Pumping Iron: How Documentaries Lie
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- Опубліковано 30 жов 2021
- This video is presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio to preserve the integrity of the broken youtube copyright system's vision.
A look at the 1977 Documentary Pumping Iron, and how it manipulates the truth in pursuit of a better story.
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Lou actually said in an interview that the basement training scenes just took 3 days of shooting there, he actually trained in a professional gym with top bodybuilders of the day not his father.
That's really interesting, thank you for letting me know
The narrator got loads of stuff wrong needs to get his facts correct
@@AlexBoucher lmfao, you clown 🤡
@@AlexBoucher Lou wasn’t gonna beat Arnold in 1975 or 1976 bcoz he was young and need more muscles and muscles maturity to beat arnold even arnold and lou both knows that but bcoz of lou against arnold movie was more interesting.
Source?
I would say that Arnold is portrayed like a purebred psycopath. Smart, manipulative, charismatic and totally void of sympathy. just like most corporate leaders. But in an interview with him he explained that he acted that way to make the contrast between him and Lou bigger. To make the movie more dramatic. He said that behind the scenes they were all friends hanging out and look out for eachother and that he is really humbled by the way everyone took him in as an foreigner and helped him out with everything in his new country :)
I heard that
My buddy lifted with Dave Draper (another boost builder of the time.)
He said out much what you said. Arnie talked to be set apart.
I'd say void of empathy, being void of sympathy isn't really a bad thing. Actually most of the things you listed are good traits besides being a psychopath lol
@@newusernamehere4772 manipulative is not a positive trait, and void of sympathy is also not a positive trait. they might be better for you but they make you a worse person
@@somename3424 Man sounds like Dennis Reynolds, lol.
Its fucked up they needed to pretend to be mental for attention and yet, behind the scenes they worked together like human beings and not fight each other like a bunch of brutes.
Translation: Arnold, Lou, and the bodybuilding industry all won out due to the popularity of this doc, so the makers did an outstanding job, taking a sport nobody really cared about, and making the masses care.
sport?
beauty pageants aren't a sport
And WWE is just acting
How is that a good thing when they r all on juice and lie about it till they retire.
@@SSchithFoo arnold was always open about his steroid use? What are you talking about?
@@SmithCommaBenjamin you think this isn't a sport? Hahahahaha
You have to admit, for Arnold and Lou, Pumping Iron was building a brand, image, and persona that would lead them to other roles in entertainment. You can't see them as just bodybuilders. They are both entertainers.
And also president
Lou kinda fucked up tough... He stopped competing when arnold did. If he didnt he could have easily won mr olympia atleast once
Acting
Actors be acting
ENTATEYNAZ
ironically, when it comes to acting, this probably was arnolds best performance.
this film was a win for everyone, it started the movie/tv careers of arnie and lou, the filmmakers produced a docu thats still well known decades later, something you can say about very few movies and even less documentaries, it popularized bodybuilding/fitness and it was and still is very entertaining to the viewers.
True, at no point while watching did I doubt that he was Arnold Schwarzenegger
i dont think it was acting though. He had a super ego back then and it takes a certain character to not care about others. Then when he changed to politics and movies he of course understood that it doesn't seem very friendly to idolize dictators and have a big ego. Notice how he changes like this with everything he does just to stay relevant. First he loved meat and gasoline cars and said he would never switch. Now when it's the most spoken about issue with the environment he talks about being vegan and vegetarian and how Tesla and other cars are amazing...
I read an interview with Robert Rodriguez once where he said he wanted to work with Arnold Schwarzenegger at some point because he believed Arnold's true potential as an actor had never been tapped and that you could tell this by watching his more natural performance in pumping iron.
True shit! I can't sit through arnie's "cumming" monologue without laughing my ass off
@@marcusmouya I’m not doubting that good PR plays into it, but I don’t expect someone to be the same wide-eyed individual in their 20s vs being wealthy and experienced in their 70s.
This film meant so much to me when I was a kid, It started my journey with weight lifting. It used to come on all the time on PBS channel 13, And it basically put body building on the map. So I can't hate it for taking dramatic license
This movie was the backbone of me and my friends desire to lift and get huge. And we were all born well over a decade after it came out. Such an influential film.
I've been training since I rode my 10 speed bike to the gym in the mid 80s as kid. I'm pushing 50 now and still train 5 days a week . I'm still a fan of the classic era of bodybuilding. those guys had the look...robbie Robinson is one of the guys I always loved because he was able to keep an amazing physique throughout his life..he had health issues etc but kept on top of his game. I couldn't believe he was in this movie and still competing with the next generation over a decade later.
@@michaelfrazia4569 I'll be 56 Saturday, And I was a fan of every bodybuilder in this doc. I don't think Lou ferigno lost because he didn't have a tan or he trained in a shitty gym in Brooklyn. Arnold Schwarzenegger won because he wasn't off. He was off when he came back to the Olympia when he was filming Conan the barbarian, They gave that one to him. Everybody was in incredible shape including serge nubret. Arnold was the champ, and unless the champ is off he gets the prize
@@generalinformation3507 spot on about the prize. .I agree 100 percent. these guys all trained hard with free weights . i love that era and still use mainly free weights etc. I was a school teacher, business owner, and have raised 5 kids.. through all of it I made sure to hit the gym daily . it has been a Godsend especially mentally...im sure you understand
Yes this movie changed my life and made me want to start lifting
Knowing that Arnold was basically bullshitting through the whole documentary just makes me like it even more.
@@StanlyStudNo one in the Mainstream media is, they all submit themselves to someone to get what they want.
why?
He already had the acting bug bite him. He didn't just want to act but he wanted to be a fucking STAR. Arnold was the Godzilla in a world of little Simps telling him to shut up and be modest. LOL that didn't sit well with him.
😁
#ProperThinking, #TrollingHistory, #OGRespect
The dickheads that made Raw Iron are either very racist or very ignorant (and arrogant).
They never once mentioned Serge Nubret who actually beat Lou and got second place to Arnold.
The Black panther was actually more of a threat to Arnold than Lou was!
