MovieChat Forums > The Karate Kid (1984) Discussion > My children, "I thought kick to the head...

My children, "I thought kick to the head was illegal?"

posted a year ago by whatwazdat (414)
18 replies | jump to latest

My kids noticed Daniel San getting his ass whooped in the final match, and the math doesn't add up for them. So I explained below the waist and above the neck are illegal, so though Johnny was kicking his butt, he didn't get points. Then the crane kick scene arrived and I said to myself, "oh no, it's a kick to the head... more questions coming." LOL!

We also saw part 2, and my kids said Daniel san's opponents have a tendency to walk into his strikes for no reason. LOL! In part 2, Chosun, after also kicking Daniel's butt, inexplicably walks into Danie's two handed fist thing, just because the crowd was beating the "baby rattle."

My kids are 11 and 8, and I enjoy "forcing" them to walk down memory lane with me. LOL!

[–] strntz (12223) a year ago

The fictional All Valley tournament allowed kicks to the head but not punches. Plot device..

[–] kenburke (2369) a year ago

I was in taekwondo for nineteen years and kicks to the head are very legal.

[–] millsey72 (10241) a year ago

And I was in taekwondo for 20 years, so I know even better than you do that kicks to the head are very legal

[–] whatwazdat (414) a year ago

But that was a Karate tournament, not taekwondo, which I trained in for 21 yrs, so I know better than both of you that kicks to the head are very legal.

[–] millsey72 (10241) a year ago

Actually after looking at my records, I trained in both karate and taekwondo for 22 whole years, so again, I got both of you beat. And I will again inform you all that those head kicks were legal, dammit

[–] whatwazdat (414) a year ago

Damn, you forced me into the attic. I don't like going up there, but that's where I put all my trophies and belts. Going through my accolades, I realized I trained in taekwondo, karate, and kung fu for 23 years. So I still know better than you that those kicks to the head were perfectly legal, gosh darn it!

[–] Melton (4435) a year ago

You’re ALL very legal.

[–] strntz (12223) a month ago

I've been watching Karate Kid for more than 23 years. That has to give me some sort of expert status, no?

[–] Snoopy828 (578) 4 months ago

I only did Karate for 6 years and I can attest that the kick to the head is INDEED legal as I've witnessed several myself.

Stupid How I meet your mother

[–] Branson26 (985) a month ago

I don't understand the confusion. It's explicitly stated in the movie:

Daniel: You told me you fought a lot.

Miyagi: For life, not for points.

Ali: Everything above your waist is a point.

You can hit the head, sternum,

kidneys, ribs. Got it?

[–] whatwazdat (414) a month ago

Watch the final fight closely, after it's 2-2... Johnny gets the best of Daniel with a punch to the head. That should have been ball game. There was never an explanation as to why the ref says NO POINTS. Leaving many to think, "oh hit to the head is no point." The next scene, Daniel kicks his lame leg and Johnny crushes it. No point here is understood. Still 2-2. Then the crane kick finale... Daniel gets a point for a head kick. I think they didn't anticipate the movie being this big, this iconic, where years later all scenes can be scrutinized. It boils down to being a blooper in my book.

Now, you can also thank the show Cobra Kai for contributing to the confusion because Johnny Lawrence continues to whine on this show that the kick was illegal. I hope you are no longer confused about why people are confused. LOL!

[–] Branson26 (985) a month ago

What happened was Johnny was deducted a point with the back kick to the leg. The announcer called out one point. Then Johnny got a point with the punch to the face. The referee said no point: scratch.

[–] whatwazdat (414) a month ago

That doesn't really make sense. Why not stop the fight after an illegal hit? Why let them go on, then back-track the score and say due to this prior action, you don't get this point. The problem with your explanation is that when Johnny was down 0-2, Kreese tells him to sweep the leg. Right out the gate, he kicks Daniel's injured leg then a high kick to Daniel's face. He was awarded a point. Using your logic, there should be no point. And again, Johnny complains in Cobra Kai the crane kick was illegal. Hence... confusion.

[–] Branson26 (985) a month ago

As shown in that exchange, the points simply canceled out. After Daniel scored his first point, they reset and Johnny punched Daniel before the take down. Why wasn't Johnny awarded a point and then have them reset again? The problem is we do not have the benefit of knowing the explicit rules for the tournament and there lies the confusion.

[–] whatwazdat (414) a month ago

I'm lost... LOL! What's clear is Daniel leads 2-0 before Kreese calls time out to "sweep the leg." Lets start from here... So answer this, using your scoring logic, why was Johnny awarded a point when he clearly kicked Daniel's leg to get him off balance then a kick to the face? 1 point. Should be no point. Next point is when Daniel rolls around the floor and Johnny chops him above the waist. It is now 2-2. Next punch to the head doesn't count because as you said, he had kicked Daniel's leg. But how was I supposed to know that's the rule when Johnny was allowed to do it after the "sweep the leg" time-out?

"The problem is we do not have the benefit of knowing the explicit rules for the tournament and there lies the confusion." Bingo. That's all I'm saying, it's confusing. I get that kicks to the head is legal, but the way it was refed as presented didn't make sense, hence... confusion. And again, Johnny Lawrence doesn't help clear things up when he claims crane kick was illegal in Cobra Kai. We started this convo because you said you didn't understand why there is confusion, but apparently, you do. :)

[–] Branson26 (985) a month ago

Again, without knowing the explicit rules I only guess. When Johnny was matched against Vidal, he used his leg to trip Vidal's leg and then score with a punch. Evidently, the rules allow particular moves to contact the opponents legs. That must be the case when Johnny scored his first point against Daniel.

The problem with Cobra Kai, it's revisionist. In The Karate kid, Daniel defeats Johnny with the crane kick. Johnny is gracious in defeat and brings Daniel's trophy and he said: "You're all right, LaRusso." Why would he do that if he believed the move was illegal? It makes no sense. They needed to manufacture conflict for the news series.

[–] whatwazdat (414) a month ago

I think we're pretty much on the same page. Circling back, my whole point was it's understandable for people to be confused, where as you said you don't understand why people are confused. You do understand. :)

[–] AP (5288) a month ago

Johnny delivered kicks to the head three times, one if which was a scoring point for a match with an early opponent. In the world of Karate Kid, kicks to the heads are legal.