Midnight Express (Aniv Rmst) | 
| Director: Alan Parker
Actors: Brad Davis, Irene Miracle, Bo Hopkins, Paolo Bonacelli, Paul L. Smith
Studio: Sony Pictures
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $5.98
You Save: $13.97 (70%)
New (4) Used (15) Collectible (2) from $2.91
Rating:  147 reviews
Sales Rank: 11128
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original Recording Reissued, Special Edition, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Maltese (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 122 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0767814622
UPC: 043396022607
EAN: 9780767814621
ASIN: 0767814622
Theatrical Release Date: October 6, 1978
Release Date: October 20, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Factory sealed and in cellophane wrapper (small piece mising)-the tape is guaranteed-Ships 1st Class.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Forever embroiled in controversy, Midnight Express divides viewers into opposing camps: those who think it's one of the most intense real-life dramas ever made, and those who abhor its manipulative tactics and alteration of facts for the exploitative purpose of achieving a desired effect. That effect is powerfully achieved, regardless of how you may feel about director Alan Parker and Oscar -winning screenwriter Oliver Stone's interpretation of the story of Billy Hayes. It was the American Hayes--played by the late Brad Davis in an unforgettable performance--who was caught smuggling two kilograms of hashish while attempting to board a flight from Istanbul, Turkey, in 1970. He was sentenced to four years in a hellish Turkish prison on a drug possession charge, but his sentence was later extended (though not by 30 years, as the film suggests), and Hayes endured unthinkable brutality and torture before his escape in 1975. Unquestionably, this is a superbly crafted film, provoking a visceral response that's powerful enough to boil your blood. By the time Hayes erupts in an explosion of self-defensive violence, Parker and Stone have proven the power--and danger--of their skill. Their film is deeply manipulative, extremely xenophobic, and embellishes reality to heighten its calculated impact. Is that a crime? Not necessarily, and there's no doubt that Midnight Express is expertly directed and blessed with exceptional supporting performances (especially from John Hurt as a long-term prisoner). Still, it's obvious that strings are being pulled, and Parker, while applying his talent to a nefarious purpose, is a masterful puppeteer. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 142 more reviews...
 "You still don't believe you're a bad machine?" October 10, 2004
cookieman108 (Inside the jar...)
31 out of 57 found this review helpful
Midnight Express (1978) is one of those few films I heard a great deal about, but haven't had the opportunity to see...until recently. Based on a book written by a man who committed a crime in another land, went to trial, was convicted and imprisoned, eventually escaped, and wrote a book about his experiences, a lot of controversy seems to be generated over the whether or not various events in the film actually happened. Given Hollywood's penchant for changing elements in stories so that they may best come across the screen, I decided, even though the film was based on a true story, to take that with a grain of salt and just watch the film as a film.
Directed by Alan Parker (he was nominated for an academy award for this film), screenplay by the seemingly always controversial Oliver Stone (he won for best adaptation of a screenplay from another medium), the film stars Brad Davis (Chariot's of Fire) as Billy Hayes, the man who escaped and wrote the book the movie was based on...also appearing are John Hurt (he won best supporting actor for his role), Randy Quaid (Cousin Eddie from the Vacation movies) and Paul Smith (Bluto, from Robin Williams' Popeye movie).
The film begins with Billy Hayes strapping packets of heroin to his body, prior to his leaving the country of Turkey. Tsk, tsk Billy...possession is one thing, but smuggling? So very naughty...anyway, due to increased terrorist attacks, all passengers traveling by airplane are searched thoroughly, and Billy gets caught. No big surprise there...if he hadn't, this would have been a pretty short film. Imagine getting arrested in a foreign country, one where you don't speak the language. Pretty scary, I would think. Anyway, things actually don't appear that bad for Billy, but we know different. Eventually Billy receives 4 years on a possession charge (the prosecutor was looking for a smuggling charge, which carries a life sentence in Turkey). Conditions are poor, to say the least, in the prison, as Billy suffers many of the things you'd expect one to suffer being in prison. Attempts by his family, his lawyer, and American government officials are for naught as Billy serves his time. Shortly before his time in prison is up, Billy learns that a higher court has ruled that the possession charge he was originally convicted on has been reviewed by a higher court, and they have now decided to charge him with smuggling, increasing his term to 30 years, or, basically a life sentence, given the quality of life in the prison. At this point Billy explodes in the court as the ruling is handed down, and he reacts badly, understandably so, calling the court and its' members a `bunch of pigs' (probably not the words I would have used, as they certainly won't endear you to your captors, but whatever). Now a matter of life or death in Billy's mind, he decides he has no choice but to escape. And try he does...eventually he does, returns home, and decides to write a book about his experience, one that becomes a movie one day, adapted for the screen by Oliver Stone...isn't this where we began?