In their childish and immature attempt to create drama they forgot one of the greatest bodybuilders that ever lived!
That's like making a documentary about Jesus and never once mentioning John the Baptist!
This issue is that when these tactics are used for something like "Pumping Iron," it's mostly harmless. However, quite often, these tactics are used in documentaries to cover serious topics like health or political issues, and then it's not just "more entertaining" but propaganda.
Always be *extremely* skeptical about documentaries, even if it's telling you what you want to hear or "confirming" what you already believe.
Enjoyed your analysis.
Every documentary has an agenda. I was very very surprised when I found out David Attenborough lied about environmental issues in the BBC nature documentaries
Indeed ! Question everything
@@thejohnbeck ya i trusted that dude like my grandpa😢
Even in the Documentary film Trinity and Beyond. Used lies that so many Atomic bomb test were necessary.
@@thejohnbeck he did? Tell me more
Arnold's advantage was also his posing. He went out of his way to learn ballet techniques and posing. Ballet and dance poses appeal to Silhouette and lines of action, much in the same way its done for appealing characters in animation and sketching in life drawing. Also timing in his posing was a factor. Giving a beat, before striking a new pose. It was a very interesting and smart way to learn about his posing
Once again, you’ve been programmed by Schwarzenegger. The ballet stuff was the idea of butler and gaines, it wasn’t Schwarzenegger. Same thing with the sculpture analogy.
@@hardcorehouse cool, thanks for the clarification on who started using ballet techniques. The important thing is using those techniques, taking the time to learn and practice. Gives you an edge in your posing. Strong silhouette and a Nice line of action
@@hardcorehouse He never said Arnold came up with it?
Arnold was fed these ideas by people far less interested in taking credit than he: Butler and Gaines as well as various businessmen in Europe and America including Weider. Schwarzenegger loves to say he came to America with nothing when in fact he came to one of the best places in America Venice Beach in the late 60s and was given an apartment and a car as well as a weekly salary
@@hardcorehouse Oh yeah Arnold's definitely not the greatest person at all, was just trying to defend Mike Glasswell up there because you said Arnold programmed him to believe that but it wasn't in his comment.
The filmmakers didn't lie. Arnold created a character to generate interest. He was right. It worked.
Its like instagram models
Arnold's real character was not so far away from that, when he was Mr.Olympia he was really full of himself
Any kind of acting or character creation is a lie. Not saying that’s a bad thing but that’s what it is, it’s based on make believe.
"Its lot a lie if it fulfills the reason for the lie" like what?
lol no. they lied. Where you not paying attention? They literally changed a dude's training program
The way that Pumping Iron builds the character of Arnold Schwarzenegger is amazing. There’s a moment that sticks in my mind from the final pose off between Frankie and Arnold where they both do their first poses, but Frankie gets distracted. He looks at Arnold, forgetting his routine for a couple seconds to just look, and Arnold just turns onto his next pose, completely encapsulates the dominance and legendary presence Arnold put off. True art.
I discovered this documentary in 2004 when I was 19. Got me into pumping iron. 20 years later I'm still lifting. It really is the fountain of youth. I'm almost 40 yet I've got strength and stamina that far exceeds my 19 year old body. Most of my peers let themselves go at this age.
Nice! It’s great to see that older people can stay fit. I strive to be like that
See Rfk vs Arnold, and the 3 to 5 winners, and what they look like now. Puts em to shame.
I prefer role models that don't take every shortcut available to them and lie because their real personalities are boring
Wow! I've also disovered it in 2004, but i was 15. It also made me work out right away.
Pumping Iron was the recipe for reality TV. The filmmakers had to create drama or it would’ve been too casual. With that being said, loved your vid! Nice work.
this is literally a DOCUMENTARY lmao who cares
@@AC-mp7cx genre wise it's a docudrama
@@AC-mp7cx Well, you did.
Meh, some of the best reality TV I watched is devoid of drama, such as the UK version of Kitchen's Nightmare.
thats true good thought
it started that interest in daily life, routines usw
I think Arnold legitimately won. Neither Lou nor Serge were at his level. The one that probably pushed Arnold the hardest and who he was most nervous about was Franco. You can see in the overall that Arnold stopped all the games and was serious at that point. He knew. I agree, it was a docu-drama and much was done for the camera, but I think a lot of it was also genuine. Arnold playing mental games with Lou...that was real.
Serge had a better shot then lou. I think that's not very controversial. Arnold won hands down. Most complete package WITH the size
Lou wasn't lean enough
I actually agree with you. Franco was in phenomenal shape. His biceps peak was superhuman, and he had legs. He should have won.
See that's the thing with any contest involving judges, who the "winner" is, is always subjective. It's not like there's a finish line, the first one to cross it wins...
@@Sigmund-Fraud Franco could never beat Arnold especially in a era when aesthetics were paramount
@@smattgoss if "aesthetics were paramount" how the hell did Arnold beat Franco? Franco actually had legs.
I am 55 and have been lifting weights for 40 years because of Arnold. An icon whose influence can’t be overstated…💪🇨🇦
The story of Arnold is so funny to me, he just never quits, always working harder for more and more and more. I mean he went from elite body builder, to top paid actor, to Governor of California?! That’s literally insane, in fact, I would be you hands down that if he was given United States citizenship he would have become the president of the United states
He has US citizenship, but you have to be born in US to be President.
No you have to be a natural born citizen. That’s not the same thing as being born in the USA.
His confidence is insane. He never let doubt get in his way.
@@hackerman5764he actually has skills and talent to back it up though.
You see people who have the confidence but they are delusional about their abilities.
Arnie was smart enough to know that the movie needed not just a hero, but a villain. Initially Arnold is the hero but as the story moves forward he shifts to the villain or bully, and Lou is the underdog hero. Part of that was because Lou was such a likeable guy
Oh please; of course he wants you to believe he was that smart but in truth all the tactics and planning for the movie came from Butler and Gaines. Schwarzenegger only learned that with their help, including the ballet scene and the sculpture analogy.
