In midnight express, a young american, billy hayes played by the late brad davis, is arrested at istanbul airport with some hash taped to his. Hayes was a young american student sent to a turkish prison for trying to smuggle hashish out of turkey. Midnight express audiobook by billy hayes, william. Lukes theatre in february, 2014 followed by two weeks at londons soho theatre. The real billy hayes regrets midnight express cast all. Billy hayes talks about visiting istanbul after being the. Billy hayes, author of midnight express, which was made into a feature film, talks about his experiences in a turkish prison in the 1970s, and his upcoming book, midnight return. The 1978 movie midnight express, based on a book by billy hayes, and adapted into a screenplay by oliver stone, shows hayes arrest for trafficking in hashish, his beatings and the squalid prison conditions. May 16, 2016 in midnight express, a young american, billy hayes played by the late brad davis, is arrested at istanbul airport with some hash taped to his chest.
He is best known for his autobiographical book midnight express about his experiences in and escape from a turkish prison after being convicted of smuggling hashish. Billy hayes leapt from prison isolation to international notoriety when the book about his five years in and escape from a turkish prison became a worldwide bestseller, and an academy awardwinning film. Sep, 2010 story of a man who is caught smuggling drugs out of turkey and thrown into prison. The 1978 film made billy hayes, jailed in turkey for. The show then had its offbroadway premiere at new yorks st. A classic story of survival and human endurance, told with humor, honesty, and heart, it became the academy awardwinning blockbuster film of the same name. Midnight express william hoffer billy hayes konyv moly. Billy hayes stepped off the midnight express and embarked.
Midnight return picks up where midnight express left off. Midnight express is a commonly used phrase amongst many of us whove lived in the remote parts of turkey. Written by oliver stone and directed by alan parker, the movie starred brad davis as a young american caught in turkey in 1970. The turkish courts decide to make an example of him, sentencing him to more than 30 years in prison. A year later in 1978, the film version directed by alan parker and starring brad davis as billy hayes was released. The title was prison slang for an inmates escape attempt. Billy hayes got busted 45 years ago while trying to smuggle two kilos of turkish hash through the istanbul airport, a story made famous in the chilling film midnight express. The real billy hayes took it much better and owned up to what he did. Hayes tale became famous through the 1978 film midnight express. Although the movie is based on a true story, it has been indicated by billy hayes twenty years after its release, that what is presented in the movie is a very. In midnight express, a young american, billy hayes played by the late brad davis, is arrested at istanbul airport with some hash taped to his chest. Billy hayes eppen az amerikaba hazatarto gepere var, amikor elkezdodik szamara a legszornyubb remalom. Nearly four decades later, the man behind the movie has resurfaced in midnight return.
Midnight express received academy awards for best screenplay adaptation oliver stone and best original score. Midnight express is based on a true story and the book by the same name which is written by billy hayes, the same man that is portrayed and is the main character in the movie. In 1970 billy hayes was an english major who left college in search of ad midnight express tells the gutwrenching true story of a young mans incarceration and escape from a turkish prison. William hayes was born on the 3rd april 1947 in new york city usa, and is a writer, actor and director best known to the world for his book midnight express 1977, which was then adapted into the same named film in 1978. Survivor tells the real story behind shocking cinema classic midnight express. Actor brad davis, the allamerican boy who starred as billy hayes in the film midnight express and originated the role of ned weeks in the play the normal heart, died sunday at his home in. When my oneman show, riding the midnight express with billy hayes, played at the barrow street theater in manhattan in 2014, prominent members of the turkishamerican community came to see it, and. Moviechat forums midnight express 1978 discussion does anyone feel sorry for bill hayes af. Midnight express is a 1978 prison neo noir drama film directed by alan parker, produced by david puttnam and written by oliver stone, based on billy hayes 1977 nonfiction book midnight express. The film midnight express 1978 was based on the events experienced by american billy hayes, who was sent to a prison in turkey for trying to smuggle hash out of that country. Hayes has written the sequel books, midnight return and the midnight express letters, from a turkish prison197075, and numerous screenplays, including. When billy s situation changes, he becomes more desperate in every sense of the word.
