Mississippi Burning (1988)

Director: Alan Parker Starring: Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, Brad Dourif, Frances McDormand Genres: Drama, US Premier Origin: USA Certificate: M Running Time: 121 min

synopsis

Prepare to be shaken and moved as three young men in the 1960s meet their violent and untimely deaths on a dark Mississippi highway in this powerful and poignant drama. Based on the real-life murder investigation of three civil rights activists and starring two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman and Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe, Mississippi Burning ranks as one of the most potent and insightful views of racial turmoil yet produced. Nominated for six Oscars and winner of the 1988 Academy Award for Best Cinematography, this emotionally charged film vividly captures a crucial chapter in American history. As three civil rights mavericks drive down a desolate stretch of highway, headlights draw ominously near. Telling each other to stay calm, they have no way of knowing that in minutes they will disappear into the night and spark one of the most explosive murder investigations in history. Enter straight-laced Ward (Dafoe) and deceptively easy-going Anderson (Hackman). Can these philosophically opposed FBI agents overcome their differences and uncover the chilling mystery of a small Ku Klu Klan-ridden community before a small town is torn apart by racism? Featuring excellent across-the-board performances, Mississippi Burning is a powerful, sizzling thriller.