You've heard the expression "you can't see the forest for the trees" -- basically saying that you're too focused on one aspect of something to see the big picture. Having watched
The Karate Kid and
Summer School countless times over the past three decades, I clearly have not seen the forest.
After recently
confirming that Gary Riley is alive and well, I had
Summer School on in the background this past week while I did some stuff around the house and it hit me like a ton of bricks.
I know that school!
Now this may be old news to you, but it's a revelation to me. Even after digging into the minute details of
The Karate Kid for a
mental_floss article, I was still in the dark.
Indulge me for a moment.
Here are few shots from the film that show the structure and style of the actual school building. Take particular notice of the color of the lockers and doors as well as the semi-transparent wind blocks handing in the breezeway.
And here are a few shots from the school scenes in
The Karate Kid.
This was the same school and somehow I had never made that connection between two of my favorite movies!
Not convinced?
A
Karate Kid fan site indicates that the address of the building used in the school scenes of the film is 5607 Capistrano in Woodland Hills, CA. The site features several snapshots taken at this location -- no doubt the right spot.
Google Maps takes us to an aerial view of the building.
Switching over to
Google's Street View and snooping around the outside of this building used in
The Karate Kid, I eventually came to this spot.
And in the opening seconds of
Summer School, there's this.
Done.
Same building.