Stay Hungry

Amazon.com

Quirky is the keyword here--but quirky in a highly entertaining way. Directed by Bob Rafelson, this film stars Jeff Bridges as a not-so-good ol' boy. Wealthy and aimless, he is involved in a real estate deal with a group of high-powered partners--and his only responsibility in the whole shebang is to evict the tenants of one building that needs to be torn down and has a gym filled with body builders. Disconnected from everything in his life, he feels a bond to these outsiders, particularly the surprisingly articulate, fiddle-playing Arnold Schwarzenegger (in one of his first film roles). He also finds himself attracted to the blue-collar gym employee played by Sally Field and so becomes an impediment to his own business partners. Oddly funny and affecting, a sleeper that never had much of a release. --Marshall Fine

Description

Jeff Bridges (Seabiscuit) is at his best (The Village Voice), Academy AwardÂ(r) winner* Sally Field (Forrest Gump) is a revelation (New York Post) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator) radiates assurance and appeal (The Wall Street Journal) in this inventive (Time) and upbeat film (Gene Siskel), for which he won a coveted 1977 Golden Globe.** Directed by Bob Rafelson (The Postman Always Rings Twice) from a screenplayby Charles Gaines and Rafelson, Stay Hungry is obviously the work of a master you'll have areal good time (CBS-TV)! When entrepreneur Craig Blake (Bridges) buys a small gym, he fully expects to demolish the place to make room for a high rise. Instead, he finds himself drawn into a world he never knew existed. From a perky gymnast (Field) who wears her heart on her leotard to a philosophizing Mr. Universe hopeful (Schwarzenegger), the freewheeling spirit of the gym touches Craig in a way he never expectedand plunges him into a hilarious off-the-wall plot to stop his high rise from ever rising! *Actress: Places in the Heart (1984); Norma Rae (1979) **Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture

Customer Reviews:

"I'm gonna ask you a buncha keshions, and I wanna have dem ansud immediately!".......2007-06-15

"Who is yor daddy, and what duz he do?"

This movie is basically the prequel to Kindergarten Cop, and should be considered the first installment of a great Schwarzenegger trilogy which also includes Jingle All the Way. These are essentially his top 3 films.

Maybe it was just me, but as I watched this movie, I couldn't help but constantly wonder just what in the f(@# the plot was. It's probably one of the most meandering movies in history; full of bizarre little scenes/performances, which honestly were the only things that made it interesting enough to finish.

I suppose one could also place it as a prequel to The Terminator as well. Or maybe in between T2: Judgment Day and T3: Rise of the Machines, sort of a bridging story that fills in some of the gaps and branches the two together quite nicely.

under rated film.......2007-02-24

Belive it or not arnold won a golden globe for this film. I shows him as well as several top bodybuilder from that era including Franco Columbu,and Ken Waller. See an early film with robert england "freddy Kruger" as arnold grease man LOL

Stay Hungry.......2006-08-04

I've been a fan of Arnold's for a long long time and enjoyed following his career as a bodybuilder and actor.

I recently re-read his autobiography "Education Of A Bodybuilder" which is a great look into the life of this interesting and dedicated individual. The movie "Stay Hungry" was mentioned so I figured I'd try to see if I could check it out. Fortunately my library had a copy so I gave it a shot.

My wife and I just finished watching it and all I could say was "That's an hour and forty minutes of my life I'll never get back".

It had a great cast and the basic idea of the story wasn't bad. It's about a rich heir from an old southern family who is involved with a bunch of seedy businessman who are trying to buy out some land to build a high rise. The last place that needs to be bought is a building w/ a "fitness spa" in it. The fellow (Jeff Bridges) who is trying to get the building ends up getting friendly with a bunch of the folks there, including falling in love w/ a quirky woman (Sally Field) and so he decides not to pursue the business deal much to the consternation (to put it nicely) of his business associates. Not a bad storyline but it really is done in a way that I found disjointed and silly to the point of almost insulting (I was insulted by the fact that I wasted my time). Perhaps it was a relevant approach during the era it was filmed (for example the old Peter Seller's Pink Panther movies don't stand up for me though were funny back when they were made, though other movies, such as Monty Python's "Holy Grail" is still as good today as it was back then, perhaps even better!).

I guess for fans of Arnolds (and Sally Field and Jeff Bridges) there is a nostalgic element that they might find attractive (which is why I gave it two rather than one star) but for me it was really not worth the time.

Obviously I'm one of a few people reviewing this who didn't like it so perhaps you should check it out and judge for yourself, I just wanted to share my impressions.

I've written many reviews here and this is only one of a small handful of negative reviews I've given but I felt compelled to share my thoughts on it.

On the flip side, if you are interested in early Arnold, check out "Pumping Iron" the 25 anniversary DVD, it's totally amazing and includes a 45 or so minute documentary on the making of "Pumping Iron" w/ lots of previously unreleased footage. Now THAT was a joy to watch and I'm surely watch that many many more times for years to come!

