Bad Movie Club: Over the Top & Live Arm Wrestling

When it comes to kitsch, muscles and tears all at once, Over the Top (1987) is hard to beat. Sylvester Stallone stars as truck driver Lincoln Hawk, trying to reconnect with his son – and prove himself in a world where everything is decided with one hand on the table and the other locked in battle.

The film is an irresistible mix of family drama, sweaty 80s tracks and a finale that peaks in Las Vegas’ most overblown arm-wrestling showdown.

And the action doesn’t end when the credits roll: right after the film, the arm-wrestling moves off the screen and into the room with a live contest in full “winner-takes-it-all” style.

An evening for anyone who loves their cult films with extra neon, pathos and over-the-top testosterone.