Generation Iron | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Vlad Yudin |
Produced by | Vlad Yudin Edwin Mejia Jr. |
Starring | |
Narrated by | Mickey Rourke |
Cinematography | Colin Morvan Guy Livneh |
Edited by | Justin Timms |
Music by | Jeff Rona |
Distributed by | The Vladar Company |
Release dates |
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Running time | 106 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $849,523 [1] |
Generation Iron is a 2013 American documentary film which follows the world's leading professional bodybuilders as they train and compete for the 2012 Mr. Olympia. Considered to be a spiritual sequel to the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron , the film gives access to the lives of the top seven bodybuilders in the sport, including Phil Heath, Kai Greene, Branch Warren, and Dennis Wolf. The film is narrated by Mickey Rourke, and features appearances by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, and Jay Cutler.
The film is directed by Vlad Yudin and produced by Edwin Mejia Jr. at The Vladar Company and Generation Iron Brands.
Generation Iron chronicles seven top bodybuilders as they train to compete in the 2012 Mr. Olympia.
Generation Iron was released in 53 cinemas across the U.S. on September 20, 2013. [2] The film expanded to reach over 100 cinemas in various areas of the country. The release of the film coincided with the 2013 Mr. Olympia, held at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas on September 28, 2013. [3]
On October 7, 2013, Generation Iron opened for a one-night-only event in 21 locations across Canada.
The film had its European premiere at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival on November 10, 2013. The sold-out screening was held at the 650 seat Bremen Teater. [4] The next day, it was announced that Generation Iron had secured distribution deals for Australia, Brazil, Germany, and New Zealand, with deals soon to be finalized with China, Finland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. [5]
Generation Iron opened on September 20, 2013, with an opening weekend box office total of $245,000, making it the biggest documentary opening of 2013. [6] It held its position as the No. 1 documentary in the U.S. at the box office for three consecutive weeks after its release. [7] Its domestic total as of January 3, 2014 was $849,521. [8]
Generation Iron opened to positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 80% approval rating based on reviews from 15 critics. [9]
Ernest Hardy of The Village Voice gave the film a perfect score [10] and called it "a gorgeous meditation on age-old existential concerns". [11] The Los Angeles Times called Generation Iron "an intimate portrait of bodybuilders" and praised the film as being "compelling and energetic". [12] Louis Black of The Austin Chronicle stated that the film is "really a triumph of intelligent, strategic filmmaking". [13] Philip Martin, president of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, stated in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that Generation Iron is not just a film for bodybuilding fans and that "like all good stories, this movie about bodybuilding is really about much more". [14]
Generation Iron also received some mixed reviews. Nicole Herrington of The New York Times gave the film 2.5 stars and wrote, "For a documentary about extreme discipline, the filmmakers lack restraint: the movie, about 20 minutes too long, undercuts much of its own momentum." [15] Nick Schager of The Dissolve expressed disdain for how the film "goes into absolutely no detail regarding the specifics of how [the bodybuilders] design their diets or their workout regimens". [16] Film critic Tim Falkenberg of MXDWN praised the film for the same reasons, stating that "much in the way Ron Howard's Rush , released earlier this year, was about the competitors, not understanding Formula 1 competition, the documentary Generation Iron largely eschews educating its audience on the intricacies of its subject matter in favor of focusing on the competitors themselves". [17]
Awards | ||||
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Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result | |
Buffalo Niagara Film Festival [18] | Audience Award | Vlad Yudin, Edwin Mejia Jr. | Won | |
Nevada International Film Festival [19] | Platinum Reel Award | Vlad Yudin, Edwin Mejia Jr. | Won | |
Rincon International Film Festival [20] | Best Documentary Film | Vlad Yudin, Edwin Mejia Jr. | Won | |
Accolade Competition [21] | Award of Excellence (Best Feature Documentary) | Vlad Yudin, Edwin Mejia Jr. | Won | |
Award of Merit (Best Voice-Over Talent) | Mickey Rourke | Won | ||
Flex Magazine [22] | Steve Stone Vanguard Award | Vlad Yudin | Won | |
Synchrotones Awards [23] | Best Individual Cue | Jeff Rona, "Stress Relief" | Won | |
Copenhagen International Documentary Festival [24] | Audience Award | Vlad Yudin, Edwin Mejia Jr. | Nominated | |
The Vladar Company released an extended director's cut on Blu-ray and DVD exclusively for sale on their website on April 4, 2014. [29] Starz Inc. released the theatrical version of Generation Iron digitally on iTunes on April 4, 2014 [30] and VOD/Amazon on April 15, 2014. Anchor Bay Entertainment released the theatrical version of Generation Iron on DVD on May 13, 2014. [31]
Jeff Rona composed the original score for Generation Iron. A soundtrack album was released on Milan Records. [32]
Additional songs featured in the film include:
Bodybuilding is the practice of progressive resistance exercise to build, control, and develop one's muscles via hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. It is primarily undertaken for aesthetic purposes over functional ones, distinguishing it from similar activities such as powerlifting and calisthenics.
Louis Jude Ferrigno Sr. is an American actor and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles; and appeared in the documentary film Pumping Iron (1977). As an actor, he is best known for his title role in the CBS television series The Incredible Hulk (1978–1982) and vocally reprising the role in subsequent animated and computer-generated incarnations. He has also appeared in European-produced fantasy-adventures such as Hercules (1983) and Sinbad of the Seven Seas (1989), and as himself in the sitcom The King of Queens and the 2009 comedy I Love You, Man.
