Midnight Express 30th Anniversary Edition
Directed by Alan Parker
By Thomas Quinlan

Thirty years ago, when Midnight Express first hit the big screen, it was considered a very controversial movie, especially overseas, thanks to its perceived anti-Turkey theme. Even today it can be a hot topic amongst some Turks. The story of an American tourist who’s made into an example by a corrupt legal system when he’s caught smuggling hash out of the country certainly remains a very powerful film. Based on the true story of Billy Hayes (played here by a superb Brad Davis) and adapted for the screen by an at the time untried Oliver Stone (who won an Academy Award for his screenplay), director Alan Parker is adamant in pointing out that the story went through many changes in its evolution from reality to book form to screenplay and finally a film, ending in a world that’s pretty much an amalgamated creation. This results in only one prison instead of two and thus a whole different escape plan and ending. For the 30th Anniversary Edition (coincidentally the same amount of time to which Hayes was sentenced), these changes — and much of the production process, including the choice of composer Giorgio Moroder, who won the film’s second Academy Award, the first for an electronic score — are detailed in Parker’s very informative commentary and the three new featurettes. There’s a lot of repetition between them but everything is succinctly summarised in Parker’s booklet, which accompanies the DVD. A dark, disturbing movie, Midnight Express is made even better by the detailed background offered in this new DVD package. (Sony)
Gone Baby Gone - Dir. by Ben Affleck
It was a surprisingly good year for the Afflecks. Younger brother Casey took on Brad Pitt in that Jesse James flick and carries the lead — as a private detective investigating the disappearance of a young girl in his hometown of Boston — here with confidence and grace. But it’s big brother Ben, here ...Read More
The Nines - Dir. by John August
Constructed unlike any movie I’ve seen, The Nines is about as “meta” a film experience as I’ve had. Officially, the story is about a troubled actor, a television series creator and a famous videogame designer who seem to have a mysterious connection. After a beautifully shot intro of a man ty ...Read More
30 Days of Night - Dir. by David Slade
Across the Universe - Dir. by Julie Taymor
American Gangster: Two-Disc Unrated Extended Edition - Dir. by Ridley Scott
COPS: 20th Anniversary Edition
Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Sixth Season
Damages: The Complete First Season
Elizabeth: The Golden Age - Dir. by Shekhar Kapur
Father Ted: The Definitive Collection
Feel The Noise - Dir. by Alejandro Chomski
In The Heat Of The Night: 40th Anniversary Edition - Dir. by Norman Jewison
In The Valley Of Elah - Dir. by Paul Haggis
It’s a Wonderful Life: Two-Disc Collector’s Set - Dir. by Frank Capra
Justice League: The New Frontier - Dir. by David Bullock
King of California - Dir. by Mike Cahill
King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters - Dir. by Seth Gordon
Margot at the Wedding - Dir. by Noah Baumbach
Martian Child - Dir. by Menno Meyjes
MI5 Season Five
Michael Clayton - Dir. by Tony Gilroy
New York, New York: 30th Anniversary Edition - Dir. by Martin Scorsese
Perfect Place - Dir. by Derrick Scocchera
Peter's Friends - Dir. by Kenneth Branagh
Rendition - Dir. by Gavin Hood
Saw IV - Dir. by Darren Lynn Bousman
Shake Hands With The Devil - Dir. by Roger Spottiswoode
Some Girls - Dir. by Michael Hoffman
Spiral - Dir. by Adam Green and Joel David Moore
The Apartment: Collector's Edition - Dir. by Billy Wilder
The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz - Dir. by Ted Kotcheff
The Brave One - Dir. by Neil Jordan
The Hunting Party - Dir. by Richard Shepard
The Invasion - Dir. by Oliver Hirschbiegel
The Real Dirt on Farmer John - Dir. by Taggart Siegel
The Riches Season 1
The Stanley Kramer Collection
The Val Lewton Collection
Tootsie: 25th Anniversary Edition - Dir. by Sydney Pollack
Touch - Dir. by Paul Schrader
Tragic Ceremony - Dir. by Riccardo Freda
We Own the Night - Dir. by James Gray
Zodiac: Two-Disc Director's Cut - Dir. by David Fincher
Phoenix / Holy Fuck - Sound Academy, Toronto, ON December 5
Saturday night is meant for hand pumping and fraternal writhing, and nothing inspires it like Parisian pop. With an armoury of feel-good songs — almost all single-worthy — and a stellar warm-up act in Holy Fuck, French six-piece Phoenix played a joyous and infectiously amiable Sound Academy show.Full Review
Misstress Barbara - Montreal, QC November 21
One of this city’s superstar DJs, Misstress Barbara specializes in big beats for the masses, and with her three-piece band Girls on a Ducati, she’s extending her house pop chops to a more traditional live setting. With a guitar and mic, as well as keys and effects, she’s a capable front-woman but he... Full Review
Transit / Man Overboard - Transit / Man Overboard
The deliberately lo-fi, yet earnest, split between Transit and Man Overboard sounds like the product of a bunch of friends growing up on punk and hardcore throughout the '90s. The hardcore leanings of Boston fivesome Transit lay the groundwork for the pop punk tendencies of the Jersey kids in Man Ov... Full Review
Social Networking
• Be our friend on MySpace
• Be our fan on Facebook
• Tweet us on twitter
Viewing the March 2008 Issue: • Contents Page • News • Click Hear • Articles --> On the Cover  •  Front Five  •  Points  •  Comics  •  Questionnaire  •  Release Dates  •  Research  •  Timeline  •  Web Exclusives • Music Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Aggressive Tendencies  •  Beats & Rhymes  •  Destination Out  •  Frequencies  •  Groove  •  No Future  •  Pop Rocks  •  Wood, Wires & Whiskey  •  Concert Reviews • Motion Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Dvd Reviews  •  Film Reviews  •  Music DVD Reviews • Music School --> Label Life  •  Meet & Greet  •  Need to Know  •  What I Play • Contests • Contact --> About Us  • Advertising  • Distribution  • Getting Reviewed  • Getting Published  • Letters To The Editor  • Partnerships  • Subscriptions • Exclaim! Radio --> Aggressive Tendencies Radio  • Beats & Rhymes Radio  • Frequencies Radio  • Destination Out Radio  • Groove Radio  • No Future Radio  • Pop Rocks Radio  • Wood, Wires & Whiskey Radio • Exclaim! TV • Home & Latest Issue • Browse Issues