Parents' Guide to Midnight Express

Parents need to know that Midnight Express is a prison drama with strong violence, drugs, and bad language. The movie is loosely based on the true story of Billy Hayes (Brad Davis), an American student who was caught attempting to smuggle hashish out of Turkey in 1970. There are few positive messages but characters do show endurance after receiving lengthy prison sentences. But they show little or no remorse for their wrongdoing. Violence features throughout, with several incidences of prison guards beating prisoners. The most graphic incidents include a prisoner biting out another inmate's tongue and a guard's skull being accidentally impaled on a clothing rack. Kids are also beaten by an adult with a bat, although the strikes he inflicts are off-camera. Rape is referenced and suggested on numerous occasions. There is some male nudity and Billy's girlfriend, Susan (Irene Miracle), exposes her breasts during a prison visit, with Billy reacting by masturbating and trying to touch them through the security glass. Some of the prisoners have sexual relationships -- a shower scene depicts two prisoners kissing. Swearing is strong and frequent and is often used when issuing threats. There is also racist and derogatory language used toward the Turkish characters who are genuinely portrayed as sadistic and corrupt. There is smoking throughout, both of cigarettes and hashish.

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