“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).
“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
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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).
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).
