CRUD Challenge: The Buddy Holly Story
Feb. 4th, 2026 10:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
skjamThe Buddy Holly Story (1978) dir. Steve Rash
We first meet Buddy Holly (Gary Busey) and his bandmates Jesse (Don Stroud) and Ray Bob (Charles Martin Smith) at a roller rink in Lubbock, Texas. They're just out of high school and doing okay on a local level. But Buddy has a new sound in mind, more boppish in nature. His original songs are a big hit with the youngsters, but the establishment types who control the money think the new rock-style music ranges between noise and Satanism. If Buddy wants to get ahead in the music business, he's going to have to find a different audience.
A short stint in Nashville proves unfruitful, as Buddy clashes with their production style and insistence on a "country" sound. But then "That'll Be the Day" manages to get to a record label in New York City, and it proves to be a big hit. Buddy Holly and his band, now named the Crickets, are on their way!
February 3, 1959 was "the day the music died" (not just Buddy, but the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens also perished in that airplane crash) so on the anniversary I watched this fictionalized biography of Holly.
We follow Buddy Holly as he works to refine his unique musical style, becomes wildly popular, and courts his soon to be wife Maria Elena (Maria Richwine). It becomes painfully obvious to the rest of the Crickets that Buddy is the headliner and they're replaceable, plus they (in-movie) aren't really ready for the music star life. So they part ways for a while.
And then one last big concert before disaster strikes.
The production of this movie apparently took a while to get off the ground because they decided to cast actors who could actually play instruments and the vast majority of the musical numbers in the film are recorded directly from the people playing on set. This is all to the good for realism and an authentic feel. Musically, the movie is very good.
Due to Holly's short career and tragically premature death, this movie comes across very clean-cut compared to many musical biographies. There's never a dive into decadence or rock bottom moment. About the worst thing that Buddy Holly does here is be an auteur, his drive to make music exactly his own way irritating people who have to work with him.
Content note: Period racism, which of course Buddy Holly is completely above (even black people love the Crickets!). Alcohol abuse (not by Buddy.) Buddy and Maria cuddle in bed after they get married.
The fictionalization does warp history somewhat, so you may want to also read a more neutral biography. Ritchie Valens is barely in the movie, so you may also want to watch La Bamba to learn more about his backstory. Sadly, there's no biopic for the Big Bopper.
Recommended to rock and roll fans, especially those who enjoy the early stuff.
We first meet Buddy Holly (Gary Busey) and his bandmates Jesse (Don Stroud) and Ray Bob (Charles Martin Smith) at a roller rink in Lubbock, Texas. They're just out of high school and doing okay on a local level. But Buddy has a new sound in mind, more boppish in nature. His original songs are a big hit with the youngsters, but the establishment types who control the money think the new rock-style music ranges between noise and Satanism. If Buddy wants to get ahead in the music business, he's going to have to find a different audience.
A short stint in Nashville proves unfruitful, as Buddy clashes with their production style and insistence on a "country" sound. But then "That'll Be the Day" manages to get to a record label in New York City, and it proves to be a big hit. Buddy Holly and his band, now named the Crickets, are on their way!
February 3, 1959 was "the day the music died" (not just Buddy, but the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens also perished in that airplane crash) so on the anniversary I watched this fictionalized biography of Holly.
We follow Buddy Holly as he works to refine his unique musical style, becomes wildly popular, and courts his soon to be wife Maria Elena (Maria Richwine). It becomes painfully obvious to the rest of the Crickets that Buddy is the headliner and they're replaceable, plus they (in-movie) aren't really ready for the music star life. So they part ways for a while.
And then one last big concert before disaster strikes.
The production of this movie apparently took a while to get off the ground because they decided to cast actors who could actually play instruments and the vast majority of the musical numbers in the film are recorded directly from the people playing on set. This is all to the good for realism and an authentic feel. Musically, the movie is very good.
Due to Holly's short career and tragically premature death, this movie comes across very clean-cut compared to many musical biographies. There's never a dive into decadence or rock bottom moment. About the worst thing that Buddy Holly does here is be an auteur, his drive to make music exactly his own way irritating people who have to work with him.
Content note: Period racism, which of course Buddy Holly is completely above (even black people love the Crickets!). Alcohol abuse (not by Buddy.) Buddy and Maria cuddle in bed after they get married.
The fictionalization does warp history somewhat, so you may want to also read a more neutral biography. Ritchie Valens is barely in the movie, so you may also want to watch La Bamba to learn more about his backstory. Sadly, there's no biopic for the Big Bopper.
Recommended to rock and roll fans, especially those who enjoy the early stuff.