I've worked on a few documentary films/series and a lot of people still generally _refuse_ to believe when I tell them that a documentary's narrative is usually well established before a single frame is ever shot. The filmmakers have a "story" they want/hope to tell and it does not simply _emerge_ out of the documentary process but is very carefully crafted/manipulated to tell that story. AT THE SAME TIME that's not to say they are lies/that the story isn't "true". Sometimes the artificial truth documentaries create is simply more effective at communicating something complicated to an unsophisticated audience and isn't strictly "dishonest" ...but then sometimes it is just a bullshit agenda from the filmmakers.
Sounds like a lawyer from the opposing team asking leading questions funneling the responses down towards an intended result.
@@hubey Yeah, that's fair. A lawyer/documentary filmmaker are both just trying to present a subjective "truth" and convince the court/audience that it's the best candidate for the _objective_ truth...
Nonsense. Obviously The Office was a totally legit documentary. I mean, how could you plan all of that shit out?
@@llYossarian
Subjective truth. Is that even a thing?
Yeah, we know who Michael Moore is.
What an excellent video that was! Just the first part, where you reveal how the Arnold documentary was manipulated to tell a made up story, was already interesting (I watched "Pumping Iron" as a kid and had no idea the story was twisted like that), but the second part of your video is the one I'd say I value the most, because what you showed us there is how Americans (and Canadians) react to such things. And the answer is: you don't. You just accept it, even find ways to explain it to yourselves that lying in a documentary movie is actually the way to go, because it's more entertaining and sometimes can get someone's career started. I mean, wow, just think about it: you're being 100% honest about how you do not care about honesty. That's gold man, thank you for sharing it with the world.
11:50 that “quote” is what started the fitness craze…single-handedly
The way Arnold explained it, they did not do a straight-up documentary because you'd get about ten minutes of useable footage before the audience got bored. Also, Lou did face Arnold the previous year at the 1974 Mr Olympia; albeit there were only four total competitors. He and Arnold in the Over 200 lbs, with Franco Columbu and Frank Zane in the Under 200. I also think having Lou's dad in the film was one of the worst things for him. He did nothing to actually help, and if you read Lou's autobiography, there was no love between them. He describes in detail how his dad was an abusive prick to him all his life, and though they try to make him look like a loving father in the film, you can see right through the facade. Even when Lou became the Incredible Hulk, it was never good enough.
True, I'd go so far as to say that Joe Weider was much more of an influence on him and father figure than Matty ever was
@@tmackn6592 that never occurred to me, but in retrospect, I'd have to agree.
@@armygrunt13 I have no idea what Joe Weider's motives were at the time, but he's the person who convinced Big Louie to give up his Olympia aspirations in exchange for Hollywood fame. In the end, it was Lou who had to deal with his decisions. I'm sure it wouldn't have taken him more than a couple years to secure the Sandow trophy, but as they say, c'est la vie
As much as I hate to do it, I'd have to disagree with Arnold, I think they could've made an interesting documentary without manipulating the story. Though I understand why they did it, Bodybuilding not being a big sport at the time, they did all they could to make the film as interesting as possible. Also, all of Arnold's quotes in the film are by far the most entertaining parts imo. And yeah, Lou's dad really did seem to be a negative influence on him.
@@AlexBoucher I thought you pretty clearly made the point that it's effectively _impossible_ to make a "documentary" without manipulating the story. The only way to avoid the "observer affect" like in Quantum theory and not change the thing by the very act of documenting it/necessarily making choices/asking specific questions _(to make it a "true" documentary rather than a "docu-drama")_ would be to make NO choices at all just have a constant and incoherent stream of multiple cameras and subjects. -- What even is an example of a pure fly-on-the-wall "true documentary" that doesn't make any decisions about what it shows/tells the audience? _(let alone an example of a "good" one...)_
As a skinny anxious teen, this movie helped motivate me and probably thousands of young teens from the 70s to now to go to the gym and max out. It helped me be more charismatic with my peers, it gave me the courage I needed to stand up for myself and it taught me that no matter how hard u train u should always prioritise family. Even though it’s probably all made up, I’m glad this movie exists and I’m glad u are shedding light on the fact and fiction that went on behind the scenes.
Well said!
"Pumping Iron" is, and always will be, without doubt one of the greatest feats in film history.
Before this documentary, Bodybuilding was never taken seriously. In fact, Bodybuilders were considered as carnival freaks. But the documentary showed that with a great physique like that can also come with personality. More than that people also got to appreciate that it really takes discipline, hard work, and tons of motivation to get that kind of body. Thanks to this documentary people got to appreciate that bodybuilding is also a mental game. It got a generation want to work out and gyms started popping everywhere.
Discipline, hard work, and motivation are maybe 50% of why these guys look the way they do. Getting people to work out is great, but letting them think that the gym alone will ever get them anywhere near a Mr. Olympia body is very dishonest and just takes away from how much work people actually do put in.
@@guydunn5354 Wow you are truly ignorant
@@Ironheart73 How so? You really think John Doe can get anywhere near that big with such low body fat without drugs? It’s not humanly possible. I’m all for inspiring people to work out and these guys obviously still put in a lot of work, but pretending they’re just ‘that much more dedicated than everyone else’ and that people who are actually much healthier just aren’t trying hard enough is not a good thing.
@@guydunn5354 you definitely can get get big and shredded naturally
@@theshrikeer Even though for the sake of the argument these guys are taking steroids, you can not undermine the work, the genetics, and the dedication to achieve a physique like that. Like what someone said, see if you got the right genetics, then train your ass off, eat 12 meals a day, then when you get to competition level physique and it gets harder for you to recover injuries, consider taking steroids.
Also notable: Lou wasn't second to Arnold, he was actually 3rd. In 2nd we had Serge Nubret aka the black panther. So I think it's pretty clear that Lou could have never won the Olympia in 75 even without the movie making etc. It wasn't just Arnold he could not defeat it was Serge, too.
Serge refused to play the opposite to Arnold, because he was already an actor and he knew a bit of politics in the film industry.
