7. Midnight Express (1978)
Whilst in Turkey, Billy Hayes attempts to smuggle hashish out of the country. Bad move. He is arrested and questioned by the police. If he can track down the taxi driver who gave him the hash, they will release Billy. He points out the taxi driver and stupidly tries to run away. He is locked away in a Turkish prison where he is surrounded by Westerners who warn him of the evil Turkish ways and he is told never to trust them. In 1974, Billy is given a thirty year sentence and his life goes down the swanny. He is beaten and tortured by the screws. Billy has a breakdown and attacks his cellmate Rifiki - biting off his tongue. Because of this, Billy is sent to a ward for the criminally insane and has a rough time there. Things start to improve for Billy when he sees his girlfriend Susan who gives him money and tells him to escape. Billy gets his wits together and crosses the boundary from Turkey into Greece. The film has an awesome score by Giorgio Moroder which won an Oscar. Midnight Express stoked up considerable controversy on its release - mainly because it took liberties with the book it was based on. The movie was also charged with having nothing interesting or useful to say about the penal system, or what inmates go through. Instead it is a piece of xenophobic anti Turkish garbage which portrays Turkish people as violent savages without exception. They were used to sensationalise the film. In 2004, screen writer Oliver Stone apologised for the portrayal of Turks in the movie. Looking beyond the negative portrayal of Turkey and Turkish people in the films, there is a clear sense that Western values are superior and humane. It is a very well made and involving tale by director Alan Parker but I would dispute its veracity and its exciting ending comes only after an entire nation is slandered.