Pump Up the Volume (1990)

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

Director:

Allan Moyle

Writer:

Allan Moyle

Stars:

Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Anthony Lucero

3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Lucero	...	Malcolm Kaiser
Andy Romano	...	Murdock
Keith Stuart Thayer	...	Luis Chavez
Cheryl Pollak	...	Paige
Jeff Chamberlain	...	Mr. Woodward
Billy Morrissette	...	Mazz Mazzilli
Samantha Mathis	...	Nora Diniro
Lala Sloatman	...	Janie
Holly Sampson	...	Cheryl Biggs
Annie Ross	...	Loretta Creswood
Christian Slater	...	Mark Hunter
Annie Rusoff	...	Annie
Jonathan Mazer	...	Jonathan
Alexander Enberg	...	Alex (as Alex Enberg)
Ahmet Zappa	...	Jamie

Storyline

Mark is an intelligent but shy teenager who has just moved to Arizona from the East Coast. His parents give him a short-wave radio so he can talk to his pals, but instead he sets up shop as pirate deejay Hard Harry, who becomes a hero to his peers while inspiring the wrath of the local high school principal. When one of Harry's listeners commits suicide, inspired chaos breaks out at the school and the authorities are called in to put a stop to Harry's broadcasts.

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Plot Keywords:

radio | pirate radio | radio host | four word title | f word | 

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Taglines:

Steal the Air.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

First of three collaborations of actress Samantha Mathis and actor Christian Slater. The pair later went to to star in two other film projects together: Broken Arrow (1996) and FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992).

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Goofs

In the opening speech Happy Harry says "we're on 92 FM". Later, Mark says that "his father gave him this shortwave radio to communicate with his friends in the East". Shortwave equipment can not transmit at "92 FM" (92 MHz), since shortwave radios transmit from 1.6 to 30 MHz.

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Quotes

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

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Connections

Referenced in Veronica Mars: Ahoy Mateys (2005)

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Soundtracks

Love Comes in Spurts
Written by Richard Hell
Performed by Richard Hell
Published by Automatic Music, Quick Mix Music, Doraflo Music Co., Inc., administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)
Courtesy of Sire Records/Instant Records by arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

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.

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 August 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pump Up the Volume

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,601,489, 26 August 1990

Gross USA:

$11,541,758

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,541,758

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, SC Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1