tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post4480382562997635717..comments2023-09-07T22:24:51.654-05:00Comments on League of Melbotis: The League Revisits: Pump Up the Volume (and DITMTLOD)The Leaguehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-33991833112577620272008-08-29T00:17:00.000-05:002008-08-29T00:17:00.000-05:00I'm trying to piece together what you're saying he...I'm trying to piece together what you're saying here Peabo, so stop me if I'm wrong.<BR/><BR/>I think you're suggesting that the movie is intentionally undermining the HHH character/ alter-ego Mark with its weak argument regarding the need for a non-conformist approach.<BR/><BR/>While I absolutely agree that the movie makes a weak argument for the why's-and-wherefore's of change, it DOES make the point that HHH has to be the change he's waiting for. That's sort of the final character moment for HHH.<BR/><BR/>I'd love to think the movie is a double-agent actually making fun of mopey teen-agers (I count myself as one who can recall a certain dissatisfaction with the world at a certain age, and agree that many need a kick in the shorts, to a certain extent). That would be delightfully screwed up in a way that I can scarcely imagine. <BR/><BR/>But I think that's giving the movie more credit than it deserves.<BR/><BR/>I DO think the movie was certainly asking for teen-agers to be their own change agents (thus the millions go on the air at the end of the film), and, in fact, they suggest that many are finding specific issues to address in their shows beyond "wow, Paradise Valley, AZ blows...". <BR/><BR/>I'm reluctant to condemn the young folks getting passionate about seeking a change in their world, even the privileged kids. Sadly, this movie went so far over the top with its depiction of some suburban malaise that it did mopey teen-agers everywhere a disservice (for an even more embarrassing flick, I suggest "Suburbia"). <BR/><BR/>All this is not to defend "Pump Up the Volume" (geez... that title). But to suggest that the failure of the movie on so, so many levels winds up making a mess of whatever the best intentions might have been.The Leaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-16577715042724396042008-08-28T22:04:00.000-05:002008-08-28T22:04:00.000-05:00Thanks, Ryan! Here's a video someone made for the ...Thanks, Ryan! Here's a video someone made for the song.<BR/><BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpKRwIR-I6sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-9863139515068967232008-08-28T17:46:00.000-05:002008-08-28T17:46:00.000-05:00I like how these teen angst movies (which pretty m...I like how these teen angst movies (which pretty much were the sounding board of the generation that went on to fill the ranks of the grunge movement and the alt rock genre) are filled with all these middle class and upper middle class suburbanite kids who seem to have some kind of hang up that they live in the suburbs and go to school with other upper middle class kids, and feel like nobody around them gets it, that only they get it. <BR/><BR/>I think that is the genious of Pump Up The Volume. It is a movie mocking the HHH types with their philisophical pinings of a "different way, a better way" as a platform to complain about anything and everything around them while doing nothing meaningful to change anything themselves. The movie never stated the "what" was wrong and the "why" of our suffering heros, because there IS no what or why. They are a bunch of little spoiled kids who think anyone who conforms is a slave to the system, meanwhile not acknowledging that they conform in about 99% of what they do besides their music collection and wardrobe.<BR/><BR/>I think tese movies serve as a kind of a gauge about the whininess of American society. It's reflected in politics, media, pop culture, and about anywhere there is a medium to be heard. It's all bad, and THEY are to blame. Who the THEY are just depends on your particular tastes and affiliations.<BR/><BR/>PeaboAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-66816934625896477422008-08-28T16:17:00.000-05:002008-08-28T16:17:00.000-05:00Jamie- just because Ryan liked the stripey socks g...Jamie- just because Ryan liked the stripey socks girls doesn't really mean he was fantastically successful with them. And trust me- I've known most all the ladies who've been in The League's life, and you're totally his type. He woulda found you eventually.J.