Oct. 4: The Karate Kid (1984)
I know what you’re thinking: The Karate Kid isn’t a Halloween movie. Oh yeah? Tell that to Daniel “Shower Curtain” Larusso, who gets jumped by his Cobra Kai rivals on All Hallow’s Eve. OK. Admittedly, this movie has even less to do with Halloween than Die Hard has to do with Christmas. But here’s the thing: It’s a whole month of Fright or Delight. You don’t want to see screaming banshees and macabre jack-o-lanterns every night for a month. You’ve got to ease into this thing. So, on day four, we’re briefly leaving the spooky settings behind in favor of the All-Valley Karate Tournament. If you haven’t seen this film, you probably don’t know what “Wax on, wax off” means and you don’t know about the crane kick. This movie is so freaking great. And the Youtube Red series Cobra Kai is a fitting next-gen sequel to the rivalry between Larusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Take a break from ghosts and goblins and appreciate the teachings of the great Mr. Miyagi (the late Pat Morita).
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5 pumpkins, 5 being the best): 🎃🎃
This film is an ’80s classic with all the tropes: underdog overcomes the odds, good guy gets the girl, bad guy gets embarrassed, and everyone learns a lesson about hard work or something like that. It’s a fantastic film. But, other than one scene, it’s not a Halloween movie. And that’s OK. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. So this is a rest day. But get ready for plenty of thrills and chills the rest of the way.
More information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Karate_Kid
https://decider.com/movie/the-karate-kid-1984/
Delight or Fright: Experience a full month of Halloween thrills by watching a special selection each night.
Oct. 1: The Sixth Sense
Oct. 2: The Simpsons — Treehouse of Horror
Oct. 3: The Shining
Oct. 4: The Karate Kid
