Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		4.0

Pump Up the Volume Blu-ray Movie Review

Razing Arizona.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 1, 2021

Arriving just one year after his breakthrough performance in Heathers, Christian Slater takes to the air in Allan Moyle's Pump Up the Volume, a fiery call to action aimed at the disillusioned teenagers of 1990. By day he's just Mark Hunter, a meek high school student transplanted from the East Coast to suburban Phoenix... but when the sun goes down, Mark becomes "Happy Harry Hard-On", using a short-wave radio and voice disguiser to secretly broadcast his uncensored thoughts and eclectic taste in music to whoever's listening. Harry's not thrilled with the current state of America or his new school's administration, who he believes has been weeding out "undesirable" students to skew standardized test scores. With the help of his like-minded listeners, Harry is poised to lead a revolution from the ground up.

The problem is that Harry's not quite ready for it, or at least how quickly the situation escalates. Part of his "evening gig" involves answering fan letters and occasional on-air return calls, one of which goes tragically wrong. Harry blames himself and considers stopping the show, but finds a second life and support from kindred spirit Nora Diniro (Samantha Mathis), the first to see through his Clark Kent disguise. Harry's parents (Scott Paulin and Mimi Kennedy) are happy to hear he's found a potential girlfriend: they've been worried about his reclusive nature, but are conveniently oblivious enough to have somehow not discovered their son's secret headquarters in their own house. Together, Harry and Nora continue their fight as the administration's grip tightens and the FCC is brought in to pinpoint a location.

Though the technology dates it at every turn, Pump Up the Volume's core concept could be easily cast onto one of a million small but determined YouTube channels, Facebook pages, or even humble forum accounts that remind us of one universal truth: anonymity changes people. Christian Slater is in top form here, successfully pulling off the lead dual role and Samantha Mathis impresses in her film debut. But they're just the messengers for Pump Up the Volume's greatest strengths: its message encouraging young audiences to fight against injustice in any form, and the irresistible music that makes it all go down a little easier. The pop cuts are a powder keg of original songs, album tracks, and covers by the likes of The Pixies, Leonard Cohen, Bad Brains & Henry Rollins, Soundgarden, The Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Richard Hell, Ice-T, and others -- all either featured during the film, on the accompanying soundtrack album, or both -- that collectively share a raw energy completely linking Pump Up the Volume to its release year.

Yes, writer/director Allan Moyle paints with broad strokes: the evil Arizonian school empire has few redeeming qualities, even if the film valiantly attempts to have adult exceptions to "kids rule, parents drool": Harry's mom and dad end up being surprisingly cool about the whole thing and even one of the teachers take a stand. Luckily, Pump Up the Volume's "after school special" tendencies aren't dialed up any further than that because, as a whole, it does a respectable job of appealing to its target audience while not completely alienating the ones actually paying for those movie tickets.

Nonetheless, the film never really caught on during its theatrical run but has fittingly amassed a cult following in the decades since, bolstered by TV airings and Warner Bros.' 1999 "flipper" DVD, which is now much closer to Pump Up the Volume's release year than the present day. But it's likely never looked quite as good as it does on Warner Archive Collection's bold new Blu-ray release, which featured another outstanding A/V presentation that greatly supports its solid visuals and critically important soundtrack. Even without extras, it's a solid package. I'll admit that I was a few years too young to catch Pump Up the Volume theatrically: yours truly was a little closer to middle school than high school in 1990 but, as mentioned earlier, even those outside its laser-focused target audience can find a lot to like... even if you're now re-discovering it as a totally lame parent with kids old enough to hear the message.

Just make sure they don't blow up a microwave, unless they're at least willing to go full-on Inception with it.

Pump Up the Volume Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Vaguely advertised as being "sourced from a new master" (which is usually code for a 2K scan of the interpositive), Pump Up the Volume looks lively and bright on Warner Archive's Blu-ray, which resurrects the film's bold early 90s visual aesthetic. Image detail and textures are relatively strong while sporting a very thick and film-like appearance, with a moderate level of film grain that shows neither excessive noise nor excessive noise reduction. It achieves a great balance that supports the understated cinematography of Walt Lloyd, who turned in fine work on Steven Soderbergh's landmark film Sex, Lies, and Videotape just one year earlier. The colors are vivid with deep saturation that shows off the era-specific fashion and suburban landscapes, as well as indoor locales including Harry's makeshift studio and other moments like the neon-infused opening title sequence. Black levels run nice and deep during the film's sporadic night sequence with no overbearing signs of crush or shadow loss. As usual, the Blu-ray itself is well-authored and runs at a very high bit rate. Overall, it's another flat-out fantastic catalog effort that easily overtakes the previous DVD release, a two-sided "snapper case" edition that came out all the way back in 1999 and is old enough to drink now.

Warner Archive has uploaded several YouTube clips showing off the new transfer, including the full five and a half-minute opening sequence, another clip of Harry on the air, and the second meeting between Mark and Nora.

Pump Up the Volume Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

And as good as the video is, Pump Up the Volume's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is even better. Not surprisingly, the soundtrack gets top priority when it kicks in, whether it's the terrific original score by Cliff Martinez or one of many classic pop songs including "Everybody Knows" by Leonard Cohen, "Fast Lane" by Urban Dance Squad, "Wave Of Mutilation" by The Pixies, Bad Brains & Henry Rollins' cover of MC5's "Kick Out The Jams", "Love Comes In Spurts" by Richard Hell And The Voidoids, "Dad, I'm In Jail" by Was (Not Was), "Weinerschnitzel" by The Descendents, and the ultra-rare Beastie Boys track "The Scenario", which was cut from Licensed to Ill for its explicit lyrics. Channel separation and dynamic range are very strong here, with each mirroring the original recordings' level of fidelity and often drowning out the dialogue for added effect. Elsewhere, conversations are crystal clear and usually confined up front, with the rear channels getting some love during crowded outdoor sequences and the climactic nighttime chase. It's a well-balanced and unsurprisingly forceful track that's sometimes as heavy and abrasive as it subject matter implies.

Optional English (SDH) subtitle are included during the film; they're nicely formatted with no sync issues.

Pump Up the Volume Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

WAC's Blu-ray arrives in a standard keepcase with poster-themed cover artwork and almost no bonus features.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:53) - This sanitized but fiery vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

Pump Up the Volume Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Allan Moyle's Pump Up the Volume still feels like a powder keg three decades after its release; it's a perfectly potent encapsulation of a very specific time and place, capably led by Christian Slater and then-newcomer Samantha Mathis. Although anyone who grew up far outside that time and place may find a few elements lost in translation, it's still pretty accessible to outsiders. Warner Archive's new Blu-ray offers the label's usual trademarks: a wholly satisfying, purist-minded A/V presentation and no new bonus features, making it a clear technical upgrade over the aging DVD release. This one's highly recommended to established fans, but newcomers may want to try before they buy.