Let's talk
Do you think the title of this story" Midnight Express" is apt? Can you suggest
any other title? Discuss in groups and give reasons.
Let's do:
Activity 10 (a)
Suppose you find yourself alone in a railway station at night. Write a paragraph
in about eighty words describing your experience.
Activity 10 (1)
Write an imaginary conversation between you and your friend discussing the
advantages of visiting a library regularly.
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Answers
Midnight Express is a 1978 prison neo noir drama film directed by Alan Parker, produced by David Puttnam and written by Oliver Stone, based on Billy Hayes' 1977 non-fiction book Midnight Express. It stars Brad Davis, Irene Miracle, Bo Hopkins, Paolo Bonacelli, Paul L. Smith, Randy Quaid, Norbert Weisser, Peter Jeffrey and John Hurt.
Midnight Express
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlan ParkerProduced by
Alan Marshall
David Puttnam
Screenplay byOliver StoneBased onMidnight Express
by Billy Hayes
William HofferStarring
Brad Davis
Irene Miracle
Bo Hopkins
Randy Quaid
John Hurt
Paul L. Smith
Music byGiorgio MoroderCinematographyMichael SeresinEdited byGerry Hambling
Production
company
Casablanca FilmWorks
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
August 10, 1978 (UK) October 6, 1978 (US)
Running time
121 minutesCountryUnited Kingdom[1]
United StatesLanguageEnglish[2]
Turkish
MalteseBudget$2.3 million[3]Box office$35 million[3]
Hayes was a young American student sent to a Turkish prison for trying to smuggle hashish out of Turkey. The film deviates from the book's accounts of the story, especially in its portrayal of the Turkish characters, and some have criticized this version, including Billy Hayes himself. Later, both Stone and Hayes expressed their regret about how Turkish people were portrayed in the film.[4][5] The film's title is prison slang for an inmate's escape attempt.
The film was released on October 6, 1978. Upon release, it received generally positive reviews from critics. Many praised Davis's performance as well as the cast, the writing, the direction, and the musical score by Giorgio Moroder. However, Hayes and others criticized the film for portraying the Turkish prison men as violent and villainous and for deviating too much from the source material.
The film was made for $2.3 million and grossed over $35 million worldwide.