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Pain & Gain: The Best Bodybuilding Movies

The release by Paramount Pictures of the first poster for Pain & Gain, Michael Bay's action-black comedy movie about a pair of real-life meathead bodybuilders — played by Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson — who get involved in an extortion ring and kidnapping plot got us to thinking about how out of style juiced-up bodybuilders are (except for the "gorillas" on MTV's Jersey Shore) these days. There was a time when overly tan and freakishly huge was the ideal form to emulate, but now the look and practice of bodybuilding has become more niche. We decided to put down the super food smoothie and pick up a glass of raw eggs and take a look back at the best bodybuilding movies.

Pumping Iron

The seminal movie about bodybuilding and bodybuilding competitions, this 1977 docudrama was shot in 1975 and chronicles the habits and workout regimens of several bodybuilders preparing for the Mr. Universe amateur competition and Mr. Olympia professional competition in Pretoria, South Africa. The movie is most notable for the brutal battle of mental warfare and intimidation perpetrated by then five-time Mr. Olympia and future action hero and "Governator," Arnold Schwarzenegger, against future Hulk, Lou Ferrigno.

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Bigger, Stronger, Faster

Filmmaker Christopher Bell's 2008 documentary about the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs by bodybuilders and other athletes was acclaimed for its thorough examination of the topic and its search for the truth. Bell's informative interviews included Olympic sprinters Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson, and his own brothers, who took steroids in an effort to achieve the physiques of action heroes like Sylvester Stallone and Hulk Hogan.

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Stand Tall

This inspiring 1996 documentary by filmmaker Mark Nalley chronicles Lou Ferrigno's attempts to return to bodybuilding after twenty years spent pursuing his acting career. A quasi-sequel to Pumping Iron, Stand Tall even includes a cameo appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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