1 | Midnight Express

The story of Billy Hayes' 1970 arrest and imprisonment for possession of hashish at the Turkish Airport. Most of us know about his harrowing experience and amazing escape to safety in Greece from the 1978 Oliver Stone film, starring Brad Davis. But, as we hear from Billy himself, that was the movie version. Now, we hear the real story. In his own words, he tells us about his carefree post-college days, his reckless hubris, traveling to Turkey three times to smuggle drugs back to the United States for the easy money that funded his high flying lifestyle. He was no innocent first-timer as the movie suggests. But he definitely paid the price. This is a compelling, hair razing and emotional story. How did youthful arrogance play a part in tempting fate, going back again and again into the belly of the beast? How did he survive through five horrifying years? How has he recovered and what scars persist in his memories about the pain that he caused his family? Midnight Express takes us on that journey. Through the lows and the highs. This is not a Hollywood movie. This was his life. Produced by Raw TV Ltd for National Geographic Channels. © 2017 NGC Network International, LLC and NGC Networks US, LLC. All rights reserved.