On June 22nd, 1984, "The Karate Kid" was released to theaters across the United States. Starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, and William Zabka, it was directed by John G. Avildsen, who was known for directing the first "Rocky" film in 1976. The film received critical acclaim, and went on to gross $130.8 million worldwide, making it Hollywood's biggest sleeper hit of the year. The film's theme song, "You're the Best", performed by Joe Esposito, was originally written for "Rocky III", but was rejected by Sylvestor Stallone in favor of "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor.
