Stay Hungry

George Butler's 1977 documentary Pumping Iron put future California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map, but this quirky 1976 comedy from director Bob Rafelson (Five Easy Pieces) showed that he could also do a bit of heavy lifting in the acting department. Stay Hungry also marked something of a coming-of-age film for Sally Field, who shattered her Gidget/Flying Nun image with her earthy performance opposite Jeff Bridges, who stars as Craig Blake, a feckless Alabama good ol' boy charged by some high-rolling developers with the task of evicting the tenants of the Olympic gym, which stands in the way of a lucrative real estate deal. But Craig falls under the influence of Schwarzenegger's Joe Santo, in training to be Mr. Universe, as well as his girlfriend Mary-Tate (Field), a turn of events that does not sit well with his partners, who employ some muscle of their own to take over the gym (a weight-strewn fight scene is one of the film's most memorable). Not for dumbbells (save for a ridiculous bodybuilders-in-the-streets finale), this endearing sleeper will pump up fans of the now A-list cast. DVD extras include an audio commentary featuring Rafelson, Field, and Bridges. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)[DVD Review—Jan. 27, 2015—Fox, 102 min., R, $24.99—Making its latest appearance on DVD as part of MGM's Limited Edition Collection's manufacture-on-demand line, 1976's Stay Hungry sports a nice transfer and a Dolby Digital mono soundtrack, but no extras. Bottom line: long out-of-print, Rafelson's ‘70s sleeper makes a welcome return on DVD.][Blu-ray/DVD Review—Nov. 14, 2017—Olive, 102 min., R, DVD: $24.95, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1976's Stay Hungry features a good transfer and DTS-HD mono audio on the Blu-ray release, but no extras. Bottom line: this ‘70s star-driven film makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]