No one can make the argument that The Karate Kid Part III is a good movie. Even fans of the franchise acknowledge that it isn’t a very memorable film. However, no one can deny that Thomas Ian Griffith played a great antagonist in the 1989 sequel. So, when Netflix’s Cobra Kai season three teased the return of the character Terry Silver, fans were excited. And now that season four is out, we can see how great of a decision it was to bring Griffith back to reprise the role.
In an interview with THR, Griffith talked about the 1989 movie and his time on Cobra Kai:
Ralph has been critical of Part III — but loves that it gave Cobra Kai Terry Silver. What are your feelings about the 1989 installment?
“For me, I had just come to L.A. from New York, and [the late director] John Avildsen took a chance on an unknown actor. It is by no means a great film, but even to this day, I am proud of my work because I was brave enough not to hold back. Avildsen kept pushing me to go for it. And that was a risky thing to do as an actor going into a project that was already established. For me, it was a positive experience, but I didn’t carry the weight of the prior films. Some of it worked and some of it didn’t, but I had the balls to just go for it, which I give myself credit for.”
Had you continued your martial arts studies all these years, or was there some rust when you came back for Cobra Kai?
“I have been a martial artist my whole life and that has just continued to evolve. It is a part of who I am. It is my therapy. So when the creators asked me initially, “Are you in shape?” I said, “That won’t be a problem.” But then you go on set, and I am looking at the stunt double, and I am thinking, “I kick so much faster than that.” So I am jumping up, volunteering. What I didn’t take into consideration is I am going to be doing this 10 hours a day now. So believe me, I am sitting in an Epsom salt bath that night going, “What the hell have I gotten myself into?” (Laughs.)”
Finally, Griffith was asked about season five and what fans can expect:
“You’re going to see the next level of Terry Silver. It is like what the creators say, “What if Terry had won the All Valley Karate Tournament in 1989?” So we’ll explore that — and it is fascinating.”
You can read our review for season four of Cobra Kai here. What’d you think of Terry Silver’s return?
Source: THR
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