Billy hayes, an american college student, is caught smuggling drugs out of turkey and thrown into prison. Billy hayes never tires of telling tale that inspired film midnight express. The film midnight express told the story of billy hayes imprisonment for drug smuggling now he tells the full escape story. Billy hayes has been writing, acting, and directing since the book he wrote about his experience in a turkish prison, midnight express, was made into an academy awardwinning film in 1978. Billy hayes brad davis is an american tourist visiting turkey. The cult film that had disastrous consequences for. It stars brad davis, irene miracle, bo hopkins, paolo bonacelli, paul l. Columbia pictures presents a casablanca filmworks production an alan parker film midnight express after this, the opening prologue text reads the following is based on a true story. However movie deviates especially in the portrayal of turks from the book to a level to be criticized by many including billy hayes himself. The real billy hayes regrets midnight express cast all turks in a bad light. The story of billy hayes and turkey, takes a look at the story behind this notorious tale. Riding the midnight express with billy hayes had its world premiere at the edinburgh fringe festival in august 20. Billy hayes is caught attempting to smuggle drugs out of turkey.
Billy hayes, the reallife hero of the 1978 academy awardwinning movie midnight express said friday he wanted to make amends for the damage the film caused turkey. The real billy hayes regrets midnight express, apologizes to turks. The turkish government held billy hayes prisoner for five long years and oliver stone wrote an oscarwinning screenplay about hayes hellish ordeal and eventual escape, but the convicted drug smuggler thinks the eurasian nation took a bad rap from the 1978 film midnight express. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading midnight express. Billy hayes stepped off the midnight express and embarked on a trip of selfdiscovery. A riveting story of young american billy hayes who faces physical and emotional brutalization in a turkish prison after being caught drug smuggling. Directed by alan parker and written for the screen by oliver stone, the latter has since then been involved in many films based on a. Billy hayes writes about revisiting the place he was imprisoned. Parker has upset the books delicate sense of balance.
Vivid and realistic without being morbid, it is a classic story of survival and human endurance, told with humour, intelligence and total honesty. Midnight express is a 1978 prison neo noir drama film directed by alan parker, produced by david puttnam and written by oliver stone, based on billy hayes. Survivor tells the real story behind shocking cinema. Midnight express true story explored in new documentary. Billy hayes i billy hayes was born on april 3, 1947 in new york city, new york, usa. Midnight express is an outrageously sensationalistic movie version of a nonfiction cautionary tale, billy hays account of his imprisonment in turkey after being convicted for drug smuggling.
How a hippie hash runner from long island escaped from. Midnight express hash smuggler billy hayes on his remorseful. Billy hayes stepped off the midnight express and embarked on a trip of selfdiscovery this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Survivor tells the real story behind shocking cinema classic. The film deviates from the books accounts of the story, esp. Midnight express 1978 full billy hayes brad davis, an american college student, is caught smuggling drugs out of turkey and thrown into prison. Midnight express kindle edition by hayes, billy, hoffer, william. Two years later came midnight express, based on his book, starring brad davis as a narcissistic, selfcentered hayes, and translating the story into a passion play of violence, sexuality, morality and indignation. William billy hayes, the hero of the movie midnight express, visited turkey last week and in a widely publicized press conference. Billy hayes in attendance for celebrity candids at riding the midnight express with billy hayes, barrow street theatre, new york, ny september 28, 2014. Billy hayes was born on april 3, 1947 in new york city, new york, usa. Jun 30, 2010 the turkish government held billy hayes prisoner for five long years and oliver stone wrote an oscarwinning screenplay about hayes hellish ordeal and eventual escape, but the convicted drug smuggler thinks the eurasian nation took a bad rap from the 1978 film midnight express.
Billy hayes stepped off the midnight express and embarked on. The story of billy hayes and turkey, which is both a behindthescenes account of the original production and. This story first appeared in the inaugural spring 2020. Sep 16, 2017 as its been 40 years since the release of midnight express i. Billy hayes has been writing, speaking, acting, and directing in theater, film, and television since his escape in 1975. Midnight express billy hayes makes las vegas home las vegas. Midnight express quotes, movie quotes movie quotes. Oct 03, 2010 survivor tells the real story behind shocking cinema classic midnight express. Midnight express by billy hayes professional moron. The best movie quotes, movie lines and film phrases by movie quotes. The true story billy hayes was busted for smuggling hash and thrown in a terrifying turkish prison.
