On Location - Mr. Miyagi’s House (The Karate Kid)

Let's Talk - Cobra Kai
Episode 138 - On Location - Mr. Miyagi’s House (The Karate Kid)

Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez visit and discuss Mr. Miyagi’s House in Canoga Park, CA, which was the actual filming location in The Karate Kid.

Recorded: 03-20-23
Studio: Just Curious Media
https://www.JustCuriousMedia.com/

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Transcript

Sal Rodriguez: 0:01

Whoa, just curious. Welcome to Just curious media. This is let's talk Cobra Kai. I'm Jason Connell. And I'm Sal Rodriguez. All right, so we are back for another episode. But it sounds like you're out of studio. Yeah, no, I am absolutely way out of studio on the other side of the valley. You know, most people know I live in the San Fernando Valley now I'm on the other side of the valley and Canoga Park, at a very special place. In Canoga Park and I mean, honestly, this, it's like, it's actually hitting me now. Yeah, right now, especially if I'm talking to you. Yeah. How special this place and this location is, you and I both have visited special places. But this place I think may for me anyway, take the cake of the specialness. It's kind of biblical. You are at Mr. Miyagi, his house from the Karate Kid. Oh my God, that's 20924 Golf Street in Canoga Park just west of DeSoto. It's on the south side of the street. You wouldn't recognize it. Luckily, they have the addresses out front. They've got two addresses actually. 20924 and 209 to four and a half. Okay. All right, they have a back house. Yeah, I think so. And they zip code to be clear as 91303. And to also be clear and shed light on this. They did film scenes from The Karate Kid Part Two there before it was demolished, and then when the third Karate Kid was born, not our favorite, but we've grown to appreciate it more especially with Terry silver coming aboard Cobra Kai and Mike Barnes. But that was a recreations on the lot so all those scenes with Daniel and Miyagi and Terry silver showing up all that was new on a lot no longer in Canoga Park because by then it had been long gone, which is unfortunate sad, because credit card two went to production right after Karate Kid was in the theater. And so it was already a thing. It was already like a mega hit. Why didn't they lock down this location as a historic landmarks are something but they did not. When you look at the timing of it, it's almost like they were in a hurry. Yeah. Jason, Jason, this, Justin, this is absolutely I you know, one thing I love about our show, among many is the transparency and the honesty. I am legitimately here in front of the park. Right now. The mail carrier is on his way. He's a few houses down the mail curious. I want to ask him if he's going to bring his wife to come and check out this house. And that was from the Karate Kid. Part Two. Oh, my God. Yeah, like I said, this is a very special place you again, you wouldn't know if people pass right by it. I would have passed right by it, honestly. But yeah, here we are at this very special locale and I, I have to imagine Jason that you and I hopefully we'll be talking about more than Miyagi very soon. Yes. The documentary about Pat Merida. I'm anxious to watch it. I know you've already seen it. No, I have not seen it. So I thought you saw I was holding off because the minute I watch it, we're gonna have to go into studio. Oh, yeah. You know, we were in the middle of seasons. And I was moving but no, no, you were I got confused. No, no, you haven't seen the Morgan Miyagi documentary. More than Miyagi? I have not either. But you have read the book. Yes, I have. Yeah. What's that one again? Waxing on? Yeah, that I gotta see that. I gotta hear that. I gotta watch. Yeah, it's not watchable yet. But I'm thinking. I'm thinking of a book as I watch waxing on the karate kid in me rough macho, great book. We do need to come back, we did a preview episode, we need to do a review episode. I loved it. I will read it again, if you read it. Quickly. Back to the mailman, though. We'll see if he wanders around the side of the house like he did in the sequel, because he just took liberties and he was looking for Miyagi, to give him the package from Okinawa. So keep an eye on that guy while you're at it. But Sal, I also read that when they shot on this, you know, historic landmark that you're in front of right now. It looks more like a house now. But when they film there, I was reading that they kind of filmed in the backyard facing the other direction some Yeah, because there is a lot of room to have the cars back there. They have the oil there kind of in the background. So I wonder if that's part of it. Maybe there is a back house like you're alluding to with a half and that all about property, they really took advantage of that property. Probably not as much right where you're looking at, I'm assuming from where I'm at, by the way the mailman is about to deliver to the garage, keeping the mail. The mailman is literally delivering right now. No more nine to four, right this is like, here I am geeking out over this. I mean, I would imagine anybody around is like what's this guy? Is he a stalker? I'm telling you that he just delivered the mail to Miyagi. Okay, from what it looks like. It looks like when you look at the property. I am indeed facing south across the street. It looks like they might have built a house where the cars were yes like that's what that's what it looks like. It looks like almost looks like the back house is The extra Miyagi house back there. Well, that's what I thought the more I looked at high shot aerial views, you know, you go back and think of the movie, it's really big. There's a dirt road, they could have easily been on the back house and just taken all the real estate up. Because when I went by to be clear, I have gone by this exact same location. I'm assuming it hasn't changed too much. There's palm trees. I have a great photo. I'm also looking online at it now. It looks kind of the same, but you do not recognize it as Miyagi house. It's just a normal nondescript house. Yeah, that looks nothing like it because we can't see beyond it's like, do you have the white wooden fence? The picket fence? Yes, yes. Yeah. There is the picket fence that was painted by Daniel. Yes. Well, no, but yes, it's true. But he was doing the backyard. But I mean, looking at it, and it was a garage. You really don't see much of the house anyway. It's kind of hidden, you know? Yeah, it is. Yes. So that's Yeah. It doesn't have a big front. It almost looks like the house is turned to the side. Yeah. And then there's that house in the back, which you can't really see too well. So yeah, I'm assuming that the front house is 2092 for the back house. 