Director: Alan Parker
Starring: Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand
Certificate: 18
Running Time: 129 minutes
Special Features: ‘Through the Storm’ – An interview with director Alan Parker / ‘Remembering Mississippi Burning’ – An interview with actor Willem Dafoe / ‘Under Siege’ – An interview with writer Chris Gerolma / Audio Commentary with Alan Parker
Originally released in 1988 and set in 1964, Alan Parker’s Mississippi Burning is based around one of the most notorious race-related murders in recent American history. What’s particularly disturbing is that, if the media is to believed, the States still has one of the worst records with racial tension now and with the film’s tagline ‘When America was at War with itself’, you could allege they continue to create their own horrific issues to this day.
Parker has always been a director to examine and reveal a certain type of story but especially those that affect real people. Mississippi Burning focuses around two FBI agents, Ward (Willem Dafoe) and Anderson (Gene Hackman), who head to the State to investigate the disappearance of three civil rights activists in Ku Klux Klan territory. On their arrival, it’s clear that the local Police aren’t there to help the black community and instead appear to be covering up something and aren’t even that subtle about it.
Their investigations start to bring angry repercussions within the small town that’s full of inhabitants too scared to say what they know, in fear of being dragged into a dirty, inhuman fight just because someone looks different. Early on, when the agents are attacked in their hotel room, it begins to get even more serious as the FBI embeds into the town. The two agents bring a different approach to proceedings initially, with Defoe’s Ward being methodical and following the direct line of enquiry alongside Hackman’s Anderson, a more wily character that’s eager to do whatever it takes to get some answers. They both grow and change over the narrative, with Anderson particularly showing some masterful strength in a specific bar scene. Both their methods cause a stir though, and it’s definitely affecting as situations develop.
Once they discover the car from the supposed ‘missing’ persons, the atmosphere becomes more intense as the racists continue to escalate their retaliation methods. From here, there are disturbing scenes as the KKK hunt down people and show their cowardly actions with horrific beatings. It raises the question of what continues to fuel racism, is it a deep misunderstanding of humanity or an uneducated, power-hungry idiocy or, even more worryingly, is it all of those things? As we all know, it’s a subject that continues to plague the world.
For the film, they’ve also put together a formidable cast for Parker’s vision with the likes of Hackman and a young Dafoe proving their worth. There’s also a younger Frances McDormand knowing things aren’t right but isn’t sure how she can help. Her line of “You’re not born with hatred, your taught it…” is a worthy microcosm of what’s occurring. What it also reminds me is the sheer terror that racism has caused for many years now and I can’t even begin to imagine how it feels (or felt) as my thoughts echo Defoe’s Ward as he says “What’s wrong with these people?”
The film picked up an Oscar, three BAFTAs and Hackman took best actor at the Berlin International Film Festival upon its release and still nearly 30 years later it’s utterly shocking and compelling. This is the first time the film has come to Blu-ray and with it brings a host of perceptive features that includes interviews with Alan Parker, Willem Defoe and writer Chris Gerolma. Mississippi Burning may not be an easy watch but it’s hugely important and powerful one and something to never, ever forget.
Mississippi Burning is out now on Blu-ray from Second Sight. You can buy it via this link here.
