Pump up the Volume

Starring:Anthony Lucero, Andy Romano, Keith Stuart Thayer, Cheryl Pollak, Jeff Chamberlain, Billy Morrissette, Samantha Mathis, Lala Sloatman, Holly Sampson, Annie Ross, Christian Slater, Annie Rusoff, Jonathan Mazer, Alexander Enberg, Ahmet Zappa, Seth Green, Mimi Kennedy, Scott Paulin, Ellen Greene, Robert Gavin
Director: Allan Moyle
Studio: New Line Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

In the suburban hinterlands of Arizona, pirate-radio DJ Hard Harry wages a one-man war against boredom from his bedroom transmitter by night. In between great Lenny Bruce-style stream-of-consciousness rants, Harry attacks the airwaves with the likes of the Descendents, Bad Brains, and Concrete Blonde, as well as occasionally kickin' it old school with some early hip-hop. By day, though, Hard Harry is Mark Hunter, a painfully shy new kid who's anonymous to the point of being invisible at Hubert Humphrey High School. Completely misunderstood by his '60s-era parents, Mark is desperate to keep his radio alter ego separate from his day-to-day persona, especially as his radio shows draw more attention from the authorities. Fellow misfit Nora (Samantha Mathis, in her first feature role) eventually discovers Hard Harry's true identity, much to Mark's chagrin, and the two of them become torchbearers against the stifling status quo of the town as they dodge the police, the school administration, and the FCC. There are familiar high school authority archetypes (the assistant principal with clip-on tie, lemon-yellow K-Mart short-sleeved dress shirt, military flattop, and bulky key ring) and a rather strained subplot of a corrupt school administration. Mainly, though, this is a rousing teen call-to-arms that showcases Slater's talents as he developed the cynical, sarcastic neo-Jack Nicholson delivery that would become his trademark. He's at his best during his radio monologues (making them truly seem ad-libbed), and his influences become clear as he checks out a copy of How to Talk Dirty and Influence People from the library. --Jerry Renshaw

Description

A shy teen turns on the high school crowd when he broadcasts outrageous nightly monologues on a pirate radio station. Starring Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis.

Customer Reviews:

I love this movie........2006-10-06

This movie came out when I was twelve and I have been in love with it ever since. It brought me, a rural farm kid, the magic of Leonard Cohen, Concrete Blond, Was (Not Was),The Beastie Boys, and all of the other wonderful musicians who grace this film. It also brought me Christian Slater in a role that I would later relate to in a big way as a teen. In short, for reasons all sentimental, I love this film. It may not have cohesiveness in the same way "Heathers" does but it has heart and that is something that teen movies seem to lack these days. So watch this flick and be grateful that you are no longer in high school. I know I do.

One of the best teen dramas of all time.......2006-07-19

This is a classical anti enstablishment movie with teens bringing down the man. It is a classic Christian Slater movie. Love it!

Like Two Different Films Inside the Same Feature.......2006-02-08

Probably the weakest of Allan Moyle's films, "Pump Up the Volume" lacks unity at a very basic level. What starts out as an irreverent teen comedy, with some serious social undertones, morphs during its final 20 minutes into something self-conscious and simplistic. Characters who had been shades and gray suddenly become black and white expressionistic (i.e. not realistic) caricatures without adequate explanation for the transformation. So "Pump Up the Volume" is really two very different short films within the same feature.

But while this disconnect is a fatal flaw it is also the biggest reason for studying this film. Your first impulse is to assume that Moyle, who was both writer and director, had to tack on the lame ending when he got well past the midway point and discovered he had nowhere to go with the story. But upon reflection it seems more likely that the tone of the final 20 minutes was what Moyle wanted for the entire film, that he was forced to concoct a lighter slant on the situation for commercial reasons. Taking that speculation still further, Moyle hoped to unify the two segments by making the first part less upbeat and the second part less downbeat, which only managed to hurt both parts without providing the unity he needed.

Had Moyle been able to actually make the expressionistic version he wanted it might have been a real treasure. Had he stayed with a relatively light-hearted escapist teen movie it would have been quite entertaining. Unfortunately the compromise is neither treasure nor especially good entertainment.

Which is not to say that "Pump Up the Volume" is totally unwatchable. Moyle gets an electrifying performance from Christian Slater (arguably his best ever) and a young Samantha Mathis is perfect as his semi-goth love interest. The first part of the film is entertaining and the second part does make make a powerful statement.

Mark (Christian Slater) is a new kid at an Arizona high school. He has no friends and rarely interacts with anyone at school. But at night Mark rules to air-waves with his pirate radio station which soon turns his radio character into a local cult hero. The high school is a teenage version of Stepford and Mark's radio program begins to agitate the students who in turn assert their individuality, abet collectively.

