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Summary: havent even bought it yet
Review: I have the original Pumping iron on video tape. It is extremely good. I would buy the DVD just to avoid the fear of my VCR eating the original tape. I have watched it about a hundred times. And if there is any extra scenes, it will be like christmas all over again.
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Summary: Beginning of a legend...
Review: Arnold vs. Big Louie. Arnold trained at the world-famous Gold's Gym in California, having fun in the sun. Ferrigno trained in Brooklyn in a dark gym without anyone even resembling a bodybuilder. Simply put, this is an amazing documentary telling the story of Arnold becoming a 5-time champion. This movie launched the careers of both bodybuilders. It shows how Arnold was able to motivate himself, manipulate others, and simply dominate; it also shows Ferrigno's struggle with his father.Hopefully there will be quite a bit of extra footage included in this disc. Cinemax has been showing 40 minutes of "never-before seen footage," and there are reportedly thousands of hours left. Even if this is a bare-bones DVD, it is worth it for any gym rat, any fan of Arnold's or Ferrigno's, or simply anyone interested in a great, true story.
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Summary: Watch this movie or else.....
Review: If you want to be entertained and learn from the greatest body builder of all time, watch this movie. With the recent events that have occurred with Arnold entering the gubernatorial race in California, you will learn why he has moved from body builder, to movie star, to California governor, to who knows what else he will accomplish. His mental toughness, brashness, cockiness, and confidence shows through in this movie and you will be delighted, amazed, and entertained as you watch.
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Summary: Governor Ahnold's joint scene
Review: Well worth it just to see the possible future governor of California lean back with marijuana cigarette and a plate of pastries on his lap. This scene will haunt him.
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Summary: Bodybuilding goes mainstream
Review: Pumping Iron was the movie that took bodybuilding from small garage gyms to million dollar health clubs that we see today. In the 1960' and 70's, bodybuilding was considered as a subculture. Contests, especially those run by the AAU, were poorly promoted and were held in YMCA or High School Gym's. The only organizations that mattered, the IFBB and NABBA had professionally run contests with the greats of the day, but outside of the people who read Weiders Muscle Builder or Mr. America magazines or Hoffmans Muscular Development, no one knew who these guys were. And God forbid if you were caught reading a bodybuilding magazine. Thanks largely to Pumping Iron, bodybuilding has gone mainstream. Our stars are now household names and many can earn a nice living which heretofore was unavailable.Pumping Iron the movie is interesting in how it depicts the various characters. The audience feels for these guys. You relize the energy and effort and dedication that goes into developing the end product. You also get a taste of what bodybuilding competition is all about.A certain sympathy goes towards Lou Ferrigo and Mike Katz. Ferrigno is inspiring in overcoming a severe handicap on his way to becoming a bodybuilding champion.With Katz you see a huge man who had to overcome a severe inferiority complex to become a Pro Football player with the NY Jets and then on to bodybuilding.Of course the real star is Arnold and deservedly so. I wonder if people realize just how much Arnold has done for bodybuilding? First, as a competitor. Arnold brought credibility and class to the Mr. Olympia title and continually plugged bodybuilding on every talk show he appeared on in the early 70's. And of course now as a promoter. Arnold raised the prize money of the Mr. Olympia (and the Arnold classic) from a mere $1,000 to the $300,000 today.The unsung hero of this movie was Serge Nubret, the french panther. Even though some of the judges voted for Nubret over Arnold and Nubret beat out his other competitors, the emphasis was on Lou Ferrigno with Franco Columbu also getting major billing. I am sure that more footage is available and if this even gets on DVD, Nubret will get his due.Pumping Iron is still a great movie to watch. Glad to hear that it was on premium tv recently and hopefully, will be shown again.Gaines and Butler, how about producing an uncut version of Pumping Iron?
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Summary: An outstanding movie you can watch 3 times a day
Review: This is one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. The movie is based on the 1975 Mr. Olympia Pageant, and also the 1975 Mr. Universe Pageant. It starts out with Arnold signing up at Gold's gym to start his training, with 101 days till the Olympia Pageant, where he'll be competing. His main competition is a new bodybuilder to the sport, who has won Mr. Universe two years in a row, and is the biggest guy ever in the sport,Lou Ferigno. But don't forget about serge nubret, who is a thinner, more defined man than the two others, who will also be competing. Also you will see Franco Columbu, a light weight in the Olympia Pageant. This movie also takes you through the training of Mike Katz, Ed Corney, Ken waller, with a Cameo by other men such as Paul Grant, who will be competing for the mr Universe pageant. Mainly this movie shows you the hard work it takes to be a body builder, the hard workouts and the strict diets, and then the rewards that pay off for doing it. This is a great film of the time when bodybuilding was at its best with greats such as Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbo, and Ah-nold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian Oak. You don't have to be a bodybuilder to love this movie, just a person that likes great films. It better be released on Dvd!
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Summary: milk is for babies, real men drink beer.
Review: Arnold is the king and this movie is why. Whether you are looking for information, inspiration, or just some quality entertainment, Pumping Iron is a gem. Put this on DVD or I will be forced to copy a vhs version onto blank DVDs and sell them for personal profit.
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Summary: Brilliant sports documentary on body building's Golden Age.
Review: 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 !
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Summary: The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding
Review: I became moderately interested in bodybuilding after reading and using the advice in Arnold's Bodybuilding for women and have been a huge fan of Arnold's since seeing him in Terminator. He is the greatest. Pumping Iron covers the Art and Sport of Bodybuilding. The two main characters are Arnold and Lou Ferrigno. Other top bodybuilders like Franco Columbu, Ed Corney, Ken Waller and Mike Katz are also showcased. The movie shows the intensity that champion bodybuilders put themselves through. And lay people thought that because these guys smile and look so relaxed on stage while posing that this is easy right? Wrong! One part in the movie shows Ed Corney squatting with around 400 lbs. and going so hard that on the last rep, Corney collapses! The movie then covers the two biggest bodybuilding titles; the IFBB Mr. Universe, an amteur event and the Mr. Olympia, a professional contest which according to Arnold brings together all of the Mr. Universe's to compete for the top prize in muscledom. Lou Ferrigno gets billed as Arnold's top competitor but in reality is years away from the Austrian Oak and ends up in third place behind Arnold and a chiseled and polished Serge Nubret from France. Pumping Iron is a good documentary on the art and sport of bodybuilding. Even if you are not into lifting weights, er, pumping iron, you will appreciate the discipline and intensity demonstrated by these athletes. The movie was on cinemax recently along with an uncut version called "Raw Iron." I highly recommend that if you catch it, watch it. Very inspiring.
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Summary: Still a good movie
Review: I first saw Pumping Iron during it's original theatre release back in 1977.Recently browsing on TV, I came across this movie on Cinemax.Yes, it's easy to see why Arnold became the great star that he is today. Contrary to the opinion of others who have posted here, this was not Arnold's first movie. He made Hercules in New York in 1970 and co starred with Sally Fields and Jeff Bridges in "Stay Hungry" also made in 1975.I wonder how many people are aware that Arnold had to drop his weight down to 210 lbs to satisfy the directors of Stay Hungry and then beef up to 235 lbs in under 3 months for the 1975 Mr. Olympia and Pumping Iron?Pumping Iron is about the heart and soul of bodybuilding. It captures the passion, drive and innocence of the then unknown sub culture called bodybuilding.My only complaint is that the directors; Gaines and Butler did not go more into the history of bodybuilding and cover more of the sport. Bodybuilding was then much more than 1 or 2 personalities, the IFBB Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia. In any event, I believe that Pumping Iron did much to gain popularity for bodybuilding and even now, 25 years later is still a good movie to watch.Gaines & Butler, how about a sequel?
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