seems like this year doesn't know its supposed to start out, well- New.... picking up right where we left off, one great after another? I hope not... RIP John's role in "Midnight Express", as well as the horrors of the story and Movie itself, cemented my disdain for Turkey decades in advance. Long before being asked to take work trips there, .... not no, hell no...!!! from the 360 degree panoramic photos I saw from and of the Turkish plant on a hillside; there was nothing but dirt hills, making Tijuana and/or Rio's ghetto hills, look like an upscale neighborhood... very pre-historic, as low as living conditions get...
When I was in the Army Security Agency Turkey was duty station not on every one hit list. I knew guys who were stationed at Sinop (Sex is Not Our Policy), Ankara, and Adana, Their opinions of that country all sum totaled that it really sucked. Due to the Status of Forces Agreements for TUSLOG units, guys not aware of Turkish Law could get in hot water. very fast. Nothing Seeing "Midnight Express" merely reinforced tales I'd already been told. Back when I lived in Orlando a guy I knew got caught in the same type of drug bust. Never saw him again. At any rate John, RIP, you did some nice work!!!!!!!!!!!!
you hit the visceral nail on the head, then some. I'd rather install air conditioning in Hell, than take a trip to anywhere Turkish. Hell, I'd ask the pilot to fly totally around Turkey, just in case of an emergency landing. I'd rather be in the high mts, freezing waiting to die, than try to survive Turkey.... those terrorist pussies in Git-mo think they have it bad, let's outsource them to Turkey's Gulags/Dungeons... another shit hole comes to mind, much what I expect of Turkey, ie Kathmandu
"Midnight Express"...great movie, and an unbelievably true story. John Hurt got nominated for an Academy Award for his role but Brad Davis and Randy Quaid played great parts too. My fav scene was when the crooked inmate Rifke falsely fingered Max (John Hurt) for supplying him with hashish, Billy Hayes lost his mind and delivered the worst ass whipping I've ever seen in a movie and Billy finishes him off by ripping Rifke's tongue out with his teeth and then spits the tongue out. After many years in that Turkish hell hole of a prison, Billy's unlikely escape was just as incredible;
Our German travel office tried to route a flight of mine (Frankfurt to San Francisco) through Ankara last summer....Oh about 2 weeks after a bomb took out a major chunk of the international terminal. I told the agent...You have to be joking. She said but the American or Delta (can't recall which one) bizclass ticket was only 2k vs the United ticket at 5k. I had to produce a copy of State Dept memo warning travel to Turkey for US citizens. That whole exchange had me thinking about midnight express....One of those movies that left a major impression on me. Add to that list, Jaws. Also on that list is Alien, Star Wars and Close Encounters.
^^^ much the same here, as did "2001 Space Odyssey", and "The Longest Day" played a role in my young psyche, allies vs axis of evil....
Great English actor. R.I.P. Hope his death was one of peace......to make up for all those horrific deaths he portrayed in his films. Enjoyed his work.
^^^obviously I've never experienced it myself, but they say that someone smacking the bottom of your feet with a broomstick is a very effective form of torture.
