A manuscript written by the late Karate kind Pat Morita, who shared his life story in his own words, was the catalyst for an inspiring but heartbreaking documentary More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story.
‘There [were] some dark stuff, ‘said the film’s producer Oscar Alvarez Yahoo Canada. ‘I would say that the manuscript was the blueprint of everything, and that got us excited, especially since he talked about his early years and those are the things you do not know, before Mr. Miyagi. ”
From the heels of the Cobra Kai release on Netflix, Karate kind actors including Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, Happy days stars such as Henry Winkler and Marion Ross, and other celebrities, including Tommy Chong, Larry Miller and Esai Morales, tell their personal stories about Morita – the man who hails millions of people as “Mr. Miyagi. One thing that really happened was that Morita was not only important to fans of his work, but also to his colleagues.
Alvarez believes there are still so many people who do not know about the Japanese-American actor. The producer revealed that he recently spoke to someone who did not even know Morita was nominated for an Oscar for his role in The Karate Kid. We find out in the documentary that Macchio still wants to go to the Oscars in 1985 with Morita.
For anyone who is a Karate kind fan, there are many memories of fellow cast members about making those films, including the famous ‘wax on, wax off’ moment, and discussions in the studio that do not want Morita Mr. Miyagi should not play, due to concerns about the cast of a comic actor that Arnold played on Happy days in the role.
The documentary also provides more context about how Morita developed Arnold’s legendary character, related to the chef who worked at the Chinese restaurant run by Morita’s parents.
Even if you are not the greatest Karate kind fan or you never really looked Happy days, there is a lot to learn about Morita More than Miyagi it will hold anyone’s attention.
‘I think people need to understand how much he has achieved during his career, if he takes everything into account [the] obstacles, ”Alvarez said.
From a body, to an internment camp, to the stage
Morita was diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis at age two and was hospitalized for nine years, immobilized in a body that had been cast for seven years. An experimental operation enabled him to overcome the chance and walk again, but a few years later the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 led to another traumatic moment in Morita’s life.
When Morita was able to leave the hospital in California at the age of 11, he was taken by the FBI to an internment camp with other Japanese Americans in Arizona.
It’s actually just one piece of the complicated life Morita has lived, and her dream of becoming an entertainer comes true, starting as a stand-up comedian under the same agent as fellow comedian Lenny Bruce. You’ve probably heard that name if you’re a fan of the Amazon series The wonderful Mrs. Maisel.
Morita’s third wife, Evelyn Guerrero, is actually Bruce’s cousin. She originally met her husband when she was a teenager, but they later reunited in their lives and eventually married. Much of the film is told through her narration and tells of her personal memories of their lives together, including the impact that Morita’s drinking had on their relationship.
More than Miyagi shows the harsh and tragic reality of Morita’s alcoholism, an important factor that led to his death in November 2005. The film reveals an incredible heartbreaking moment with the cast of Happy days during the commemoration of the performance of the 30th anniversary, where Morita’s drinking prevented him from participating in all the events with the cast.
‘It struck me because I had an uncle who lived with us for about two, three years of my life [when] I was in junior high school, and I know what it’s like, ”Alvarez shared Yahoo Canada.
“When you watch the documentary, you hear what he went through, all his struggles, I mean, I’m surprised he did nothing worse to himself.”
Morita’s daughters decided not to participate in the documentary, but they have spoken publicly about him in the past.
‘At the time of his passing in 2005, at the age of 73, my father was a forgotten star,’ writes his daughter Aly Morita in an article for Hyphen Magazine in 2010. ‘He lives in Las Vegas, separated from his third woman, unable to land any job because he was too old and still riding on the hood tail of him Karate kind flowering period. ”
‘His fans remembered him; the Asian American community remembered him. But he was of no value to Hollywood. After enjoying the abundance of success for a good ten years after the first Karate kind film, he was just another washed-out movie star. ”
‘Still a problem we currently have’
Although the documentary focuses primarily on Morita’s life, Alvarez and director Kevin Derek decide to spend some time portraying Japanese people in Hollywood movies, and the types of roles in which Japanese actors are portrayed, both before and after. today.
Examples of prejudices in movies include Mickey Rooney in yellow face like Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, shouted by many because he was racist, with Rooney’s character resembling caricatures of Japanese people during World War II.
Morita himself had limitations on the possible roles he could play, and Alvarez said it is especially important to include in the documentary because it is ‘still a problem we currently have’.
A more recent example is Ghost in the shell, which originated as a Japanese manga series, but in 2017 the main character Major is played by Scarlett Johansson. In addition, Tilda Swinton’s character The Ancient One in Doctor Strange in 2016 was criticized for whitewashing as the character is portrayed as an Asian man in the comics.
This break from the purely Morita-led story in the film was certainly welcome, providing an additional context about the entertainment industry the actor has longed for, even if it seems to work against him, and why Morita is such an important actor in Hollywood history is.
“I think it was important because I think we have to understand that all the odds are against him, and he still persisted, he still went as far as he went,” Alvarez said.