Moyle's film is honest in that it does not provide easy answers so much as offering challenges to his target audience. Like all of Moyle's teen characters, the students remind the viewer of just how awkward and rotten the young adult phase can be. They connect with the audience even as his adults are missing the mark by a wide margin. It was not until "New Waterford Girl" that Moyle began to consistently get his adult characters right.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

SUPER TEEN.......2005-10-10

Having been a teenager once, I can certainly understand the inner turmoil and angst teens experience. However, in PUMP UP THE VOLUME, the movie's attempt to martyrize teens and make all adults look like uncaring morons only serves to underscore why so many adults look with disdain on teens. The teens in this movie seem to have little respect for authority and their assignation as to being tortured and misunderstood is vanquished in their juvenile behavior. Even our hero (well played by Christian Slater) cannot communicate with people on a one to one level; he instead decides to become some kind of salvation to his teens by using his pirated radio shows to cause some kind of uprising among them. As a proponent of truth, he is a vapid antithesis of truth: he fakes masturbation to arouse the youths; he doesn't use his real name or voice; and on a call with a potential suicide victim, he treats the caller as someone who isn't serious and never really offers any kind of consolation. The suicidal teen says he is lonely and we automatically assume he is lonely within his familial structure, but isn't he just as lonely with the peers who mourn him after his demise? The adults are played almost as caricatures and the teens as misunderstood heroes. Sorry, folks, been there done that...living at any age requires a commitment to better yourself and do what you feel is right. Questioning authority without any viable alternatives, as none of these teens do, merely escalates the generational gap, and movies like this are merely attempts to exploit the so called misunderstanding of youth.

Another great Slater Film.......2005-10-07

Having seen parts of this film over a span of the last decade or so, without fully seeing all of it, I noticed this DVD on sale at a huge retailer.. (Rhymes with Ball-Mart), for only $4.88, I couldn't resist picking it up to see it all finally.

Was it worth it? Yes. I am a straight married guy, and a huge fan of Christan Slater. I have seen damn near every movie with him in it, and Pump was another classic. Did I love everything about this movie? No. It definately reeks of late 80's references and inuendo. I.E. "Bill and Ted" Clones. The story was very well done, however, it contains 2 major flaws.

(1) I am a cop, and I know for a fact the Federal Government, would not send the FCC after a lone pirate station who is not screaming for the downfall of government. But is ranting about the local high school administration.

(2) I didn't like the ending. I won't spoil it for you, but just say it could have been better.

Overall it was a 4 out of 5. Not bad for a film from 1990.

Average customer rating:

Bed of Roses/Pump up the Volume
Starring: New Line Double Feature
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Frequency (New Line Platinum Series)
Blast From the Past
What a Girl Wants (Widescreen Edition)
The Fugitive
Now and Then

ASIN: B0009UZFZQ
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Average customer rating:

WOW! WAHT A GREAT MOVIE!!

Pump Up The Volume
Starring: Christian Slater
Manufacturer: Turner Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000GAKO3W
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Customer Reviews:

WOW! WAHT A GREAT MOVIE!!.......2007-01-09

never thought a teenager movie could be this great and fun! the growing pain and the loneliness of the teenagers are fantastically portrayed. the sound track simply too cool and too appropriate. christian slater and all those supporting youngsters all did an amazing job for this movie. i wish you could find this one and enjoy it like i've experienced. one of the best movies ever watched.

Tony Little's Ignite the Circuit Volume 2 Medium Intensity

Average customer rating:

Nice, quick workout

Tony Little's Ignite the Circuit Volume 2 Medium Intensity

Manufacturer: Good Times DVD
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

Body Express: Hips, Buns and Thigh Solution
Body Express: Body Shaping Series
Tony Little's Body Express - AB Reduction
Tony Little's Body Express: Total Body - Weight Loss

ASIN: B000CE8DQW

Product Description

One-on-one, total-body-sculpting & calorie burning program; non-impact progressive resistive exercise; work at your own fitness level

Customer Reviews:

Nice, quick workout.......2006-04-28

Ignore the Frank up there. I am a woman talking here.
I have a pretty draconian exercise regime and was wanting to add circuit training to it. This is a good workout for when you have little time (it takes about 1/2 hour). Tony is very personable and motivating.
The problem was that it became TOO easy after about 3 weeks. I went from beginner to advanced in about two weeks and from 5lb dumbells to 10lbs dumbells. He hints at a third level DVD, but I haven't been able to find it.
I recommend doing this on alternate days and doing something like "The Firm" (Which is killer hard) on other days.

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