Will Smith explains why the new ‘Karate Kid’ will be filmed in China
Actor Will Smith, whose son will be starring in the new Hollywood remake of Karate Kid, has revealed that the film is still searching for the perfect actor to play the role of Mr. Miyagi. It does seem, however, that they’ll be looking for a Chinese actor:
Aside from addressing the Miyagi’s casting, Smith also revealed one interesting twist on the plot. “We’re making it with the China Film Group, so it’ll be based in Beijing,” he said of where the modern version of “Karate Kid” will take place. “Mr. Miyagi was originally Japanese, so there’ll be a Chinese adaptation to it.”
On the possibility that many will question how could Karate which is a Japanese martial art be brought to China, Smith reasoned that although karate was developed in Japan, it is based on Chinese fighting style, Kenpo. “Fortunately, karate is originally a Chinese art form,” he said, “so that’s the area we’re playing around in.”
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It wasn’t called 唐手 for nothing.
It is actually 空手道
空手=empty (without weapon) hand
道=road
The way of the empty hand
Just like 柔道、合気道,etc.
You might want to do some basic research before you call someone out on being “wrong” just because it doesn’t match up with your limited knowledge of the subject.
A quick peek at the Wikipedia page on Karate reveals this:
“Chinese Hand
Karate was originally written as Chinese hand in kanji. It was later changed to a homophone meaning empty hand. The original use of the word karate in print is attributed to Anko Itosu. He wrote it with the kanji 唐手:からて (Tang Dynasty hand) rather than the present usage of 空手:からて (empty hand). The Tang Dynasty of China ended in AD 907. The kanji representing it remained in use in Okinawa as a way to refer to China generally.[21] Thus the word karate was originally a way of expressing “Chinese hand,” or “martial art from China.”
Since there are no written records it is not known definitely whether the kara in karate was originally written with the character 唐 meaning China or the character 空 meaning empty. During the time when admiration for China and things Chinese was at its height in the Ryukus it was the custom to use the former character when referring to things of fine quality…
It should be noted that use of the written character is possibly linked to the origins of karate from China.”
i voted dragonball
but don’t forget “The Hachiko Story” starring Richard Gere
Ah yes, I forgot about that one. I’ve just added it to the poll!
I think the primary difference between US movies based on China, and those influenced by Japanese culture is that, the “China” movies always feel like some sort of propaganda piece sponsored by the government (which, indirectly, they are, because you can’t just make ANY movie in China), and movies about Japanese cultural arts and influence communicate how the Japanese lifestyle can bring a small piece of humility to the savage and unrefined white Americans.
Obviously, I prefer Mr. Baseball over The Last Emperor.
The “Kenpo Kid”?
Sorry, China.
Is this just about the money, or is it a symptom of the “rise of China” that reflects the West’s interest/worry about the rise of Japan back when the original was made? Just the latest trend, in other words? But why set it in China at all – the original was set in LA.
Yes, I think it may indeed be a sign of the times. I’m not in that in tune with history and world trends and all, but I think this movie is in need of a plot revision based on modern Sino-Japanese-American events. Here’s a draft. There are lots of gaps and it ends rather abruptly, so I invite any edits:
Due to scandal and economic troubles, Daniel-san, who is pretty old now, was recently laid off from his job as an Eikaiwa sensei in Osaka where he made an extravagant salary, particularly before the economic bubble burst. He sees that Japan’s economic prowess is dwindling, and it’s cultural novelty, at least in the eyes of Hollywood, is fading as well. Japan’s just not where it’s at anymore.
He decides to move to China which is undergoing modernization at a dragon’s pace, and where there is a lot more subject material to make a recycled movie appear novel. When he gets to China he encounters some elderly people exercising in the park. He trys out his famous Crane move, but they are not impressed and just kick him in the nads.
As he writhes in the dirt, wondering how and when he lost his mojo, one of the elderly people (a kindly little man with a white goatee) approaches him and says, in a funny accent that is vaguely Asian-like “Daniel-san, I am Mr. Li. You have lost your discipline and true Karate spirit. I will teach you Chinese Kenpo powers, just as I did for Miyagi-kun, so you will become cool, and no longer be a wimp. But beware, I am more ancient, wise and “authentic” than Mr. Miyagi was, and within a few weeks your connection with Chinese culture will be so deep it will be as if you were one of us, yet celebrated as a superior because you are not from this land, and also the main character of the movie. Now go wash my SUV.”