294 and a half, or vice versa. And then next door to that 296 I was in front of that house for a few minutes. A couple of nice good dogs. They're nice, good doggies. What's that? We're gonna need you to get a closer look. Walk around the side, poke around. See what's going on that back? So pretend you're a pizza delivery guy. Let's get creative here. No, I you know, Jason and I were talking off the air before we got on about how I tried to fake it as older. Yeah. In fact, I often joke I want to get a fake ID to fake it as an older man, so I can get it to a senior living community, a RP or senior living. Yeah, exactly. So what I'll do is I'll sneak around the house, but like, I'll have you hunched over a little bit look like I'm lost. Yeah, I like you know, I don't want to look like a threat. Well, I was looking at the map, and I couldn't help but point out or to everybody and you you probably know this because you know the valley even better than I You're not too far away from South Seas apartments. No, no, that's true. It's not very far. So here over here. I just walked over before you and I spoke. I walked over to the corner of DeSoto in Sherman way. And in the South Sea. This is over on saticoy. I think off receipt. Well, look, it's not that far. No, you'd want to drive or ride a bike. But oh, yeah, that far, probably only like three four miles, I would imagine Exactly. Not far at all. Well, it was a heck of a location for them to pull this off. I would have loved to have it made a museum museum to Mr. Miyagi and the Karate Kid, because it's kind of forgotten about now. Even what they recreated on the lot. Are some of those things still in existence. We know now they've recreated yet again in Atlanta for Cobra Kai. But it all started here. It's really neat because the South Seas continues. Its servicing people. It's an actual apartment calm. Yes, yes, exactly. Yeah, that is a good point. The South Seas is a real thing. And people actually live there. As you can see from our previous video where I was on location, and speaking with one of the lovely young residents, and unfortunately, this is a residence and it was probably in decline is how the studio even got it. You know, the showrunners, the location scouts, and then they dressed it up. I mean, they made it the whole Japanese influence theme and all the beauty that be, but it was probably because it was in disarray, dismay, and it was probably not looking too good. And they were able to secure it, which is great. I mean, good for them. They got it in the valley. This is in the 80s. But it all started here. When I went by I was like you I was really taken aback like wow, this was where the annual pulls in. And he's going away and they're doing the whole bonds. I see so many scenes here on the bike. And I really wish I could see more of it next time. I'm in La Mesa go back by maybe there's an alley when you leave, maybe drive around. Don't walk. I was kidding about going back there and poking around. But the other side, yeah. On the other side, which well, there's the other Street, which is Volvo's. I'll see if I can see anything from that side. There's really no way to get around the side of the house from this side. So maybe on the both side. But Jason, you brought up a good point as far as, again, reminding us that they actually spruced up the house yes to film, which makes it even Saturday that they demoed. Like, why would they screws up a house and then you demo it? The whole thing doesn't even make any sense to me now. It was the ad sell. Anything goes? Anything goes? Yeah, let's build it. Let's tear it down. But I'm glad you made it there. I know this is your first visit there. And we were talking and I was like, You know what, why don't you go by and we'll just do a quick episode. And there's more locations like this that you haven't seen yet. And I think you have to every Karate Kid fan Cobra Kai fan should go by now. Don't stalk, don't knock on the door and bother them. But just take it in and just think back, you know, and go back and watch the credit card credit card part two, and watch those scenes. Like when you go back and watch something when you're familiar with it. You'll look for street signs, like oh, yeah, that's because there's you're also by street. You're on gold. You're by independence and DeSoto and Vaughn Yes. So if you go back and watch the movie now look for some of those street signs and I I'm sure they exist. So I'm not sure that's true. But also some things were faked. I just learned like, apparently some oil derricks and railroad tracks. Yeah, they brought that in. That's yeah, those were fake. I don't know why they did that. I guess they want it to look like Miyagi live next to the other side of the tracks and the wrong side of the track. Okay, I think that's what that was meant to convey. But the oil, oil dare. I never forgot, you know, that was like so symbolic and like, oh, Miyagi, that old Derrick was behind the fence. And it just gave it that removed, he was so far removed. I guess they didn't want it something to look exactly like the South Seas. So they created a whole other thing, and it really was effective. Well, you know, what it's reminiscent of now that I think about it is that they made me Yagis location, similar to the bonsai store from credit get through. Absolutely. Yeah. As far as area, they made a lot of things in their credit card part three. Down, but, yeah, well, anyway, I don't want you to get in trouble there. So I look like a stalker yourself. So I don't want to hold you but I'm so happy that you made it by and I can feel it too. I can feel the good vibes all the way across the country. And I'm super excited to, you know, make this an episode on Let's Talk Cobra Kai. Oh, man, I'm excited to be here. Thank you for sending me out or you know, as the desk anchor, yeah. You sent your reporter out on the scene today, and I'm very happy that you did and I'm looking forward to doing something very similar. Yeah, there are a few places I have not visited. I'm very happy to be here today and look forward to more. All right, Sal. Well, that's all I have my friend and I think you have one last thing for the fans. No Mercy.