The Karate

The Karate

1974 · 86 min · ★ 9.0 · Action, Drama

Bronson Lee, a Japanese-American raised by his grandma in the harsh, poverty-stricken desert Southwest, returns to Japan to demonstrate his mastery of karate by entering the tournament that will determine the first World Karate Champion.

Directed by Yukio Noda · Written by Masakazu Shimura

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Rent or Buy

Amazon Video

Cast

Make it a double feature

2h 55m together

Both from Yukio Noda.

The Karate TrilogySee all →

More from Yukio NodaSee all →

The Bad Boss: Wholesale RoundupThe Bad Boss: Wholesale Roundup · 1971
The Bad Boss: Wholesale Roundup
★ 10.01971
MovieCrimeAction
This is the thirteenth film in the series.
The Bad Boss 3The Bad Boss 3 · 1969
The Bad Boss 3
★ 10.01969
MovieActionCrime
A story of rivalry between two gambling clans.
Special Crime Investigation FrontSpecial Crime Investigation Front · 1977
Special Crime Investigation Front
★ 9.51977
SeriesCrime
Wolves of the City, Money HuntersWolves of the City, Money Hunters · 1970
Wolves of the City, Money Hunters
★ 9.01970
MovieDramaAction
The hoodlum group tries to help a little printing factory against gangsters.
Delinquent Boss: Wolves of the CityDelinquent Boss: Wolves of the City · 1969
Delinquent Boss: Wolves of the City
★ 8.51969
MovieActionCrime
Kosaka Hiroshi is a small time swindler and the boss of a motorcycle gang in Shinjuku. Living only to make money, he never made the big time until he gets involved with a Yakuza's daughter. But when he gets involved in a scheme to blackmail a Yakuza gang and a land developer, he realizes he's gone way over his head…
Wolves, Pigs & MenWolves, Pigs & Men · 1964
Wolves, Pigs & Men
★ 8.11964
MovieDramaCrime
Sabu and his pals hold a pauper's funeral for Sabu's mother. His brother Jiro arrives home, fresh out of jail, and Sabu pointedly states that Jiro is not invited. Jiro meanwhile is planning a big job - steal 40 million in cash and drugs, and he invites Sabu and gang to act as decoys, for 50,000 each. The sting is a success, but the double-crossing starts almost immediately. Sabu discovers how little of the take they were promised and hides the stash. Jiro and his slimy partner pressure the kids to fess up. Meanwhile, their respectable elder brother Ichiro is being leaned on by the town's big boss, whose money it was.
Delinquent Boss: Alley Dog CommandoDelinquent Boss: Alley Dog Commando · 1972
Delinquent Boss: Alley Dog Commando
★ 8.01972
MovieCrimeAction
This is the Fifteenth film in the series. There were seventeen Wolves of the City films between 1968 & 1974, in the main aimed at shock-value & “pinku” soft-core with sex, nudity, violence, gunplay, & a lot of mainly pointless foolishness when the biker gang coopts racist or nazi imagery, inventing a non-existent youth culture void of morality…
Wolves of the City: First to FightWolves of the City: First to Fight · 1971
Wolves of the City: First to Fight
★ 8.01971
Movie
Pinku from 1971.
Prison BossPrison Boss · 1968
Prison Boss
★ 7.71968
MovieCrime
Rival gangs fight over ownership of bicycle race track.
Organized Violence IIOrganized Violence II · 1967
Organized Violence II
★ 7.51967
MovieCrimeAction
The Karate 2The Karate 2 · 1974
The Karate 2
★ 7.01974
MovieAction
This is the second film of the ZA KARATE trilogy (AKA BRONSON LEE CHAMPION). Tadashi Yamashita reprises his role as the Karate World Champion and must faces dozens of worldwide pretenders, such as the Guillotine Brothers of New Guinea, Killer Samson, Dracula Jack (Bolo) who all want a shot at him at all cost and also to steal the famous Orikirimaru Sword.
A Thousand SuspectsA Thousand Suspects · 1966
A Thousand Suspects
★ 7.01966
MovieThriller
Suspense film based on Ryuji Hori's non-fiction book about the kidnapping and murder of 4-year-old Yoshinobu Murakoshi in 1963.
Soul of ChibaSoul of Chiba · 1977
Soul of Chiba
★ 6.51977
MovieAction
This mid-1970s martial arts classic stars Sonny Chiba as Mu Yun Tek, a young man trained in the Thai fighting style since childhood to one day avenge his parents' death. When a fellow student kills their teacher, Mu Yun's thirst for vengeance grows. The brutal action never stops as Mu Yun teams up with an Interpol agent (Tadashi Yamashita) to find the culprit, who insists that their former master was a drug dealer who had to be destroyed.
Zero Woman: Red HandcuffsZero Woman: Red Handcuffs · 1974
Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs
★ 6.41974
MovieThrillerAction
Agent Zero is a cop that uses her own methods for dealing with criminals. After she unlawfully kills a rapist in a violent fashion, she is sent to prison and stripped of her badge. But very soon after, a rich politician's daughter is kidnapped by a ruthless gang. Agent Zero is let out of prison with the mission of going undercover to find the politician's daughter and return her safely. Using her deadly red handcuffs, she disposes of the criminals one by one.
Kamikaze Cop, Marihuana SyndicateKamikaze Cop, Marihuana Syndicate · 1970
Kamikaze Cop, Marihuana Syndicate
★ 6.41970
MovieActionCrime
An undercover cop insinuates himself into a yakuza family. Managing to avert an assassination attack on the boss he is assigned to kill a rival boss.
Thirst for LoveThirst for Love · 1966
Thirst for Love
★ 6.01966
MovieDrama
Natsuko, a Tokyo bar proprietress, and Yuki, a Kyoto Ryokan owner, vie for the affections of an advertising professional.

