Midnight Express is a 1978 drama from writer-director Oliver Stone starring Brad Davis and based on the book of the same name by Billy Hayes that recounts Hayes' experience as a young man imprisoned abroad by the Turkish government for attempting to smuggle hashish out of Turkey. Davis plays Hayes, a United States citizen leaving Istanbul in 1970 after a brief stay. At that time, the Turkish government was just beginning their crackdown on drug smuggling and tensions between Turkey and nearby Greece ran high. After Hayes is caught in possession of illegal drugs with the intent of smuggling, he's sent to a prison where the guards and other prisoners are depraved and violent, and the threat of rape is constantly present. Hayes begins a number of escape attempts, as he tries to free himself from the prison where he's been sentenced to spend the rest of his days. Midnight Express is a gritty portrayal of the horrors of humanity and received six Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture.moreless