Serge was arguably better than Arnold at times
What’s 75 got to do with this? He’s talking about film n competition of 77. So without the film in 77 Lou would’ve stayed in third you’re saying? Interesting
@@ironcity4182 the film was made during the 75 Olympia. Arnold didn't even compete in 77. Just the release of pumping iron was in 77
Lou actually. Came second to Arnold at the. 1974 Mr olimpia
Lou lost due to not being in shredded (lean) condition. He got his diet wrong. Bigger than Arnold yes but not as defined.
Louie had a weak back compared to his competition, which, ultimately, lead to his last place finish due to poor muscular symmetry
@@tmackn6592
And zero hamstrings and calves. He had calf implants prior to his comeback in the early 90s.
Correct
@@ronaldmccutcheon1329 this is true. I once went to Golds in Venice and he was there training. The calf implants were still in place
@@beeleigh23
Yes ma'am. I saw him compete in the '93 O. in Atlanta. I'm thinking "how does he get away with this"?
Serge Nubret (the guy who got 2nd) apparently was banned from participating in this Olympia but was let back in last minute and came not in his best shape.
Pumping Iron is an all time classic that will be watched for generations even after both of these two legends are gone. The documentary helped them both out more than any trophy that year. They both won by being in this film, big time.
Pumping Iron inspire me when I was 15 years old in 1985. Does it bother me now that I'm 51 years old that everything was fake or drama? No, it doesn't bother me at all it still inspires me
I have a problem with the word "fake" used in this context.
It was entertainment, pure and simple. The film maker knew exactly what he was doing and did it brilliantly.
It was a documentary those are supposed to tell the truth
@@stitch8296no theyre not lol
@@astupiddvdcase yes they are documentary are education
@@stitch8296 Documentary's are about influence, not education.
Just watch anything on Netflix.
Lou was NOT a challenge to Arnold,The person who could have beaten Arnold is Sergio Nubret 💪👍🔥
You had me in the first 5 mins, ngl. In fact, all I could think was "wow, looks like I was completely wrong about Arnold"
My roommates in college were also all bodybuilders….we could literally turn volume off and do all the dialogue ourselves. This was back when there were only 4 ch. with our crap tv I think we got 2-3. We must have watched it a thousand times
What a beautiful thing to picture. A few bulky dudes crowded around a crappy tv reciting Pumping Iron from memory. Love it.
@@AlexBoucher dressed like the barbarian brothers, mullets, Fanny packs eating rice and tuna from one bowl we all shared. Thing glowed in dark it was microwaved 20 x a day😂
@@kevinconjelko1309 that’s a gross, shitty memory. You should forget those days
@@WeBreakItAllDownRightHere Why so mad big man who hurt you?
@@WeBreakItAllDownRightHere what happened bud , everything ok?
Psychological warfare was a routine tool that Arnold used, not only on Lou. In an early biography, he mentioned posing off with Sergio Oliva, faking to make it look like he was done, which Oliva saw and started heading off stage, and then Arnold kept going and won the competition.
Basically, the reason behind the majority of Arnold's wins was everything but being the best on stage
So,kinda like Musashi
@@harorider96 how many of your farts did you huff to come up with that hot take?
@@O11Lucas the two things don't have to be mutually exclusive. He was the best mentally and physically, for many years.
@@O11Lucas well he was pretty goof but when it's very tiny differences, anything can be done to win.
Fantastic analysis! Great pacing to get to the ultimate clip at 11:35. I would’ve been disappointed if you’d have left it out. 😂
Great vid! I met Lou when I was just a kid (signing autographs in Alaska of all places). He was kind and humble.
The biggest screw job was Danny Padilla being kicked off the US team at the Mr. Universe. The film makers (Gains?) thought it would be better to have two heavyweights on the US team for the Waller/Katz showdown. Danny was told he couldn’t compete a day or two before the show. I’ve seen him talk about this in many interviews but he never mentions who had the final say. I suspect it was Charles Gaines and Ben Weider. Danny also was screwed at the 81 Olympia, which he should have won easily.
Danny was a great underrated bodybuilder! One of, if not the absolute best physiques of his day!
Serge was the one most fucked and he still came in in the best shape.
@@TheCrittercam001
I think Danny was better than Arnold. Less weak points.
@@oldnatty61
At least Serge got to compete. Danny trained for the contest and got yanked from the USA team after he got to South Africa. He actually found a spot on the Paraguay ( I think it was Paraguay) team that welcomed him with open arms. Too many people complained and he wasn’t allowed to compete at all. He only made a brief appearance when he was in the audience talking to Arnie about Franco. He didn’t seem pissed off but he must have been fuming.
@@kurtvonfricken6829 Actually it the Portuguese team but the IFBB blocked it and never competed at all that year. Totally screwed the guy. Incredible bodybuilder. 1981 Olympia was a disgrace. As much as I admire Franco, after he injured his knee at the World's Strongest Man contest on CBS, his thighs were completely disproportionate with each other and the rest of his body. Not to mention he had that hormone condition where he grew mammary tissue on his chest. Padilla should have won.
Many of Arnold’s wins were controversial, this one no different, and arguably bodybuilding was very corrupt at the time, such as when every other competitor was disqualified and Arnold won by default.
The film is a dramatisation and although it tells some fallacies it’s still an incredible movie which has inspired generations to start this sport.
He literally has one win where he was the only competitor. Ironically it was one of his best shapes.
He also has one where he objectively lost but was literally given the win. In fact he wasn't conditioned enough or had enough points from other shows to qualify for the Olympia.
I think he was the legitimate winner in 1975. 1972 is questionable. 1980 was fixed without a doubt.
So basically politics at play.
@@RobDaCajun but then where would the sport be without Arnold playing the part he did
What were some reasons competitors were disqualified?
Also, you failed to mention how in Pumping Iron, they presented the 75 Mr Olympia as the first meeting of Arnold and Lou on a bodybuilding stage when in reality they've actually already competed against each other a year prior
Nice recap and analysis of the "behind the scenes" portion of the special edition extended director's cut of 'Pumping Iron'.
This was an interesting take on the movie. I actually met Charles Gaines in 1978 and he talked a little about what it was like filming Arnold. What would have pushed Arnold to the limit, would have been if they could have talked Sergio Oliva into competing that year. He was Arnold's only real competition. Gaines admitted it in the book.
