Pumping Iron (1977)

'Pumping Iron' from 1977 was just a small independent documentary, but it became a massive success and introduced the world to Arnold Schwarzenegger and the world of bodybuilding.

The movie follows the training of the bodybuilders at Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, California, before the upcomming Mr. Olympia competition. Along the way we get to know the different characters. We listen to their thoughts about what they're doing and we see them interact with each other and their families.

The movie especially foocus on the rivalry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. Arnold is the king of this world. He hasn't been beaten in years, and is determined to stay on his throne. He plays mind games on his competitors and does his best to psych them out before the competition. Lou Ferrigno on the other hand is the underdog. He's younger than the rest, he lives with his parents and is dominated by his father who oversees his training.

It's a fun mixture of drama and documentary. The training, interaction and competition are all real, but certain scenes might build up to be more than they really are and some of the things Arnold says are exaggerated quite a bit. If you have already seen the movie you know what I'm talking about and if you haven't I won't spoil it.

'Pumping Iron' is probably the movie I have seen the most most times in my life and I hold it very close to my heart. I used to have the movie on while working out in my living room and to this day I can put on any time to get motivated and pumped up before going to the gym. It's an unique timecapsel of what used to be a subculture. It's fun and charming and has a innocence to it which today's bodybuilding scene has lost. I believe it can be very much enjoyed whether you're a fan of the sport or not.