Waxing On
The Karate Kid and Me
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
An instant New York Times Bestseller!
Since The Karate Kid first crane-kicked its way into the pop culture stratosphere in June 1984, there hasn’t been a week Ralph Macchio hasn’t heard friendly shouts of “Wax on, wax off” or “Sweep the leg!” Now, with Macchio reprising his role as Daniel LaRusso in the #1 ranked Netflix show Cobra Kai, he is finally ready to look back and cele-brate the legacy of The Karate Kid in cinema, pop culture, and his own life.
The result, Waxing On, is a comprehensive look at the film that shaped Macchio as much as it influenced the world. He shares an insider’s perspective of the untold story behind the scenes—the innocence of the early days; the audition process; his experiences working with Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, and William Zabka; and so much more. He also takes readers through the birth of some of the film’s most iconic moments, including the creation of the famous crane kick and the touching scenes that revealed Mr. Miyagi’s intriguing backstory.
Ultimately, the book centers on Ralph’s indelible connection to the film itself, focusing on the reason that the characters and themes have endured in such a powerful way, and how these personal experiences have impacted Macchio’s life as well. It brings readers back to the day they met Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi for the first time, but also provides a fascinating lens into how our pasts shape all of us, and how they can come back to enrich our lives in surprising and wonderful ways.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Macchio, star of 1984's The Karate Kid, produces another feel-good hit with this breezy reflection on his experience making the movie. Despite his initial reservations about the film's "ridiculous" title—"If I ever did get this part... I would have to carry this label for the rest of my life!!"—21-year-old Macchio immediately connected to Daniel LaRusso, the underdog at the movie's center: "He had this bravado that came naturally to me, drawn from my own experiences of being the smallest in my class." As he recalls in affable prose highlights from his time "as a leading man in my rookie year of 1983," he offers fans heartwarming anecdotes about his costars, including William (Billy) Zabka, who played antagonist Johnny Lawrence, and Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi: "Pat had it all. The beats, the rhythm, the tone.... He inhabited this role." He also recounts the movie's most memorable moment, the legendary crane kick with which LaRusso defeated Lawrence, the antagonist; while "essentially impossible" to execute, Macchio, with the help of martial artist Darryl Vidal ("The Baryshnikov of karate"), pulled it off without a stunt double. Reflecting on the movie's enduring popularity, Macchio writes, "The film is a prime example of when Hollywood gets it all right. It teaches and inspires through pure entertainment." Fans will find this just as entertaining.
Customer Reviews
Nostalgic and respectful
Beautiful to connect with all the nostalgia of the karate kid and hear from behind the scenes about how things came to be.
Waxing on
It a great book to read