The Karate Ki is a 1984 John G. Avildsen film starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita and Elisabeth Shue. It is a martial arts movie and an "underdog" story much in the mold of a previous Avildsen success, the 1976 boxing picture Rocky. It was a great commercial success upon first release, and has retained its popular following. It also received a favorable critical attention, earning Pat Morita an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The film's tagline is: "He taught him the secret to Karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands."