Pumping Iron (1977)

Who payed the critics

recommended

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

PUMPING IRON is a bodybuilding documentary that feels very much a product of its time. The film follows the fortunes of various rival weight trainers as they compete for the prestitious Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia competitions. It's most well-known today for being the film that introduced the inimitable Arnold Schwarzenegger and his larger-than-life character to the masses. A young and goofy Schwarzenegger is endearing as ever here, sharing camaraderie with his peers and always trying to play mind games even when not on the stage. The film is a little fake and scripted at times, but to my mind this makes the subject matter that bit more entertaining. A lot of the laughs come from the presence of Lou Ferrigno, presented as a real slow-witted character one step behind everybody else. PUMPING IRON is good enough to be enjoyed even if you're not a fan of the whole bodybuilding scene.

It's 1975 before bodybuilding competitions in Pretoria, South Africa. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the multiple Mr. Olympia champion and favorite. He's from Austria and embraces the free wheeling American lifestyle. While he works out of Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, another competitor Lou Ferrigno is a rookie from Brooklyn who suffered from hard of hearing. Other bodybuilders are also highlighted in this unique competition.It's a nice insightful doc into a small slice of the world. Of course, everybody watches this for Arnold today. Our view of him is colored by his future. It is fascinating to see him unscripted. He is a competitive magnetic man with an inquisitive mind. His competitive nature is the most compelling part and explains so much about his life. The bodybuilding world is almost secondary looking back at it. It's an interesting slice of the world unknown at the time but today, it's an insight in one of the world's most fascinating personality.

Meet the absolute, ultimate giants of he-man muscle.As some of the biggest and brawniest bodybuilders in the world train, like total fiends, for the up-coming "Mr. Olympia" contest in Pretoria, South Africa, the viewer gets a front row seat to see all of the action, which includes exclusive interviews from a number of these top contenders who are diligently going for the title, like Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu, Mike Katz, Ken Wallace, and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger.Pumping Iron really is an excellent documentary. It contains lots of very good footage and gives the viewer a clear insight into the mind-set of these devoted men who pump iron with an absolute passion.I highly recommend this film to one, and all.

Pumping Iron is a great documentary. A rather revealing look at the then smaller world of body-building. Audiences are introduced to the charismatic, brash and overly-confident Arnold Schwarzenegger. Later we see the camaraderie between the muscle men at Arnold's gym in L.A. Thereis a huge contrast between the fun atmosphere of L.A. and the austere and dark gym where Lou Ferrigno trains under the rather obsessive watch of his father, Matty. While Ferrigno is bigger than Arnold, Arnold is considered to have the body with best symmetry and alignment, not to forget those 25 inch biceps. The scenes with Mike Katz, an amateur body-builder and former NY Jets player with an enormous chest are quite memorable and inspiring. Katz talks about the taunting he received as a kid and how this pushed him to train hard to achieve his goals. Try to watch the DVD which includes an update 30 years later. Included among several memorable scenes are: Arnold smoking a joint; Arnold talking about the pump and "coming" feeling; Arnold giving tips on how to pose; after Lou Ferrigno has finished an impressive set of military benches, his father tells that Arnold might be training twice as hard as he is; some body builders who can barely run normally thanks to so much muscle. Great Documnetary, don't miss it.