Pure and simple. If you have never witnessed this classic of a movie; it's a must see. If you have seen it; like a good book, it's well worth periodically revisting.
The controversey about the portrayal of Turks and Turkey is mostly nonsense. Only a fool would generalize from a Hollywood movie loosely based on a book to conclude that Turkey is (or was) an awful uncivilized place or that the Turkish people are all monsters. Human affairs just aren't that simple.
The kinds of inhumane abuses portrayed in "Midnight Express" are happening all over the world all the time...I dare say there are many dark corners in the US prison system in which people are shafted in all manner of ways.
What this movie does as well as anything I've ever seen on screen is to evoke in the viewer an empathetic respose to the hell that the main character suffers. You are drawn into the inner world experience of horror and mind/heart breaking angst that anyone who is being unjustly imprisoned and abused must go through.
Fortunately, one can also be drawn into the righteous rage and defiance and rekindling of hope that the on screen Billy Hayes portrays so stunningly. The scene in which he is visited in prison by his loyal loving girlfriend is a wrenching work of Art.
The crtiques calling this film "manipulative" are absurd; that's what good movies are *supposed* to do.....otherwise it's just light on a screen. I suspect that some people can't, or won't, handle the intensity of this masterpiece. There are also those who see it as nothing more than a manifestation of anti-Turkish propaganda. It's a shame that these poor folk can't get beyond their own fixations and limitations.
"Midnight Express" is, in it's best moments, a stunningly wonderful celebration of the human spirit of love AND of the imperative toward freedom and justice that is at the very core of human be-ing. It is *those* moments in the film (and in life! ;-) that make it worthwhile/possible to bear (and struggle with) all manner of hellacious circumstances.
Contrary to superficial appearances "Midnight Express" is a positive uplifting affimation of life that deserves to seen and appreciated for generations to come.
Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT MOVIE.......BUT A WEAK DVD!!!!!
Review: You can never go wrong with a movie that has oliver stone involved, in this movie which is based on a true story a man named Billy Hayes tries to smuggle drugs across the Turkey border to U.S.A. He is caught at the airport, and is sentenced to stay in their prison for almost 4 years. after serving almost 4 years He is later brought to court again to find out that they extended his sentence to no less than 30 years!! I won't give away anything else, this movie is extremely intense and emotional. I gave this movie 4 stars instead of 5 because of the weak dvd. For a 20th anniversary edition, there really is nothing interesting except a very old behind the scenes feature. This dvd should at least have an oliver stone commentary. The transer is pretty crisp, with less grain and better coloring. This movie is coming up on its 25th anniversary, hopefully columbia-tristar will improve the special features and upgrade the sound quality. All in all fantastic movie...a must buy.
Rating: 
Summary: Very current film
Review: Some might think that this 1978 film is out of date. In fact,
not only is it a riveting film, but it is very current. On page A21 of the February 25, 2004 Washington Post in a story entitled "Turkey's Human Rights Record Is Taken to Task," reporter Nora Boustany writes of hearings on Capitol Hill before the US Congressional Human Rights Caucus that while Turkey now has laws forbidding torture, these laws are not enforced; torture continues in Turkey. Hence, everyone who cares about human rights should buy this film.
Rating:
Summary: midnight express in the eye of a turkish artist
Review: 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 developýng 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 ýf 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.
Rating:
Summary: The heart of darkness
Review: The prison escape genre has produced some very powerful films. One of the better, and controversial, one's is 1978's Midnight Express. This is the true story of an American who was caught smuggling drugs out of Turkey in 1970. Billy Hayes was originally sentenced to four years in prison. But it was extended to a life sentence. Needless to say, it was time to escape. Brad Davis turns in a wonderful peformance as Hayes, and the rest of the relatively unknown cast shines as well. Directed by Alan Parker, who gives the film a truly dreadful atmosphere, Midnight Express is a film that asks an important question: does the punishment fit the crime? This films answers No. A life sentence for smuggling a few drugs is in itself criminal. And I don't care what country it is. There has been complaints about the treatment of the Turkish authorities. The fact is, they were brutal and inflicted torture. They weren't demonized enough. Some have accused the film of racism. But in reality, there is none. There is only Billy Hayes' fear and terror. And if there is racism to be found within his fear, under the circumstances -- it's totally understandable. The screenplay was written by Oliver Stone. And though Stone took a few liberties with the original story, the overall creation retains the truth and is one of the most compelling political thrillers ever made. The nightmarish experience as a consequence of an act of ignorance is truly haunting.
