Dancing Outlaw Historically, the mountainous states of the Appalachians are the center and the most striking example of the unattractive life of the American white poor. Like Harlem to New York. White trash in American, angry white cattle according to the version of South Park, Rednecks in the general sense, or, more precisely, Hillbilly - there are many synonyms to describe the inhabitants of states such as Kentucky or Louisiana. High levels of crime and drug addiction, easy access to weapons, low living standards and literacy are perceived as a traditional aspect of life in these places. Nevertheless, these kolkhozniks made their contribution to American culture, gave rise to those stereotypes about Americans that even any locksmith from Yakutia or Tyumen, who last saw the United States in contour maps in a geography lesson, knows. Disassembly with hard drives and revolvers, denim jumpsuits, banjos, straw hats, high boots and much more. Naturally, the film, which takes place in such realities, can not be easy and entertaining.
White's Enlightenment is based on real events and real characters. Of course, all this went through a certain artistic filtering and was abundantly embellished and exaggerated, but the main events took place in reality. Titular White, by the way, is a local hero of the Rednecks, a tro-country-old and the most talented “mountain dancer”. For those wishing to know more - to watch the doc "Dancing Outlaw".
Therefore, the appointment of Edward Hogg, who has written on his face that he is a hereditary British with an academic education, seemed a very dubious move. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as expected. Hogg gave his all and created the strongest cinematic character. Jesco White is an atypical and more difficult hero than most drug addicts and nuts on screen, with a full suite of pops and cockroaches. Dependence on liquid for lighters, correctional facilities for minors, gasoline on the sleeve and so on on on an inclined path. But on the other hand - love for his father, respect for the authority of the head of the family, an incredible talent. It is logical that with such a gentlemanly set, the story of his life will resemble a biblical parable. Had Jesko been born two thousand years ago, he might well have been the hero of an exhilarating psalm about actions and consequences, desire and remorse, weakness and humility, or even, heck, good and evil. It is not for nothing that White himself says that he is a weak man with evil in his blood.
Dominic Murphy, a debutant in filmmaking and previously worked exclusively on TV, portrays in a pronounced artistic language (which is not typical for beginners) the depressed, gloomy and abnormal existence of the poor white people. Without embellishment, as it is, without trying to smooth corners. At the same time, the film is not perceived as openly oppressive and hopelessly dark. This is achieved primarily by the fact that the narration is conducted by the voiceover of Jesco White himself, who is not objective and realistic and who hardly takes anything seriously. Murphy generally gives the impression of an uncompromising director, without taboos and restrictions, and ready for experiments and bold decisions. Isn’t Princess Leia 2 times older than the main character? The director does not shy away from mixing religion, alcoholism, violence, substance abuse, poverty, insanity and drug addiction in White’s Enlightenment. With the wrong approach, this would result in an incredible, indistinct mix and tastelessness. But in Murphy, each component does not cross a certain peak point, approaching a dangerous proximity, but not crossing.
This is largely due to the relative linearity of the course of events, occasionally and appropriately diluted with flashbacks. But the same method allows in certain segments to accelerate the overall pace of what is happening on the screen, get rid of the monotony, as well as create a figurative parallel between the bundles of viewer-film and Jesco-reality. Add a little craziness, let some of you feel like White.
On the other hand, we can accuse the creators of excessive idealization and romanticization of White. We can say that they are trying to make a victim of circumstances out of a notorious asocial and somehow justify all his madness. But this, perhaps, will not be done by everyone.
The visualization of the film deserves special mention. The picture on the screen perfectly corresponds to the events taking place on it, and the general mood of individual scenes. Alternation of long plans and frequent installation gluing, smooth transitions between shades of black and white filters, frequent use of close-ups create a very mature, stylish card.
And certainly not to mention the excellent soundtrack. Listeners of such artists as Jay Munly, Lonesome Wyatt, Antic Clay, and any other dark country film "Enlightenment of White" is a must-see. This music is radically different from the conventional country music, performed by licked cowboys from Marlborough commercials, shows the inside out of this community, as does the film itself. Much of the sound comes from Hassle Adkinson, widely considered the godfather of Cycobilly. And most likely, most viewers will listen to the track "No more hot dogs" many times, under which the most incredible scenes take place.
In conclusion, I would like to say that if there were no "White Enlightenment", they should be removed. The original vision of the unspoiled question will always be more interesting than the recurring movie stories about casino robberies or seducing girls.