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The Buddy Holly Story | 
 enlarge | Director: Steve Rash
Actors: Gary Busey, Don Stroud, Charles Martin Smith, Conrad Janis, William Jordan
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.94
Buy New: $4.47
You Save: $10.47 (70%)
New (57) Used (27) Collectible (1) from $3.28
Rating:  49 reviews
Sales Rank: 9175
Format: Full Screen, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 2
Picture Format: Array
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 113 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 4.8 x 0.6
MPN: COLD08019D
UPC: 043396080195
EAN: 0043396080195
ASIN: B00000K3TX
Theatrical Release Date: 1978
Release Date: September 7, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!
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Product Description
Gary busey gives a stunning portrayal of rock star buddy holly. Special features: director and talent commentary talent files bonus theatrical trailer full screen and widescreen versions dolby surround sound and dolby 4-channel subtitles: english french and spanish. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 04/22/2008 Starring: Gary Busey Run time: 113 minutes Rating: Pg
Amazon.com
Rock historians and hard-core Buddy Holly fans can and do take issue with director Steve Rash's 1978 biopic of the Lubbock, Texas, rocker's life: the script liberally juggles details from Holly's brief but blazing career, replacing producer Norman Petty and Holly's original bassist and drummer with fictionalized composite characters. Yet the core of the film, and the reason it's definitely worth a look and listen, is Gary Busey's lusty performance in the title role, triumphing against what might have seemed miscasting. The burly, lantern-jawed Busey steps into the lankier, narrow-faced Holly's blue suede shoes and dances off with the movie. At a time when live rock albums thought little of overdubbing mistakes in the studio, director Rash honored Busey's nervy gamble in performing these songs live, singing in his own raw voice and rumbling through his own approximations of Holly's guitar work. What's lost in precise verisimilitude is more than compensated by Busey's conviction and a palpable, almost ecstatic terror as he charges through Holly's wonderful songs before indifferent roller-rink audiences. Other films have nailed the period more accurately through art direction or script, but Busey's authentic energy gives this movie an emotional veracity that's just right for this chapter in rock history. Still, for musical purposes, go straight to the source, Holly's wonderful recordings.--Sam Sutherland
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| Customer Reviews: Read 44 more reviews...
 Compelling, Fascinating Portrait of Buddy Holly October 13, 2008
Valerie J. Wood (Maryland)
Despite that a lot of factual information was omitted from this portrait of Buddy Holly, this movie is a compelling, insightful portrait of the mesmerizing character of Buddy Holly himself. Sure, there are glaring omissions concerning the real Crickets and Norm Petty, the 'manager' that helped Buddy get his start--nevertheless, the portrait Gary Busey paints of Buddy is a fascinating, driving and complex picture of an immensely talented, driven, and totally amazing young man who had an unerring faith in his own ability and unsurpassed talent and conviction that he understood and heralded what would become known as rock and roll....the faults in this movie can be overlooked--it is easy enough to find the truth in the in depth biographies of Buddy Holly available. It is far harder to find that fascinating grain of persona and truth that this portrait provides; that is what makes the errors/omissions forgivable. Gary Busey's performance as Buddy garnered him an Academy Award nomination--and provided millions of new fans a look at the driven, multi-faceted, extremely talented and amazing young rocker, Charles Hardin 'Buddy' Holly.
This movie is a triumph. The essence of Buddy Holly is portrayed in a magnetic, unsurpassed depiction. The ultimate portrait is a compelling, fascinating look at a young man whose life ended far too soon--and whose talent, foresight and legend created rock music as we knew it in the late 1950's and as we know it today.
the buddy holly story September 18, 2008
Zachary Hayes (Clinton, OK USA)
great movie. saw most of it on tv and wanted to get it. got me more interested in the great buddy holly
Fond memories..... January 25, 2008
HUGH H. KIRKPATRICK (COOPER CITY, FL USA)
Having been a professional musician for 47 years, this film takes me back to a wonderfully innocent era. The opening scene had me in tears - my very first gigs were at the local skating rink sock hops. I really didn't think Busey would be able to pull this off, but it has got to be one of his finest performances - my other favorite being his portrayal of the road manager in "A Star Is Born". The best thing about this film is is that Busey is actually doing the playing and singing....no cheesy lip-sync...and does a damn fine job even if he doesn't sound that much like Buddy.
Great movie, great music! November 13, 2007
Thomas Evensson (Ljusdal, Sweden)
This is a keeper! If you like good music, or good acting or just feeling good, this is the movie for you. Gary Busey plays Buddy Holly with style, and he sings and plays all by himself. All music in the movie is live, by the way. The rest of the cast is brilliant too.
This movie claims to be more or less the true story about Buddy's rise to fame, and terrible death, and from what I can see it's pretty accurate. The DVD quality isn't the best, but it's definitely on the top half of the scale. Remember, it's from 1978 and was a low budget flick. Get it while you can!
Gary Busey's Masterpiece August 29, 2007
M. Welsh (Phoenix, AZ United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This film is without a doubt the crowning achievement in Busey's career. Losing out to Jon Voight for Best Actor 1978 was a shame. Gary Busey doesn't just portray Buddy Holly; he brings him back to life.
During the opening moments at the roller rink Buddy tells his band mates (Don Stroud & Charles Martin Smith) "...lets do Ollie Vee".
What happens next is a live performance (no lip-syncing or over-dubbing) of Holly's heart pounding barn stomp that will have you on your feet and dancing around the room. I simply cannot watch it only once. Absolutely mesmerizing. This is one of the most inspirational 3 minutes in film ever.
While the script gets a bit flimsy with the facts, it's really unimportant overall to the story of his brief flame of a life.
This film celebrates the passion and determination that possessed Buddy Holly and it comes alive in the hands of a clearly inspired and devoted Busey.
Memorable scenes include the Crickets improvisational creation of "Peggy Sue" while driving to Memphis, when Stroud's (composite) character Jesse alters Buddy's tempo from slow ballad to the snappy rocker we all know and love. While the "Madman Mancuso-cops through the station door" scene is a bit over the top, the closing moments are truly inspired filmmaking. With Buddy winding up his performance (again Busey's voice recorded live) of "True Love Ways" at the Surf Ballroom, the film editor freezes on his close up and holds it in an almost imperceptible zoom while a simple paragraph of text reminds us of what happened later that night in Clear Lake Iowa, and the credits roll.
This is in my opinion the best ending of any film I ever seen.
Maybe Busey isn't in the same class as Laurence Olivier, Robert De Niro, & Warren Beatty (the other 3 nominees that year) but this film is magic, and it will always be.
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