Pumping Iron (1977)

Before "Pumping Iron," bodybuilding was a fringe pursuit most people found baffling, if they'd heard of it at all. By the time the film was over, the world had met Arnold Schwarzenegger, and nothing would ever be the same. This landmark 1977 documentary follows the 100 days leading up to the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest in South Africa, where five-time champion Schwarzenegger faced a young challenger from Brooklyn, Lou Ferrigno. On paper, Ferrigno had the size to dethrone the king. In practice, the showdown turned out to be as much mental as physical. Schwarzenegger, brimming with confidence and mischievous charm, plays mind games with his rivals, trash-talks with a grin and seems to enjoy every second of the spotlight. Ferrigno, quiet and intensely driven, trains alongside his father in a cramped Brooklyn gym, determined to prove himself. The contrast between them makes for gripping viewing, and you'll also spend time with Schwarzenegger's close friend Franco Columbu and other competitors at Gold's Gym in Venice Beach. The film not only changed how the public saw bodybuilding, but launched both men toward fame, with Schwarzenegger becoming a movie superstar and Ferrigno landing the role of TV's Incredible Hulk. Discipline and relentless repetition are the foundation of any great achievement, and few films have ever shown that more vividly.