| Show MISSISSIPPI BURNING by Mike Richan Staff Writer Alan Parker the notorious creator of Angel Heart and Pink Floyd The Wall has unleashed unleashed unleashed un un- un- un leashed his intensely disturbing disturbing disturbing disturb disturb- ing directorial style on Mississippi Burning a fictional fictional fictional fic fic- fic- fic recount of a civil rights incident in the South circa drca 1964 Here is a film filled with all of Parkers Parker's trademarks and cliches his finely tuned editing editing editing edit edit- ing and passion for dark mo mo- ments Here too is a script worthy of the best seen in months sending FBI agents Willem DaFoe and Gene Hackman on a perilous and frightening investigation into the deepest South where the NAACP was always preceded by an invective white robes cross burnings church torch- torch ings beatings and midnight hangings were commonplace commonplace commonplace com com- almost a way of life for the white and black citizens of Mississippi and where the law is as corrupt and bigoted as possible Exquisitely filmed and wonderfully scored this film is a hitter hard-hitter in every sense of the word Scarcely is the action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion subdued and when Parker finally pulls the rein were we're glad for it this is a tight tense story and any breathing spaces are taken advantage of t t j T Hackman gives the performance performance performance mance of his career and DaFoe makes his by the book character a likeable though stiff leader Thoroughly involving and immensely thoughtful Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi Mis Burning is the best film of 1988 It succeeds on every level even historical context not withstanding recent commentaries to the opposite Not intending to be bea a overview of the civil rights era though admittedly too centered on its white protagonists the film still wins its emotion and strength honestly as an incidental picture picture pic plc- ture and does not seem to suggest more It leaves you with clear understandings of the consequences of hate unbridled unbridled unbridled un un- un- un bridled disregard for human liberty and life and common decency as a split personality Given present conditions equaling those depicted here herein herein herein in most of the world and unfortunately unfortunately unfortunately un un- un- un fortunately still existing in inthis inthis inthis this country violent skin skin- head Aryan incidents in the Northeast this month as an example Mississippi Burning Burning Burning Burn Burn- ing feels very close to home despite its portrayal of an era 25 years ago This easy relativity makes it frighteningly frighteningly frighteningly frighten- frighten real and alive even hor hor- The film will reiterate the concept of courage and morality human rights most have the capability and duty to exercise especially when it comes to re-informing re those who seem to misunderstand what America is really all about |
