The Buddy Holly Story (1978)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Steve Rash

Writers:

Robert Gittler (screenplay)
John Goldrosen (source material "Buddy Holly His Life and Music")

Release Date:

3 November 1978 (Finland)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Music never felt this good.

Plot:

A film about the life and career of the early rock and roll star.

Plot Keywords:

Star | Song | Rock Music | Blizzard | Rock Star

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Gary Busey	...	Buddy Holly
Don Stroud	...	Jesse Charles
Charles Martin Smith	...	Ray Bob Simmons
Conrad Janis	...	Ross Turner
William Jordan	...	Riley Randolph
Maria Richwine	...	Maria Elena Holly
Amy Johnston	...	Cindy Lou
Dick O'Neill	...	Sol Gittler
Fred Travalena	...	Madman Mancuso
Neva Patterson	...	Mrs. Ella Holly
John F. Goff	...	T J
Gloria Irizarry	...	Mrs. Santiago
Jody Berry	...	Sam
Richard Kennedy	...	Preacher
Jim Beach	...	Waylon

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

West Germany:o.Al. | Australia:PG | Netherlands:AL | Finland:K-12 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

ECA

Trivia:

Also according to Busey and Director Steve Rash, the scene at the roller rink after the band's first rock number in which the extras clapped and cheered was an unexpected reaction to their performance. As you can see in the film, Busey, Smith, and Stroud sort of lose their place and start nervously laughing.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The billboard on the Clear Lake Auditorium (standing in for the Clear Lake Surf Ballroom) reads "Feb 3". Buddy Holly's final performance was Monday, Feb. 2, 1959.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Buddy Holly: Hey, Riley, we're all plugged in and checked up... yeah, we're ready.
Buddy Holly: [to Ray Bob] Riley wants to hear you at the mike - that's the one right there; say somethin' into that mike.
Ray Bob Simmons: One, two, three, testing... one...
Buddy Holly: [to Riley] How's that sound?
Riley Randolph: All right, that's a good level, Buddy, hold it right there... Yeah, you better get ready, it's about thirty seconds till eight.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

True Love Ways

Worth a look

Biopic of early Rock 'n' Roll star. DVD review.

Singer, guitarist, songwriter, performer, and producer, Buddy Holly (Busey) meets his future wife, goes solo, and performs his final tour.

Routinely directed but compelling movie that features a great performance from Busey. These days he's a Hollywood rent-a-villain but in this early movie he gives a fantastic and likable performance. Story starts off with the group playing at a roller-skating rink, their final few rock numbers getting secretly recorded, passed to a New York record label - the rest being history. Busey's Holly is an intelligent, no-nonsense, talented, and sensitive performer. He argues (rightly) with the conservative studio producers, suggests overdubbing, composes classic songs, rejects the studio backing band, hires classical musicians to play rock music, and has a sound in his head that hasn't been heard before. Unlike the similar Stardust this movie is a warm, audience-pleasing journey of a top rock star.

The Buddy Holly Story is definitely worth a look for all music fans.