True Films 3.0 - Kevin Kelly

Pumping Iron
Filmed more than 25 years ago, long before weight lifting was considered
healthy and fashionable, this dramatic 16mm film introduced the world
to professional muscle men. These misshapen guys were assumed to be
outright freaks, whose fandom was fringe and tiny. But I was surprised
how much appreciation for bodybuilding as art and sport I gained in just
one watching. But most fascinating is the film’s focus on an unknown
young champion from Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose ambitions
and manipulations are naked and unbounded. Looking back now from
his later destiny as governor of California and international movie star,
this classic documentary is doubly mesmerizing.
By George Butler II,
Robert Fiore
1976, 85 min.
Available from Amazon
Rent from Netflix
Arnold takes girly-girl ballet lessons (top) to improve his
muscle presentation moves. In exhibitions its not hard to
see why he won.
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