Retrospective Film Review

Mississippi Burning (1988) • 35 Years Later — flames, fury, and red-hot hatred

Two FBI Agents with wildly different styles arrive in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of some civil rights activists.

A soothing voice croons a gospel song, begging God for deliverance through a storm. A small graveyard is illuminated in the night by the orange hue of fire. Behind it, a building is utterly engulfed in flame. The camera doesn’t cut away; instead, it stays firmly fixed on the structure, intent to show the starkly horrifying outcomes of hate, indoctrination, and bigotry. The sound of burning timber collapsing to the ground accompanies the singer’s beautiful voice, with the incessant crackling of fire sending chills down your spine. The film’s title hangs over the image: Mississippi Burning.

Alan Parker’s film begins with such unsettling violence and chilling ferocity that we’re immediately settled into the world he presents. Parker’s depiction of Mississippi is that of a totalitarian society masquerading as a democracy. Of course, it quickly…