Midnight express
(DVD) 

Based on the book by William Hayes with William Hoffer.

Originally produced as a motion picture in 1978.

Special features: Commentary with director Alan Parker [optional audio feature]; The producers [featurette] (26 min.); The production [featurette] (25 min.); The finished film [featurette] (24 min.); Photo gallery [slide show] (13 min.); Previews (6 min.). Booklet is an essay, Anatomy of a film: The making of "Midnight Express" by Alan Parker.

Lighting cameraman, Michael Seresin ; editor, Gerry Hambling ; music, Giorgio Moroder ; production designer, Geoffrey Kirkland.

Brad Davis (Billy Hayes), Irene Miracle (Susan), Bo Hopkins (Tex), Paolo Bonacelli (Rifki), Paul Smith (Hamidou), Randy Quaid (Jimmy Booth), Norbert Weisser (Erich), John Hurt (Max), Mike Kellin (Mr. Hayes), Franco Diogene (Yesil), Micheal Ensign (Stanley Daniels), Gigi Ballista (Chief Judge), Kevork Malikyan (Prosecutor), Peter Jeffrey (Ahmet).

This film is based on a true story. William Hayes, a naive young American vacationing with his girlfriend in Istanbul, Turkey, tries to smuggle a couple of kilos of hash out of the country. He is caught, thrown into a Turkish prison, and subsequently raped, tortured, and forced into the brutality that defines the inmates' constant struggle for survival. There are other foreigners there, many for smuggling, and word is that the only way out of the jail is by dying, or taking "the midnight express." Max, his friend and fellow inmate swears, "That train doesn't run around here."

MPAA rating: Rated R.

DVD; Region 1; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, Dolby Digital mono; anamorphic widescreen presentation, aspect ratio 1.85:1.

In English or dubbed French with optional subtitles in English, French, or Spanish; closed captioned.

Winner, 1978 Academy Awards for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: Oliver Stone; and Best Music, Original Score: Giorgio Moroder.