Pump Up The Volume Analysis

1990’s Pump Up the Volume follows Mark Hunter, a shy student at his suburban Arizona high school that adopts the persona of outspoken pirate radio deejay ‘Happy Harry Hard-on’ by night. Although his broadcasts are an outlet for his own angst, he inspires his teen audience by demonstrating how to express their malcontentment: by distancing themselves from the previous generation though the use of language, and connecting with their peers by subverting the mold set by parents and adults.

Hard Harry’s vulgar language equally resonates with his listeners and outrage the authorities. In his analysis of the address term dude, Scott Kiesling remarks that, “Youth in general often engage in practices that are meant to express rebellion or at least

in the second half of the film, which views his broadcasts as being closer to

Further, by broaching sensitive issues such as suicide and homosexuality, Hard Harry fosters an environment of understanding and reveals that his audience shares a universal discontent despite their differences, or as he puts it: “everyone is alike in some way… everyone needs the same things.” By showing a diverse group of students gathering outside the school to listen to the broadcast or tuning in from their rooms, the boundary between traditional subcultures is blurred and the jocks and burnouts of the student body are portrayed as united in the face of restricted autonomy.

Watching how the film's rebellion unfolds gives insight into the rebellious aspect of modern youth culture. The staying power of Hard Harry's message lies in showing how hidden struggle can be translated into meaningful action, meaning Pump Up the Volume will continue to have a message that resonates with modern audiences so long as the same problems