Bigger Stronger Faster* (2008)

BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER* begins with director/screenwriter Christopher Bell praising a trio of his childhood heroes: Hulk Hogan, Sylvester Stallone, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. His worship of these iconic he-men led to Bell's efforts in the weight room, but he was always eclipsed in athletics by his brothers: older brother Mike "Mad Dog" Bell excelled on the football field and later in pro wrestling, while younger brother Mark "Smelly" Bell reigned in powerlifting events. While Christopher Bell remained staunchly anti-steroid, his brothers grew larger, thanks to a variety of performance enhancers. With this docum...
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entary, Christopher Bell explores not only his own family's steroid use, but how the issue reflects on America as a whole and the country's desire to be the best.

For a subject that is so close to the director and his family, BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER* is remarkably balanced. Though Bell narrates his own film à la Michael Moore, this documentary manages to present both sides of the issue with clarity and passion. In addition to discussing steroids, BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER* is a fascinating chronicle of men's body-image issues, which usually take a back seat to those of women. It's an impressive debut, and film fans may be curious to see if Bell can create another documentary that may not be so personal.
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In the hopes of exploring American culture's increased obsession with winning, documentary filmmaker Christopher Bell examines the anabolic steroid use of his two brothers. After setting the stage with a look at the cultural backdrop of the 1980s -- in which hulky stars like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger were the ideal -- Bell illustrates how he and his brothers became involved in the bodybuilding subculture, eventually discovering the brutal truth that success in the lifestyle of pumping iron demanded the use of steroids.

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In America, we define ourselves in the superlative: we are the biggest, strongest, fastest country in the world. We reward speed, size and above all else: winning--at sport, at business and at war. Metaphorically, we are a nation on steroids. Is it any wonder that so many of our heroes are on performance enhancing drugs? "Bigger, Stronger, Faster" explores our win-at-all-cost culture through the lens of a personal journey. It is a collision of pop culture, animated sequences and first-person narrative, with a diverse cast including US Congressmen, professional athletes, medical experts and everyday gym rats. At i...
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ts heart, this is the story of director Christopher Bell and his two brothers, who grew up idolizing muscular giants like Hulk Hogan, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and who went on to become members of the steroid-subculture in an effort to realize their American dream. When you discover that your heroes have all broken the rules, do you follow the rules, or do you follow your heroes?
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Amerika is het land van de superlatieven. Amerika vindt zichzelf het grootste, het sterkste en het snelste land ter wereld. Is het een wonder dat zoveel Amerikaanse helden doping gebruiken? Regisseur Chris Bell gaat op zoek naar de oorsprong van de "wij zijn de beste" cultuur. Hij onderzoekt ook hoe en waarom zijn twee broers lid zijn geworden van een zogenaamde steroïde subcultuur.

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