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Topic: Hank Williams film |
Brad Davis
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 28 Jan 2017 6:25 pm |
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I finally got around to watching "I Saw The Light". I guess I knew what to expect, and boy did Hollywood deliver. I was actually reading the rather well-written biography it was based upon, and had recently re-read the Don Helms book. But in typical Hollywood fashion the movie leaves some to be desired.
I was amused that pretty much right away Don Helms was depicted playing for Hank with his 1949 Console Grande. In 1944! Haha. And then again in 1947 and so on. I suppose its impressive that they got the guitar Don is best known for right at all, and I'm sure they didn't give a crap about the finer details. I had trouble telling if the model they used had the correct pickup or correct number and type of legs. Also Don Helms was depicted by a slightly stocky redhead who looked almost nothing like him (similar for Jerry Rivers, etc), although the actor occasionally donned the glasses. Hey, at least we can say Don Helms was depicted in a Hollywood motion picture.
Frankly before watching it I expected them to downplay the steel a lot more, almost completely even. It was definitely downplayed a little bit, but they did feature it some, and the steel work in the musical interludes was competently done by someone who could more than reasonably approximate "THE" sound. They also depict Hank using "Red Foley's band" and presumably Jerry Byrd on lap steel.
Overall as an historical biopic the film is weak but not a complete piece of crap. There are definitely real historic details interspersed throughout. It meanders close enough to the truth for general audiences, but maybe not always close enough for the few of us who know the story a little better. Lot of artistic license throughout I guess. |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 29 Jan 2017 9:34 am
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I pretty much agree, although I might be little more forgiving on the minutia of the instruments used. I was looking forward to the release of the DVD and have to say I was disappointed. It just kind of fell flat all around. I thought the old low budget "Hank Williams - The Show He Never Gave" really dug down into the soul of old Hank, where "I Saw the Light" just skimmed the surface. Still, I'm glad to see Hank Williams get any kind of exposure these days and hope that the movie may have garnered him some new fans, even if us aficionados were less than thrilled.
I seem to remember reading that Chris Scruggs played the steel parts and also played Jerry Byrd in the film. Nice to see such a huge talent as Chris get some work and acknowledgement. |
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Brad Davis
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 29 Jan 2017 3:32 pm
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| I don't know if that was Chris playing Jerry, but it was a closer likeness than the actor playing Don. The steel parts were all well done as I said. Hank does briefly acknowledge him at one point ("Jerry"). That just feels like to me someone knew who he was and why he mattered and put that in deliberately, as I doubt audiences would have gotten it at all (Jerry who?). Ultimately it wasn't a film about the musicians, nor did I expect it to be. Jerry was a bit part and Don was a minor role, but a respectful nod to his involvement. Its just interesting how they appear and are portrayed. I'm not the world's expert on Hank or Don or any of the rest, but I saw a lot of details and material I recognized only by being familiar with it, where it would have been completely lost on most audiences since little of it was expounded in any way. Somebody did make some effort to include a lot of real historic basis and details, whether that was just by virtue of the book it was based on or they were actually trying I don't know. Overall the film is a bit depressed, and flat as you say. While Hank certainly had his demons I don't think it was all darkness and sad what they were doing. |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 29 Jan 2017 3:51 pm
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| I have had it on my to watch list for a while. Usually I expect some errors and all with movies but from what I hear this is one of the better made Hank films. I remember seeing one that was made probably in the early 1980's where the steel was a fender 400 . That movie may have been "The Show He Never Gave". |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 29 Jan 2017 4:05 pm
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If somebody watched this film and had no idea who Hank Williams was, they would not come away with the impression that he was a hugely successful and influential artist with a string of hit records and sold out shows.
How you can depict his life without including this is beyond me.
A agree with others that "The Show He Never Gave" was a far better film.
About the only thing I liked in the movie was Chris Scruggs' steel playing (he played the parts for both Don and Jerry but did not appear on screen). |
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Daniel McKee
From:
Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 29 Jan 2017 7:11 pm
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| I really hoped to see it in theaters but it never came to my town and was supposed to show in Tupelo a town about 40 miles away and they cancelled on it as well. I see that walmart has the dvd at least online for those that may wanna check it out. I need to get a copy myself. |
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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