Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career is filled with iconic roles that showcase his charisma, physicality, and screen presence. Whether he’s a relentless killing machine in The Terminator, a battle-hardened warrior in Conan the Barbarian, or even a fish-out-of-water dad in Kindergarten Cop, Schwarzenegger has proven time and again that he can dominate the screen. Unfortunately, 1979’s The Villain—an early misfire in his filmography—is one of those rare cases…
Before Arnold Schwarzenegger became one of the biggest action stars in the world, before he defined the genre with iconic roles in The Terminator (1984) and Predator (1987), there was Stay Hungry—a peculiar indie dramedy that feels like an odd footnote in his illustrious career. Directed by Bob Rafelson (Five Easy Pieces), Stay Hungry is a strange mix of offbeat comedy, Southern Gothic weirdness, and low-stakes…
Before Arnold Schwarzenegger became the face of blockbuster action cinema with The Terminator (1984) or flexed his comedic chops in Twins (1988), he was simply “Arnold the Bodybuilder.” And Pumping Iron—a half-documentary, half-drama chronicling the world of professional bodybuilding—captures Schwarzenegger on the cusp of superstardom. While the film doesn’t have the pulse-pounding action of Predator (1987) or the high-concept brilliance of Total Recall (1990), it’s a…
Every great star has to start somewhere. For Arnold Schwarzenegger, that “somewhere” is Hercules in New York, a film so gloriously bad that it has achieved a kind of infamous cult status. Released in 1970, this was Arnold’s first film role, back when he was still known as Arnold Strong (the producers didn’t think audiences could handle “Schwarzenegger”) and just beginning to transition from his Mr.
