Pump Up the Volume (1990) – Nostalgia Central

“Do you ever get the feeling that everything in America is completely fucked up?”

Released in 1990, Pump Up the Volume is the unsung sibling film to director Allan Moyle’s revered cult classic Empire Records (1995) and echoes themes he first visited in Times Square (1980).

The film stars 90s ultra-hunk Christian Slater as Mark Hunter, a socially awkward and extremely bright high school student who “can’t talk” to the people he wants to in his real life, so he takes to the airwaves with a pirate radio station as ‘Happy Harry Hard-On’, a filthy but eloquent voice sounding out the injustices and difficulties of teenage-dom.

A shy A-student at Hubert H. Humphrey High (he has just moved to Phoenix, Arizona, from the East Coast) by day and rabble-rouser by night, Mark fills the airwaves with his rants against injustice, earnest attempts to counsel his listeners, and occasional simulated masturbation (he is a teenage boy after all).

What starts out as a way for Mark (the son of a local high school commissioner) to vent his frustrations and communicate with the world ends up sparking rebellion in his fellow students and inspiring them to change their lives.

Between tackling heavy subject matter like homosexuality, suicide and educational rights, the film occasionally veers into teenage melodrama, but never drowns in its own angst thanks to Moyle’s heartfelt script and ace performances from its young cast.

Slater carries the film, balancing the wavering tones of comedy, heavy material, and Mark/Harry’s conflicting personas with ease.

Samantha Mathis is radiant as Nora, a clever and talented young woman who seeks out Hard Harry’s true identity and finds her match in Mark.

Though the romantic subplot is one of the film’s weaker elements – and there’s a really bizarre amount of lip-licking before every kiss – the two share a lovely chemistry (unsurprisingly, as Slater and Mathis were in the midst of a year-long relationship while filming this movie).

The terrific soundtrack features Leonard Cohen, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, the Beastie Boys, Stan Ridgway, The Pixies, Was Not Was and Ice T.

“This is Hard Harry reminding you to eat your cereal with a fork and do your homework in the dark.”

Malcolm Kaiser
Anthony Lucero
Murdock
Andy Romano
Luis Chavez
Keith Stuart Thayer
Paige
Cheryl Pollak
Mr Woodward
Jeff Chamberlain
Mazz Mazzilli
Billy Morrissette
Nora Diniro
Samantha Mathis
Janie
Lala Sloatman
Cheryl Biggs
Holly Sampson
Loretta Creswood
Annie Ross
Mark Hunter
Christian Slater
Annie
Annie Rusoff
Jonathan
Jonathan Mazer
Alex
Alexander Enberg
Jamie
Ahmet Zappa
Joey
Seth Green
Marla Hunter
Mimi Kennedy
Brian Hunter
Scott Paulin
Jan Emerson
Ellen Greene
Doug
Robert Gavin
Donald
Dan Eisenstein
Eric
Mark Ballou
Cory
Daryl Sebert
Moore
Gregg Daniel
Stern
Marc Siegler
David Deaver
Robert Schenkkan
Alissa
Ariana Mohit
Mrs Kaiser
Jill Jaress
Chip
Nolan Hemmings
Holden Chu
Justin Hessling
Gordon
Jay Lambert
Shep Sheppard
Clayton Landey
Detective Denny
Robert Harvey
Chris
Matt McGrath
Matt
Chris Jacobs
Linda
Virginia Keehne
Harry Video
Steve Archer
Marshall
Nigel Gibbs
Jack
David Glasser
Arthur Watts
James Hampton
Carlos Chavez
John Pinero
Mick
Kenny McMurphy
Gil
Ed Trotta

Director
Allan Moyle