Midnight Express (30th Anniversary Edition) (DVD)

I was not ready for everything that comes with Midnight Express. I had never seen this film. I had no idea who starred in it, directed it or even wrote it; let alone what it was about. Now that I have had the chance to absorb everything that comes with this package and Sony's impressive 30th Anniversary Edition I am happy I can now feel like I am a part of the club.

Where to begin is the tough part, however. Do I talk about how this is Oliver Stone's first major script to be produced? How about the true story it was based on and the controversy the film caused as it deviated from that story? Or do I bring up the star of the film, Brad Davis, and the unfortunate loss to filmmaking his death was? Midnight Express is much more than just a movie and I think I actually find it more interesting for everything that went into its making and came out of its success than for the actual movie itself, which in and of itself is also impressive.

Let me begin with the story. The film is based on the true story of Billy Hayes, played by Davis. Hayes was an American tourist who finds himself in a Turkish prison after he is caught trying to smuggle hashish out of the country. He later admits the only reason he did it was for the money, and it costs him dearly. Hayes is ultimately sentenced to 30 years in prison and suffers a variety of brutality and mistreatment. Attempts to get him out early fail and the story moves along.

Criticism of the film comes from two fronts. The first group complains that the film deviates from the "true story" and the second says that it is anti-Turk. Both of these complaints are addressed in the special features and the impressive, yes IMPRESSIVE, 26-page essay by director Alan Parker included with the DVD. These booklets are traditionally just a waste of time, but this one is a fascinating and quick read including some behind-the-scenes photos and a final page on the back that includes some scribblings by the director on a page of the script. It was the first piece of this set that let me know it was something special.

The story of Oliver Stone's relationship with Parker and the producers is interesting, how they got the money to fund the picture, the casting of Richard Gere in the lead role and his subsequent departure is also interesting. The filming of the picture, the stories along the way and the decision on the ending are all fascinating and any movie lover is going to enjoy hearing about each and every detail. You will read about them in Parker's essay, the will be reiterated in the three brand new featurettes, which include interviews with Parker, the producers, John Hurt and even Oliver Stone. And finally you will get the complete story in Alan Parker's commentary. This DVD, considering the limited number of special features it has, hits a home run.

One a final note, I must comment on Brad Davis. This guy is fantastic. As I was watching I said to myself, "Who is this guy? What else was he in?"

I quickly hit the net only to learn that he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1979, a year after Midnight Express was released, allegedly due to a cocaine habit. He kept it hidden as long as he could and once he came out he became an AIDS activist. He ultimately died at the age of 41 in 1991. The majority of his filmography includes a lot of television works and he was part of the cast of the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire. Davis had the look of Guy Pearce and a bit of Brad Pitt in him. He was a genuine actor and you can see all of his potential in this film.