Serge Nubret was actually the best body on that stage. Arnold should have come in number 2. Lou was huge but lacked the overall definition. Serge had an amazing physique on par with Zane.
@@Michael_00001 I know right, it’s stunning how overlooked Serge is.
@@Michael_00001 I’m a fan of Serge but his legs were lacking. Especially front separation. No one on stage had thigh separation like Arnold. Arnold also had better symmetry and every muscle group was detailed and had great separation between each other.
The biggest weakness for me from day one that they barely showed nubret, who other than legs was comparable to Schwarzenegger, they never showed Oliva nor did they even shows still photos of guys like Draper and Scott who should've been included for posterity sake
@@hardcorehouse I concur. Perhaps George Butler got kind of caught up in the production and recouping his financial investment and lost sight of what the book and film were originally about.
Pumping iron is a fun film and it reaised awareness of bodybuilding and helped it become more popular. Back in the early 80's I saw it on a TV channel in Ireland! So it gave a global perspective on bodybuilding and it also showed bodybuilders being people and not just meatheads whcih is a great thing.
There is also another level here regarding the competition. Serge Nubret was asked to be part of the movie but he was a well known movie actor in France and he refused to work for free. When he showed up for the competition he was 225lbs ripped and the IFBB decided to come up with some bullshit reason for not letting him compete and then after a week they told him the day before he competed that he could compete, by which stage he was down to 213lbs due to stress etc. So the IFBB did this because they were worried that Arnold would not win because he was also around 225lbs while being a bigger man, he had around 2 inches on Serge. But Serge was not in the movie except the changing room scene, so if Serge won it would make the documentary look useless!
As for Arnold he had just being shooting 'Stay Hungry' his first starring role, and he had to drop down to 210lbs to star in that movie, and he had difficulty packing on his old weight within a short timeframe of a few months. In the previous year he weighed in at around 245lbs on stage and usually he weighed around 235lbs on stage. So the Arnold we see in this movie was very downsized and thats probably why the IFBB got the heebeejeebees!
Regarding Lou Ferrigno, Arnold always said that he thought Lou was a year or so away from being in Mr Olympia condition and he was convinced that if Lou had stuck around he could easily have won the Olympia for a good 5+ years.
Was Franco Columbo a challenge?.. . I am not sure, but one thing I am sure about is that it was never the Arnold vs Lou show, they just fabricated that because it looked good, on the day a full sized Serge was however a real challenge to a downsized Arnold!
I thnk these days we are starting to see documentaries as semi-fictional which is a good thing as in the past we have taken them too seriously. For example, they had Ken Waller being a real shit head towards Mike Katz, he was the guy who hid his T shirt, this was all fabricated, apparently they were good mates in reality, but for years after Ken Waller would get booed by audiences whenever he posed!
Thank you for sharing. I had no idea that Serge was even asked to be more involved in the film. Really, really interesting that Lou was never even Arnold’s toughest opponent. Now I want to see the alternate version of Pumping Iron with more Serge! Especially considering it’s possible he could’ve made for a more interesting personality then Lou.
@@AlexBoucher It would have been great to have more Serge. Serge was quite a flamboyount character and whenever he was interviewed he would say some interesting and unusual things. He used to state that he would only eat once a day and he aparently ate huge amounts of horse meat for his dinner. He would start traning one or two hours a day 16 weeks out from a bodybuilding show and would work upto an 8 hour a day regime in the gym, plus he had really unique ideas about the nature of God and training!
His training philosophy was highly unusual and he was a big film star in France and he regarded himself as a star, so he would have easily been Arnolds equal in the charismatic character space. A oity it never happened and Serge has now passed away!
@@psychologixselfmastery I also read he use to drink like 32 glasses of water a day. Very eccentric training methods. Give Vince Gironda a run for his money.
@@AlexBoucher than*
Serge Nubret looked >SOLID< in that competition! Didn't realize he was in Pumping Iron until I saw these clips...
The most ironic thing of the whole doc was that the bodybuilder with the most acting experience wasn’t even featured at all in the film. Second place finisher (and incredible upper body physique) Serge Nubret. He was a veteran French actor before Arnold or Lou were actors.
They sabotaged him. That's also well documented. They didn't want him to win, and he definetely could have, so they banned him from mr. Olympia, got out of shape, and just a few days before the competition they told him he could compete again, but he had not enough time to peak his physique again, so Arnold won by default.
How do you want to know that? Seems a bit far fetched, that’s the same as you saying who would win in a fight Zelensky or Putin.
Ive never seen a pic of peak Nubret where he looked amazing (for the period) from the back. He had one of the best fronts ever but sucked from the back. Arnold smoked him in that regard. The other thing to remember is that Arnold wasn't his best in '75 due to also already trying to diversify into acting and he still clearly smoked Nubret
@@davidkymdell452 the whole claim that they banned him seems to be made up, it’s ridiculous to think that. Like you said Arnold was the #1 back then, the Giga Chad of his time.
Guys, I was just saying he wasn’t featured in the film. It doesn’t matter about his peak or who should’ve won. I just thought you might want to have the guy with the most acting experience appear in your documentary. Maybe he wanted money or something and that’s why he wasn’t interviewed or featured.
Regardless of where you put this piece, documentary, docudrama, fiction… you’re watching men push their bodies to the limit of endurance. It’s fascinating to see these guy break themselves for a trophy that means little else outside of bodybuilding.
Don’t forget the satisfaction. Narcissism is a powerful drug!
@@Renwoxing13 yeah that’s what turned me off from bodybuilding... although there’s obviously other reasons behind wanting to compete or go pro, at the end of the day, bodybuilding competitions seem like a place for people who seek validation, either from others, or for themselves. I don’t mean to take away from anyone’s accomplishments, I just don’t understand why people go to such great lengths to impress people who have little to no influence on their life. Not many people compete in anything without wanting to win... pretty much everyone who shows up for the competition is trying to prove to everybody else that they are the best. Just be the best you lol especially with bodybuilding, genetics can play such a huge role with fat distribution, insertions, muscle bellies, etc. that it straight up doesn’t make sense to compare two physiques as they could look entirely different, even within the same class. 212 pounds can take on many shapes and sizes haha
@@Renwoxing13 Typical comment by a guy that doesn't even lift.
@@codealvo Bodybuilding is a battle about overcoming the self and personal limitations. Most do it as a tangible and measurable way to make themselves better. Competition is a about recognition and access to lucrative deals that improve career. Do some have body dysmorphia? Sure. But the dedication, sacrifice, and consistent striving flow over into all aspects of life and the strides of breaking through seemingly insurmountable barriers give a person the confidence and belief in themselves that is elusive to the common person.
@@vnet3371
⬛️ Let me help fix that for you bro!
🖤⚫️▪️ Typical comment by a typical *NARCISSIST* !!!
➖ No need to thank me !!!
➖ The gratification & appreciation that is *DEEP within your Heart* is sufficient for me !!!
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I don't like Arnold as a person, but man he had a fantastic physique in his prime. So much size, lean but not disgustingly so, a fantastic V taper, absolutely HUGE pecs, and not this insane bottle shape that he himself described in modern competitors. He had fantastic aesthetics. I think I might even prefer it over Ronnie Coleman's look.
Anyone can do that with steroids
@@muchachosauce7399 ive used roids and havent keept half of arnolds muscles after 5 years of not using it anymore, he never quits training thats physics and will!
@@muchachosauce7399 no, they can't. Steroids get you only so far. You have to have the will to do all the hard work, which most don't. And it's really hard work. And you have to be dedicated to your diet. Very few can eat shit food while on steroids and stay strong and healthy.
Second, you need to have the right genetics. If that wasn't true, every bodybuilder would have chest of Arnold, back of Dorian, or the arms of Oliva. They don't.
And some people get mostly the bad side effects of steroids and none of the good ones. You can get on steroids and still look like shit. Strength gains and impotence are about the only guaranteed effects for most users.
Also steroids can cost a lot. Like thousands of dollars a month not just for steroids but also for drugs to offset or prevent side effects. Sure most spend less then thousand a month, but those most definitely don't get anywhere near amateur bodybuilders that compete.
Please stop spreading misinformation that anyone can do that with steroids.
V taper? Maybe compared to the bloat monsters of today but compared to his era? Nah, he was blocky compared to Sergio, Serge, Zane, Dickerson, etc.
Why wouldn’t you like him as person. What a good kind man he is
Pumping iron is not a documentary, it is a docu drama. And it is not a terrible docu drama. It is one of the best ever made. Still being watched today, and hence the reason you're talking about it.
I read Pumping Iron when it came out, went to the movie at a movie house, and obtained Arnold’s autograph in his Education of a Bodybuilder book at a Barnes & Noble store in 1980-something. He was a very arrogant man at that signing, rude even to the few boys still waiting at the tail of the then-short line.
I believe that age, offspring, failures with matrimony, and retrospection has been a benefit to Arnold as a person. He has inadvertently become a more interesting subject…
What a UNDERSTATEMENT !!! He will always be a '' NAR' !
Are you saying most of Arnold's popularity was hype? I can believe it. By his own admission, the majority of his films did not do well at the box office.
Arnold was very charismatic. Bigger than life, if you will, but ultimately an arrogant, self absorbed prick.
@@gregshock those qualities are what made him
@@robertelee4135: I think you’re right. That type A personality was very fascinating and drew people to him. I worshipped that guy, when I was a kid. Thought he was so cool.
Ferrigno stood no chance of winning the 1975 Mr Olympia, even if he came to the contest in far better shape than Schwarzenegger and even if the producers of the docudrama sensationalized Ferrigno instead. The Mr Olympia has always been politicized and frankly, Schwarzenegger was the bodybuilding and fitness establishment at that time. These definitely were factors five years later at the controversial 1980 Mr Olympia, where Schwarzenegger won but most certainly did not have the best physique among his competitors by any measure.
80 wasn't at his best but soon as Arnold started posing it's game over he just looks way better
Olympia has always been a show and nothing more. When Cory Everson decided to retire she gave it one more show in 1989, whattaya know she went out a champion and made millions. Sandy Riddell came in FAR superior to Cory but only got second because she wasn't the star, the face of the sport, and you can't have her beating the outgoing, retiring darling, consequently Sandy didn't make millions in bodybuilding and eventually went back to EMS. It's all a show, it's not a real competition.
@@RyanMcIntyre no bodybuilder made millions of dollars bodybuilding.
@KauaiPoundahs serge does not stand a chance against arnold
@KauaiPoundahs I believe serge nubret was overrated. Serge had terrible legs, size and definition. His back was weak also.
I really thought “well a pumping iron video without the famous arnold line”… but no, in the end you got us. Much appreciated though.
The truly surprising thing about this, is that it actually surprises anyone.
Question: why hasn’t anyone made a documentary about the fitness craze of the 80s yet? I’m sure it could be an interesting subject
It would be very interesting. I remember that era well sir...the chicks were hotties with curvy bodies spandex..the dudes Uber gay..with girlie outfits curly hair olol
@@SgtStedenko1 I appreciate the insights. I’ve seen a synthwave playlist set to aerobics footage (mainly from the 1988 crystal light aerobics championships). The fitness chicks looked pretty hot and the dudes ... yeah most of them seemed like they were into other dudes (not that there’s anything wrong with that)
@@unstoppableExodia Oh, but there is.
@@SgtStedenko1 It's even worse theeese dayyys
@@breatheeasily4013 there is? Do you mean there does exist a documentary like what I was searching for?
I remember watching a documentary on Pumping Iron interviewing all the people that worked on the film, and it was very honest about the deceptive nature of the film. It was all about making a good story.
If there were no documentary Lou would have won that year's Mr. Olympia, because Arnold wouldn't complete. He actually decided to do the competition after he spoke with producers
I think what people fail to understand is that it didn't really matter who won first place which is why Lou and Arnold played the part, what they were really after their main goal was stardom, which they both got in their own right. Lou being the hulk and Arnold getting his first starting role.
