Midnight Express

4/12/2018

Midnight Express is a harrowing story based on true events. Brad Davis delivers an outstanding performance with great supporting roles from John Hurt, Randy Quaid. It was an adapted Screenplay written by Oliver Stone which won him his first Oscar. Georgia Maroda (spelling)soundtrack is really riveting as the ‘chase’ scene unfolds. This is a movie that will stay with you for life. They say that ‘Midnight Express’ did to Turkeys tourism, what ‘Jaws’ did to bathing in the sea. Highly recommended.

6/21/2025

Hmmm. I’m not sure time has been so kind to this, and as we look on it now it comes across as a rather condescending and stereotypical judgement of a Turkish penal system that dared to deal harshly with a drug smuggler. That character “Billy” (Brad Davis) doesn’t make it through immigration as he tries to leave Istanbul with loads of hashish strapped to his torso whilst sweating nervously. Initially, he is released on bail on the basis that he helps the authorities to trace his suppliers, but he decides to pull a fast one and that just ends up with him on the wrong end of a four year prison sentence. Now there’s no denying that life in the prison is brutal and the chief guard and slightly sexually ambiguous “Hamidou” (Paul L. Smith) has clearly got it in for the attractive young American a