Now first of all, I have to say, for the life of me, I just couldn't develop any sympathy for the main character. Let's face it...he was a criminal, got caught, and sent to prison. Here's a tip for the youngsters out there...if you are planning to commit a crime, especially in a foreign country, it's probably a good idea to research the consequences, specifically how much jail time is involved if you get caught (for instance smuggling drugs in Turkey will get you a life sentence). The film seemed to spend a lot of time focusing on the brutal and sadistic conditions within the prison, and trying to give the audience justification for Billy's need to escape (that was the way I saw it), but again, he committed a crime, and got caught, so I still found it extremely difficult to feel sad for Billy. Just because he was an American, he shouldn't be bound by whatever laws exist in the particular country he's in? I don't think so...I did think Brad Davis did a great job caught up in forces he didn't understand. I thought John Hurt was good as Max, a perpetually drugged out Englishman in prison with Billy, but I didn't feel he was Academy Award good. I did think Randy Quaid was really good as another prisoner named Jimmy Booth, a constantly angry man whose entire existence seemed to be based on devising a means to escape from prison (his crime was stealing two candlesticks from mosque, a very serious, and stupid, crime, apparently). So how much of the story was real and how much of it was exaggerated? I suppose only Billy knows, but I think there is a clear message here, and it's not that people shouldn't visit Turkey. No, I the message I got was don't commit crimes in Turkey, or any other country, for that matter. Having to go to prison sucks, and I am sure the quality of life within these prisons varies greatly, but regardless, if you can't do the time, don't do the crime. Pure and simple. Ultimately, as far as prison films go, this is a gripping, sometimes harsh to view yarn, but not the best one I've ever seen. One of the best, in my opinion, is Papillon (1973), starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, which, oddly enough, is also based on a true story.
Provided on this DVD is both the wide screen and full screen formats. I've only watched the wide screen format, and while the picture is good, I felt it could have been better, maybe cleaned up a little, giving us a better tone throughout. Special features include a theatrical trailer and a short featurette with the real Billy Hayes (nice perm, dude) on location of the movie shoot.
Cookieman108
Rivetting performance from Brad Davis December 21, 2003
William (Australia)
28 out of 34 found this review helpful
Many reviewers ridicule the method used to try and smuggle the drugs in this movie, but back in the early 1970's (when the film was based) these kind of methods actually took place. Yes, people are stupid for doing these things ... but it's hard not to have compassion for them when they are served lifetime sentences. "Midnight Express" explores one man's time in a hellish Turkish prison. The tension of being caught and then beaten in prison are so well captured that you almost don't want to look. One scene that comes to mind is when Davis is hung upside down and beaten so bad, you can almost feel it. Davis performance is exceptional, yet did not give him the career you'd expect. An excellent actor, who died at the age of 41. The DVD itself is excellent too. An impressive widescreen transfer, plus a full screen option thrown in for people who dont know the value of widescreen (ie. a pointless inclusion in my opinion). The DVD also boasts a 1978 documentary of the film, and a trailer. A must own! One of the best prison films to date, along with "Shawshank Redemption".
 BRUTALLY DISHONEST FILM. February 9, 2002
Brett Johnson (Phoenix, AZ - USA)
21 out of 42 found this review helpful
"Midnight Express" certainly takes a lot of liberties with the truth. I have always thought that films of this type should go one of two ways. Either they should use an event as inspiration and nothing more or they should make a movie that is factually truthful and keep artistic license to a minimum. Unfortunately, this film tries to make the viewer believe that it is being truthful when in reality it often isn't. As you probably know, "Midnight Express" is the movie based on the book by Billy Hayes (and his ghostwriter). Billy was busted at an Istanbul airport trying to smuggle hashish out of the country. He ends up in a brutal Turkish prison for many years until his eventual escape. It's hard to enjoy the movie for what it could've been because it is factually untrue in several places. Sadly, multiple animals died during filming...which makes you wonder just how brutal some Americans can be as well.
Get real December 1, 1999
18 out of 23 found this review helpful
I've read the majority of the reviews posted and I can tell that most if not all of the reviewers never read the book. I, on the other hand, did. With the exception of the ending (which is, in fact, more harrowing than the movie's) the film is very loyal to William Hayes' book. I have never been to Turkey but would love to, regardless of this film. I believe anyone with an I.Q. higher than doorknob's understands that Mr. Hayes experience was extremely isolated and does not reflect an entire nation and its people. After all, he was caught attempting to smuggle Hashish out of the country and was punished accordingly. Billy Hayes was no innocent, despite Oliver Stone's or Alan Parker's attempts to portray him as a victim of a brutal regime yet he was hardly a hardened criminal, either. Whether what transpired within the walls of that prison was true is anybody's guess. Only William Hayes can say for sure and unless one the reviewers actually did time in a Turkish prison, whether they be a Turkish national or a foreigner, no one can truly question the authenticity of the experience. A very frightening and dramatically taut film about one man's trials and tribulations in a foreign penal system. Brad Davis and John Hurt were equally fantastic and the Giorgio Moroder score was also first rate. An all-around gripping film.
midnight express in the eye of a turkish artist August 20, 2002
icy (Istanbul Turkey)
18 out of 23 found this review helpful
alright I'm Turkish.Just about a week ago I was questioned by a cab driver in washington dc based on his knowledge about Turkey-which was nothing but midnight express.I was disturbed and totally disgusted with his ignorance.How could a man in his sane mind could make judgements based on hollywood productions?
The Turkish hate this movie with a passion.any other viewers here should try to understand that Turkey is a developyng country trying very hard to advertise itself and try to shed off the barbaric image the ottoman empire left it with.a movie like the midnight express could evoke a lot of prejudice and hatred against Turkey -especially for those who could not even tell yf Turkey was a bird or a country.
Leaving my patriotic emotions aside,As an artist I have to be totally impartial.It was well done.The acting was superb, soundtrack above the standards for it's time and the plot,totally striking.
Just remember,this is not a documentary,its an artistic interpretation of someone who has never been to the Tukish Jail at the time of the event-neither have I. I congradulate Parker for his directing talents but totally hate him for his ignorance in research and his movie's possible effects on a newborn nation.
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