Pump Up the Volume (1990)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Allan Moyle

Writer (WGA):

Allan Moyle (written by)

Release Date:

22 August 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

The Voice of a Generation.

Plot:

Mark runs a pirate radio station and causes an uproar when he speaks his mind and enthralls fellow teens.

Plot Keywords:

Radio | Authority | Teenager | Short Wave Radio | Principal

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Christian Slater	...	Mark Hunter (Hard Harry)
Annie Ross	...	Loretta Creswood
Andy Romano	...	Murdock
Scott Paulin	...	Brian Hunter
Mimi Kennedy	...	Marla Hunter
Anthony Lucero	...	Malcolm Kaiser
Billy Morrissette	...	Mazz Mazzilli
Robert Schenkkan	...	David Deaver
Cheryl Pollak	...	Paige Woodward
Ellen Greene	...	Jan Emerson
Samantha Mathis	...	Nora Diniro
Keith Stuart Thayer	...	Luis Chavez
Jeff Chamberlain	...	Mr. Woodward
Lala Sloatman	...	Janie
Holly Sampson	...	Cheryl Biggs

Also Known As:

Plein volume (Canada: French title)
Y a-t-il une vie après le lycée? (Canada: French title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:A

Filming Locations:

Saugus High School, Saugus, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Christian Slater became physically ill several times during filming due to all the cigarette smoking he had to do.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Mark is driving around in the jeep, his lips don't match what he's saying.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mark: Do you ever get the feeling that everything in America is completely fucked up?

Movie Connections:

References The Hidden (1987)

Soundtrack:

Scenario

movie magic

When "Pump Up The Volume" came out in 1990, I wanted to BE Christian Slater. Now that it's already been twelve years since it was released, I still can't believe how well it's held up. Aside from a couple of things that make it dated (I'm referring mainly to the opening credit sequence and the way some of the characters dress...mulletts WERE acceptable back then), the message remains the same and I think that's what has made this movie stand the test of time. Along with "Heathers", this is some of Christian Slater's best work ever. His performance alone is enough to reccommend this one, but that combined with the message, make it a cult classic. They don't make movies like this anymore.