20 Things You Didn’t Know About Midnight Express
19. The Movie Was Banned
While the real-life Billy Hayes suffered beatings at the hands of guards in Turkish prisons, he also had positive interactions with people from the country. The movie, however, failed to depict any humanity from the Turkish characters onscreen.
Overstating the outsider theme in the film had disastrous consequences for the country of Turkey. Before the release of Midnight Express, many US nationals were holidaying in the country. However, after the film’s release, the public image of Turkey as an attractive vacation destination for Americans was in ruins.
The Turkish government blamed Midnight Express’ portrayal of the state for damaging its burgeoning appeal and consequently banned the movie. Never receiving a full theatrical release, Midnight Express was finally aired on Turkish television in 1992, fourteen years after its original release.
In recent years, the real Billy Hayes has spoken out against the movie, criticising its fictitious elements and condemning its portrayal of Turks. Writer Oliver Stone publicly apologised for the movie’s anti-Turkish slant in 2004.