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:

The members of the Crickets had already sold their portrayal rights to the producer of a different Buddy Holly movie, so fictitious names had to be used for the Crickets here. Also, for story simplifcation, the three Crickets were reduced to two.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Telecaster that Buddy plays at the Apollo is a mid seventies CBS model. You can clearly read the large "Telecaster" logo which was introduced when CBS bought the company from Leo Fender in the late 1960s.

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 Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

True Love Ways

The "True Love Weighs" scene is fantastic.

A fine film about the late great Buddy Holly. Watch it for no other reason than to see the scene where Buddy sings "True Love Weighs." Gary Busey did his own singing and that particular scene is fantastic. Overlook the various minor inaccuracies in this picture.