Pumping Iron (1977)

From Gold's Gym in Venice Beach California to the showdown in Pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 Mr. Olympia and Mr. Universe contests in this ... See full summary »

Directors:

George Butler, Robert Fiore

Writers:

Charles Gaines (book), George Butler (book),

Stars:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Matty Ferrigno

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

From Gold's Gym in Venice Beach California to the showdown in Pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 Mr. Olympia and Mr. Universe contests in this part-scripted, part-documentary film. Five-time champion Arnold Schwarzenegger defends his Mr. Olympia title against Serge Nubret and the shy young deaf Lou Ferrigno, whose father is his coach; the ruthless champ psyches out the young lion. Sardinian Franco Columbu competes in the lightweight class; at home in Italy he solves a tight parking problem by lifting the car into place. Joe Weider is the marketer; Mike Katz and Ken Waller go for the title of Mr. Universe. Bodybuilding and a celebrity-to-be go mainstream.

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Plot Keywords:

mr. universe | mr. olympia | gym | bodybuilding | contest | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 1986 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Acélizom

Filming Locations:

California Hall, San Francisco, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rollie Robinson, White Mountain Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Several scenes were shot at Mountain Park, an amusement park in Holyoke, Massachusetts, which for many years hosted east coast bodybuilding championship in their "Clambake Pavilion."

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Quotes

Arnold Schwarzenegger: I don't have any weak points. I had weak points three years ago, but my main thing in mind is, my goal always was, to even out everything to the point... that everything is perfect. Which means if I want to increase one muscle a half inch, the rest of the body has to increase. I would never make one muscle increase or decrease, because everything fits together now, and all I have to do is get my posing routine down more perfect, which is almost impossible to do, you know. It's perfect already.

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Crazy Credits

Our thanks to: Protection by "Chula"

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Unlikeliest Star (1990)

User Reviews

Unbelievable!!

I first saw this movie my freshmen year of high school, and after the first ten minutes of the movie I was sucked into a strange, new, world...And I liked it. This film is great, it has all the makings of a great movie (Arnold is a great heel) but yet it is a documentary. Pumping Iron takes you backstage, into the gyms, and into the mind of the competitors. The only weak part of the film is the focus on Mike Katz going for the amateur Mr. Universe, however Ken Waller shines in this part. Also look for the future Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno as the new up-and-coming bodybuilder. I cannot praise this movie enough, its changed my life. I watch this movie all the time, I've read Arnold's Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, and am training to be a bodybuilder. This movie is great for anyone looking for inspiration! 10 out of 10