Pumping Iron (1977)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

George Butler
Robert Fiore

Writers:

Charles Gaines (book) and
George Butler (book) ...

Release Date:

13 December 1986 (Japan)

Genre:

Documentary | Sport

Plot:

From Gold's Gym in Venice Beach California to the showdown in Pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 Mr...

Plot Keywords:

Contest | Bare Chested Male | Weightlifting | Male Frontal Nudity | Beefcake

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Himself
Lou Ferrigno	...	Himself (as Louis Ferrigno)
Matty Ferrigno	...	Himself
Victoria Ferrigno	...	Herself
Mike Katz	...	Himself
Franco Columbu	...	Himself
Ed Corney	...	Himself
Ken Waller	...	Himself
Serge Nubret	...	Himself
Robbie Robinson	...	Himself (as Robin Robinson)
Marianne Claire	...	Herself
Frank Zane	...	Himself
David DuPree	...	Himself
Eddie Juliani	...	Himself
Danny Padilla	...	Himself

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:12 | New Zealand:PG | Australia:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

California Hall, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Rollie Robinson

Trivia:

Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted that he had made up several stories in the movie for attention because the producers told him that without drama it would be boring. One of stories made up was the fact that he did not attend his father's funeral because of a body building competition that was going to happen in a couple of months. Arnold did actually attend his father's funeral and spoke to him shortly before he passed.

Quotes:

[continuing about The Pump]
Arnold Schwarzenegger: It's as satisfying to me as, uh, coming is, you know? As, ah, having sex with a woman and coming. And so can you believe how much I am in heaven? I am like, uh, getting the feeling of coming in a gym, I'm getting the feeling of coming at home, I'm getting the feeling of coming backstage when I pump up, when I pose in front of 5,000 people, I get the same feeling, so I am coming day and night. I mean, it's terrific. Right? So you know, I am in heaven.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Samson & Delilah (#2.1)" (2008)

Still Fascinating, Almost 30 Years Later

This was an extremely well-done "documentary" about men's bodybuilding, and the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest in particular.

The film, of course, features the most famous bodybuilder of all time - Arnold Schwarzenegger. There are also profiles of his handful of competitors, most notably Lou Ferrigno, who gained notoriety by being the green monster in "The Incredible Hulk" TV series.

Anyway, this film really shows the hard work (but not the steroids, by the way), the dedication and the egos of the bodybuilders, particularly Schwarzenegger. Arnold is the defending champion in the field and also has the biggest ego and is pictured as a man obsessed with winning. (To this day, has he ever lost in anything? Like him or not, what this man has accomplished is amazing.)

Ferrigno's story is more about his dad than anything else, a man living out his dreams through his son. However, unlike other driven sports parents (i.e. Jimmy Piersall's father in "Fear Strikes Out"), he gives "Big Louie" nothing but encouragement.

However - please note, because I was fooled for years, too , until the DVD came out - that it turns out that much of the dad's role was made up just for the film, which is why I put "documentary" in quotes. In reality, he had little to do with his son's training, according to a feature on the DVD disc. There is a 25-year reunion with some of the people involved here, and it's very interesting, as they point out what was added for "dramatic effect." (These filmmakers must have inspired Michael Moore).

Also featured in the film were several contestants in another competition, Mr. Universe, which was held at the same venue as the main attraction. In here, we see good guy (Mike Katz) battling bad guy (Ken Waller). Katz was particularly an intriguing study and provides a good example of what motivates many of these guys to build such incredible bodies.

A lot of what these contestants do - and Schwarzenegger was a master at this - was play mind games at these contests, trying to "psych out" their opponents. All of that is pictured.

The physical work, the mental games, the families of these guys, their social life, outlooks on life, and the behind-the-scenes look at a unique sport - all are fascinating. I found it such when I saw it over 25 years ago, and it's still an extremely entertaining film.