I met Arnold in LA years ago and my being 6'3", I was shocked at how short he was at about 5'10"! I just thought no way because he looks so much bigger in the movies! But you can see him in the breakfast scene next to Lou's father in PI! Crazy!
it says he's 6'2" on line??? Big Lou 6'4"
@@jasonsterner922 Trust me, he's 5'10-ish. When I first met him at the LA airport, he was heading into the place in flats and I was shocked! He may be 6'2" - when he's wearing lifts which I think he does alot but not that day. Big Lou is 6'5".
 you get shorter when you get older. Curvature of the spine, bone loss etc.
@@forsakenoutcast he was short in the film - look at him next to Lou's father when they got up from breakfast.
Yup - Lou's official height is 6'3.5" and that's about right as I met him way back when and he was basically my 6'3" height and just a bit taller! His father may have been close but Arnie was way way shorter and I doubt he compacted that much - he was the GOAT and everything about him was exaggerated!
Awesome analysis! Lou was never even close to Arnold. Serge Nubret was much much closer to winning. BUT good for them for entertaining generations of people and motivating us to lift weights.
Serge looked absolutely insane that year. His chest is incredible.
Lou was 1000% ahead of serge
It's almost as if the uploader is making up stuff for attention and views just like the original movie..
Imagine pumping iron casting Jim Carrey as the underdog who wins the body building contest, leaving both arnold and Lou behind
I was 13 when it came out. I still love it...consider the fraud, camera tricks, computer wizardry of today, "Pumping Iron" is still quite earthy.
8:30.. the real star of pumping iron 💪
I produced a few short documentaries and I can say that making a truly objective documentary is, on the practical level, impossible.
The biggest problem is that you're simply just not gonna film everything. Even if you have multiple cameras, you're still confined to how long your reel is or how many memory cards you brought. Shooting a doc is a fine balance between "shoot everything for a short time" or "shoot something for a long time". And then there's the editing problem - your target film length confines what you're able to put in the final film.
The most practical way, more or less the industry-standard way, is to prepare a screenwriting before your shoot. The most you can do is to leave the ending open to real outcome. This is why documentaries all have subjective narratives, because you just can't put everything in it.
Unless you're shooting the life of an animal, eat/sleep/fight/mate, that kind of stuff.
Sorry, you're wrong
@@enriquemeza6335 nice retort, dingus
Great use of this film to illuminate film making - including documentaries. Well done and a well chosen film as well since it highlights blowing things out of proportion for publicity’s sake. To achieve at outcome - on all the participant’s fronts. Very apropos to what is happening on social media today.
Sergio Oliva, Frank Zane, Robbie Robertson, Serge Nubret who is posing beside Arnold were his peers at the time, Lou regrettably was a second stringer in the BB world going by his record, but through this film he and Arnold became superstars. in film and around the world. Arnold was a superstar in BB prior to P Iron.
Perfect timing, this shows up in my feed! I just watched this again last night. Lou doing those overhead presses with 225 pounds was pretty amazing. Never noticed that in prior viewings. I think Katz was robbed, and Lou deserved second.
It's an interesting dilemma; I want to say that documentaries should always make the smallest impact possible on what they are trying to document but there will always be some degree of compromise in order to make something people actually want to watch.
In terms of competition, Arnold was head and shoulders ahead of Lou in terms of mass, symmetry and definition. The only thing that could be made an argument for is Serge Nubret winning because he was better conditioning wise. Otherwise, great video.
I still remember starting out, my muscles took a long time to firm up before they started growing at all.
The original plan was for Lou to play the bully and favourite coming to dethrone Arnold and Arnold playing more the human vulnerable character. But Lou couldn't pull it off so they switched it up to make it work. There's a deleted scene where Joe Weider is telling Arnold he's seen photos of Lou and he's looking massive and Arnold is complaining about Lou coming to break his record. It didn't work. Arnold doesn't do vulnerable well either.
It wasn’t a doc tho
@@balooojeffersong4234 that's why I didn't say it was a doco. Like I said, they had a plot but Lou couldn't play the bad guy so they switched it. The film is actually a docu-drama.
@@stevenspilly why lie tho? What’s the point of lying to a bunch of people in a UA-cam comment section?
@@balooojeffersong4234 lie about what? You ok bro? I think maybe you need psychiatric help for real.
“This dude has been in the zone for 4 decades!!”
Bill Burr
NOTHIN BUT NET
he's a champion, a personal hero of mine along side a small handfull of others like jackie chan, who embody the peak of the idea that you can achive greatness with enough time passion and effort, the mans a national treasure.
Very interesting background on this doc. Especially how it may have altered the outcome of competition.
In bodybuilding, there are ratios of calf to thigh, forearm to upper arm, upper arm to shoulder etc., and there's also development of each muscle and those have to be in balance with each other. Arnold was obsessed with bodybuilding since about the age of 12 and he knew all this stuff. The guy basically had nearly no flaws. As far as mind games go, just being confident will be all that's needed. I once did a sport at which I became somewhat good and the last thing I wanted was to exert any kind of "mind games" on my competitors because to me that's not good sportsmanship. It turned out being confident in my own abilities was "mind game" enough. Lastly, I love "classic Arnold". Modern bodybuilders are taking human growth hormone which makes *everything* grow including internal organs, so their midsections look like they've swallowed a turtle.
Bowling isn't a sport
@@jjr1728 Who asked?
@@Laughing_Individual Who replied? Keep barking for me you utter subhuman.
