Mississippi Burning (DVD)

Mississippi Burning 'On Trial'

Cast
Anderson Gene Hackman
Ward Willem Dafoe
Mrs. Pell Frances McDormand
Dep. Pell Brad Dourif
Mayor Tilman R. Lee Ermey
Sheriff Stuckey Gailard Sartain
Clayton Townley Stephen Tobolowsky


It seems almost appropriate that this film is re-released now, with many modern racial issues firmly embedded on people's minds. The death ...
...up her seat to a white man on a bus. This event triggered the blacks to speak out in their non-violent protests against the oppressive rule of the whites. Another more recent event is the murder of the black teenager Anthony Walker. With the two murderers behind bars for over 40 years between them, it seems like a real wake-up call for the racists around the world. The other major event is of course Hurricane Katrina, which battered the south coast ... more

Mississippi Burning 'On Trial'

Cast
Anderson Gene Hackman
Ward Willem Dafoe
Mrs. Pell Frances McDormand
Dep. Pell Brad Dourif
Mayor Tilman R. Lee Ermey
Sheriff Stuckey Gailard Sartain
Clayton Townley Stephen Tobolowsky

It seems almost appropriate that this film is re-released now, with many modern racial issues firmly embedded on people's minds. The death of Rosa Parks, who in December 1955, refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus. This event triggered the blacks to speak out in their non-violent protests against the oppressive rule of the whites. Another more recent event is the murder of the black teenager Anthony Walker. With the two murderers behind bars for over 40 years between them, it seems like a real wake-up call for the racists around the world. The other major event is of course Hurricane Katrina, which battered the south coast of America, and left the city of New Orleans in a state of chaos. But with the black population feeling they have been abandoned, is the USA still as racist as it was 50 years ago?

The film itself is not based on one sole event, but the underlying message is painfully clear, White man is better than Black man. If any other film was made like this, it would cause uproar, but as the film is already well-known, it has a powerful influence on the ongoing racial events. Some say that the blacks have been portrayed as a frail bunch of misfits who can only run and scream. This is true only in that the blacks are shown in this way. The tough resilience and powerful determination of the blacks to achieve peace is obvious throughout history. Some white people also commented the whites were played out as a bunch of cruel-hearted murderers. Unfortunately for them, this is also true. But was it all of the white people who were so racist, or was it just one extremist cult?

The Ku Klux Klan played a major part in the racial abusing and killing of the blacks in 50's America. But were they really that bad? According to a KKK document, the society is both legal and democratic. But in this film, they are portrayed with a frightening accuracy. The so-called White Knights are considered to be the liberator of America. The hero's of the wars. The saviours of the race. The idea of White vs. Black is an idea of Good vs. Evil. This idea was taken up by the White Knights of the KKK.

In the film, we see the KKK attacking a black congregation. They silently line up with clubs, waiting for the blacks to come out. The blacks are shown as feeble people who run at the first sign of danger. The camera then pans round to see a KKK man standing over a praying boy. The masked man then launches a flurry of kicks at the praying boy.

Before you think that the film is all blood and gore, this is not the case. The film generally focuses on two FBI agents, Anderson & Ward, trying to track down the bodies and the killers of three civil rights workers. This is a similar storyline to the earlier 1965 film 'Three Lives for Mississippi', which indicated that these killings sparked a lot of interest. From the start, the film really hooks the audience, with expert camera work and epic use and control of music and sound.

The film begins with a scene showing two water fountains, one clean and new one for the whites, and one old and decrepit 'coloured' fountain. The camera does not move, and in the scene, a white and a black boy both come into the scene and drink from the different fountains. The pipe down the middle creates a visible division, but both fountains us the same water! The music being played is a women singing gospel music, which was a common theme during the dark times in America. In brief, the scene was no other purpose than to give the viewers something to chew on.

The second scene is of a church in flames. Again, the still camera focuses on the church. This Audience Position gives them the time to take in the scene. There nothing else in this shot. No firemen. No help. No-one. The positioning of the camera is left for the picture to literally 'burn' onto peoples mind.

The film, however, is a gripping thriller when the action gets going. The lighting and music gives the audience a feeling of sorrow one minute, and hate the next. The first piece of action is the classic 'car chase' scene. Three men, two white and one black, are driving down a road. The lighting effects and camera work give a sinister edge to the air. The car driving down the road will the still camera give the impression that something bad is about to happen. The entrance of new cars onto the road really gets the film going. Soon, the scene ends up as an off-road car chase, ending with a horrible and brutal murder.

The murder sets the ball rolling off into the land of the thriller, and away from the frame of truth. The attacks don't stop there. Later on in the film, a Black congregation is attacked by a group of KKK men. The short sharp flicking of scenes from attack to attack gives the audience a wide flavour of the content of the scene, which differs greatly from the techniques used in the first few scenes. This is combined with the classic gospel music, which makes the scene seem more hard-hitting. The camera then focuses in on one boy being attacked by a KKK 'knight'. The music has stopped for the audience to fully appreciate the attack. The aggression of the scene gives more hatred for the whites and more sympathy for the blacks.

There is action dotted throughout the film, with the white men getting the punishment they deserve. A happy ending? Not for most.

Civil rights workers - James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner
 

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