![]() The simple, humble and focused ways of Mr. But as the movie progresses we get exposed to his wisdom and knowledge, we realize he is much more than just a "maintenance guy". Miyagi begins to appear has a simple maintenance man that fix things for people. Morita's acting was outstanding and his character was one of a kind. The fictional character karate master was played by the late Pat Morita, and was one of the reasons behind the great success of the "Karate Kids". There was one last movie, without Daniel, but with a girl being also taught by the one and only, Mr. Later it became a classic trilogy with 2 more movies. The movie is full of inspirational lessons, not only for karate, but for life as well. Miyagi. After watching the documentary, one ends it with a huge dose of new knowledge about Pat Morita, and although the actor’s life was overshadowed by addiction, he still managed to become one of Hollywood’s legends.The Karate Kid (1984) is a very inspirational movie from the 80's that tells the story of a bullied teenage boy (Daniel LaRusso) and how he managed to rise above his teenage problems, with the help of a karate master named Kesuke Miyagi ( Mr. While Morita’s career ended with his death in 2005, his spirit is still alive through his classic performances as Arnold and Mr. There is no doubt that, whether it was through work or just friendship, the actor impacted many lives. The documentary features many celebrities, friends and family members, including Morita’s wife Evelyn Guerrero and The Karate Kid actors William Zabka and Ralph Macchio. More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story shows the actor from a completely unknown perspective proving that, as the title itself suggests, Pat Morita was more than just Mr. With its carefully selected fragments and scenes from various TV programmes and films, Kevin Derek’s documentary is a perfect production that sheds a new light on Morita’s entire career. What was more interesting is that he never trained in the martial arts due to the surgery and tuberculosis he suffered as a child, in the film itself he used Fumio Demura as his stunt double.Įven though Morita experienced a lot of discrimination and suffered the death of loved ones during World War II, he sought ‘help’ from the entertainment industry. Kesuke Miyagi in The Karate Kid, a role that won him an Oscar nomination in 1985. Nine years later, he came to play the acclaimed Mr. The actor achieved his first success after portraying Arnold in Happy Days in 1975. The actor never expressed that he felt burdened by the stereotypical roles of his ancestors or himself for that matter Morita always managed to turn the grotesque ‘Hollywood’ portrayal of Asian people into a joke. Although Hollywood wasn’t keen on employing Asian actors at that time, he made it. It was not until 1967 that Morita made his debut in the musical Through Modern Millie. ![]() ![]() Photo © More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story Another dream was born, Morita decided to pursue acting. Growing up, he dreamed of studying medicine, but this dream declined as he had to work at his parents’ restaurant where he also began to perform comedy. ![]() And to understand the man’s private and professional life, one has to watch More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story, directed by an independent filmmaker, Kevin Derek.īorn in California in 1932, Pat Morita struggled with his health since he was two, however, his life changed when, at the age of 11, he received an experimental operation that enabled him to walk. The Karate Kid made Morita into a Hollywood star, but behind closed doors the actor’s life was filled with suffering, loss and an unfortunate case of substance abuse. Pat Morita, often known for his memorable role as the above-mentioned sensei, was a man of many talents, and what he managed to achieve during his life was incredible. Miyagi’s famous words from The Karate Kid. “Wax on, wax off”, almost every single generation is familiar with Mr.
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