Do you think the movie "Midnight Express" distorts the truth about Turkey?

Question

Alan Parker and Oliver Stone's movie the "Midnight Express" tells the story of Billy Hayes who had to spend 5 years in prison in Turkey. This movie, for some, is full of hatred and bias against Turkey. And some people argue that the movie portrays Turkey as it is. What do you think?

Answer 1

Although I have not seen this movie. I do believe that the "answers" of others are unfair portrayals of life in Turkey. I am not aware of Turkish laws and punishments, but to say that living in Turkey for 5 years is worse than a German concentration camp is beyond absurd. That statement is not only degrading to the Turkish people, but also other inhabitants of Turkey and most dramatically the Jewish community. To say that living in a modernized country where you are free to do as you please, unless you break the laws, can be compared to that of living a powerless, abusive, and degrading existence that is in the control of horribly twisted and inhumane individuals is unbelievable. It is true in fact that Turkish prisons are more severe than prisons in other countries, and this is not a fact for me to argue, but my mother is Turkish, and as I have visited the country numerous times, I can say that the police are not as harsh as others have made it seem. It only infuriates me more to hear these answers from individuals who, one, may not have even visited the country before and have no first-hand knowledge of the prison system, two, are not inhabitants of Turkey or even of Turkish descent, and lastly, are not experts or professionals on the subject. So in response to an earlier "answer", this type of comparison is ridiculous and offensive to myself and many others in my community.

Answer 2

I have never seen the movie you mention...Wait...Ana Belén can ACT!?? She plays the lead? I'm going to have to search this one out! Yes, I think that Midnight Express affected the image of Turkey here. I think that EVERYONE in America who has seen the movie (it's really old, now, so I wonder how many young people are really familiar with it) and have no other real knowledge of Turkey, probably take this to be the ONLY way to view the country. Fortunately, most of us realize a) that it's really old and things change, and b) that it's only one guy's experience, and that there is much else to see. I do think that it is an important warning, though about how foreign prisons can be, as in, they don't always have a whole lot of respect for prisoners, as they do in the US. (often, prisoners and criminals have more rights than their victims have). And also about how foolish it is to carry illegal substances, and how such a minor offense can totally ruin a vacation, or one's European Adventure. There's another story...don't think it has been made into a movie, but it was a big news story some years ago, about some young man who was arrested in Singapore or Bangkok and had some horrific experiences. It's really important to stay within the law while on vacation, and to know what those laws are, because, as they say, "ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law."

Answer 3

NO, I did not think any more negatively about Turkey after I saw the film, and I do not think it is "full of hatred and bias". Remember, this film is dated, and what prison film does NOT show the ugliness that can be found inside a jail?? If this were the case - that only one nasty prison film could make a country look bad - then America would look even worse!

Answer 4

Whatever was in the movie it was absolutelly true.
Actually it didn't show the whole lot of the ungliness because on those days that the movie was filmed the "reality" scenes were not at todays pick.
As far as the Hatred and Bias that you talk, it will start minimised when you'll come into your senses and recognise the genocides of:
Armenians,
Assyrians,
Pontians,
Stop killing the Kourds
Set Cyprus free, and estamblish a democratic society without the islamic fountamentalists.
Then you have a chance as well to enter the E.E.C

Answer 5

At the time it was made, the movie was nearly 100% accurate. The Turks at that time were just as barbaric and unreasonable as is portrayed in the movie. Here's a small example:

When I first joined the Air Force, my flight chief received orders for Ankara Air Base in Turkey. It was a three-year "accompanied" tour, which meant that his family could go with him. He was gone for 9 months when he suddenly returned to my base. He told us that about a month before he came back, his wife was driving in downtown Ankara and accidentally ran over a chicken, killing it. She was cited by the Turkish police and when she went to court, she was found guilty. She was then fined a monetary amount for the life of the chicken, AND FOR THE NEXT 125 GENERATIONS OF CHICKENS that the dead chicken would have provided to the farmer who owned it. After doing the math, this number came out to around $25,000...and this was in 1976, remember! The court gave her 7 days to pay it, after which the police would come to her house and take her away; she would then be employed at a government "kerhauna" to work off the debt. "Kerhauna," by the way, is Turkish for "whorehouse." The Air Force knew what was coming, having dealt with this for decades, so while my supervisor and his wife were in court, the base had people in his house packing it up for shipment back to the United States. My boss and his wife went from the courthouse into a waiting Air Force car, were driven back to the base and right up to a waiting aircraft, and were out of the country and on their way back to the US within an hour of getting out of court.

So you tell me....do YOU think the movie was accurate?

Answer 6

Absolutely it does distort the truth. This is what Billy Hayes, the actual hero says in an interview. Some people like to mix their opinions with their hatred. If you watch this interview, your opinions will change - if you are not a moron.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TweU77cDrgE

Besides, if you make a comparison with Abu Gharib prison, Turkish prisons are like heaven.

Answer 7

At that time, thats the way it really was, and it has not changed much. Remember that in jail/prison in a different country is nothing compared to the US, and also remember, that a person (American) commiting a crime in another country, you are subject to their rules and punishments, and many people whine and cry over this, just remember, thats their country, and whatever you do, its no ones fault but yours,,,,,!!!!

Answer 8

it is just an unfair point of view on a country. well by the movies you can show your hatred or love againts or to anything. so the point is really to research all the things about what you wanna show and say and do it fusily. we cant judge any country or nation by our bias or thoughts that are not really true or happened.

Answer 9

The reality in Turkey is worst than that movie...

And --- please --- do not try to find out by Yourself...

Five years in Turkey is worst than staying in
a German concentration camp...

Aaron Moses.

Answer 10

Armenian genocide