Did you know?
The Hank Williams biopic “I Saw the Light” is among the feature films to be shown during the Chattanooga Film Festival, set for March 31-April 3. View the schedule at chattanoogafilmfest.com.
Various artists, “I Saw the Light (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” (Sony Legacy)
Because Hank Williams’ mark on country music is as indelible as a two-stepper in a honky-tonk, it’s shocking to be reminded that he lived just 29 years – and died more than half a century ago.
British actor Tom Hiddleston resurrects the legend 63 years later in the new biopic “I Saw the Light,” and everything about the accompanying soundtrack sounds straight out of Williams’ heyday. Except Hiddleston’s voice, but that doesn’t matter because the actor can sing.
Hiddleston wisely avoids trying to mimic Williams’ unmistakable nasal twang. With an upbeat tenor that bears no trace of his roots, Hiddleston creates a sanitized but pleasant Hank, lacking the rough edges that make Williams sound right at home on a dive-bar jukebox. It’s a version that might go better with a couple of craft beers.