User Reviews

Everyone has seen the Austrian Oak's massive body, but "Pumping Iron" reveals the man behind the muscles. It is a compelling look at one of the most famous American icons in history. Arnold demonstrates a determination and confidence that has obviously propelled him to the superstar status he obtains today. The documentary is true and realistic, like all great documentaries of the 70's, and it provides a captivating window into the bodybuilding world. Although a true story, it manages to be intense and suspenseful during the final rounds of the Mr. Olympia competition. Will it be Lou Ferrigno or Arnold? Although most people probably already know the answer, getting to that conclusion is all the fun. A must see!

Before he was the world's greatest action movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger was the world's greatest bodybuilder, winning the Mr. Olympia contest seven times. Documentary Pumping Iron follows Arnold and his musclebound rivals as they prepare for Mr. Olympia 1975.

You don't have to be a roid junkie yourself, or even an Arnie fan, to enjoy this insightful documentary. The colourful characters it portrays and the unique world which they inhabit is so engrossing that even those who regularly get sand kicked in their face should have lots of fun with it. Arnold is obviously the big draw here, and he's as charismatic, amusing, arrogant and as driven as one might expect, but the other bodybuilders prove just as fascinating: Lou 'The Incredible Hulk' Ferrigno, who aims to be even greater than his idol Arnie; amateur Mike Katz, driven to seek physical perfection after being bullied as a child; Sicilian Franco Columbu, who makes up for his lack of stature by being able to blow up hot water bottles with his breath!

As strange as their obsession might seem to many of us, it's hard not to admire these men for the passion, dedication and sheer hard work they display in their pursuit of their dream: the perfectly proportioned body.

Taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane, Pumping Iron brings a smile to ones face even if you can't understand Schwarzenegger with his thick Austrian accent.

Pumping Iron looks at the world of body building as a competitive sport, an art, a science, and a religion. Despite his modern day success as an actor. Arnold shows us what he was truly about, a man who hungered to win, and win at what ever lengths it took.

Unlike the unrealistic looking body builders of nowadays, these grandfathers of bodybuilding show us just what real muscle men are about. The rivalry, the pranks back stage at tournaments, the reverse psychology and the rumours they would spread to throw their fellow competitors into disarray.

There was scepticism as to whether most of the content of this movie was scripted or performed ad-lib. One get the impression it's a bit of both especially when you see a very young Lou Ferrigno throw a tantrum infront of his father Matty and telling him he's "gonna beat'im" (Arnold that is) to become the next Mr. Olympia.

Overall, it's one film to watch as a motivator, study guide to understand the psyche of iron pumpers and to note how Joe Weider marketed talents such as Arnold, Lou Ferrigno and Franco Columbu, immortalising them into the world of body building. 6.8/10

It's hard to imagine that, before he became a multi-million dollar movie star and the Governator of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger started his film career with one docu-drama, the aptly named "Pumping Iron."

Basically a documentary about the world of bodybuilding circa 1975, "Pumping Iron" focuses on Arnold Schwarzenegger's last effort at attaining the Mr. Olympia for the sixth time in a row, before officially retiring from the "best sport" and heading off to Hollywood for a film career. (Five years before he had starred in the mighty "Hercules in New York," which I have been quoted as calling "the funniest bad film ever.")

Not much to say about a film like "Pumping Iron," though, so I resort to going over the movie's historical impact and the so-called "controversial questions" often raised after people watch the film for a first time.

First of all, this is the movie that started bodybuilding. It's hard to think of a time when bodybuilding wasn't strange and abnormal, but when "Pumping Iron" was made, bodybuilders were considered insecure freaks with big egos. Bodybuilding ads were printed underneath the comic strips of daily newspapers. People took them as a joke.

Arnold is often referred to as the father of modern bodybuilding (he literally started the entire craze you see today), and a lot of people who criticize his intellect and films and tabloid sexual assault claims forget that everyone is flawed, but not everyone has enough self discipline and motivation to move to the United States from Austria, become the king of bodybuilding (boasting the largest chest every measured--to this day), then moving into film and grossing billions of dollars at the box office in total, then becoming Governor of California.

That's pretty amazing.

I don't believe that the majority of the sexual assault claims filed against Schwarzenegger are true. (I'm sure some of them are, though.) Interesting how they all surfaced right around election time, huh? But regardless of whether he's a womanizer or not (which I know he is, to a certain extent), he's still a very admirable guy who's participated in fitness and after school programs for years, not to mention raising four kids without ever divorcing his wife. (I'm not saying that the key to a lasting marriage is adultery, though.) And he kicks butt on-screen like no other guy in the history of action film knock-offs. There will be your pale imitators like Stallone and Van-Damme, but there's only one Conan the Barbarian.

Yes, I admire Arnold Schwarzenegger, as do millions of people across the world. There's a reason that he started the bodybuilding craze of the past few decades, as well as grossing billions of dollars at the box office (many of his films some of the greatest pieces of action cinema ever made), appearing on thousands of magazine covers, and becoming Governor of California. First of all, he exceeds where most screen heroes fail: he's got bigger muscles (see Stallone), a more likable personality (see Van-Damme), and--even though many people criticize him for it--I think his acting is quite good. It's easy to smile watching one of his comedies and easy to have fun watching his macho man action films. "Commando" is one of the cheesiest films ever made, but would it work without Arnold?

"Pumping Iron" is not exactly a "documentary," since a lot of it was staged just for the film, but as Arnie said before, most of it is true--the competitions, the training, etc. The tension between the bodybuilders, and some of the dialogue, however, is not true. It was all for cinema.

But this is the movie that made people flee to the gym during the 70s and 80s, and it continues to do so. I myself am a bodybuilder, with a gym built into my house, and this movie is a big inspiration for me--there's a lot of great inspirational material in it. And it doesn't matter if your sport is bodybuilding or not even a sport at all: the motivational message stays the same for whatever you do.

In a recent 25th Anniversary Interview (included on the newly-released DVD of the film), Schwarzenegger separates the fact from the fiction. His "psyching out" of Lou Ferrigno was just for the camera; so was the statement about losing his car and not returning for his father's funeral because he was training. Yes, he used steroids, as did everyone back then, since they were in an experimental stage and not illegal. And he handled the biggest question of all in two sentences:

Schwarzenegger: "Yes, I smoked a joint. And yes, I inhaled."

Twenty-five years later, he now also claims that when he said the pump (blood flow to the muscles resulting from weight lifting) was better than "coming in a woman," he was just saying this to get attention and to get people to lift weights more. "It's not better than coming," he says now. "Trust me."

4/5 stars.

• John Ulmer

The Documentary, Pumping Iron is gritty, old school bodybuilding documentary during the "Golden Era" of bodybuilding. It's natural lighting and older graphics do not interfere with the meaning of the film. The documentary has the major themes of hard work paying off, and a light-hearted, fun view of bodybuilding in general. Its audience is specifically for anyone interested in bodybuilding, and would not be very appealing to those who aren't interested. The camera angles are mainly medium – close ups of the bodybuilders preparing for their shows, but it also has extreme close ups of the muscles that were developed to show the detail and vascularity. If you like bodybuilding, you would probably enjoy the film. Throughout the film, you have the same theme of hard work paying off. The film captures rewards of success by showing the jubilant Arnold at the top of the sport. You see Arnold at the beach hanging out with beautiful women and drinking beer when he was done with the grinding work at the gym. As for others, they show all the medals and trophies that they have gotten through bodybuilding while other people doubted them on their journey. It is more of a motivational documentary than informative. To give you a feel of the film, it starts off with Arnold Schwarzenegger learning posing routines, and then showing others how to pose for contests. Arnold explains why bodybuilding is different from other sports and arts, and he is really the star of the show, but that's about all the information the film gives. You get to know Arnold's personality throughout the film. For example, when he poses in prison at the beginning of the film, he is very lax about the prisoners making jokes about him, and jokes back with them. Later other bodybuilders, such as Franco Colombo, and Amateur Mike Kats are featured in the film also giving a view of their personalities and the struggles they faced to reach their levels. Franco was shown to be a prominent boxer in Italy, even after he was being brought down by his mom for not having a job. By seeing Franco and Arnold training together you can tell what kind of people they are when they are in difficult positions and in intense pain.

Finally, should you watch this film? There's no definite answer. If you're looking to learn about bodybuilding and how to be successful in transforming your body, then this isn't the film to watch, as there's not much information to learn from. Now, if you want to have a good time and feel good about it then this is right for you. It has many good feeling traits, such as the bodybuilders smiling and relaxing, and it shows the rewards from the work they put in. The film is something you can watch by yourself at night after a workout if you're feeling down or after a bad day. Personally, I enjoyed it, but I wish they had more information on how to get big. Pumping Iron was a good documentary for its purpose and was well made.

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.

Wow.Big men with big personalities. Humor, drama,passion, camaraderie. In my opinion, this is a great guy flick. Especially, if you're a gym fiend like me. I didn't have too much knowledge about Arnold's bodybuilding past,as I'm from the generation of his movie period, just like kids today are part of his political period. I grew up on Arnie, Stallone and Bruce Lee. Discovering this movie was one of the best things that happened.Thanks , IMDb :) To take a close look at the inside world of bodybuilding the way it should be, Pumping Iron delivers big time. With the Mr.Olympia contest as the center stage event, and what happens around it is the premise for this docu drama.

Lots of inspiring moments when the champs are working out-- Arnold's massive barrel chest, Lou's young turk on the rise, Columbo's strongest man in the world angle, the modelling, the charity (Arnold kissing a jail bird and saying "Heyy, she might not have been kissed for a long time yooo knowww..").. It also shows how these Kings bonded....sharing tips (even "bad advices"), lazing on the beach, Arnie showing "little men" how to pose,spotting each other....man, reminds me of when I'm with my gym buddies. Even if you're a girl or a layman who's not into working out,this movie is good entertainment. Lots of funny quips from Arnie--my favorite being "Franco is good..but he's a child...at the day of the competition.. I am his father!" and " When I get the pump I feel like I am coming day and night, I'm in Heaven.."

On a serious note, the anxieties, the passion, the fear and the mental armory these guys possess varies. On one side there's Lou (a big softy) and on the other end, there's good ol' Arnie; acting out the part of likable rogue to perfection.When he talks about immortality and mentions his admiration for dictators and Jesus.."yooo know, people who will be remembered for thhhouuusands of yeaars.." you know you've got a winner on your hands. Some of his quotes are outrageously funny but they also make you think. Maybe that's the true mindset of champions.

At the end of the day, the message is that everyone is friends. And that's the bottomline. Play hard, work hard, party hard. But stay firm friends. That's how it is and that's my belief as well.Male bonding will always be something women can never understand. I love women, and I know how much a part my physique plays in it ;) but when it comes to getting "pumped" or needing a good testosterone boost(without the homosexual overtones), I prefer good solid male company to truly make me feel alive. The competition, the fun, the bonding is something only we the male of the species can share. Great stuff.Inspiring, funny and immensely entertaining. A movie with muscle, if there was one. 10 on 10.

It's 1975 before bodybuilding competitions in Pretoria, South Africa. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the multiple Mr. Olympia champion and favorite. He's from Austria and embraces the free wheeling American lifestyle. While he works out of Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, another competitor Lou Ferrigno is a rookie from Brooklyn who suffered from hard of hearing. Other bodybuilders are also highlighted in this unique competition.

It's a nice insightful doc into a small slice of the world. Of course, everybody watches this for Arnold today. Our view of him is colored by his future. It is fascinating to see him unscripted. He is a competitive magnetic man with an inquisitive mind. His competitive nature is the most compelling part and explains so much about his life. The bodybuilding world is almost secondary looking back at it. It's an interesting slice of the world unknown at the time but today, it's an insight in one of the world's most fascinating personality.

Every now and then a film comes along that changes cinema or an aspect of it. In the way Enter the Dragon changed films, in that almost all film fight scenes now have martial arts in them. Pumping Iron changed the attitude of many towards muscles and muscle men. It is true to say that before Schwarzenegger came along, men with muscles in film were often portrayed as stupid or slow. Arnold showed in this film that he had tons of personality, his charisma was as big as his chest and he made Bodybuilding seem cool. Look at films made since Pumping Iron, the lead actor often has to have muscle. Stallone, Van damn etc all owe a lot to Schwarzenegger for their success. Pumping Iron itself is an interesting exploration into the strange world of competitive bodybuilding and it successfully shows the variety of characters that exist within the 'sport'. Since it was made bodybuilders are even bigger and certainly more muscular today than they were in Arnolds day. Truth is his build would not win today but at the time he was the best their was. There were more muscular men ( Franco is much more muscular )but he had the ability to show his body to the best advantage, hiding weaknesses and pushing his strong parts to the fore. Certain sides of bodybuilding are omitted ( drug taking, homosexuality ) but the film itself is very entertaining and crams a lot into a relatively short film.

I recommend the DVD edition that others have mentioned as you get a lot more from it.

This begins with Arnold Schwarzenegger doing ballet and continues with opening music that would sit perfectly in an episode of Sesame Street. It was made in the 70s though to be fair, which also explains a touch of political incorrectness. Bodybuilding seem a bit pointless to me, but this does attempt to put some weight behind its purpose. It's about confidence, dedication and performance. It's not all Arnie here though, there's a few good stories, but he is the focal point and he's pretty eloquent on the subject. I don't know how things are now, but in the 70s bodybuilding feels like a sideshow, but it's one with a hugely supportive community behind it. That said there are good guys and bad, Mike Katz coming off as genuinely decent and Ken Waller as a bit of a git. Even Arnie who mostly seems like the father figure of the scene, shows himself to be capable of mind games and screwing over other competitors (including The Incredible Hulk!), not to mention being pretty arrogant. There's a lot of pressure, expectations, from pushy parents, friends, mostly from themselves. Even in this fairly fly-on-the-wall doc, there's a lot of theatrics, they can't help themselves and as that 70s soundtrack lifts over the montages it gets quite unintentionally comedic. Rarely is it mentioned what sort of numbers they're lifting, it's a given that it's bloody heavy. Iron, it's all about setting the target and reaching it... and then looking in the mirror!

Pumping Iron is simply the best movie about bodybuilding to date. It is a docu-drama, starring some of the top bodybuilders of 1975. The truth is, the drama in this movie was created to make it look exciting. The tension between Arnold and Ferrigno was hyped up, the time when Waller hides Katz's T-shirt was exaggerated, the way Arnold portrays himself as having no emotions is made up, etc. The directors and the bodybuilders really did a great job at creating extra tension. If we just watched a bunch of guys lift weights for 90 minutes, then it would be boring. This added some excitement. The only part that wasn't touched was the parts with the competitions. The bodybuilders were so used to the crew, that they didn't even notice the camera crew was there. Therefore, people get a real straightforward, honest view of what the bodybuilding world is like. Anyone who is a bodybuilder, or is into weightlifting needs to see this movie at least once. Being a person who lifts weights religiously, I watch a segment of it each time before I go to the gym. It is a really great motivational tool.

Meet the absolute, ultimate giants of he-man muscle.

As some of the biggest and brawniest bodybuilders in the world train, like total fiends, for the up-coming "Mr. Olympia" contest in Pretoria, South Africa, the viewer gets a front row seat to see all of the action, which includes exclusive interviews from a number of these top contenders who are diligently going for the title, like Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu, Mike Katz, Ken Wallace, and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Pumping Iron really is an excellent documentary. It contains lots of very good footage and gives the viewer a clear insight into the mind-set of these devoted men who pump iron with an absolute passion.

I highly recommend this film to one, and all.

This would be a slightly dull documentary about muscular men, save for one thing: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Every line of his interviews in this film is amazing. It's worth watching just to listen to him babble and accidentally spout dozens of comedic gems!

Liking Arnold or not linking Arnold, liking bodybuilding or not liking bodybuilding, this seventies documentary is an interesting study of the discipline, willpower and guts it takes to succeed in a (let's be honest) rather extreme sport. The film shows the athletes as real people, not merely as empty shells of testosterone. And while some of the views expressed in the film are quite humorous, others are (surprisingly?) balanced and deep-felt.

Nice documentary. IMDb rating: 8/10

It,s a body building documentary. The only draw to watch this film is to see Arnold in his days of physical perfection. He does talk about some very funny topics and comes across as a genuinely awesome guy but unless your into the sport there's no need to watch it. That being said, if you are a fan of the sport then you are going to love watching some of the all time greats posing and talking about the sport and industry. It is filmed fairly well and you do get a lot of information, but for me one viewing was enough.

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

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.

Say what you will about Arnold's acting or even his political career. There is plenty to criticize on both fronts. But his knowledge and passion for bodybuilding is unmatched. Here more than anywhere else we see just how brilliant and focused he can be.

The film is even better in retrospect because there was no knowing that Arnold (in 1977) was going to become the megastar he is. The same goes for Lou Ferrigno. Of all the competitors, it had to be the Incredible Hulk, and that makes it much more fun to watch.

Pumping Iron is one of the best movies I have seen in recent memory. This movie is a documentary about body building in the nineteen seventies, when Arnold Schwarzenegger was just beginning to carve out a name for himself. I just typed his name and spelt it wrong, and sure enough my spell check has Schwarzenegger in it, how's that for fame?

This movie first covers the top amateur body builders at the time through the Mr. Universe contest. The documentary then covers the professional body builders competing for the Mr. Olympia title. The movie is great because not only is it thoroughly entertaining if you pay attention to the details; but it also makes you want to exercise. Perhaps not to the extend of Arnold; but exercise none the less, and physical fitness is good.

In addition to Mr. Schwarzenegger being in the movie, Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno challenging Arnold for the crown. Lou's father is perhaps one of the most incredible characters in the movie and contributes to many humorous moments. One scene in particular stood out in my mind. Lou and his father were at the gym training and Lou was doing some front presses. Prominently in the background was an overweight dope looking man. Lou (a giant at 6'5 275lbs) was doing his exercises and screaming with exertion. Yet the poor dopey man kept on going with the funniest look on his face.

The movie is too good. I highly recommend anyone who enjoys a good mockumentary to watch it. If you enjoy films like Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show, Pumping Iron is for you, only real!

I liked learning a little bit about the body builders who appeared in pumping iron. I also liked watching the bodybuilders work out. What dedication it must take to work out that hard. One of my favorite films.

It was the most fascinating body building documentary i have ever seen.. HATS OFF TO THE GREAT ONE ..Arnold Schwarzenegger.. It is a documentary based up Arnold's training n more than that his mental thinking, Every time he gave a pose it gave me goosebumps..

If you are a body building fanatic this is the video for u, its worth gold...

but if u just like muscles its awesome!! its my personal promise u would'not have seen this side of Arnold in movies or previous video's..

Simply magnificent!!

9 out of 10

I learned alot from pumping iron. It is a interesting movie to watch. Its just so cool seeing these athletes working through pain to reach almost perfection. Its also interesting with there point of views on body building. Its not a must see but one in consederation.

At the time of this 1977 production, Austrian muscleman, Arnold Schwarzenegger (before he became a parody of himself) was just 28 years old and (as you will clearly see while watching "Pumping Iron") he was certainly in top physical shape (sans steroids!!??).

For the most part - "Pumping Iron" was a fairly entertaining documentary that took a close-up look at a select group of buffed & beefy bodybuilders who were all in serious training, getting themselves all pumped & primed for the up-coming "Mr. Olympia" competition (in 1975) which was being held in Pretoria, South Africa.