A review by Brooks Rich
I usually don't like music biopics about the rise and fall of a singer. I find them very formulaic and cheesy or downright identical to each other. (looking at you Ray and Walk the Line.) Also some of the worst films ever made have been musical biopics, like the appalling Great Balls of Fire. But there are some excellent ones out there, like Coal Miner's Daughter, but today we are focusing on The Buddy Holly Story from 1978.
The plot is simple. Buddy Holly and his band have a small amount of fame in their town of Lubbock, Texas. The town elders, especially the minister, do not like the kind of music they are playing. When a record producer releases a single of theirs without their knowledge, they sign a record deal and the rest as they say is history. Buddy Holly would go on to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is considered a pioneer of music.
So what makes this film work and standout from all the other music biopics? Well it comes before that genre became too formulaic for it's own good. It tells a fun story of three likable making a name for themselves and rebelling against the the hate from the adults about their music. Buddy Holly's music is a big part of this film and the musical numbers are fantastic. But the star of this film is Gary Busey as Buddy Holly.
I recently put a blog post about the top 10 villains in action movies and I mentioned Busey twice on the main list and once in he honorable mentions. He always played a great villain and was a strong working actor in the eighties and nineties. But he is on another level in The Buddy Holly Story. Busey was nominated for an academy award for best actor for his performance in this. He is the heart and soul of this movie, making Buddy Holly a likable character. The performance feels genuine and doesn't come across as a cheap imitation like some musical biopics do.
I highly recommend this film if you're a music fan. It's nothing spectacular but Busey's performance as Holly makes it a must watch.
I usually don't like music biopics about the rise and fall of a singer. I find them very formulaic and cheesy or downright identical to each other. (looking at you Ray and Walk the Line.) Also some of the worst films ever made have been musical biopics, like the appalling Great Balls of Fire. But there are some excellent ones out there, like Coal Miner's Daughter, but today we are focusing on The Buddy Holly Story from 1978.
The plot is simple. Buddy Holly and his band have a small amount of fame in their town of Lubbock, Texas. The town elders, especially the minister, do not like the kind of music they are playing. When a record producer releases a single of theirs without their knowledge, they sign a record deal and the rest as they say is history. Buddy Holly would go on to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is considered a pioneer of music.
So what makes this film work and standout from all the other music biopics? Well it comes before that genre became too formulaic for it's own good. It tells a fun story of three likable making a name for themselves and rebelling against the the hate from the adults about their music. Buddy Holly's music is a big part of this film and the musical numbers are fantastic. But the star of this film is Gary Busey as Buddy Holly.
I recently put a blog post about the top 10 villains in action movies and I mentioned Busey twice on the main list and once in he honorable mentions. He always played a great villain and was a strong working actor in the eighties and nineties. But he is on another level in The Buddy Holly Story. Busey was nominated for an academy award for best actor for his performance in this. He is the heart and soul of this movie, making Buddy Holly a likable character. The performance feels genuine and doesn't come across as a cheap imitation like some musical biopics do.
I highly recommend this film if you're a music fan. It's nothing spectacular but Busey's performance as Holly makes it a must watch.
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