American student billy hayes now 70, on october 6th 1970, was leaving turkey after a holiday and attempted to smuggle four pounds of hashish out. Does anyone feel sorry for bill hayes after seeing the. Smith, randy quaid, norbert weisser, peter jeffrey and john hurt. He opens up about the bogus midnight express, oliver stone on blow, and his oneman show.
This is the astounding true story, told in billy hayess own words, of those five years of living hell and of the harrowing ordeal of his time on the run. Mar 23, 2018 the film midnight express did lasting damage to turkeys reputation. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Billy hayes writes about revisiting the place he was imprisoned, as chronicled in the doc midnight return.
This is the astounding true story, told in billy hayes s own words, of those five years of living hell and of the harrowing ordeal of his time on the run. Midnight express is a 1978 biographical film, based on the book of true accounts of billy hayes, a young american sent to a turkish prison for trying to smuggle hashish out of turkey to the us. Mar 23, 2018 directed by alan parker mississippi burning and written by oliver stone platoon the 1978 film midnight express related the purportedly true story of billy hayes played by brad davis, an. Billy hayes talks about visiting istanbul after being the most hated. Billy hayes story has infiltrated its way into popular culture. Jul 10, 20 the 1978 movie midnight express, based on a book by billy hayes, and adapted into a screenplay by oliver stone, shows hayes arrest for trafficking in hashish, his beatings and the squalid prison conditions. And drug smuggler turned author billy hayes has told the sunday mail how delighted he is to be telling the true. Midnight express audiobook by billy hayes, william hoffer. The film midnight express did lasting damage to turkey s reputation. Billy hayes born april 3, 1947 is an american writer, actor, and film director. Convicted drug smuggler tells the true story behind midnight express. He opens up about the bogus midnight express, oliver stone on blow.
The film midnight express did lasting damage to turkeys reputation. He is best known for his autobiographical book midnight express about his experiences in and escape from a. With brad davis, irene miracle, bo hopkins, paolo bonacelli. From the moment it stunned the world at the cannes film festival in 1978, midnight express cemented its place in film history as an artistic and. Billy hayes, author of midnight express, which was made into a feature film, talks about his experiences in a turkish prison in the 1970s, and. Even now its a sort of watch word for remembering to toe the line and avoid situations which might lead to incarceration. The official website of riding the midnight express the play. Midnight express billy hayes makes las vegas home las. The story of billy hayes and turkey, which is both a behind. Sep 30, 2014 billy hayes of midnight express turns to stage. Schedule tickets riding the midnight express with billy hayes.
He promptly went through a rather harsh and unforgiving penal colony system, which resulted in hayes, effectively, being handed lifetime imprisonment. Convicted drug smuggler tells the true story behind. There is no doubt that midnight express will provoke national and international controversy, not only because of what actually happened to billy hayes, but also because it continues to happen to others today. Does anyone feel sorry for bill hayes after seeing the movie. Nov 05, 2014 if youve seen the oscarwinning 1978 film midnight express, you have a decent idea of what happened to hayes. The autobiography midnight express was written by billy hayes and published in 1977. Just like in the documentary which i saw in the film version of midnight express, the united states constitution does not fit in your passport. Midnight express tells the gutwrenching true story of a young mans incarceration and escape from a turkish prison. Hayes has performed his oneman show, riding the midnight express with billy hayes, hundreds of times around the world. Billy hayes likes to say hes been in the cannabis industry for the past 50 years, and is. He is best known for his autobiographical book midnight express about his experiences in and. The unbelievable true story of the worlds most infamous. Oliver stones screenplay and hayes s bestselling autobiographical book of the same.
Midnight express is a harrowing tale of a naive american caught in a nightmare of his own making thousands of miles from his home. Convicted drug smuggler tells the true story behind midnight express the 1978 film made billy hayes, jailed in turkey for attempting to smuggle hash, famous but it also made him just a little furious too. Midnight express hayes was caught in the act at a turkish airport. Midnight express genre biography, crime, drama sub. The new yorker became famous in the 70s for midnight express, his autobiographical account of escaping from a decrepit turkish prison after.
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