Customer Reviews

Murder in Mississippi

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have waited some time for this movie to appear on DVD since I first saw it on television several years ago. This movie, rather than Mississippi Burning, does the best job treating the murder of three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964. This DVD illustrates the difficulties encountered by those who attempted to register blacks to vote in Mississippi during the racial strife that took place during the 1960s and eventually led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 through the efforts of President Lyndon Johnson. This movie can be shown in schools to students too young to appreciate what took place during that violent decade. Mississippi Burning has too much profanity to use in schools, and I believe Murder in Mississippi does a better job of covering this unnecessary tragedy anyway. America's history is not always lily-white, and this movie will show that even though great strides have been made much progress still needs to be made.

This is a very powerful story. I graduated from college in May, 1964, and was keenly aware of the brutal struggles endured by African Americans in Mississippi. This was a murder case in which the perpetrators killed with no remorse. It is impossible for me (as a white man) to imagine what it would have been like to be black and live in Mississippi during that time. This was happening in other states as well. It is a shame the killers were not convicted of capital murder. No criminal jury in Mississippi would have convicted the killers of murder. I suppose violation of the victims' civil rights was better than no justice at all. I recommend this film and another, Mississippi Burning.

I have used an increasingly deteriorating videotape of the original broadcast on lifetime in my classroom for years, I'm glad that this film has finally gotten the recognition of a proper DVD release. Not only does this film dramatize an important and terrible event in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, it is a well acted and interesting film. This is a great teaching tool for college students because the 3 civil rights workers are the age of most traditional college students.

You know the horrible outcome of the 3 civil rights workers but at the same time while you are getting to know them in this movie, you almost dont want the TRAGIC ENDING to occur. When they are in jail, you want them to get to make that "one" phone call. When they are being chased by the "Klan" members & sheriff/Deputy (whatever he was he was EVIL) down that dark road -you want them to get away to survive another day.

I love this movie so much because it gives us a close up, inside look into the lives of these civil rights activists. You get to see what their purpose was. You get to see what they were fighting for. So it takes you on their journey. To the tragic ending.

This is a great film that should be shown in every High School & College in the US. So many of these young teenagers & young adults are ignorant to the History of black people, & they should know about this. These 3 young men lost their lives because they believed in EQUAL RIGHTS & OPPORTUNITIES among "all people". Not just for the whites. They wanted all people to have the right to VOTE! Barack Obama became our 44th President! That was such a Historical moment. A African American is now President of the US! This film would have been perfect to show HS & college students because it shows them...look how FAR Black People have come. Do you know how many Black people VOTED on that day for Obama...& YES primarily because he is African American. Many voted for the FIRST time (I thought that was ashame, because I am black & I vote any time its time to VOTE). But maybe that moment in History was what so many of them was waiting for.

Very good film about these 3 Civil Rights activists whom I consider HEROES!

This is the best way ever to teach kids about the horrors some experienced in America during the Civil Rights Movement. Generally, my students don't "get it" before they see this movie. After they see it, they realize that had they lived during that time period, they would have had to be careful of every action, everything they wore, and everything they said in public. They also realize that life as they know it in a multicultural society, would never have existed. It's an eye-opener. Tom Hulce is outstanding as Michael Schwerner. Jennifer Grey is just right as his wife. Blair Underwood - awesome. It's not unusual to have kids visibly moved at the end. They become totally engaged in the story, and they come away with a deeper understanding of what it meant to fight for civil rights in this country. Be aware the the language is frank and realistic, and the violence is shown as matter-of-fact. Some debriefing is required if it's shown in a classroom, or to kids younger than 13.

If the Civil Rights era, or just American history in general, fascinates you, then you'll love this movie. 10x better than Mississippi Burning, I recommend this movie.
These men died bravely for what they believed in, and this movie does them great justice. Great acting also. Made me cry.

While Mississippi Burning is a very good movie and tell of the events after the murders of the civil right workers. This movie explains everything that happened before the murders and what lead up to them. Great acting and direction. As much as i like Mississippi Burning i feel this movie is better because it shows us what these 3 heroes went thru and how they died because of what they believed in. Every American need to see this movie atleast once. Highly recommened. One of the very best movies i ever seen. I would rate it up there w/ Titanic, Million Dollar Baby, Crash and Gran Torino. It's that good. Check it out.

MURDER IN MISSISSIPPI HAS TO BE A MUST HAVE FOR YOUR DVD COLLECTION
WHY IS THAT? THE STORY OF THE 3 CIVIL RIGHTS WORKERS WERE KILLED IN A VICIOUS AND BRUTAL SLAUGHTER. I DO AGREE THAT THE THEIR DEATHS WERE AS VICIOUS AS IT GOT. THE ENDING IS VERY GRAPHIC BUT NECESSARY TO SHOW YOU THE VIOLENCES AND BRUTALITY THAT THESE WORKERS SUFFER IN THE HANDS OF BIGOTRY. I LOVE THE MESSAGE THAT THIS MOVIE HAS TO OFFER WHICH IS REGISTER TO VOTE!!! IF OBAMA BECOMES PRESIDENT REMEMBER THAT HE MADE IT THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING, MALCOLM X, AND THE CIVIL RIGHT WORKERS WHO WANTED CHANGE IN AMERICAN VOTING SYSTEM AS WELL AS CHANGE IN OUR SOCIETY. REMEMBER PEOPLE IN THE STRUGGLE HAVE DIED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE IS COUNTED, BY DISRESPECTING THEM VOTING PROCESS YOU DISRESPECT REASON WHY THESE INDIVIDUALS GAVE UP THEIR LIVES FOR THE CAUSE. I WILL TREASURE THIS MOVIE AND SHOW MY CHILDREN WHY ITS IMPORTANT TO VOTE . THE PERFORMANCES ARE EMMY WINNING. EVERYONE WAS BRILLIANT IN THIS. IT HAS A DEEP AND POWERFUL MESSAGE NOT ONLY ABOUT YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE BUT HOW COLOR SHOULD NOT BE A ISSUE WHEN YOU ARE FRIENDS. THAT BLACK AND WHITE CAN GET ALONG IF YOU DONT JUDGE THE PERSON BY THEIR SKIN BUY THE MOVIES ITS A CLASSIC.

notice to amazon you have the wrong actors in you info. look at the cover of the dvd and you'll get the right stars. this is not a review but a correction for amazon

YEs i love this movie but its was on TV, good choice it was exactly like the story was about the three Civil Rights Workers that was murdered in Mississippi in 1964. Blair Underwood did an excellent job in portraying James Channey, he gave the character of James Channey ditinity when he said I aint running from any of you. THe sense of pride when he stood his ground and refuse to bent. And at the funeral at the end of the scence, Oh God that was on point from that actor who portray the CORE leader from the head quarters, that scence made you really think of the hell we African Amercians went through just for the right to vote. The same person that did Roots did this movie for television Murder in Mississippi. Excellent job well done. I remember talking to the late Mamie Till Mobley (the mother of the late Emmitt TIll whose son was murder in Mississippi in 1955) Before she died I called her in the 80's and we was talking about the movie i ask her about it and she said it was on point, she describe it as You could feel the hate and fear in the air, and she went on to say the movie was excellent, she also said I can see some things have changed but not all things have change. We as African Americans still have a long way to go. But this movie was excellent.