Just for Kicks: The Making of 'The Karate Kid' Page #4

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Left back.

Right foot back! Pick up yourjacket!

Stay.

Pick up yourjacket.

Be strong. Hang it up.

Hang it up.

Hang up. And attitude.

Strike.

Hang up, and attitude.

Harder! Harder!

Good.

But no face.

Jacket off!

Kung fu lives in everything we do, Xiao Dre.

It lives in how we put on a jacket,

how we take off the jacket.

And lives in how we treat people.

Everything is kung fu.

So why didn't we take the Scirocco?

I don't drive the Scirocco.

Do you have a license?

Yes.

So you have a license and a car

and we're on a train?

Please be quiet.

I'm just saying.

Seems like

we could've saved a lot of money.

Don't you think?

Do you always ask this many questions?

I'm sorry.

So, what are we learning today?

Chi.

Internal energy.

The essence of life.

It moves inside of us,

it flows through our bodies.

Give us power from within.

I get it.

Like The Force in Star Wars.

You're Yoda and I'm like...

I'm like a Jedi.

Is this where you learned kung fu?

Yes.

Everything good about me was born here.

Xiao Dre, you can leave your backpack

and skateboard here.

So where we going?

We journey to the top of the mountain.

Drink from the Dragon Well.

Dragon Well.

It's probably closer than it is

than looking at it.

Right?

Are we there yet?

Soon.

How do you say "water" in Chinese?

I need some shui.

I'm really thirsty.

I'm thirsty, Mr. Han.

Water on top of the mountain.

Xiao Dre.

The journey is complete.

Is this the Dragon Well?

Yes.

I stood here

with my father when I was your age.

He told me it's magic kung fu water.

You drink, and nothing can defeat you.

It's the best water I've ever tasted.

Did you see the lady with the snake?

Yes.

She was doing the cobra thing.

She was, like, copying the snake,

and it was, like, right here.

And she was like...

You did not watch closely enough, Xiao Dre.

The snake was copying the woman.

What?

I don't get it.

Look.

What do you see?

Me.

Well, my reflection.

Yes.

Now what do you see?

- It's blurry.

- Yes.

The woman was like still water.

Quiet, calm.

In here and in here.

So, the snake reflects her action,

like still water.

- Like a mirror.

- Yes.

So she controlled a snake by doing nothing?

Being still and doing nothing

are two very different things.

- She used her chi on that snake, didn't she?

- Very good.

You've got to teach me that,

like, how to control people.

There's only one person

you need to learn how to control.

Who?

Empty your mind.

Flow with my movement.

Connect to the energy around you.

I kind ofjust want to learn the cobra thing.

Cobra takes a lifetime.

Requires great focus.

But I have great focus.

Oh, my God. Mr. Han?

Your focus needs more focus.

Mr. Han?

Thank you, Mr. Han.

There is no such thing

as fortune cookies in China?

Dre, please be careful crossing the street.

You scared the life out of me the other day.

Pedestrians do not have the right-of-way.

And the symbols. I can't get

the symbols right on the bathrooms.

I stay walking into the men's restroom.

The other day I walked in,

there was this 90-year-old Chinese man.

He thought he was gonna get a little treat.

Dre, please stop that! You look crazy!

Here, eat your noodles.

Up.

Mr. Han, what's going on?

Anticipation.

I can't...

Don't see it, feel it.

Damn it, Mr. Han!

I felt that one!

- Mr. Han!

- What?

Concentrate. Okay?

Okay. Do I get the stick now?

Turn. Kick.

Ouch.

- Dre, you okay?

- I'm okay!

So, Mr. Han,

what time we training tomorrow?

Xiao Dre, we are not training tomorrow.

Why not?

Means, "Too much something is not good."

You train a lot. You need rest.

A day off?

Yes, Mr. Han. Yes.

Xiao Dre needs to rest.

Yes, Mr. Han. You rest, too.

Love you, Mr. Han.

Peace!

Hey.

Are you okay?

My audition is tomorrow at 6:00.

But isn't that what

you've been practicing for?

Yes, of course.

Don't worry. You got it.

What if they don't pick me?

Mei Ying, wait!

Okay, first of all,

I'm gonna be there with you.

And B, all you have to do is

what your teacher says.

Play the pauses. It's easy, watch.

See?

I have to practice.

Wait.

What?

I'm starting to think

you don't speak Chinese.

Too much-a good stuff is bad stuff?

Yeah.

Come on.

Where are we going?

- Dang, have you been to the gym?

- Wait, no!

- Come on, we're gonna go have some fun.

- I have to go! No!

Come on, I know you want

to go have some fun.

Okay, that's gonna give you

some serious gas.

Don't do it.

What do you see?

Me.

Now what do you see?

Me.

You go. Come on.

You're a dance machine.

That was pretty good.

Go ahead.

Here comes Round 2.

You're hot!

That's like American dancing.

Like, you should have a group...

No.

...with, like, other people in it, and they're

dancing behind you, doing the same stuff.

The audition, it was changed to today.

- But they said it was tomorrow.

- Something happened.

It's in 20 minutes.

My father is coming to get me.

Excuse me. Sorry.

Excuse me, coming through!

Come on, come on.

Excuse me!

Hey, she's, like, totally gonna get in, right?

Because that was just great.

Hey, that was fantastic.

You played so beautifully and...

We can no longer be friends.

You are bad for my life.

See you at the tournament.

Don't be late for that.

Mr. Han!

We no train today.

What are you doing?

It's June 8th.

Why'd you break the car?

His name was Gong Gong.

Xiao Dre, how old are you?

Twelve.

He was 10.

He was so beautiful.

Her name was Zhang.

She was a singer.

Not professional.

She sang only for me.

What happened?

It was a steep hill.

Lots of rain.

The carjust...

I was driving.

We argue about something.

I was so angry.

I lost control.

I try to remember.

I cannot remember what we argue about.

I hope it was something important.

Every year,

I fix the car.

Still fix nothing.

Punch.

Good.

Mr. Han.

Look at me.

Down!

Faster!

One more.

Come here.

Win or lose, doesn't matter.

Fight hard.

Earn respect. Boys leave you alone.

Have present for you.

Mr. Han!

Man!

This is the one Bruce Lee had.

Great.

Thank you.

You have taught me

a very important lesson, Xiao Dre.

Life will knock us down.

But we can choose

whether or not to get back up.

You're the best friend I ever had, Mr. Han.

Okay.

Wait, can you help me with something?

Dre?

Is your dad home?

Sir...

...my name is Dre Parker.

My actions have brought...

...dishonor to your family.

Your daughter

has been a great friend to me.

And from her, I have learned...

...that a true friend...

...is a person who makes your life better.

But, if you give me a second chance...

...I promise that I will be...

...the best friend your daughter has ever had.

That's it.

My daughter told me that she made

a promise to be at your tournament.

In our family, we do not break our promises.

Good luck.

Rock and roll.

Hi!

Hey!

Let the tournament begin!

We're up.

- What's that?

- Rulebook.

- You don't know the rules?

- Of course I know the rules.

Simple. You hit him, don't let him hit you.

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