Inspired by a book of the same name by charles gaines and george butler, the film nominally focuses on the competition. Pumping iron shines a light into the world of professional bodybuilding during an era that was considered to be its golden age. As charles gaines, the author of the book pumping iron, said, it was in. The picture or transfer suffers from far too much noise. The pumping iron documentary takes shape the following year would be a momentous one in the bodybuilding world. He was known for his curly red hair, freckles and his graceful, confident posing style. For contract reasons, his part is comparatively brief.
Charles gaines and george butler had collaboratively authored the book that inspired pumping iron. Dave palumbo is joined by noted bodybuilding historian john hansen, to talk about the history and some of the details behind the stories. With its funky, brassy, regal beaglemeetsstudio 54 score, its a. Olympia 1975 bodybuilding contest, with his appearance in documentary pumping iron making him a. The concept of pumping iron, based on butlers and charles gaines book of the same title, was to show the hard work, dedication, and focus that amateur and professional bodybuilders pour into the sport. Inspired by a book of the same name by charles gaines and george butler, the film nominally focuses on the competition between arnold schwarzenegger and one of his primary competitors for the title of mr. Gainess other books include pumping iron 1974, staying hard 1975, dangler 1976, and writing for esquire, playboy, geo, harpers, outside, architectural digest, flyfisherman, and sports illustrated. Pumping iron defined the genre of athletic documentary films in 1977, but also launched the budding career for a young man named arnold schwarzenegger. Fivetime champion arnold schwarzenegger defends his mr. May 30, 2019 the movie pumping iron is about the journey towards the 1975 mr. Pumping iron captures the creation of arnold in real time. Most movies come out, and they either hit or they dont, and then they age, and they.
Mar 19, 2014 together with codirector robert fiore, george butler had begun filming pumping iron several months earlier in 1975, but just as the production had reached the point where the 100orso hours of. George butlerwho, alongside charles gaines, shot the 1974 book of the same. Synopsis pumping iron is a 1977 documentary film about the runup to the 1975 mr. Columbu appeared as himself in the 1977 bodybuilding documentary pumping iron.
Pumping iron is a 1977 american docudrama about the world of professional bodybuilding, with a focus on the 1975 ifbb mr. The film chronicled a group of bodybuilders who competed in the 1975 ifbb mr. May 17, 2020 pumping iron is a 1977 american docudrama about the world of professional bodybuilding, with a focus on the 1975 ifbb mr. Charles gaines, george butler, arnold scharzenegger in 1975. Arnold schwarzenegger mr olympia 1975 from the movie pumping. Pumping iron 1977 pumping iron is a 1977 documentary film about the runup to the 1975 mr. He was the body building coach for sylvester stallone in the film rambo.
Kenny waller born march 20, 1942 is an american former bodybuilder featured in the 1977 movie pumping iron, which starred arnold schwarzenegger. I sense quizzical looks and raised eyebrows from my coworkers but anyhow the film documents the final stretch leading up to the 1975 mr. In the movie, he played an antagonist role and the main competition of mike katz, who was portrayed in a more positive light. Waller also won the 1975 international federation of bodybuilders ifbb mr. Jan 30, 2017 pumping iron, was released on january 18th, 1977, but the films influence can still be felt 40 years later. The film focuses on arnold schwarzenegger and his competitors, lou ferrigno and franco columbu. The papers include correspondence, notes, photographs, and manuscripts of the novels staying hard, stay hungry, pumping iron, and dangler. Pumping iron the printed version abebooks reading copy. Yet the book was a resounding success, and was on the bestselling trade books for months and months. He also had an acting career and authored numerous books on bodybuilding. Having been featured in the photoessay book pumping iron, ken was also a part of the classic 1977 film documentary. The movie follows stars like lou ferrigno and arnold schwarzenegger pumping iron day in, day out, as they try to win the title. Despite the publics lack of knowledge about bodybuilding, pumping iron was a resounding success based on the fascinating photographs from butler and the superb writing of gaines.
