Midnight Express - DaaVeeDee

Midnight Express (DVD) (*)

~~$25.99~~ $19.97

Screened, competed or awarded at:
BAFTA Awards
Cannes Film Festival
Golden Globes
Oscar Academy Awards
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Mono )
English ( Subtitles )
Italian ( Mono )
Italian ( Subtitles )
Portuguese ( Subtitles )
Spanish ( Mono )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Spain ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
116 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 1978 and produced in:
United Kingdom ( Great Britain, Ireland )
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Alan Parker

Written By:
Billy Hayes
William Hoffer

Actors:
Brad Davis ..... Billy Hayes
Irene Miracle ..... Susan
Bo Hopkins ..... Tex
Paolo Bonacelli ..... Rifki
Paul L. Smith ..... Hamidou (as Paul Smith)
Randy Quaid ..... Jimmy Booth
Norbert Weisser ..... Erich
John Hurt ..... Max
Mike Kellin ..... Mr. Hayes
Franco Diogene ..... Yesil
Michael Ensign ..... Stanley Daniels
Gigi Ballista ..... Chief Judge
Kevork Malikyan ..... Prosecutor
Peter Jeffrey ..... Ahmet
Joe Zammit Cordina

Synopsis:

On October 6, 1970, American college student Billy Hayes is caught attempting to smuggle drugs out of Turkey. The Turkish courts decide to make an example of him, sentencing him to more than 30 years in prison. The prison environment is inhospitable in every sense, with a sadistic prison guard named Hamidou ruling the prison, he who relishes the mental and physical torture he inflicts on the prisoners for whatever reason. Hayes has two opportunities for release: the appeals made by his lawyer, his family, and the American government, or the "Midnight Express".

On October 6, 1970 while boarding an international flight out of Istanbul Airport, American Billy Hayes is caught attempting to smuggle 2 kilos of hashish out of the country, the drugs strapped to his body. He is told that he will be released if he cooperates with the authorities in identifying the person who actually sold him the hash. Billy's troubles really begin when after that assistance, he makes a run for it and is recaptured. He is initially sentenced to just over four years for possession, with no time for the more harsh crime of smuggling. The prison environment is inhospitable in every sense, with a sadistic prison guard named Hamidou ruling the prison, he who relishes the mental and physical torture he inflicts on the prisoners for whatever reason. Told to trust no one, Billy does befriend a few of the other inmates, namely fellow American Jimmy Booth (in for stealing two candlesticks from a mosque), a Swede named Erich, and one of the senior prisoners having already served seven years, an Englishman named Max, the latter two also in for hash related charges. One prisoner not befriended is Rifki, who wields power in the prison as the unofficial eyes and ears for the guards. As Billy, his family and his girlfriend Susan attempt through legal and diplomatic channels for Billy's release, Max tells him that the only way out is to "catch the midnight express" aka escape, which is what Jimmy is continually trying to do. When Billy's situation changes, he becomes more desperate in every sense of the word. It seems as if Billy has only two options: to let the prison ultimately figuratively then literally kill him, or to somehow regain control of his life through whatever means available.

A young American is arrested in Turkey for smuggling hashish and then is sentenced to unreasonable time in a hellish Turkish prison, where he begins to self-destruct, until he musters the courage to plan his escape.

This product was added to our catalog on Monday 03 November, 2008.