Pumping Iron VS Generation Iron

I was very excited for Generation Iron to come out. I thought it was definitely time for another peek into the very misunderstood lives of the world’s top pros. Even though I always preferred that bodybuilding stay a cult event to some degree, I knew that some exposure (done the right way) might shine a bit of much-needed positive light on the subject. More understanding and acceptance might eventually translate into more recognition for our efforts. More prize money. And most importantly, more sponsors from outside the epicenter of bodybuilding. I mean, we have supplement and clothing sponsors. Some guys have a shoe game going on, and others have meal prep assistance. However, where are the sponsors that have nothing to do with the sport? Where is Pizza Hut? After all, they sponsor other pro athletes, and all bodybuilders love pizza! Why doesn’t Phil Heath have a Sony sponsor? He kicks ass at Madden on the PS4 and has a million Instagram followers. It was with these high hopes that I anticipated the second coming of the Iron documentary.

I knew it would be tough to compare Generation Iron to Pumping Iron; it’s always hard to recapture the glory of an original, especially with the older crowd who found deep inspiration and motivation in a classic. I know that Pumping Iron is super-dated to watch now, as is Arnold’s feathered ‘70s hair, the short shorts, training barefoot in the gym, bell-bottom pants, and big-collared shirts on Lou when he’s dressed for dinner. It’s like opening a time capsule for me, and I’ve seen it a hundred times. I can’t imagine how weird it must be for a 23-year-old who grew up watching Ronnie Coleman run shit.

So let’s look at how they compare. Pumping Iron does a fantastic job of showing us the inside life of the one and only Arnold as he trains for the ’75 Mr. Olympia. It also gives us a warm-up story featuring Mike Katz as he trains for the Mr. Universe crown. The film includes a few other characters, such as Franco Columbu and Lou Ferrigno. By limiting the number of focal points, it can develop a really great storyline between the characters, spending generous amounts of time on them in order to paint the picture of what it’s like to be a bodybuilder during the golden era of the ‘70s. It shows them eating, socializing with friends, and spending time at the beach. However, it also makes sure to show that bodybuilding is hard work. Gold’s Gym, in Venice, California, is where they captured some really intense scenes of Arnold and the boys doing heavy back and chest work. There’s also my favourite scene where Arnold is squatting with Ed Corney. It gets the point across that there is pride in their suffering, and that Arnold wouldn’t have it any other way. We all know it was a bit of a docudrama, as they were instructed to say things that would help create tension and to paint more of an extreme picture of their characters for the audience. We also know now that Lou’s dad was added to give his character a real underdog, Rocky sort of feel. All that aside, it hits the mark and is the classic we have all come to love because of it.

So what did Generation Iron bring us in comparison? Well to start with, the trailer was thrilling. I remember seeing it for the first time and thinking it was going to be the most kickass bodybuilding movie of all time. It had Branch training “Insane.” There was Phil looking like a million-dollar hero, while they were setting up Kai to play the underdog role. And who can forget the best line of the whole movie, when Ben Pakulski says, “You can’t do what I do.” Yep, goosebumps.

I think the main error was that it featured too many guys. I hate to say that, as I enjoyed seeing all of their segments. However, I feel that it held back the character development to a degree. I think I would have enjoyed it more had it featured only four or five of the pros and replaced that screen time with what the film really needed most—hardcore training! My main gripe with Generation Iron is that I don’t think it showed any of the guys training to their max potential. I know they wanted it to be relatable to the general public, but if you’re trying to show them how hard bodybuilding is, you can’t be afraid to get dirty. The only really hardcore footage was of Branch; the rest was poorly chosen. I’m sure they had footage of the guys smashing shit, yet it showed very little gym action. Pakulski doing cable curls in the lab? Wolf leg pressing six plates a side? C’mon, you know those guys were a tad irritated at what the editors included in the final cut. We needed a couple of real training sequences, like when Ed and Arnold were squatting—“Two more, Eddie. I want to see two more. No matter what.”

As a bodybuilder, I enjoyed Generation Iron because it showed the top guys to the world. We needed that. However, as a bodybuilding fan, I still prefer the motivation I get from Pumping Iron. That nostalgia never goes away.

For more about the Arnold Era from Ron Partlow, specifically how he trained, click here!