CINEMA: White Lightnin’

Written by: Dee Pilgrim

Jesco White is an Appalachian mountain dancer with whisky in his veins and the devil in his soul (or so he believes).

Taught to dance by his father as a way of weaning him off booze and drugs, Jesco tours the States performing and achieving a level of fame, but he can never get the monkey off his back and his self-destructive ways threaten to engulf him.

Edward Hogg as Jesco White in White Lightnin'

This biopic features British actor Edward Hogg giving an amazing turn as Jesco, but the film itself is less successful, weaving truth and flights of fancy to such an extent the boundaries become blurred and as a viewer you are left confused. Does Jesco really shoot his wife? Does he really kill a cop?

Had the film been more factual (and shown more of Jesco’s dancing) it would have been a more satisfying experience, as it is, it’s a tantalising snapshot into a tortured man’s life showing his pain and torment, but never really exposing the complete picture.

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Author: Dee Pilgrim

Dee always knew she wanted to make her living from writing and so trained as a journalist before working for a variety of music and women’s titles including Sounds, Company, Cosmopolitan, Ms London, New Woman, and Girl About Town. After going freelance she concentrated on celebrity interviews and film, theatre, music and restaurant reviews. Her love of film goes back to her very first cinema experience at the age of five when her mother took her to see Bambi. She cried. At one time she was the Film Editor for NOW magazine and also the secretary for the film section of the Critics’ Circle and the celebrity coordinator for its annual film awards’ event. She has written a number of books for teenagers through Trotman Publishing, including five Real Life Guides to vocational careers (including Carpentry, Plumbing and Catering), and also three books on Real Life Issues (Money, Bereavement and Self Harm). Her favourite film is still Bladerunner.

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