! But, well I didn't. I mean really who hasn't seen Scrooged? It's on tv all the time in a constant loop from December 1 to New Years. Instead I've picked a classic early 90's Slater flick. Why? Because I can. 
Pump up the Volume
is a about a (slightly) geeky kid named Mark (it's Christian Slater, at the pinnacle of his hotness, he can't be that geeky.) who feels like he doesn't fit in. (He's unique, just like everyone else.) Anyway by day he's a straight arrow, by night he's a pirate. (Not "Argh! Imma pirate!" though) See Mark just moved to the suburbs from the City and he's not happy about it. He doesn't know anyone and doesn't really want to know anyone. Anyway he has his own little radio station set up and whenever the mood strikes, he vents his problems on air. Only thing is, he doesn't realize that people can hear him. (He calls himself Hard Harry on his show. Love it!) Once he catches on to that fact he's kind of impressed with himself. He starts taking phone calls and letters, his favorite letters come in red envelopes (they're always dirty poetry). But as his night life takes off, his real life is at a stand still. He develops a serious following at Hubert Humphrey (HH as in Hard Harry wink wink) his school. He's starting a revolution, what Hard Harry says people do. As time goes by it comes to Mark's attention that his school has some of the highest SAT scores in the district. (His dad works at the school, so he has access to a plethora information. Which he uses.) Which wouldn't be that noteworthy if it wasn't for the fact that alot of kids get expelled from the school who are under achievers or have learning disabilities. The principal Ms Creswood is weeding the less academically minded students out. Also one of his most ardent fans (Lil' Miss Red Envelopes) Nora finds out who he his. She follows him (can you say stalker?) to his P.O. box and witnesses him picking up his fanmail. She swears up and down she'll keep his secret but she wants to help him with his show. He can't really argue, she knows his secret identity! (Man, how does Batman do it?!) One night a caller tells Mark that he wants to kill himself, Mark is understandably flummexed. He thinks the dude is yanking his chain, just bullshiting to get to talk to Hard Harry. He doesn't think he'll do it, plain and simple. Not long after the kid offs himself and Mark feels terrible about it, he thinks if he'd said or done something else he could've helped.
Now due to the kid's suicide (and Hard Harry's use of foul language, plus explicit music) and the absolute anarchy Hard Harry's fans are causing at the school, the FCC is called in and they're gunning to shut him up and shut his station down. So now Mark and Nora (she's such a loyal stalker) have to outsmart or outrun the Man. As They close in on Hard Harry he has to load up his operation (in the back of a Jeep) and take to the road to stay ahead of the law.When Johnny Law finally catches up with Mark, he uses his last few moments on the air to tell those listening to always tell the truth no matter how ugly it is. To always question authority, to think for themselves and always always always talk hard! They haul Hard Harry and his loyal lady away but the story of his daring travels. Suddenly pirate radio stations start popping up all over, because truth is a virus and it will always spread.
I think Hard Harry is like the first blogger, granted this is long before the internet was around to vent on anonymously. But you get my meaning. They only had the radio to say what they wanted. Or starting a zine but that could only reach so many people. Whatever. He had something to say and he put it out there, like so many bloggers do. Not me, mind you, but others. Well, what did this story teach us? Principal's are evil and geeks are secretly (hot!) running underground radio shows! So remember boys and girls, talk hard!
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