‘’ Midnight Express and Orientalism ‘’

‘’ Midnight Express ‘’ a film by Alan Parker who is American director. The film bring more argue and discuss. Because, many Turkish people oppenent this film due to film include many stereotype and lie about Turkey . First of all, When the film start we hear sound of gun and show some picture in film. But film show İstanbul like  old Egypt or Arabia. For example; veiled women, turbaned man and stupid soldier. Because, director want see İstanbul in this form and he believe all East country are similar. If we read Edward Said, we will understand Western people. Because, E.Said explain that West create a new East and this East where create by Western scientist. This East are not similar to East where we live and know. If we continue comment about the film, we can say film have many lie. To give an example; police show like barbaric and people always use smoke.  I think, director search a Turkish culture before make a film. And,
many Europe country have similar proverb such as, ‘’ He smoke like Turks ‘’ and ‘’ Sleep! If you don’t sleep barbaric Turks out of sight‘’.
Besides, director only want to see that he imagine about Middle East country. We see the children that they don’t have any shoes and they fight. When young man enter prision he agonize by police. Although still I ciriticising this film, the film have true about torture scenes. Because we always hear torture in Turkey prision specially in 12 September by military coup. But film show people wrestling holds, animal live with people, and people eat in outsite. Furthermore, no tap and people use water in bucket,  men fighting in mud and such as animal fat and showing naked man. Director see Turks in this form. Because he believe orientalism. And now if we considered scene that when father came to prision for their son. Father is symbolize Western man. He dress suit and he very clear and civil man. We undertsan that director want to show Western man is more civil than Eastern man. And Father see prision and he want to see that prision like cave. Also we saw many people dress Arabic culture. Because West believe that all East nations like each other. In addition; Turkish people that in stay prision show character lier, informer and ugly. And the last scene when billy running away, we see some picture about this stroy and director show that Billy escaped from people who very bad and brutal and of course, Billy was innocent.
To sum up, we can understand that orientalism by this film. Western people believe that East people barbaric and they need education. So, West people must be go to Middle East for Easternes to educate.

Footnote: Now, we understand that we accept orientalism. Because many Turkish soap operas and cinema apply lorientalism (Local-orientalism). American to see how the Turks; Turks see Kurds in the same way.