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Pumping Iron - The 25th Anniversary Special Edition Customer Reviews (28 - 30 of 35 Reviews)

Wonderful Look At The Subculture Of Bodybuilding
It is, as Arnold would typically say, simply terrific to finally discover the movie re-released as a DVD. Curiously enough, as someone who is featured as a member of the audience at Mountain Park when the sequences featuring Arnold guest-posing there were shot, I suppose I was a bit player in this movie. As it turned out, I was invited by Ed Jubinville, who ran the event, and got the chance to meet Arnold after the show. Yet my fondness for this expansive and revealing look into the intense subculture of bodybuilding is based more on the way it opened up the world of physical fitness and bodybuilding, which up to that point had been the subject of crude jokes and ridicule.

This in many ways is a documentary, and photographer and videographer George Butler and author Charles Gaines (who wrote the original best-selling book, "Pumping Iron") took quite a risk in pushing this cultish film into the mainstream. Indeed, it originally played in arthouses and didn't become a hit until later. Yet it provided the spring for success Arnold needed to prove he could both emote and act (not many people understood the film was in fact scripted, such that many of the so-called stories and events were derived from the experiences of others,written into the film to provide a plot that otherwise didn't exist. thus events such as Schwarzenegger's father's death just before the Olympia (never happened that way), or Ken Waller plotting to undo Mike Katz.

Likewise, the whole Mike Katz teeshirt routine. Still, at base this remains a fascinating look into the otherwise mysterious world of competitive bodybuilding, although the story described herein depicts a world that no longer exists as it did twenty five years ago. Nowadays bodybuilding is a big-money enterprise, and it has changed in the process of so evolving. People are in it for the money and the fame, and drugs play a much bigger part in the calculation than they did then. In that sense at least, it has lost its innocence. Still, for anyone so inclined, this is a memorable and intriguing story, featuring a numbner of world class strength athletes such as Schwarzenegger, Louis Ferrigno, Franco Columbo, Dave Draper, Serge Nubret, and Mike Katz, all then in their prime. This is a terrific movie, and one that I am sure you will enjoy

Brilliant sports documentary on body building's Golden Age.
The 1970's was definitely the halcyon days of international bodybuilding...two forward thinking brothers, Ben & Joe Weider, took a novelty sport, propelled it to stellar heights, built a publishing & business empire and gave the phrase "pumping iron" respectability and recognition worldwide. However, the Weider's would never have been as successful, if it had not been for a brash, young, quick talking bodybuilder from Austria (with a super hero, chiselled physique ) named Arnold Schwarzenneger who was the "golden boy" of bodybuilding's golden age.

This tremendous documentary primarily follows four elite bodybuilders in their lead up to the 1975 Mr Universe & Mr Olympia titles in Pretoria, South Africa. Mike Katz, Ken Waller, Lou "The Hulk" Ferrigno & Arnold Schwarzenneger are all shown training hard, posing down and attempting to psych each other out in the quest for the sport's top prizes. Also featured in the film are some of the other key identities from bodybuilding in the 1970's...Ed Corney, "The Black Prince" Robbie Robinson, Danny "The Giant Killer" Padilla, "The Sardinian Superman" Franco Colombu, Frenchman Serge Nubret & Frank Zane. George Butler's intriguing film is based around the book of the same name by fitness author Charles Gaines, who also wrote the novel "Stay Hungry" that was filmed a year earlier to "Pumping Iron" with a young Schwarzenneger as bodybuiler, Joe Santos !

Butler's probing camera focus's very much on the psychological aspects of the sport and much of "Pumping Iron's" running time is shown on the behind the scenes issues and mental preparation by the athletes and all important confidence boosting by their family and peers. Especially interesting is the intensely close relationship between ex-NYC cop Matty Ferrigno and his shy 24 year old son Lou, as the two ferociously train and methodically prepare to topple untouchable Arnold off his perch as the world's number one bodybuilder. However, we soon see why Arnold achieved the heights of fame and numerous titles, as he psychologically dismantles his opponents confidence and rattles their faith with his laid back & unnerving comments on their physiques !

Although "Pumping Iron" looks a little dated (lots of flared pants and bad haircuts), it is easily the best documentary ever made on competitive bodybuilding and is still compulsive viewing for anyone genuinely interested in one of the oldest, and often most mis-understood sports on the planet !

good movie
this movie wasnt that bad,if your into weight lifting,bodybuilding.this is the movie for you.There are all the classic lifters,lou,franco,aronld,and more.I recommend it as a buy it movie , more then a rent it.

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