And so together, Daniel-san and Mr. Li become heroes in the effort to export pseudo-Chinese culture to the rest of the world, covering the real China with a beautiful Hollywood sheen, just like Japan.
I dont get it. Why China? it’s true that Karate was originated from the Chinese martial art but karate was born on Okinawa. The martial art of Karate was created to counter the Samurai in the Okinawa prefecture. If it’s set in China why not call the movie Kung fu kid? God damn Hollywood ruining classic movies yet again
Don’t forget “The 69th Ronin” starring Brick McBurly. That’s gotta be a dog.
Not only is this idiot going to screw up the Korean movie Oldboy or some part of the revenge trilogy. Now his sons going to kill the Karate Kid.Whats next Silence of the Lambs staring Jada Pinkett Smith. Hope his whole family get in a car crash,plane wreck.
Is it the Korean movie Oldboy, or the Japanese manga Oldboy?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Boy_(manga)
I don’t have high hopes for it, but Korean made an adaption of the manga, and Hollywood is looking to do the same. They are not only looking to the Korean movie for inspiration, but at the original Japanese manga.
The Karate Kid movies were never really a good representation of Japan or it’s culture in the first place. Remember the 2nd Karate Kid movie with it’s setting in “Okinawa” (really set somewhere in Hawaii)… it gave many kids the impression that Japan was like some kind of third-world country or something!
I would comment on the third movie… but after the second one I just totally lost interest in the franchise… beh!
I think they all sound crappy so I voted other.
Whether or not the martial roots of karate lay in China, “karate was originally Chinese” is an incredibly culturally insensitive thing to say. It’s so depressing to read about supposedly reputable Hollywood figures making such ignorant comments.
*shrug*
The statement, “…originally Chinese/Japanese”, is used quite by Japanese, perhaps he’s just speaking in a polite manner. What goes around, comes around I guess.
Akira will be worse.
well it also can be “cool CG movie” but it will be anyway in wrong place and the original story shitted on, “wikid grafix” will not save it
looks like Im not alone in hating the dragonball movie lol
Hmmm, no-one seems to remember that Karate comes from OKINAWA (not Japan), and Mr Miyagi is a common OKINAWAN name!
When the Okinawans first showed their martial art to the mainland Japanese, they were astounded at its form & effectiveness…
As for “it originated in China” – of course it did, which Okinawans dont at all hide, in fact one of the most popular Karate styles there is called “Shorin-Ryu” or “Shaolin-style”, as in Shaolin, China.
Wait a minute
Richard Gere is actually making a movie about Hachiko ?
I vote other, and I vote that all of them will bite hard. I mean stink hard. Hollywood can’t adapt for beans.
Thanks Will Smith for the history of martial arts lesson!
As a practitioner of Shotokan Karate-do for 20+ years, I am a
little offended that they are thinking about filming in China, using Chinese actors, and hinting at using kung fu. In the world of kung-fu films and MMA, it would be nice to showcase traditional karate in America. Something that the original Karate Kid kind of showed. We also have great organizations that has a lot of talent: JKA, USANKF, AAU, etc.
This goes to show that Hollywood and Will Smith will do anything to make money.
“This goes to show that Hollywood and Will Smith will do anything to make money.”
Look, I think it’s going to be a horrible movie too, but it’s their job to make money. Hollywood isn’t a cultural charity for dispersing postmodern art visions – It sells screen time.
You know how Dragonball went on for a trillion books and episodes in long, drawn out fight sequences? That was for the money. You need to practically buy an entire new book shelf just to hold the Dragonball series, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were also selling a Dragonball-themed bookshelf. You could cut a lot of the crap from Dragonball and condense it into a shorter story, but you’d also be making a lot less money.
I think we are giving Will Smith and Hollywood too much credit here. We are assuming that they actually know the difference between China and Japan. Or that they care.
Your right! They don’t know the difference I’m so tired of these Hollywood Directors & Producers, & Actors trying to make movies about Asian Cultures leave it along. American movies are just to boring they have to always go to China and try to take over I’m sick and tired of it.
Noodles were invented in China but nobody goes to China for great Italian cuisine. Cowboys existed long before America, but nobody claims that cowboys aren’t American. White-faced kimono-like wearing women originated in China, but nobody tries to say that Geisha are inherently Chinese.
Or, a better analogy, although invented elsewhere, Baseball is American and Zen Buddhism is not Indian. So why then is Karate now inherently Chinese?
The whole “Chinese” thing to me seems just like an afterthought. Hollywood probably can’t tell the difference between China and Japan, and China is where the money is at, right now, so they went to China.