WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Buddy Holly Story, The
Genre:Drama

Reviewed In Issue 16 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Gary Busey, Don Stroud, William Jordan, Dick O’Neil, Maria Richwine, Charles Martin Smith,

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 2.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Columbia/TriStar Home Video
(Catalog Number): 8186
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $$39.95
(Running Time In Minutes): 113
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1978
(LD Release Date): 9/1/95
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Steve Rash
(Screenplay/Written By): Robert Gittler
(Story): Alan Swyer
(Music): Buddy Holly
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Joel Schiller
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer): NA
(Editor): David Blewitt, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors): NA
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Edward H. Cohen & Fred T. Kuehnert
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Freddy Bauer

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Stereo
(Theatrical Sound): Mag Stereo
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Gary Busey stars as the ’50s rock pioneer in The Buddy Holly Story, based on source material from the book “Buddy Holly: His Life And Music” by John Goldrosen. After Universal Studios failed in three attempts to get the rights to the Holly story, these filmmakers approached Holly’s widow directly and impressed her with their concepts which included live-on-film music performances, not pre-recorded and lip-synched, and an unknown star. Gary Busey was chosen because he had begun his career as a musician, recording with Leon Russell, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Willie Nelson and Kinky Friedman. The result is a fascinating look at the rise to fame of Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

LaserDisc Picture:
The matted 1.85:1 picture exhibits discolored and unnatural fleshtones, but blacks are deep and solid. Overall image definition is soft, and noise and artifacts are slight.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack features original recordings of the group in 50’s rock-‘n’-roll compressed sound, but with lots of energy.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
(Aggressive System Surround):
(Intense 25Hz Bass):
(Deep Bass Challenging):
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield):
(Aggressive Split Surround):
(Center Back Surround Imaging):
(Directionalized Dialogue):
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: