A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Buddy Holly Story -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Steve Rash's The Buddy Holly Story (1978) shares something with films such as Ray and Walk the Line.

A lead performance, here by Gary Busey (singing for himself), is reason enough to spend a couple of hours with this film.

Since it's a Columbia release, one might presume that the quality would be superb. And they would be correct.

Wonderful film, telling the story of the final few years of an all too-brief life. I've always loved the Apollo Theater sequence, especially having been one of three white faces in the 2,000 plus seat venue c. 1961, there to see James Brown perform. Great experience.

Terrific film. Brilliant Blu-ray from Twilight Time via Columbia.

Image - 5

Audio - 5

Recommended.

RAH

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

I can't imagine what a scene that must have been to see James Brown at the Apollo with that audience. Put that one down as a musical historical landmark touchstone. I was just gob smacked watching his performance on The T.A.M.I. Show when it first aired, and seeing it again on DVD. How does the current bio-pic of him hold up?

My 'historical' performance related to this release was being in a small club in Calabasas one night when Gary Busey was playing all the Buddy Holly hits live with a band and Bruce Springsteen came out and jammed with him through the set. The place only held about 50 people it seemed like, but they went wild enough for 500. Busey was playing gigs around town after the movie opened carrying on that Holly torch admirably. I look forward to seeing this again. Thanks for the thumbs up review.

 

[Dick]

Wonderful film, telling the story of the final few years of an all too-brief life. I've always loved the Apollo Theater sequence, especially having been one of three white faces in the 2,000 plus seat venue c. 1961, there to see James Brown perform.

"We weren't expecting ya'll either..."

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Thanks Robert for the thumbs-up. I'll order this week.
I was waiting and hoping with some trepidation having unfortunately bought a couple of years ago the Region B travesty of a Blu ray... which stayed in my possession for exactly two days! That was the first time I had bought a Blu ray which was positively worse than the existing DVD in every single way.

 

[schan1269]

I'm a sucker for these biopic's of the "too early gone"...

Glad it keeps with the Columbia tradition.

 

[Filmgazer]

Thanks, Robert, for your hearty recommendation of this new Blu-ray from Twilight Time. So glad it meets your usual high standards for video and audio quality.

I've been a huge fan of the film ever since it came out in 1978, especially because of the electrifying performance of Gary Busey, who was justly Oscar-nominated. Most fans know that Busey and his fellow actors, Don Stroud and Charles Martin Smith, were actual musicians, all of whom did their own singing and instrument playing. The fact that their performances were reportedly recorded "live" lends an even more excting dimension to the film.

The disc also includes a lively commentary track (recorded for the DVD in the late 1900's) featuring Busey and director Steve Rash.

I'll be ordering this one right away!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

We watched this terrific film on Friday. I have also been a big fan of this film since it came out. Busey's performance is wonderful, and I love Buddy Holly's music -- "True Love Ways" was the song we selected for the first dance at our wedding 25 years ago!

Anyway, I concur with Mr. Harris that the disc looks and sounds great. I am so happy to finally have this on BluRay.

 

[Kevin EK]

The Buddy Holly Story includes one of the greatest comic comeback lines I can remember.

Buddy and his date are at the movies, and they won't stop talking. Finally, one of the other patrons says to Buddy, "Are you gonna be quiet, or what?" Buddy responds "I think we'll What."

 

[Steve Tannehill]

A perfect double feature with La Bamba. Do I understand that it is coming from Twilight Time?

 

[Robert Crawford]

A perfect double feature with La Bamba. Do I understand that it is coming from Twilight Time?

Yes, September 9th.

 

[ROclockCK]

Steve Rash's The Buddy Holly Story (1978) shares something with films such as Ray and Walk the Line.

A lead performance, here by Gary Busey (singing for himself), is reason enough to spend a couple of hours with this film.

Since it's a Columbia release, one might presume that the quality would be superb. And they would be correct.

Wonderful film, telling the story of the final few years of an all too-brief life. I've always loved the Apollo Theater sequence, especially having been one of three white faces in the 2,000 plus seat venue c. 1961, there to see James Brown perform. Great experience.

Terrific film. Brilliant Blu-ray from Twilight Time via Columbia.

Image - 5

Audio - 5

Recommended.

RAH

Given Sony and Twilight Time's track record, as well as your impeccable archival standards, I expected this disc to look and sound very nice RAH...and yet my jaw still hit the floor. Even on my modest home video rig, I felt like I was sitting in the audience for some of those performances.

Is there a 4k DCP of this baby? I think I would go out of my way for that.

 

[Dr Griffin]

This film, and the advertising campaign of it in 1978, including the release of a Buddy Holly Greatest Hits LP, started me on a life long love of his music. While not factually accurate (see McCartney's The Real Buddy Holly Story), you can't deny Busey's performance is stellar. My favorite Holly tune: An Empty Cup (And A Broken Date).

 

[ROclockCK]

A case, I think, of the filmmakers taking liberties with the text, yet still nailing the subtext. I mean, I was aware of many biographical inconsistencies, both large and small, but for some reason they didn't bug me much. The passion and authenticity in the staging and performances compensated.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

You're absolutely right, Steve. The feeling was true, whatever the liberties taken with the facts.
And I really admire the way the film-makers downplayed the tragic end .. yes, the tragedy was there of that plane ride, but the film still managed to end on a high .. the way his life did.

 

[ROclockCK]

Emphatically yes! Steve Rash shrewdly avoided a lot of the faux drama and false notes which characterize too many musical bios IMO. This one felt more immediate, like a celebration, rather than mere retro analysis.

Ironically, it's taken me almost 40 years to see this movie in its entirety*, and now I've watched it twice in as many weeks. And I'm still dizzy-delirious over the quality of TT's disc...did this movie even look or sound that good during first run? For medical reasons at the time, my memory is...uhm...a bit unreliable on that point.

* starting with a touch of food poisoning (an understatement) which forced my date and I to bail on it after 20 minutes.