Mar 19, 2021 pumping iron is a 1977 docudrama about the world of bodybuilding, focusing on the 1975 ifbb mr. Driven to create artistically symmetrically and proportionally beautiful bodies, the men fight to win major competitions. Jun 23, 1977 storyline from golds gym in venice beach california to the showdown in pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 mr. The following year would be a momentous one in the bodybuilding world. Olympia compared to how you trained for the 1975 edition. Nov 14, 2002 in 1977, two filmmakers, george butler and charles gaines, released the nobudget documentary pumping iron, in which schwarzenegger is shown winning the 1975 olympia title, and other bulky. That pumping iron was shot in 1975 and not released for anoth. The 40th anniversary of pumping iron body building legends.
In it, waller is portrayed in a somewhat negative light as the antagonist and chief competition of mike katz, whose storyline was featured much. Jun 3, 2015 with arnold schwarzenegger at the helm of this bodybuilding escapade, pumping iron follows the buildup to the 1975 mr. Lou ferrigno tells all find out how he overcame adversity. Pumping iron is a 1977 documentary film about the runup to the 1975 mr. First blood part ii 1985, 17 and had roles in films that starred schwarzenegger, including conan the barbarian 1982, the terminator 1984, and the running man 1987. Inspired by a book of the same name by charles gaines and george butler, the film nominally. Olympia 1975 the preparation for the competition as well as its final phase. The book can still be found in used bookstores, and is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the history of bodybuilding or the lifestyles of the most famous musclemen of the late 1960s and 1970s.
Gym in venice beach california to the showdown in pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 mr. The documentary was codirected by robert fiore and george butler. Olympia 1975 helped make arnold schwarzenegger a movie star. I trained the same way but the change was the diet. In 1974, the book pumping iron was released to very positive feedback. Olympia competition and the feature event of the 1975 ifbb international congress. It lionized the then relatively obscure sport of bodybuilding, and in particular made much notice of the then only marginally known figure of a relatively young austrian muscle freak with the unlikely name of arnold schwarzenegger. The film documents the final stretch leading up to the 1975 mr. In this way, pumping iron represents the end of a classical era for athletics and bridges a gap for sports in the modern cinema. How mr olympia 1975 turned arnold schwarzenegger into a. Follow arnold schwarzenegger behind the scenes of pumping iron rare footage. Universe competitions and features legendary bodybuilders including arnold schwarzenegger, lou ferrigno, franco columbu, mike katz, ken waller and others who are preparing for. Pumping iron 1977 directed by george butler, robert. The book proved such a trenchant and penetrating look into the shadowy subculture of fitness freaks and muscleheads that it created a boom in the gym business.
Arnold schwarzenegger video new pumping iron movie on dvd. How mr olympia 1975 turned arnold schwarzenegger into a movie. The film was directed and produced by george butler with robert fiore and jerome gary. Jun 16, 2017 george butlerwho, alongside charles gaines, shot the 1974 book of the same namehas shared some candid, neverbeforeseen photos from schwarzeneggers pumping iron days collected in the gallery. Two years later, they released their book pumping iron. If we felt at times a little like 19th century explorers, it was because. Jan 28, 2021 pumping iron is one of my favorite movies from the 70s, partly because its such an incisive time capsule of its era. Appearance in pumping iron waller was briefly featured in the photoessay book of the same name by george butler and charles gaines, but gained much more notoriety from the film documentary of 1977. The picture is clear but there something that was very evident. It is no overstatement to attribute to the publication of this book much of the fitness revolution that first began in the 1970s. New pumping iron movie on dvd from golds gym in venice beach california to the showdown in pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 mr. By padraig cotter published dec 04, 2020 heres how mr.