Before They Were Stars (or Govenor).......2005-12-28

Stay Hungry is a film about the new south trying to preserve the old south. This was the turning point for all of the stars.

The film takes place in Birmingham, Alabama. The Blake's have been part of Birmingham society forever. Craig (Jeff Bridges) recently lost his parents and are at odds with himself. He has fallen in with some shady real estate developers. Craig has been given the assignment to buy the last piece of property for a development. This building is a gym.

The gym contains an assortment of characters. The receptionist is Mary Kate Farnsworth (Sally Field), Joe Santo (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a former Mr. Austria training for the Mr. Universe Competition,

Joe and Mary Kate take his Craig and his friend society Dorothy to the lake. The lake is where Joe and Mary Kate go to relax. This is the beginning of the relationship between Craig and Mary Kate.

Craig gets further drawn into their culture when Joe takes him to meet some of his fiddling friends. This is a great scene with people who play music just for enjoyment.

Things start to go wrong for Craig when Craig's business partners trash the gym. Then Joe brings Mary Kate and Joe to a country club event. When Joe took Craig to his friends, the accept him for who he is but the country club set want Joe and Mary Kate to know they just guests.

The day of the Mr. Universe contest arrives. Troy and Vernon have been set up with hookers and Vernon and the hookers steal the prize money. When the contestants suspect something is wrong, a crazy chase through the streets happen. A lot of this is impromptu with the citizens of the city as observers.

In the end, Craig and Mary Tate find each other.

At the time of this film Sally Field was still in transition. Norma Rae was still three years away and Sybil had not aired yet. This was an early chance to see her potential. She shines as the little hill girl who escaped to the big city.

Jeff Bridges had some early success with films like The Last Picture Show. But he never became a star in his own right. Stay Hungry would be one of many great performances that he did not capitalize on.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was the world's most renowned body builder but his first two films were disastrous quickies designed to capitalize on his name. This was his first quality film. Arnold knew that he over his head with this part, so he played it as close to himself as possible. And that paid off for Arnold winning the Golden Globe and critics awards.

The cast featured numerous actors that made their name in the 80's and 90's, mostly on television. Robert Gilliland (Designing Women) played Craig's business partner. Ed Begley, jr. (St. Elsewhere / Arrested Development) played a country club friend. Fannie Flagg (The New Dick Van Dyke Show / Match Game) as a country club matron. Joanna Cassidy (Who Framed Roger Rabbit / Six Feet Under) is a society dilettante. Roger Mosley (Magnum PI) and Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street) are two guys who work at the gym. Scatman Crothers as Craig's houseman.

DVD EXTRAS :

Commentary by Bob Rafelson, Jeff Bridges and Sally Field

Video Introduction by Rafelson - 5 minute introduction where director Rafelson explains the origins of the film.

Deceptive Marketing of Film.......2005-02-06

If you were to take the packaging of "Stay Hungry" at face value you would think that the film is primarily a body-building film and that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the film's star. Nothing could be further from the truth. The film's main focus is about a recently orphaned rich kid(Jeff Bridges)from Birmingham,Alabama who along with his business partners is trying to buy a gym so they can tear it down and build apartments. These plans fall along the wayside when he falls for the gym's cute gymnast(Sally Field) and developes a friendship with the champion bodybuider(Schwarzenegger).This film takes a while to warm to because of it's unique rhythms. Bridges' character isn't an easy one to warm to because he seems a little self-absorbed and impulsive. That said, credit director Bob Rafelson for taking difficult material and making it interesting. As for Arnold's performance, he's very charismatic and has little trouble tackling the dramatic elements required of him. It's a wonder he didn't attempt more challenging roles in his career as opposed to the action parts that he churned out. Plus, he plays a mean fiddle.

Average customer rating:

"I'm gonna ask you a buncha keshions, and I wanna have dem ansud immediately!"
under rated film
Stay Hungry
Before They Were Stars (or Govenor)
Deceptive Marketing of Film

Stay Hungry
Starring: Jeff Bridges , Sally Field , Arnold Schwarzenegger , R.G. Armstrong , and Robert Englund
Director: Bob Rafelson
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

Bridges, Jeff | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Carson, John David | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Cassidy, Joanna | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Crothers, Scatman | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Englund, Robert | ( E ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Field, Sally | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Fimple, Dennis | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Flagg, Fannie | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Gilliland, Richard | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Goodrow, Garry | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Kallianiotes, Helena | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Schwarzenegger, Arnold | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Spinell, Joe | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | VHS | Video

Sports | Comedy | Genres | VHS | Video

General | Drama | Genres | VHS | Video

Rafelson, Bob | ( R ) | Directors | VHS | Video

Comedy | Today's Deals in Video | Features | VHS | Video

Deals Under $8 | Today's Deals in Video | Features | VHS | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: 6304411464
Release Date: 1997-06-19