15 Best Movie Thrillers From The 1980s

15. Mississippi Burning

It’s worth noting up top that the cavalier attitude the filmmakers took towards a true story is on the naughty side to say the least. The real life murder of three civil rights activists was the inspiration for this (undeniably well meaning) film, but the artistic license taken drew accusations of carelessness and perpetuating the White Saviour myth.

That aside, Mississippi Burning is a weighty and often startling depiction of racist violence, bolstered particularly by strong performances from Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, and Frances McDormand.

Director Alan Parker has never been one to shy away from the horrors of violence, and he pulls no punches here. It’s a film about murders committed by the Ku Klux Klan, so it was never going to be an easy watch, but some of the content here is truly not for the faint hearted.

Inaccuracies aside, Mississippi Burning achieves its purpose well - it’s an angry film with an incredibly serious point to be made. As a polemic, it’s passionate if slightly sloppy; as a socially motivated thriller, it holds up well, primarily thanks to its stars.