Home/Episodes/Pump Up the Volume

‘Pump Up the Volume’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Andy Greenwald

August 20, 2020 · Pump Up the Volume (1990) · Comedy · Drama · Music · 1:36:02 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Andy GreenwaldThe screaming party shirtless dance scene that ends with Paige microwaving all her shit▶ 49:33
Bill SimmonsWave of mutilation scene - calls it 'probably the greatest minute of my life' and 'one of my favorite music drops in a movie ever'▶ 48:23
Chris RyanWave of mutilation scene - agrees with Bill's pick, describing the scene in detail▶ 48:27

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsMentions having something in 'what's aged the worst' but doesn't clearly state what it is▶ 57:27

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsA tie between the soundtrack and Samantha Mathis▶ 59:00

Joey Pants Award

Andy GreenwaldRobert SchenkkanRobert Schenken as guidance counselor Devers (Pulitzer Prize winning playwright)▶ 1:07:36
Bill SimmonsMark's dad and Teen Wolf's dad (FCC head with bad rug) - leaves choice to others▶ 1:07:17
Chris RyanLin ShayeLynn Shea (parent at PTA meeting, later in Insidious movies)▶ 1:07:20

Apex Mountain

Andy GreenwaldChristian SlaterChristian Slater - yes (agrees this convinced everyone he was the next leading man), The Pixies - yes (ultimate 'that band' at their peak coolness)▶ 1:14:49
Bill SimmonsChristian SlaterChristian Slater - yes, Samantha Mathis - yes, Pirate Radio concept - yes, P.O. boxes - yes, pre-Nevermind alternative college radio era (1990) - yes▶ 1:14:44
Chris RyanChristian SlaterChristian Slater - thought it would be Robin Hood but never happened, The Pixies - right in their peak range coming off Doolittle, P.O. boxes - yes▶ 1:14:50

Best Quote

Andy GreenwaldJam me, jack me, push me, pull me, talk hard. I don't care what, just do it.▶ 1:24:48
Bill SimmonsBut just remember one thing. It can't get any worse. It can only get better. I mean high school is the bottom. Being a teenager sucks, but that's the point. Surviving it is the whole point. Quitting is not going to make you strong. Living will. So just hang on and hang in there.▶ 1:24:15

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Andy GreenwaldNora dates Dave Pirner four years later and could have been spun off into her own movie or become a revolutionary young English teacher▶ 1:29:38
Bill SimmonsMark doesn't go to jail but gets 18 months probation and a felony on his permanent record, then appears on Real World Seattle and eventually hosts MTV shows▶ 1:28:29
Chris RyanMark and Nora's relationship doesn't last - Nora gets a one-way ticket to Oberlin and never returns to Arizona▶ 1:29:29

Who Won the Movie

Andy GreenwaldSamantha MathisAgrees with Samantha Mathis/Nora - compares her cultural impact to The Velvet Underground, saying she 'rewired' what an entire generation thought about women and themselves▶ 1:30:46
Bill SimmonsSamantha MathisSamantha Mathis as Nora - calls her 'unbelievable' and says she wins it, though acknowledges it's like an NBA MVP where three people could have won▶ 1:30:22
Chris RyanSamantha MathisAgrees with Samantha Mathis/Nora - says she is 'singed into my memory' in a way that Hard Harry isn't▶ 1:30:36

Movies Referenced (30)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
The Boat That Rocked (2009)IMDb ↗Lb ↗18Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald, Chris Ryan▶ 0:31
The Descendants (2011)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Andy Greenwald, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 12:26
Say Anything (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 6:52
Fight Club (1999)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 1:16:44
Goodfellas (1990)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Andy Greenwald, Chris Ryan▶ 14:46
Identity (2003)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 20:30
Robin Hood (2010)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:50
Step Up (2006)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald▶ 44:00
True Romance (1993)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald▶ 2:57
2012 (2009)IMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:55
About Time (2013)IMDb ↗Lb ↗1Andy Greenwald▶ 1:32:31
Armageddon (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris Ryan▶ 1:10:07

Directors Referenced (9)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
John HughesIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Andy GreenwaldPlanes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 6:46
Cameron CroweIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Andy GreenwaldAlmost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky▶ 51:55
Martin ScorseseIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris RyanTaxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 14:53
Chris CornerIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Saint, Open Your Eyes▶ 1:28:07
Cid SalcidoIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 13:54
Lil PumpIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsDeadpool 2▶ 44:12
Peter BogdanovichIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Andy GreenwaldThe Last Picture Show▶ 1:12:53
Sonic YouthIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:56
Tim BurtonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Andy GreenwaldEdward Scissorhands▶ 35:03

Actors Referenced (61)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Mark HunterIMDb ↗Lb ↗29Andy Greenwald, Bill Simmons, Chris RyanLost in Space▶ 10:44
Christian SlaterIMDb ↗Lb ↗20Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald, Chris RyanVery Bad Things, True Romance, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 0:34
Samantha MathisIMDb ↗Lb ↗14Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald, Chris RyanBroken Arrow, American Psycho▶ 36:52
Beastie BoysIMDb ↗Lb ↗10Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Andy GreenwaldReal Steel, Star Trek▶ 9:14
Seth GreenIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Andy Greenwald, Chris RyanThe Italian Job, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery▶ 1:08:43
NirvanaIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Andy GreenwaldThe Batman, Captain Marvel▶ 11:23
Robert De NiroIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Andy GreenwaldCape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 6:14
Ally SheedyIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Andy GreenwaldWarGames, The Breakfast Club▶ 1:11:09
Drew BarrymoreIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill SimmonsCharlie's Angels, 50 First Dates, Never Been Kissed▶ 1:06:01
John CusackIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Andy GreenwaldHigh Fidelity, 1408▶ 36:16
Mazzy StarIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Andy Greenwald, Chris RyanStarship Troopers, End of Watch▶ 51:09
The ReplacementsIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Andy GreenwaldSay Anything, Jerry Maguire▶ 1:17:28

Writers Referenced (6)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Ellen GreenIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Andy Greenwald▶ 57:17
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons▶ 41:52
Ahmet ZappaIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Andy Greenwald▶ 40:49
H.P. LovecraftIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris Ryan▶ 42:48
Larry McMurtryIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanBrokeback Mountain, The Last Picture Show▶ 43:16
William GoldmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 27:58