Rating 18
Length 1h37
Release 10.08.1978
Director Alan Parker
About Billy, an American caught smuggling drugs, is prosecuted and jailed in Turkey for four years. When his sentence is increased to 30 years, Billy, along with other inmates, makes a plan to escape.
Trigger warnings: attempted rape, animal death, drug abuse.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: ITVX
Trailer:
The Good
Never in a million years did I think I would be saying this, but Randy Quaid! Dude knocked it out the park. Perhaps I’d written him off as a comedy goofball, but, but his performance is really refreshing.
It really does give food for thought. Yes, the conditions and treatment may have been exaggerated, however we do know that arrests and capital punish happen around the world for what we would consider misdemeanours. By presenting a ‘based on’ reflective film, it keeps that dialogue and conversation at the forefront of all politics. The aim is not to allow people to go free, but ensure that the punishment is humane and gives an opportunity for rehabilitation.
John Hurt gives a performance one would expect of him and from all accounts, he really went to great lengths for an authentic performance.
The Bad
It’s hard to place this here, given that the film won an Oscar for it, but I have an issue with the music. It’s a well crafted score, however it doesn’t fit this film. The synth heavy music would be at home in any SciFi of the time but as it stands, it clashes with the visuals.
I found Billy to be a rather unsympathetic character. No one deserves the treatment he gets in the prison; that is what human rights are for. However, in terms of him being a criminal, there’s no defending him. He’s clearly from an upper economic social background, so his reasoning of ‘I needed the money’ is galling.
Then consider the opening and closing scenes. He’s really shit at not being sus! He might as well have had ‘I’m smuggling drugs’ tattoo’d on his forehead. Then, when he thinks he’s in the clear, Billy grabs his girlfriend’s boob; something that is also punishable in Turkey. Entering into the final act, Billy firstly begs his girlfriend to undress and I found that most disturbing of all. That after being caught in the system, he would put her at risk to masturbate. Horrific.
Finally, what disappointed me most of all is that upon escape and facing an oncoming vehicle, Billy’s body curls in. The body language screams ‘I’m an escapee’ and I don’t understand how he’s not caught. While I’m sure freedom is the overall story arc, for Billy it should have been that ability of being able to carry himself in a way that enables/ earns his freedom. It really is a shame.
This film had Mark Hamill wanting to audition. In the words of Julia Roberts, the studio denying that opportunity? ‘big mistake, huge.’ I guess all Hamill was really known for at the time was Star Wars, but playing Billy, or even Jimmy would have allowed Hollywood to see the versatility that we know Hamill is capable of decades earlier.
The Ugly
The violence is brutal, unrelenting and inhumane. It comes from all directions; inmates and guards. It’s a struggle to watch and the scenes will churn even the strongest of stomachs.
Then there is also the animal abuse and the attempted/ implied rape that add to the brutality of this film. While it’s stated by many after its release that this representation was exaggerated, you cannot deny that this sort of punishment does exist in the world.
By extension, the representation of Turkey in this film is problematic. The real like Billy, the director of the movie and screenwriter, and up and coming Oliver Stone, have all since apologised. With so many apologise, it’s a wonder how much better this film would have been if only they paused to consider the optics.
Final Thoughts
Incredibly well made, but I will never watch it again.
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