This docu-drama follows five-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mr. Universe Lou Ferrigno and a cast of motley musclemen on their quest to win world titles at the championship competition in South Africa.

Released 1977. Recent 25th Anniversary DVD released for rental. Directed by George Butler and Robert Fiore. Stars "The Arnold" (future Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator) and Lou Ferrigno (future Incredible Hulk).

REVIEW by Cinemagirl:

If you want to understand the sport of bodybuilding or see a bunch of dudes traipse about in little briefs sporting glistening uber-muscles, this film is for you.

Pumping Iron is the original docu-drama, blurring the lines of reality and fiction. Arnold is portrayed as the Golden Boy, the charming Austrian who has won the biggest bodybuilding event five years in a row and, with his cocky attitude, has returned to slay the competition one last time before retirement.

Lou Ferrigno, at 6'5" and 275 lbs. is no slouch. He is the homegrown Italian kid from Brooklyn. He is mostly deaf. His father is his trainer. His mom makes his 6-egg omelets. While Louie is bigger than Arnold, he does not have the posing skills nor the finesse that the Austrian has.

The film is loaded with tons of great shots of the musclemen honing their craft. Arnold pumps at Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, California, with a whole crew of beefcakes and Louie pumps at a local gym in Brooklyn with his dad by his side. It is awesome to see these brutes hoisting 500 pound barbells and doing push-ups with people astride their backs like ponies.

The competition in the film and all the training is entirely real, but the tension in the subplot - Arnold being the cocky jerk, Lou being the young newcomer out to best his idol - is fabricated for drama's sake. However, none of these scenes feel fake. Arnold tries to play head games with Louie before the big Mr. Olympia competition in South Africa. Lou's dad is convinced that his son can take down the Austrian champ.

The film also features bodybuilders Mike Katz, a former pro football player-turned-teacher who has always strived to be the best; Franco Columbu, the tiny Italian who is so ripped he can lift Fiats out of their parking spots; and Ken Waller, the self-assured Mr. Universe of 1975.

This film made a lasting impact on the public. Americans were never so interested in bulking up until after this film hit the street.

The 25th Anniversary DVD contains plenty of extras, from an interview with a modern Arnold to a new doc, produced for Cinemax, called Raw Iron - The Making of Pumping Iron. This extra doc contains never before seen footage of the bodybuilders partying at Arnold's pad, hanging at an amusement park, and Arnold attempting to train a scrawny TV actor to lift weights. Luckily, these phony-feeling scenarios were cut from the film and the focus remained on the competition and working out.

STORY: 8
LOOK: 9

Definitely worth the rent. How many cool '70s films can inspire you to get in shape?