Rating:
Summary: Lighten Up Folks, Its Only A Movie
Review: I have read some of the reviews posted here for this movie and they almost laughable. People need to lighten up a bit and stop being so goddam politically correct. This true life story is a Hollywood dramatization folks. Its purpose is to entertain. And I for one am not ashamed to say that I would watch this movie just to look at Brad Davis in the buff. Nuff Said.
Rating:
Summary: I Just Wanna Review the Movie and Acting...
Review: Reading some of these previous reviews is quite interesting in that in some of the critiques there is so much speculation as to what really happened to Billy Hayes in Turkey and what's a product of the Hollywood movie/money making machine.I've even read other reviews where some viewers are debating with others about foreign prisoner policies or lack of,etc.,etc.Only the real Billy Hayes knows how much info he has told the public.Some critics see his time spent in Turkey prison as a period of martyrdom.While others just remember his act that got him there in the first place as moronic. All I want to do is review this movie based on,well, the movie itself...No political debates, questions, agendas or issues here.
The movie was very suspenseful right from the get go.Giorgio Moroder's musical score,while such synthesizer work seems so outdated by today's standards now,adds to the intensity;eerie electronic effects,etc. Who can forget the famous Chase theme. The late Brad Davis was perfectly cast.You see his fine acting in the film as he transforms from a wide-eyed and naive, yet intelligent(or not so) American in a foreign land into a violent, maniacal,and broken down prisoner who reaches subhuman level. In fact, it's astonishing how another actor 20 some years later strongly resembles him in almost every way;Brad Pitt.Minus the fact one had black hair, the other is blonde. It would be incredible to see Midnight Express re-made with Pitt in the lead role...Randy Quaid was also memorable as the hyper and tempestuous cell mate planning the first escape.John Hurt's character serves as the voice of reason which is a contracdiction since he's mostly stoned throughout the film and in the same prison for his own crime.The cinematography is foreign (pun intended), gritty, grimy and has plenty of shady/sleazy characters from the consolate(actor Bo Hopkins),lawyers, and court system to the other inmates.The prison warden is nothing more than probably a criminal himself and fits every bit the stereotypical prison villain one can expect in a film who abuses his authority and relishes releasing his own personal brand of hell upon the inmates...The ending of the film is something else.Just as I felt the nervous intensity from the beginning, I felt it in my gut at the end !
Again, if the powers that be and Hollywood's listening,re-make this film with Brad Pitt and see what we get. Probably shadings of other characters he's played from the lunatic in 12 Monkeys to what we see now in his latest film The Mexican and other various films...Give me credit for the idea if it get's done (yeah, right).
Rating:
Summary: Very current film
Review: Some might think that this 1978 film is out of date. In fact,
not only is it a riveting film, but it is very current. On page A21 of the February 25, 2004 Washington Post in a story entitled "Turkey's Human Rights Record Is Taken to Task," reporter Nora Boustany writes of hearings on Capitol Hill before the US Congressional Human Rights Caucus that while Turkey now has laws forbidding torture, these laws are not enforced; torture continues in Turkey. Hence, everyone who cares about human rights should buy this film.
Rating:
Summary: Come on, now!
Review: This is one of the best prison films alongside "Papillion," "Death and the Maiden," and "Kiss of the Spider Woman."
It's purpose is to juxtapose foolish freedom with insane ancient cultures. The result is tragic, terrifying, and almost beyond comprehension in it's cruelty. And if you don't believe prison life in Muslim countries isn't still like this, you must be crazy! (Read "Not Without My Daughter;" the film doesn't even begin to touch on the horrors she survived in Iran).
One cool note: you can see the REAL Billy Hayes acting in a play about prison life filmed at San Quentin!! It's called, "The Cage" and it's only available on half(dot)com. Hard to believe that he'd want to recreate the "sadism of prison guards and the inmates' frenzied cruelty to each other" (Variety) only 15 years after escaping the Turkish prison!
Rating: 
Summary: absolutely ridiculous!
Review: i would rate this movie with 0 stars but unfortunately its impossible! this movie is full of cliches that it isnt funny no more. of course the prisons are very very brutal and they torture people. but the whole appearance of the movie seems to be based 500years ago. turkey in the 70s was very modern and very oriented towards the west world and it still is these days.
the movie perfectly fits into the whole "good" west - "bad" east situation. and the turkish that the "turkish" actors speak is... well its ridiculous! the words are turkish but the pronounciation isnt! one last sentence: if you believe this movie you are mistaken, just go to turkey and you will see how much its oriented towards the west.