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03903186469796595837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-72824250768989674542008-08-28T13:27:00.000-05:002008-08-28T13:27:00.000-05:00Filmed in Santa Clarita, where I lived for a time ...Filmed in Santa Clarita, where I lived for a time and went to grad school. Along with another movie featuring weirdos in suburbia, Edward Scissorhands. I think they screen these movies every year at Calarts for nostalgia's sake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-39615064006014563672008-08-28T12:15:00.000-05:002008-08-28T12:15:00.000-05:00I'm going to leave Jason to describe his Senior Ye...I'm going to leave Jason to describe his Senior Year. He shared a room with one of his friends and the friend's brother. It was pretty close quarters and in no way landed him a cute red-head (as far as I know).<BR/><BR/>Regarding the song: <BR/>I wouldn't know this if I hadn't watched the movie last night, but I think the clip is (I'm lifting from Wikipedia here): <BR/>"Weinerschnitzel" by The Descendents from their 1981 EP "Fat"<BR/><BR/>I'm almost positive Slater's character identifies the band as The Descendants before playing the clip. <BR/><BR/>It's my opinion that Hollywood would avoid this movie at this point. That's something I forgot to mention. <BR/><BR/>A) The movie is trying to be a message movie, but its impossible to figure out what the message is supposed to be. Wrap that in a teen suicide, and the nervous lawyers of the studio would pull what few teeth the script originally had<BR/><BR/>B) It's a movie for teenagers which, by its content, is rated R. Back then, ratings didn't mean much for distributors. But consider the recent release of "Prom Night" was PG-13. I mean, yeah, they could water it down, but then that raises the question of why anyone would be listening...<BR/> <BR/>C) I don't see a media conglomerate/ movie studio funding a movie that would romanticize behavior (free media online) whose logical extrapolation would take money out of their pocket <BR/><BR/>D) I'm not sure a movie aimed at the righteousness of teen angst would play as well with today's "party like a rock star", The Hills-derived culture of $400 Coach purses. Sure, that's one end of the spectrum. But I also am positive that today's kids are media and technology savvy enough to come up with all sorts of ideas why the premise, even web based, was ridiculous.<BR/><BR/>Actually, it raises an interesting question, because its not like radio-waves have gone away. Perhaps a mix of the two?<BR/><BR/>And... given how "No Child Left Behind" has been implemented, the crusty old principal's scheme is now all the more plausible.<BR/><BR/>Maybe a re-make would work? I'll talk to my people.The Leaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-61566736615152658822008-08-28T11:38:00.000-05:002008-08-28T11:38:00.000-05:00There is a song played in that movie ... briefly, ...There is a song played in that movie ... briefly, when someone was going through a drive-thru. It was a guy shouting orders to the beat of a rock/metal song. Do you know the scene I'm talking about? I've always wanted to track down that clip.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and Hollywood totally needs to remake this movie as a guy with "a well-run website with illegally distributed MP3's, a chat room, some e-mail, and podcasts of Mr. HHH".<BR/><BR/>In fact, I'm surprised that it hasn't happened yet.<BR/><BR/>And finally, I also knew of a student in my high school whose parents left town and left him alone in an apartment for his senior year. I think all he ended up doing was smoking a lot of pot and getting drunk. And somehow ending up with a girl totally out of his league. I always thought he was a douche, but then again, I might have just been jealous of his hot, red-headed girlfriend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-35457574312443603902008-08-28T09:44:00.000-05:002008-08-28T09:44:00.000-05:00I think that's crazy talk.I think that's crazy talk.The Leaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04836241071795980225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5256317.post-80091718131453299792008-08-28T08:49:00.000-05:002008-08-28T08:49:00.000-05:00I can't believe out of all my dudes you select Gre...I can't believe out of all my dudes you select Greg Louganis. Actually I can.<BR/><BR/>The stripey sock jealousy I think stems not from 'oh you liked other girls before me' but from the fact that I was decidedly NOT a stripey sock girl and what would have happened had you met me back then? I would most definitely have not been deemed cool enough.mcsteanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13340293646440856741noreply@blogger.com