Review of Midnight Express (1978) by I Don't Know W — 25 Jul 2011
An portrait of hell on Earth. A young American, (played by Brad Davis) is scapegoated, and sentenced to a life term in a Turkish prison, after trying to smuggle hash out of the country. He meets some truly horrible people, endures all sorts of torture, both physical and mental, and film takes a turn for the gruesome at many points.
Brad Davis is tremendously powerful in this role. That he didn't win the Oscar for this role is a shock. His intensity is raw, and it's what makes this film so hard to watch, at times. John Hurt was also good, playing to his usual weak, tormented type.
With the capable Alan Parker at the helm, and screenwriting by Oliver Stone, this is certainly one of the better films about prison life, even if it is a little bigoted in its portrayal of the Turks.
This review of Midnight Express (1978) was written by I Don't Know W on 25 Jul 2011.
Midnight Express has generally received very positive reviews.
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