Honestly after ready several ultrasound reports on some of the biggest body builders of all time, including Doran Yates and none of them(at least years after stopping the usage of HGH anyway) had organs of any increased size.. the cause was really several things, that pretty much all happened during the '80s in bodybuilding... One: bodybuilding in the 80s left behind the asthetics, grace, and beauty of the previous decades. Second heavier lifting overall, and third a gigantic increase in the amount of carbohydrates compared to the previous decades. As all experienced lifters know the more carbohydrates, the more bloating.. The muscles also grow much better though, so there were pros and cons.. I believe the thing that really made them stand out as much as they did then and some still do today, is simply because they spend hardly any time at all practicing vacuuming like the previous decades.. The forgetting of the art of vacuuming is really the straw that broke the camels back.. I hope this has been informative. Feel free to reach back out with any questions
neither is bodybuilding, it's a pageant. But for the sake of this story we can all pretend for the gushing fanbois who treat it as one. 🙄😂
In 1974, he came in second on his first attempt at the Mr. Olympia competition. He came in third the following year, and his attempt to beat Arnold Schwarzenegger was the subject of the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron. The documentary made Ferrigno famous.
This is very well made. Props.
Plot twist: They're the same person.
Arnold is Lou's Tyler Durden
To me, pumping iron symbolizes two things: a strong commitment to images and an equally strong commitment to entertain. That’s why I love it; it inspires in more than one way to give life your best shot and especially in the gym, do all in your power to succeed.
The biggest thing in this movie is that serge actually might have been able to win. Im not sure about the details anymore but he was told he couldnt comoete and then right beforehand they told him he can. He looked fucking incredible still and while i love arnold and think he was unbeatable that year serge might have had a chance in a fair game
Someone(i am not mentioning names) started a rumor that Serge Nubret appeared in a X-rated movie. Serge Nubret had a pretty good idea who started it.
Film makers spent 2 weeks in France with him. They knew he was not an unexpected entry as they said he was.
Serge was “cut” from the movie as he is a smart guy and said if he is in the movie then he wanted the rights to the movie in Europe , but Gaines didn’t want to give away the rights to a monerspinner so he edited him out.
Thanks for this. I appreciate your perspective Alex.
Never mentioned is that Arnold was the protege of Ben Weider the Godfather of bodybuilding. He controlled the main publications, competitions etc. Somehow it always turned out that whatever qualities Arnold had, those were the qualities the judges were looking for. Arnold himself expressed surprise at some of his wins, not sure if he ever figured it out or just thought he won on his own merits.
Love it. Watched it so many times. Just has its own unique energy to it, I feel good when I watch it. Almost like I'm chumming. Can you imagine, everytime I watch it I'm getting the feeling of chumming, on the couch, in the recliner, on my phone, on my laptop, I'm in heaven, it's great.
Lol I see what you did there
I always viewed it as a directed doc that was semi-scriped. One of the best of the best!
Pumping iron is my favorite docu film 🎥 after my docu film MR.NEW YORK 💪👍🔥
Cool video, thanks for taking the time to make it!!
if you actually have experience bodybuilding for a decent amount of time the whole argument that lou that the documentary limited him in being his best at the mr olympia is definitly far fetched before the competation you are allowed to have as many layers of tan as you like so the argument he wasnt in the sun is stupid, second a weight is a weight is a weight, just because he wasnt in golds gyms doesnt mean he was limited in anyway. the argument of motivation is also pretty stupid is it is the mr olympia and anyone who is into bodybuilding knows how much it means to them and if he wasnt motivated to potentially win the olympia then he was already to far gone. i just want to point out to that no doubt lou was a great bodybuilder but from somone who spends alot of their life invested in bodybuilding arnold had the upper hand. part of the judging is muscle insertions and arnold still has some of the best we have seen in the sport, lats attached at the weist, peak on the biceps, how low the chest hangs as well as the roundness of the muscle cannot be compared to lou.
also every documentary, tv show, news interview is all hyped up anyway in some way so i really dont see the point why this video was made especially the clickbait title
I was thinking the same thing. No one who builds a truly good body would be held back by those around them. I actually like working out alone more amd more because i can get into the zone. I find a lot of people do the same
@@davidliftsheavycircles yeah i just dont pay attention to others in the gym im not there to chitchat
@@ashleypursell9702 100% . i feel more relaxed being alone but its totally doable in a gym also. I just totally agree with your original comment. That idea is stupid, not to mention there are so many more problems with body building back then like inconsistent scoring that actually could have effected it.
Lou’s back & overall definition was almost non existent compared to Arnold & Serge. Serge had a way stronger core than Arnold but lacked in total size.
I just notice this generation loves to go back and shit on history like everything was a conspiracy. Yes, there are plenty of conspiracies, but this wasn’t one of them.
This is one of the more influential films in American history, in terms of what changed following its release.
Really? Do you mind expanding?
Thanks for posting, yesterday I was pumping iron also, really feels good, but tonight I will be pumping Irene. much better.
As a former body builder I definitely see and understand all the key points you hilighted regarding the contrast of both characters. However there still was a major difference regarding the totality of how both bodies appeared. Lou was just entering his first year as a pro that year, he was also about 3 years Arnold’s junior so his body still had several years to grow. Lou was massive for his height but he did lack mass and definition the way Arnold already had. I was rooting for Lou all the way bc honestly I felt as if he wanted it more than anyone else but he certainly wasn’t on Arnold’s level yet.
Arnold really was a real winner. When he went against Sergio Olivia, one of the most gifted bodybuilders of all time, for the first time he lost and felt totally defeated but went to beat him by outworking Sergio. So Pumping Iron exaggerated their personalities than just made them up I feel.
"arnold is blonde and trains with others while Lou trains alone and has dark hair" - They really pioneered the naruto plotline early.
Great work on this video, man
He had the physique I expect Spartan-II's would have under their Mjolnir armour
Pretty sure it’s common knowledge that Pumping Iron was a “Mockumentary”
I had no idea of any of this and I love this “documentary”. Great content!
Appreciate the content my G. Keep it up ❤️
I agree the filmmakers altered the results of the competition -- the best on that stage was Serge Nubret, IMHO. Cheers.
Arnold was better defined than Lou. Lou looked large and soft. Serge Nubret was my favourite though.
5:52 An Austrian man saying that he looks up to dictators doesn't really sound all that good😂
The fact that ur making a video on it 45 years later just demonstrates how great the movie was......
Pumping Iron was NEVER a documentary, it was a Docu-Drama.
Great exposé! Never seen it yet. And, I've seen a few pictures were I feel like Lou looks straight up bigger than Arnold...