20 Things You Didn’t Know About Midnight Express

Before writing the screenplay for Midnight Express, Hollywood legend Oliver Stone was still a fledgeling member of the Hollywood community. In 1974, Stone had co-written and directed the Horror movie Seizure. The film received a limited theatrical release and was a huge failure. On Rotten Tomatoes, Seizure has a pitiful audience score of 3%.

Struggling to find work and needing more of a hit, Stone took on the role of writing the first draft of the Midnight Express screenplay. Originally, the draft was to be sent to Alan Parker for completion, but Stone’s energy in writing the screenplay convinced the producers that he should receive the credit.

For his adaptation, Stone received an Academy Award and had arrived as a new voice in Hollywood. In the following years, Stone would write and direct many classic movies such as Conan The Barbarian, Scarface, and Platoon.

These days, Oliver Stone is more known for his political biopics, JFK and W. His input in movies is ongoing, and he has Midnight Express to thank for his rise in cinema.