Uriah43 "Mark Hunter" (Christian Slater) is a new student at "Hubert H. Humphrey High School" who recognizes some of the problems there and decides to vent his perceptions on his short-wave ham radio. Soon the students at the school start tuning him in and he becomes a cult figure to them by the name of "Hard Harry". But the more his influence increases the more threatening he becomes to some of the staff at the high school who are more concerned with their own agendas than the students. Anyway, what I liked most about this movie was the passion displayed by Christian Slater who seemed perfect for this role. I also liked the performance by Samantha Mathis (as "Nora Diniro") who really added some definite chemistry between her and Mark. Very remarkable. On the flip side, however, this movie has more than its fair share of vulgarity which some viewers may find offensive. That aside I thought it was a very entertaining movie and I rate it as above average.

tieman64 "Everything is backwards; everything is upside down. Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the major media destroy information and religions destroy spirituality." - Michael Ellner Alan Moyle's "Pump Up The Volume" stars Christian Slater as Mark Hunter, a high school student who lives in a sleepy, Arizonan town. Looking to lash out at the world, Mark starts an FM pirate radio station. This station becomes an outlet for his angst and aggression. The film then becomes a teen version of "Network" or "Rebel Without a Cause", Mark rallying fellow disaffected and alienated youths until he becomes the unwitting leader of a minor student revolution.In historical terms, Hunter's caught in the deadlock of late capitalism, or what Francis Fukuyama called "the end of history", a time populated by what Nietzsche called "the last men"; pathetic, contemptible things. Fukuyama's position counterpointed that of Hegel and Marx, who saw historical development as a purposeful journey from primitive stages of consciousness to "something better". This goes against the "there is no alternative" (T.I.N.A) mantra of late capitalism, a stance explicitly reborn in the mid 20th century, but which has bee around in various forms much longer, perhaps starting with Thomas Malthus, a nineteenth century progenitor of "no alternative" politics and its credo of "permanent" scarcity and "necessary poverty". Malthus contested nineteenth century radicals who were steadfast in their belief that labour, properly deployed, could usher in a new society. Indeed, the initial need for elites to publicly announce the absence of any alternative to existing social arrangements was entirely a defensive move, in response to such radical ideas.One of the first to counter T.I.N.A was William Godwin. In his 1793 book, "Enquiry Concerning Political Justice", he argued that the "existing state creates a servile and truckling spirit," and that the cruel monotony of the system "produces a kind of stupid and hopeless vacancy in every face". From Godwin can be drawn a line to libertarians, anarchist communism, socialism and even the labour theory of value. The British government then tried to prosecute Godwin for treason, but abandoned the idea. Godwin was instead attacked by Malthus, who in "Principles of Political Economy" essentially defended class structures and even went so far as to advocate starving the poor because "that way they wouldn't breed too heavily". In anticipation of the permanent war economy of the United States, Malthus would even offer war and state debt as perfect mechanisms for "enhancing value through the careful calibration of scarcity".So though white and privileged, Hunter's part of a long list of validly ticked off people. On air he calls himself "Hard Harry", and begins his radio program with Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows", the lyrics "everybody knows the dice are loaded, everybody rolls with their fingers crossed" heralding his audio rants. "All the great themes have been used up and turned into theme parks," he tells his audience, as he begins to develop a sort of naive political manifesto. Where adults condescend, he empathises, where they ignore, he provides an outlet for the hopes, dreams, fears and tragedies of other youths.Elsewhere Hunter challenges the ethos of his college, which cares more about test scores and image than actual education. Unsurprisingly, his college is named after Hubert Humphrey, a despicable archetype of cold war neoliberalism and apologist for much violence (Vietnam, the police beatings of peace activists etc). "The truth is a virus," Hunter tells his listeners, as he becomes increasingly subversive and empowering, shaking fellow students out of apathy. "It begins with us! Not the experts, but the ones who need it most!" Pretty soon he's changed from an object of hero worship to one of strategic appropriation, youths taking from him what they need to advance their own empowerment and emancipation. Elsewhere the songs he plays are politically charged, but in offbeat ways. There's "Freedom of Speech" by Above the Law, Ice T states "I've no time to whisper in your ear", Hunter plays "Wave of Mutilation" by the Pixies, has Soundgarden say "Accused and convicted for nothing" and Liquid Jesus "Stand, and they will make you crawl"."Nothing is more important than a good education!" adults tell Hunter. "Except the basic right to it," he counters. Slowly he moves from isolation and individualism to community and collective action. He accepts that he has a responsibility to his listeners, understands that meaning and expression are terrains of political contestation, repeatedly fought over, but then quickly finds himself chased by the police and FBI. They want to shut him down. To silence him. The film ends with Harry on the run, romantic engagement finally deemed inadequate, until a final sequence in which every student in America starts their own pirate radio station. This is offered as something positive, but the internet/Facebook generation's told us otherwise: the podiums afforded by technology increase atomization and tend to become just more outlets for narcissism.Traditionally, young people have energised democratic movements. But resistance to domination has been subdued and power has long created societal institutions designed to break resistance. The young, reflexively impotent, are perhaps now entirely acquiesced to the idea that they can and will be repeatedly screwed. Large debts, and the fear they create, have become a pacifying force. Elsewhere we psychopathologize and medicate noncompliance, a fact which led Erich Fromm to state that "today the function of psychiatry and medicine threatens to become the tool in the manipulation of man." Indeed, schools themselves inculcate compliance not democracy, and routinely traffic standardisation and fear. The intelligent are shamed, surveillance is normalised and fundamentalist Religion and Fundamentalist Consumerism are exalted above all things. And so, like Howard Beale, Hunter yells from a radio, before being shut down.8.9/10 – One of the best teen movies of the 1990s, despite a weak, corny third act.

Avid Climber Pump Up the Volume might have been the true opening salvo of the 90s, and the voice of Generation X, but it speaks to every teen of every generation.It is about raising your voice, being heard, but only with the advent of the Internet was its dream fully realized.This is the type of movie that will make you want to write your own blog, make a video journal, or do a podcast. It has that quality that grip people attention and make them do things worthwhile with their lives.It's an excellent performance by a young Christian Slater, and the rest of the cast. The whole story, every scene, each dialog, they all ring of authenticity. And the soundtrack is amazing.It might be getting old, but it doesn't feel like it.

jfgibson73 Pump Up The Volume stars Christian Slater as Mark, a shy high schooler who has an alter ego. In the evenings, he broadcasts from some equipment set up in his parents basement, creating a radio persona named "Hard Harry." He is wild and profane, but talks honestly about that things that bother him as a young adult. Eventally, his classmates begin to discover his broadcast, and the word spreads among them until he is a local phenomenon. Except that no one knows who it is saying all these things, because Mark is quiet and timid in class.He starts talking about some of the questionable practices going on at his school, which gets the attention of the administration and eventually the authorities. The pressure builds as more kids rely on "Harry" for direction, and more adults are trying to find him and shut him down. It eventually ends with the principal of the school being exposed and fired, just as Harry is discovered and apprehended. We are left to make our own assumptions as to how the student body will respond and move forward now that Harry is off the air.I was pretty apathetic about this story. I didn't find it all that memorable. I think the stuff I enjoyed most was the inspirational parts of Harry's broadcast (mixed in with scatological humor). I thought a lot of it was well written, although not really believable dialog for a high school student. If I had seen this movie when it came out, it might hold some nostalgic value. Watching it for the first time this year, it didn't do much for me.