More Like This

Ip Man 4: The FinaleIp Man 4: The Finale · 2019
Ip Man 4: The Finale
★ 7.32019
MovieActionHistory
Following the death of his wife, Ip Man travels to San Francisco to ease tensions between the local kung fu masters and his star student, Bruce Lee, while searching for a better future for his son.
The Man with the Golden GunThe Man with the Golden Gun · 1974
The Man with the Golden Gun
★ 6.51974
MovieAdventureAction
Cool government operative James Bond searches for a stolen invention that can turn the sun's heat into a destructive weapon. He soon crosses paths with the menacing Francisco Scaramanga, a hitman so skilled he has a seven-figure working fee. Bond then joins forces with the swimsuit-clad Mary Goodnight, and together they track Scaramanga to a Thai tropical isle hideout where the killer-for-hire lures the slick spy into a deadly maze for a final duel.
The Karate KidThe Karate Kid · 1984
The Karate Kid
★ 7.21984
MovieActionDrama
New Jersey teen Daniel LaRusso moves to Los Angeles with his mother, and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali. He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of thugs, led by Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny, who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei John Kreese. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi, an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.
The Crimson KimonoThe Crimson Kimono · 1959
The Crimson Kimono
★ 6.61959
MovieRomanceDrama
Two detectives clash over the hunt for a burlesque dancer’s killer in Los Angeles’ Japanese district.
SidekicksSidekicks · 1992
Sidekicks
★ 5.31992
MovieActionAdventure
Asthmatic teenager Barry Gabrewski is a daydreamer. Troubled by bullying, he escapes into a fantasy world where he is the sidekick to his martial arts hero, Chuck Norris, in a series of high-octane adventures taken right out of his movies. With help from his teacher's wise old uncle, Mr. Lee, Barry learns the finer points of martial arts and enters a karate championship.
Dragonball EvolutionDragonball Evolution · 2009
Dragonball Evolution
★ 2.92009
MovieActionAdventure
On his 18th birthday, Goku receives a mystical Dragonball as a gift from his grandfather. There are only six others like it in the whole world, and legend has it that whoever possesses all seven will be granted one perfect wish. When the arrival of a dark force triggers a tragedy, Goku and his companions are propelled into an epic quest to collect the seven Dragonballs and save the Earth from destruction.
The MasterThe Master · 1992
The Master
★ 6.61992
MovieAction
When old martial arts master Master Tak disappears, his best student, Jet, steps in to find him. However, when he learns that Tak's life is in danger, he decides to protect him at all costs.
A Force of OneA Force of One · 1979
A Force of One
★ 4.91979
MovieActionAdventure
Karate champion Matt Logan is enlisted by the police to train officers in self-defense after narcotics agents are killed by an assailant using the martial arts.
The Karate Kid Part IIIThe Karate Kid Part III · 1989
The Karate Kid Part III
★ 5.91989
MovieActionFamily
Despondent over the closing of his karate school, Cobra Kai teacher John Kreese joins a ruthless businessman and martial artist to get revenge on Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.
Dangerous MindsDangerous Minds · 1995
Dangerous Minds
★ 7.01995
MovieDrama
Former Marine Louanne Johnson lands a gig teaching in a pilot program for bright but underachieving teens at a notorious inner-city high school. After having a terrible first day, she decides she must throw decorum to the wind. When Johnson returns to the classroom, she does so armed with a no-nonsense attitude informed by her military training and a fearless determination to better the lives of her students -- no matter what the cost.
Double ImpactDouble Impact · 1991
Double Impact
★ 6.21991
MovieThrillerAction
Jean Claude Van Damme plays a dual role as Alex and Chad, twins separated at the death of their parents. Chad is raised by a family retainer in Paris, Alex becomes a petty crook in Hong Kong. Seeing a picture of Alex, Chad rejoins him and convinces him that his rival in Hong Kong is also the man who killed their parents. Alex is suspicious of Chad, especially when it comes to his girlfriend.
Joe SomebodyJoe Somebody · 2001
Joe Somebody
★ 5.72001
MovieComedyRomance
When underappreciated video specialist Joe Scheffer is brutally humiliated by office bully Mark McKinney in front of his daughter, Joe begins a quest for personal redemption. He proceeds by enduring a personal makeover and takes martial arts lessons from a B-action star. As news spreads of his rematch with Mark, Joe suddenly finds himself the center of attention, ascending the corporate ladder and growing in popularity.
DOA: Dead or AliveDOA: Dead or Alive · 2006
DOA: Dead or Alive
★ 5.32006
MovieAdventureAction
Four beautiful rivals at an invitation-only martial-arts tournament join forces against a sinister threat. Princess Kasumi is an aristocratic warrior trained by martial-arts masters. Tina Armstrong is a wrestling superstar. Helena Douglas is an athlete with a tragic past. Christie Allen earns her keep as a thief and an assassin-for-hire.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter