Pumping Iron (1977) Directed by Robert Fiore & George Butler – A Film Review

It seems strange to me that a documentary about a sport of which I have never had much interest could be so engaging throughout. But in a way Pumping Iron (1977) isn’t so much about the competition itself, as it is about those who compete: people like Mike Katz, Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu, and of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

The documentary might be a Hollywood drama, as each of the key bodybuilders is given a backstory and the correct time to tell it to the camera. You have the middle-aged man trying to step up to the big-time (Mike Katz), the young up and comer (Lou Ferrigno), and the king of the mountain (Schwarzenegger). Each has their own needs and reasons for doing what they do. In many ways you’d expect this to be clichéd or trite in its presentation, but one of the things that sticks out about the documentary is the genuine sincerity that each participant brings to the film.

No one in particular stands out as a good guy or bad guy, and everyone appears genuine. They discuss their passions freely and many larger than life personalities shine through. Some of them are show offs; others are more down to earth and sincere.

In the second half, the film transitions to the story of Arnold vs. Ferrigno; champion vs. challenger. We hear both sides of the story as we cross cut between each of their preparations for the Mr. Olympia event. We see the struggles, we see their pain and eventually as the two meet, we see some mind games at play.

Overall, the documentary is well shot in a kind of cinema vérité style. Many shots are static and help the audience focus on the events being shown to us, however others feature a zoom lens in stylized motion, which at times felt unnecessary. Yet, it would be unfair to suggest these stylistic choices didn’t add some charm to the overall presentation. At times the zooming helped highlight the pace and action that the filmmakers were going for, although I think this only worked to a certain degree.

Those looking for a documentary on the intricacies of the sport of bodybuilding might be disappointed by this work. But those interested in the psychology and mindset of these athletes will be pleasantly surprised by this intricate and genuinely endearing document of their work.