I saw Midnight Express a couple of years after it's cinema release on VHS. I was in my very late teens and the movie was confronting and told a great story. It left quite an impression on me.
Watching it again a few days ago on Blu-ray, a few things struck me. Compared to later movies of a similar nature it hasn't fared well. It now lacks shock value of any kind. The lack of foreign subtiltles was annoying, although I can understand it was done so the viewer would be in the same position as Hayes. The musical score is so annoying today. It adds nothing to the storytelling and is plain rubbish. The photography is very ordinary and the editing is sluggish and poor. Still a good story though.
So what I would have rated a 10 decades ago is now only worth a 7. Still worth a watch though.
Watching it again a few days ago on Blu-ray, a few things struck me. Compared to later movies of a similar nature it hasn't fared well. It now lacks shock value of any kind. The lack of foreign subtiltles was annoying, although I can understand it was done so the viewer would be in the same position as Hayes. The musical score is so annoying today. It adds nothing to the storytelling and is plain rubbish. The photography is very ordinary and the editing is sluggish and poor. Still a good story though.
So what I would have rated a 10 decades ago is now only worth a 7. Still worth a watch though.