Learns that she got a job as a hostess b/c her rocket startup went under.

LATER: Miyagi comes to fix faucet. Sees Daniel trying karate kicks.
CAFETERIA: Ali invites D to sit with her. Reveals that Johnny is her ex but says it’s over. johnny tricks D into sitting on blueberry pie.

PARKING LOT: Mom teaches D to drive. D notices a dojo.

DOJO: He spies on Johnny and his class

CHINESE RESTAURANT:  His mom works there. They eat. She asks about girls. It’s clear D really likes Ali.

ROAD:  Danny bikes. Johnny rides up on his dirt bike. D’s bike gets messed up.

NEXT MORNING: Dan decides to take bus, not bike. Miyagi overhears it.
SCHOOL: D with Ali but he gets scared when he sees Johnny and the Cobra Kais. Goes back inside the school.

HOME: Dan asks for karate lessons but mom says she can’t afford it.
MAINTENANCE: Miyagi and Daniel chat after D asks if M will fix his bike. Dan admires bonsai bushes. Daniel tries his hand at cutting his own bush.

PARKING LOT: Lucille spots D working on the tree from outside. It warms her heart.

MAINTENANCE: Miyagi gives Lucille the tree.
APARTMENT - SIX WEEKS LATER: Daniel is alone on Halloween.

Great visual reminder of his loneliness.
MAINTENANCE: D visits M. Miyagi encourages Daniel to make friends. Daniel confesses he’s scared.

GYM: Dan dances with Ali, but Jonny is there.
BATHROOM: Dan hides from the Johnny crew. He douses Johnny in water.

GYM: Dan runs away from Johnny.
SCHOOL: Keeps running.

VACANT LOT: Johnny caches up and beats Dan to a pulp. Johnny shows no mercy.

MAINTENANCE: We learn Miyagi saved Dan. Dan asks Miyagi to teach him karate. Miyagi doesn’t commit, Dan gets frustrated. M says the problem is with Johnny’s teacher. They should talk to him. D doesn’t love that idea.
OUTSIDE MAINTENANCE - NEXT DAY: Daniel meets Miyagi. Daniel drives.

COBRA KAI: half scene of the vicious Kreese instructor with his boys. Then Kreese confronts D and M.
Reese wants a fight NOW. M says no. At tournament. No one hurts D, D can train in peace.

Reese agrees. *it’s very clear that this is a divide b/w “Karate for violence” and “Karate as a self-defense art.”

M’S HOUSE: M explains that this was a good idea because it’s a commitment. Like walking on the road. Walk left or right, safe. Walk middle, you’re dead.
Gets D to commit: M is the boss. D will do as he says.

Wax on, wax off.
LATER: D waxes on and off. M comes out and adjusts his technique.
LATER: D sneaks out as M sleeps.

SCHOOL LOCKER: D gets a date with Ali, but Johnny is still there hovering.
M’S HOUSE: D arrives.

OUT BACK: Reveal M’s perfect Japanese garden. M puts D to work sending his deck, slow and methodical.

LATER: M tells D to come back tomorrow at 6 AM.

NEXT MORNING: D catches fly with chopsticks, something M has never done.

D then paints M’s fence.

APARTMENT - NIGHT: D asks Mom to drive him to pick up Ali for date.

ALI’S HOUSE: D picks Ali up. It’s clear that there’s a rich/poor thing happening and it makes D uncomfortable.

MINI GOLF: They arrive and there’s a fun montage. Then it’s weird b/c Johnny and others are there and everyone has a nice car but D’s mom when she picks him up.

OUTSIDE ALI’S: D is feeling down. She gives him her number and he feels better.

M’S HOUSE: D and M get in a fight. D feels like a slave

LATER: M has left instructions for D to keep painting the house.

LATER: D is painting. M tries to punch while D is painting but D has very fast reflexes from all the grunt work he has been doing.

KARATE HOUSE WORK MONTAGE
LIVING ROOM: Lucille wakes to find that D has painted the living room. Clearly this Miyagi stuff is something he’s getting enthusiastic about now.

SOCCER FIELD: D dribbles. Ali steals ball.  Date is arranged.

OCEAN:  D and M. D kicks waves. M is very Zenned out.

PARKING LOT: Couple assholes have beer bottles on M’s car. M karate chops the bottles and they leave, scared.

DANIEL’S BEDROOM: Picking clothes for a country club date

COUNTRY CLUB: Johnny is there.

OUTSIDE: D parks.
INSIDE: Ali’s parents ask if there are problems with Johnny. Johnny starts dancing with Ali.
OUTSIDE: D waits for Ali, she’s supposed to meet him outside but she’s late.

KITCHEN: D slips inside
DAN’S POV: He sees Ali and Johnny dancing. He runs away and Ali chases.

M’S HOUSE: Dan runs up.

INSIDE M’S HOUSE: M is drunk and wearing a WWII uniform.

He fought the Germans. This is also his anniversary. They lost a kid.

SCHOOL ENTRANCE: Dan walks right past Ali, ignoring her.
ROWBOAT: D and M. Supposedly this teaches D to punch.

LAKE LATER: D asks M why M left the army. M didn’t like to fight.
M’S FRONT YARD: First fight training.

DANIEL’S APARTMENT: D has painted it.

M’S YARD: D is getting better.
ROW BOAT: D is getting better.
BEACH: D trounced by the sea.
SCHOOL HALL: D challenges Johnny. Why do you like to pick on me, we both know you can win.

M’S HOUSE: M gives D a gift. It’s D’s birthday. We learn D got his license. M learns about Ali.

OUTSIDE M’S: M lets D pick a car from his beat up car collection.
Picks convertible.

ARCADE: Ali and D make up. Tournament is tomorrow we learn.
LUCILLE’S ROOM: He tricks his mom into signing the permission slip for the tournament.
COMPETITION:   D enters. M enters him as a black belt.

ARENA: D and M affixing black belt. Johnny and lunatics yelling about killing and striking hard and not showing mercy.

MATCH 1: D faces a big kid.

LUCILLE’S: She discovers D isn’t there.

ARENA: D wins.
LATER: Lucille is there. Mad but then she sees that he’s won a bunch of matches.

LATER: Johnny beats an opponent.
LATER: Johnny hurts a poor little kid.

NEXT SEMI-FINAL: D versus asshole Bobby of the Cobra Kai crew.
Cobra teacher Kreese encourages Bobby to cheat. Johnny overhears this and is disappointed in his teacher’s words.

IN THE RING:
Bobby takes Dan’s knee out. D wins but is wounded.
IN DRESSING ROOM: Miyagi fixes the wound with his magical hands.

RING: Johnny shocked to find D entering the ring.
D wins the match, even though Johnny’s coach encouraged unfair play.

LATER: D and M and Ali leave. Kreese berates Johnny. M interferes.

M dominates Kreese. in the end M shows mercy, and all the Cobra Kai students drop their belts and abandon their former teacher.