This 1977 bodybuilding documentary features future stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno, and a host of (lesser known) but just as competitive competitors. We follow them as they train, train and train some more, all in order to be ready for the most glorious bodybuilding competition on the calendar, Mr. Olympia. And we see if five-time champion Arnold Schwarzenegger can add a sixth to his legacy, this time competing against up-comer and his (in film) rival Lou Ferrigno.
We finally get to see that bodybuilders aren’t just fitness-crazed drones. We see behind the flexes, as the documentary takes time to focus on the competitors’ attitudes and mindsets. This documentary has been dubbed by many as a docurama (a documentary with purposely scripted situations and events, usually used to make documentaries more exciting). Setups such as bodybuilders stealing each other’s personal items to try to mess with rivals just before they are meant to go out on stage and pose. Or cunning lines from Schwarzenegger when questioned about competing against his best friend: “Franco is pretty smart, but Franco’s a child and when it comes to competing I am his father. He comes to me for advices, so it’s not hard for me to give him the wrong advices.”
According to Schwarzenegger’s autobiography Total Recall, these set-up situations were created to gain headlines and sell tickets. The idea was to paint Schwarzenegger as this cold emotionless character, so it gave audiences an obvious plotline to follow; and it works in an entertaining film-like manner. Nevertheless, these situations remain the documentary’s greatest assist, I believe.
As much as you may love bodybuilding and Pumping Iron, it’s hard to see how enjoyable it would be without Schwarzenegger. This documentary allows him to play up to the camera. In a crowd full of grey characters he provides the only colourful palette.
The documentary lacks depth in areas. If you are expecting an instructional fitness DVD, then this 85-minute piece isn’t for you. You get no real insight from the best in the business on how to build your body. Instead it would have been nice to have a reporter/presenter who stood in front of the camera who could ask certain questions that he felt the audience would have wanted to know. But this isn’t a film after all. The only other criticism is the pacing of the documentary. Just when things are starting to get going, and we’re enjoying seeing the Schwarzenegger and Ferrigno rivalry building, we cut to an introduction of a new bodybuilder who has a shallow backstory. It’s slightly annoying, and removes the viewer from the moment. But these are the documentary’s only flaws.
Pumping Iron is fun, cunning, smart, entertaining, spicy and full of art! Greek art, body art, descendants of Hercules himself. Art sculptures who walk, talk and pose on stage! And once you’ve watched Pumping Iron, I guarantee it won’t be left on a shelf to gather dust as you’ll be re-watching and re-watching, all to see the listed glorious attributes.
Like the feature’s main star, Pumping Iron endures as the face of bodybuilding, resulting in a timeless classic.
Author Biography
Film fanatic Sam Archer is an aspiring film director and script writer. He believes the secret to success is hard work, strong-mindedness and determination. During his free time he enjoys writing film reviews for websites to promote himself and his production company, Sam Archer Media (http://samarchermedia.wix.com/samarcher#).
Film Details
Pumping Iron (1977)
USA
Directors George Butler, Robert Fiore
Runtime 85 minutes
