My favourite from Alan Parker by a country mile.

Midnight Express is a 1978 prison drama film directed by Alan Parker and adapted by Oliver Stone from Billy Hayes’s 1977 memoir of the same name. The film centers on Hayes (played by Brad Davis), a young American student, who is sent to a Turkish prison for trying to smuggle hashish out of the country. The film’s title is prison slang for his escape attempt. The cast also features Irene Miracle, John Hurt, Bo Hopkins, Paul L. Smith and Randy Quaid.

An outstanding lead turn from Brad Davis, he’d have gone on to be an all time great bless him

Special mention as well for two other memorable performances – Paul L. Smith as sadistic head guard Hamidou and, in what is my favourite of his many fine turns, John Hurt as junkie Max, it’s….extraordinary.

Upon release, Midnight Express 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. 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 nominated for Best Picture and Best Director for Parker at the 51st Academy Awards in 1979, and won Best Adapted Screenplay for Stone and Best Original Score for Moroder. It also won six Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and BAFTA Awards for Best Direction, Best Editing and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (for Hurt).

The first film I ever watched that made me weep with stress, pity and anxiety. A powerhouse film 10/10.