Pump up the Volume (1990)
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78% of critics liked it
(32 reviews) -
78% of users liked it
(34,934 ratings)
Teenage angst finds a new voice in this drama. By day, Mark Hunter (Christian Slater) is a quiet, studious student at an ordinary suburban high school in Arizona. But at night, Mark creeps down into his basement, fires up his pirate radio transmitter, and broadcasts to the community as Hard Harry, a… More Teenage angst finds a new voice in this drama. By day, Mark Hunter (Christian Slater) is a quiet, studious student at an ordinary suburban high school in Arizona. But at night, Mark creeps down into his basement, fires up his pirate radio transmitter, and broadcasts to the community as Hard Harry, a sexually obsessed social commentator who passes along angry philosophy about the state of teenage life when not blasting punk rock or gangsta rap cuts. Hard Harry's sworn nemesis is high school principal Mrs. Cresswood (Annie Ross), who keeps SAT scores up at the expense of her students' dignity and individuality by eliminating "troublemakers" from the student body. Hard Harry's broadcasts, however, have become a rallying point for the school's misfit underclass, and Mrs. Cresswood is determined to track down the mystery student and bring him to justice (broadcasting without a license, he's not merely an annoyance, but a criminal). The war against Hard Harry intensifies when he broadcasts data from confidential school board reports; Mark's father is a school commissioner, but he has no idea what his son is doing in the basement. Meanwhile, Mark gains the attentions of Nora (Samantha Mathis), who has figured out who he becomes at night. More serious and intelligent than the average teen film, Pump Up the Volume was written and directed by Allan Moyle, who previously dealt with disaffected, music-obsessed teens in Times Square and would return to them with Empire Records. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Allan Moyle
- Written By
- Allan Moyle
- Genres
- Drama
- In Theaters
- Aug 22, 1990 Wide
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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, Time Out
The perfectly cast Slater effectively propels the film, his intensity and dry delivery giving it a definite edge, as does a soundtrack which includes Ice T, Concrete Blonde and the Cowboy Junkies.
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Rita Kempley, Washington Post
It's a howl from the heart, a relentlessly involving movie that gives a kid every reason to believe that he or she can come of age.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Sharply uneven, this teen-angst feature begins exgremely well with some relevant social commentary; it also put on the map Christian Slater as a talent to watch.
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Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
Slater is Moyle's generator, powering the film through some sludgy melodramatics, and while his separation of Mark and Hard Harry is practically Kabuki theater, the effort is just wonderful.
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Clint Morris, Mediasharx
Much more than a teen movie....an experience, and one you'll never forget. TURN IT UP LOUD!
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Christian Slater
as Mark Hunter
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Samantha Mathis
as Nora Diniro
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Ellen Greene
as Jan Emerson
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Scott Paulin
as Brian Hunter
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Cheryl Pollak
as Paige
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Annie Ross
as Mrs. Loretta Creswood
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Andy Romano
as Murdock
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Mimi Kennedy
as Martha Hunter
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Mark Ballou
as Eric
- Jill Jarres
- LaLa
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Ahmet Zappa
as Jamie
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Dan Eisenstein
as Donald
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Nigel Gibbs
as Marshall
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Seth Green
as Joey
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James Hampton
as Watts
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Clayton Landey
as Shep Sheppard
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Tony Auer
as Police Officer
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Gary Dubin
as TV Announcer #2
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Robert Harvey
as Detective Denny
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Juliet Landau
as Teri
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Jonathan Mazer
as Jonathan
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Matt McGrath
as Chris
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David McKnight
as Detective #1
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Billy Morrissette
as Mazz Mazzilli
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Robert Schenkkan
as David Deaver
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Roger Scott
as TV Announcer #1 / Crispin
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Lin Shaye
as PTA Parent #3
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Lala Sloatman
as Janie
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Steve Archer
as Harry Video
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Allan Kolman
as Postal Clerk
- Judith Holstra
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David C. Glasser
as Jack
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Marc Siegler
as Teacher Stern