In 1975, photographer george butler and writer charles gaines embarked. Pumping iron, was released on january 18th, 1977, but the films influence. The 1977 documentary film pumping iron was based on a 1974 book by. The 1977 docudrama pumping iron launched schwarzeneggers career, and. It was eclipsed by the documentary of the same name three years later, so much so that many who can recite from memory every line from the latter film dont even know the book exists. Pumping iron 1977 stream and watch online moviefone. Pumping iron is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on vudu. Pumping iron anniversary on january 21, 1977, an unknown documentary titled pumping iron was released to a limited number of theaters in the united states. Pumping iron 1977 directed by george butler, robert fiore.
George butler, the photographer of the famous book pumping iron, was directing a movie on bodybuilding under the same name. Olympia title against serge nubret and the shy young deaf lou ferrigno, whose father is his coach. It was based on the book of the same name by charles gaines and george butler simon and schuster, 1974. Olympia bodybuilding competition and focuses on the man who is now the governator, arnold schwarzenegger and his rivalry with lou ferrigno, who gained fame as the incredible hulk in the. You mention in the 2002 documentary raw iron that the 1975 i. Universe contests in this partscripted, partdocumentary film.
Olympia in 1976 and 1981, and competed in the inaugural edition of the worlds strongest man in 1977, where he placed fifth. Directed by george butler and robert fiore and edited by geof bartz and larry silk, it is inspired by a book of the same name by butler and charles gaines, and nominally centers on the competition between arnold schwarzenegger and. Feb 24, 2009 this past weekend, i watched the 1977 documentary film pumping iron. Pumping iron also is unique, since the actual practices, rules, and structure of modern bodybuilding has changed so much since 1975. Olympia 1975 arnold schwarzenegger the pumping iron.
How did the competitors respond to being filmed at golds. Basically a documentary about the world of bodybuilding circa 1975, pumping iron focuses on arnold schwarzeneggers last effort at attaining the mr. Pumping iron goes mainstream sports history weekly. Directed by george butler and robert fiore and edited by geof bartz and larry silk, it is inspired by a book of the same. Olympia 1975 bodybuilding contest, with his appearance in documentary pumping iron making him a movie star. Pumping iron book by charles gaines pumping iron, ideal body, muscle men. At the beginning of 1975, george was making plans on which bodybuilders to feature in his documentary. Directed by george butler and robert fiore and edited by geof bartz and larry silk, it is inspired by a book of the same name by butler and charles gaines, and nominally centers on the competition between arnold schwarzenegger and one of his primary competitors for the title of mr. Ed is on the cover of the original pumping iron book. So i realized the difference were the carbohydrates. The book that brought bodybuilding to the mainstream came out in 1974. Directed by george butler and robert fiore, the film chronicles the 1975 mr. Francesco maria columbu august 7, 1941 august 30, 2019 was an italian bodybuilder, powerlifter, actor, author, producer, and a licensed chiropractor originally a boxer, columbu won the mr. Pumping iron life of arnold schwarzenegger 1977 the.
Ken waller early life, bodybuilding career, appearance in. From golds gym in venice beach california to the showdown in pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 mr. I have loved pumping iron ever since it came out in the 70s. And in typical ifbb fashion there was some controversy involved. The documentary film pumping iron, alongside lou ferrigno and arnold schwarzenegger, follows the events occurring before the mr. In the old days of pumping iron and when i won the universe it was more like a low calorie, high carbohydrate diet. Universe competitions and features legendary bodybuilders including arnold schwarzenegger, lou ferrigno, franco columbu, mike katz, ken waller and others who are preparing for the contests. The book that brought bodybuilding to the mainstream the book that brought bodybuilding to the mainstream came out in 1974. Mar 02, 2018 even today when i do the arnold classic expo and the olympia, i sell the pumping iron books 30yearold pumping iron book in great condition. Pumping iron is a 1977 docudrama about the world of bodybuilding, focusing on the 1975 ifbb mr. Pumping iron, meanwhile, belongs to that tiny segment of movies whose cultural.
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