Pumping Iron is a 1977 American docudrama about the world of professional bodybuilding, with a focus on the 1975 IFBB Mr. Universe and 1975 Mr. Olympia competitions. Directed by George Butler and Robert Fiore and edited by Geof Bartz and Larry Silk, it is inspired by the 1974 book of the same name by photographer Butler and writer Charles Gaines and nominally centers on the competition between Arnold Schwarzenegger and one of his primary competitors for the title of Mr. Olympia, Lou Ferrigno. The film also features segments on bodybuilders Franco Columbu and Mike Katz, in addition to appearances by Ken Waller, Ed Corney, Serge Nubret, and other famous bodybuilders of the era.
Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest in the open division at Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend—an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually and is sanctioned by the IFBB Professional League. Joe Weider created the contest to enable the amateur Mr. Universe winners to continue competing and to earn money. The first Mr. Olympia was held on September 18, 1965, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City, with Larry Scott winning his first of two straight titles. The equivalent female title is Ms. Olympia.
Dorian Andrew Mientjez Yates is an English retired professional bodybuilder. He won the Mr. Olympia title six consecutive times from 1992 to 1997 and has the fifth-highest number of Mr. Olympia wins in history, ranking behind Ronnie Coleman (8), Lee Haney (8), Arnold Schwarzenegger (7), and Phil Heath (7). He is widely considered to be one of the top pro bodybuilders in history, and was well known for his high intensity training, top-level conditioning, and his wide, thick back.
Larry Dee Scott, nicknamed "The Legend" and "The Golden Boy," was an American IFBB professional bodybuilder. He won the inaugural 1965 Mr. Olympia competition and defended the crown at the 1966 Mr. Olympia contest before retiring.
William Arnold Pearl was an American professional bodybuilder and athlete. During the 1950s and 60s, he won many titles and awards, including winning the Mr. Universe contest five times, and was named "World's Best-Built Man of the Century". He later became an expert trainer and author on bodybuilding.
Iris Floyd Kyle is an African-Indian American professional female bodybuilder. She is currently the most successful, female or male, professional bodybuilder ever. She has a total of twenty professional bodybuilding titles, with ten overall and two heavyweight Ms. Olympia titles and seven overall and one heavyweight Ms. International titles.
Pumping Iron II: The Women is a 1985 documentary film directed by George Butler about female bodybuilding. The film follows four women as they prepare for and compete in a bodybuilding competition. It is a follow-up to Butler's 1977 documentary Pumping Iron, which centered on a male bodybuilding competition, and notably introduced Arnold Schwarzenegger to a wide audience.
Serge Nubret was a French professional bodybuilder, actor and self-published author. He won numerous bodybuilding competitions, including 1976 NABBA Mr. Universe (1976). Nubret was nicknamed "The Black Panther."
Robby Robinson is an American former professional bodybuilder. Known early in his career as Robin Robinson, he is also known as The Black Prince and Mr Lifestyle. He won various competitions including Mr America, IFBB Mr. World, Mr Universe, Masters Olympia, and other titles of the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (IFBB), and appeared in several films over a 27-year career as a professional bodybuilder, retiring from competition in 2001 at the age of 55.
Michael Katz is a former American IFBB professional bodybuilder and former professional football player with the New York Jets, most famous for his appearance with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1977 bodybuilding documentary film Pumping Iron. He was paid $1,000 to sign a release for appearing in the film.
Dexter "The Blade" Jackson is an American retired IFBB Pro League professional bodybuilder and the 2008 Mr. Olympia bodybuilding and 2012 Masters Mr. Olympia champion. With 29 wins, Jackson has the most professional men's bodybuilding titles. He has the distinction of winning the Arnold Classic a record five times. After winning the Arnold Classic in 2015, he placed second in the 2015 Mr. Olympia. He is from Jacksonville, Florida. He retired from professional bodybuilding following the 2020 Mr. Olympia.
Edward Charles Corney was an American professional bodybuilder. He won many prizes in his 30s, including Mr. Universe in 1972, and was featured in the 1977 bodybuilding docudrama Pumping Iron. Known for his excellent posing routines, he continued competitive bodybuilding into his 60s, winning the 60+ division of the Masters Olympia twice. Corney was inducted in the International Federation of BodyBuilding Hall of Fame in 2004.
Kenny Waller is an American former bodybuilder featured in the 1977 movie Pumping Iron, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. Waller also won the 1975 International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) Mr. Universe contest in Pretoria, South Africa. He was known for his curly red hair, freckles and his graceful, confident posing style.
Leslie Kai Greene is an American professional bodybuilder, actor, and artist. He came second in the 2012, 2013, and 2014 editions of the IFBB's Mr. Olympia competition and has not competed in it since, as well as not competing at all since winning the 2016 Arnold Classic, though he never formally announced his retirement. He is often regarded as the best bodybuilder to have never won Mr. Olympia.
Tony Pearson is an American bodybuilding champion. His bodybuilding championships include individual and couples competitions.
The Vladar Company is a film production and distribution company, led by Vlad Yudin and Edwin Mejia. Founded in 2008, the company has focused on content creation to cater to market's growing need for multi-cultural and inspirational entertainment content across multiple platforms. The company focuses on developing, financing and packaging films with its producing partners at leading Hollywood and International production studios.
Generation Iron 2 is a 2017 documentary film and sequel to Generation Iron. The film follows the next generation of bodybuilders as the industry opens up to viral internet stars as well as younger bodybuilders pushing the limits of how massive the human physique can become. The film features Kai Greene, Calum Von Moger, Rich Piana, and Flex Wheeler, among other athletes.
Egberton Rulove "Roelly" Etienne-Winklaar is a Curaçaoan/ Dutch IFBB professional bodybuilder. Winklaar is generally considered to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of the modern era, displaying a rare combination of massive size and excellent conditioning.