Chris Bell went into the making of “Bigger, Stronger, Faster"with eyes wide open.
“Now my goal is to open other people’s eyes with what’s going on-- people on every side of this issue,” Bell said.
The issue is steroid use in society, and “Bigger, Stronger,Faster” is Bell’s documentary concerning the subject. Thedocumentary alternates between Bell’s personal involvement withsteroids, as an observer of his two brothers’ ongoing use and as aone-time former user himself, and as an observer of theinternational controversy concerning performance-enhancingdrugs.
“There are different sides, it’s not all black and white forpeople,” Bell said in a telephone interview. “You will find peoplewho say steroid use is absolutely their only chance for survival inthe world, and of course others who turn away from steroids at allcosts. The goal was to hear from everybody.”
“Bigger, Stronger, Faster” is a film that happened unexpectedly.After an impressive high school wrestling career in upstate NewYork, Bell became a body builder, after growing up worshipingathletes such as Ben Johnson and actors such as ArnoldSchwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. His real interest was infilm, though, and after directing a fictional short film that wonawards, Bell was recommended to the prestigious University ofSouthern California film school by none other than Francis FordCoppola.
After graduating from USC, Bell looked for work as a filmmaker,but was making a living selling memberships at a health club whenan old friend showed up and suggested the two make a documentary onsteroids. The timing was good, with the Barry Bonds controversy infull swing.
“I had known about steroids since I was 15, so the idea madesense,” Bell said. “They were always around in the small world Ilived in. But now everybody was talking about steroids. It was amainstream topic. The challenge became how to make it personal andinvolving and also address the issue from a bigger political andmedical perspective.”
The producers of the hot-button documentaries “Bowling forColumbine” and “Fahrenheit 9/11" became involved, and now Bell andhis crew had resources. The result is a film weaving Bell’spersonal stories and interviews with top medical experts.
“With a documentary, you don’t control the story, it controlsyou,” he said. “It can be intimidating. I worshiped Carl Lewis, sowhen I go into an interview with him knowing I need to ask him sometough questions, it isn’t easy.”
Bell says “Bigger, Stronger, Faster” can be a small part of alarger solution, but only if the public and politicians develop aneven better understanding of what motivates athletes to takesteroids.
“We all need to be on the same page,” Bell said. “With steroids,we can’t be a country of in-between. Are we going to say steroidsare bad, then not do everything possible to get rid of them? Thenwhat’s the point? Are steroids terrible, or just another tool forsuccess for some people? How do we fight steroids without lookinghypocritical? These are all difficult issues.”