10 80s Movie Hidden Gems You Can Watch On Netflix

Another excellent thriller from the 80s directed by a British filmmaker working abroad and available on Netflix is Mississippi Burning, Alan Parker's story of racial hostility and murder in the deep south of the 1960s, when tensions ran high amidst the burgeoning civil rights movement.

Gene Hackman and Willem Defoe play two FBI agents sent to investigate the disappearance of three civil rights campaigners, and soon find themselves facing stern opposition from a community locked in a backwards world where hatred for outsiders and protection of their way of life go hand in hand.

Although based on real events, Mississippi Burning fictionalised what happened and drew controversy upon its release for its neglect to what really happened. But it nevertheless remains a powerful reminder of the struggles encountered by the black community in America's backwaters, standing as a stark and saddening reminder of the political turmoil of America's recent past.

Hackman and Defoe deliver sterling performances in the central roles, and even if the film deserves some criticism for emphasising their investigation instead of putting the efforts of the campaigners on the ground in the spotlight, it nevertheless stands as a solidly told film featuring some exceptional cinematography.