only the cartunish style makes it barable, otherwise one would drown in its depth. has a lot of ,,The Chorus,, And ,,Apocalzpse now,,

Amazing performances, great writing and direction

Stressed the life out of me, I just wanted him free, billy was tortured this film is something else.

Brutal but engrossing film with great acting and an excellent musical score.

Stunning captivity drama penned by American Ex-patriot and student Billy Hayes, (and adapted to a screenplay by Oliver Stone); based on his own real-life experiences as a young man, en route to the States on a routine trip; who was suddenly apprehended and thrown into a Turkish Prison for four years for smuggling hashish...And then then it's like a Heart of Darkness type journey through hell; as he struggles to survive for four years in a Turkish Prison.(!!) The opening scenes in particular are VERY powerful; (it's impossible not to imagine yourself in that situation, the way they film it); and this serve as a stunning "Just Say No" type cautionary tale...It's all so gritty and intense; and it grabs you by the jugular from that unforgettable opening sequence...Excellent work from the always reliable Alan Parker; the surefooted director; who brilliantly creates a sense of gritty urgency; and gritty determinism from the opening shots...Good work from Brad Davis too; who has such a vulnerable, young-man/wounded puppy look about him in this movie, that you can't help sort of falling in love with him and feel sorry for him...(Even though his actions were IDIOTIC!!) Anyway; impressive job from everyone... Infact I'd say this is a minor classic from the 70s..Overall: 👍 Recommended PS. THIS is likely the movie where that old saying "I'd rather be locked up in a Turkish Prison for two years" came from...Because Turkish Prisons weren't even part of the national zeitgeist until this movie came out.

A difficult movie with harsh but beautiful visuals. Midnight Express is a controversial movie, the main character is stuck in a cycle of mental and physical torture in what looks like one of the most horrible place in the world. The movie is all about maintaining hope and subsequently humanity but none of the characters succeed to do so. The visuals contribute a lot to the atmosphere of the movie, it's all about sand, used structures, sweats, naked bodies and dusts; you can feel the unbearable heat through the scenes. There is a homoerotic overtone of the movie that really contribute to the unique atmosphere of Midnight Express. The movie can be pretty controversial for Turkey representation as their prison and justice system are pictured are deeply flawed and inhuman. In one scene, the main character made a whole speech about how he hates the country and his people. Despite, being obviously a gross exaggeration of what Turkey really is, it shows the main character's point of view, as he is going through hell and have a justifiable anger to express.

One of the best movies 🎥 made a whole country mad 😂

A great movie from start to finish. If you like Prison movies, Midnight Express is one of the best. A must see.

Very good! Just one thing that stuck in my head: when did Susan zip up her shirt?? The blouse was open and out of nowhere it appears closed at the end of the scene. But apart from that continuation error that caught me a little, the film is excellent.

Of all prison dramas, this is one that made a lot of fury in the increasing 70s. It is not precisely one of the best or definitive but the actions give it something, but a lot of value.

seeing too much anti-Eastern propaganda. The way in which Turks are referred to is intended to make viewers be disgusted by this nation, it's as if all Turks are pigs unworthy of respect (the protagonist himself says th. We see an inflated Turkish state, with corruption perpetrating every nuance of life. the film is a good historical portrayal of the era, but it is nothing short of average.

"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?" Had no idea that line from Airplane! was in all likelihood a reference to Midnight Express. Midnight Express is based on the true story of Billy Hayes, an American citizen caught trying to smuggle hashish out of Turkey, and subsequently imprisoned with a sentence of 30 years. Hayes' account of his imprisonment was published in 1977, and the movie rushed out in '78, which should tell you what to expect with this adaptation - it was about striking while the iron was hot, stoking the sensationalism high, rather than making a compelling story about bondage or suffering. Brad Davis fits that call to action like a glove, delivering a really over-the-top performance that doesn't really earn its sense of hysteria, using a script that fictionalizes several of the most disturbing elements (Hayes being committed to an insane ward after biting an inmate's tongue off, or the guards getting awfully rapey). Even when it came out, the film received a fair bit of criticism for depicting virtually every Turkish character in a film that takes place in Turkey as either incompetent or straight-up evil, and the film tries to get by more on shock value rather than character dynamics, though John Hurt (in one of his earliest really acclaimed roles) gives a much more nuanced performance than the rest of the film would suggest. Not for me. There are a lot of really compelling prison dramas, and there are a lot of really exciting jailbreak adventures, but this is neither. (3/5)

So the lesson I've learned from this movie is: according to Americans, Turkish and Maltese are the same language. But hey, I do feel somewhat flattered that I have been essentially represented, even if Malta is representing Turkey. Midnight Express is good. The Turkish representation has aged poorly but I think this was a good prison drama. It has great performances, Giorgio Moroder's theme tune is memorable, it's well-paced, it's poignant such as when Billy Hayes learns some bad news regarding his sentence and I genuinely root for our protagonist. It's the right balance of dark without being too bleak. A classic prison film that needs more love.

A good movie for which I had very high hopes before watching, and the one manner in which the excitement probably held up for me was the plot's atmosphere and setting. Turkey doesn't often get portrayed in Hollywood movies nor does the Turkish language. That is what made the film special for me. I was wrongly thinking the film would be of a different caliber, though. Brad Davis' acting was very good and of the right tone all throughout the movie. The movie had a whole set of spectacular scenes, most notably the ending. Ultimately, though, I feel like maybe it was a bit too early for an adaptation of this kind, considering how much time had passed since the real events happened(the xenophobia for Turks was still at bay) and how loosely they followed the source material and the true story, which was nothing short of amazing. For its budget, which was pretty low after all for a movie of this kind, they achieved something of quality, 8/10

An American drug trafficker's experiences in Turkey.

Serious and maybe too brutal. I watched this in 2022 and surprised that how this film looks modern. I could see how controversial it was when it released in 1978. John Hurt is unrecognisable.

As a movie its great, as a real depiction of prison life - I don't know and I don't care, because after all its just a movie. The best part is the cinematography making everything ugly, feeling real and the theme song, which is one of the best. I really like the first and the last scene, as they are basically the same, but also very different. The acting is good and the story is interesting.

Kids, don't do drugs. Or, if you do, don't smuggle them in OR out of countries that have draconian drug laws and total Hell Holes for prisons! I saw this in the theater when it came out and the mere visual depiction of the mental breakdown caused by the brutality suffered by our protagonist was disturbing. Perhaps the most affecting scene in the film was the visit by his former girlfriend. See the film and see if you agree.

Classic film with a great performance by John Hurt

Credit to Alan Parker for making this film.This film changed the world. Some time after the movie the prison was demolished,and a hotel was built in its place.Tough to watch in parts but worth it.