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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Hbo Home Video
Salesrank: 1454
Released: November 11, 2003 |
| Our Price: $6.45 |
| Used Price: $4.49 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A documentary about the subculture of bodybuilding, with suspense about who will win the titles of Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia.
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NR
Release Date: 11-NOV-2003
Media Type: DVD
Description of Pumping Iron (25th Anniversary Special Edition):
Arnold Schwarzenegger works the crowds, plots strategies for defeating multiple opponents, shares his parents' values with the press, and inspires legions of admirers with his resolute optimism about the future. And all of this long before he decided to run for governor of California, in 1977's hit documentary, Pumping Iron. Larger than life, though not necessarily larger than his rivals for the Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia bodybuilding titles (especially a young Lou Ferrigno, hot on Arnold's competitive trail but much less interesting), Schwarzenegger still comes across, at age 28, as a consummate politician, smart, likable, and crafty about exploiting others' psychological weaknesses. The film still feels redundant (there's only so much beefcake the human eye will tolerate), but the emotional dramas--the unrewarded hard work, the unanswered hopes--are compelling. Complete with a revealing 2003 interview with Schwarzenegger and a reunion of the film's bodybuilders and director. --Tom Keogh
Pumping Iron (25th Anniversary Special Edition) Reviews:
An early peek at The Ahh-nold, Pre-Governator Model 
2008-08-19 - Long before "Eye vant to pump you up..." became a Hans and Franz Saturday Night Live catchphrase, before the pump was a feature of Reebok running shoes, there was Arnold Schwarzenegger's orgiastic tribute to the sensation of muscular blood-engorgement.
"Pumping Iron" is a late 1970's documentary of bodybuilding subculture and the competitive hothouse leading up to the Mr. Olympia Competition of 1975. Its macro focus is hijacked somewhat by the larger than life muscles and personality of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
At this level, all of the bodybuilders have incredible physiques and are skilled at posing. Arnold has a command of the stage, though, a charisma, a sense of ease bordering on arrogance. His incandescent personality reads the people and situations around him and sets him apart. It perhaps lays the foundation for his career in acting and his eventual and improbable career into politics.
As a period piece, "Pumping Iron" will transport you back to the ridiculous hairstyles and clothing fashions of the 1970's. As a bodybuilding documentary, it is absorbing. As an early bio on the Ah-nold in the early stages of his career, it foreshadows the larger stages on which the Governator spread his muscular wings.
This will get you ripped 
2008-07-30 - This DVD motivated the HELL out of me to get my body right. I watched the DVD and bought his book the Encylopedia of Bodybuilding along with Steeve Reeves book and Franco Columbo's book. I studied and learned the principles and watched what they did and applied it in my life and it really helped me. I went from 172lbs to 206 lbs solid muscle, and right now im pretty jacked, trying to get to 215. Get the DVD and you will be really motivated!
AWESOME!
2008-07-16 - Awesome movie now im only 16 but this movie is really inspiring and when i got it in the first few days i watched it 3 times. The fact that they made Ken Waller look like the bad guy was funny and the scene with Mike Katz with his son and daughter was funny comparing his son to him now. Great movie and very accurate to a point. =)
Entertaining!
2008-05-27 - I enjoyed this movie very much. It gives you an idea of how the body builders of that era got ready for comp by training, eating, posing practices, etc. Even if you arent a future body builder, it is worth the watch. The infamous scenes of Arnold smoking pot, and claiming that the "pump" is better than "cumming" are classic.
Absolute Gem!
2008-04-07 - What can I say, its an Arnie classic!!! The additional material is great as well, gives a really good insight into the movie and the time it was made.
