Customer Reviews

A Youth in Babylon: Confessions of a Trash-Film King

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David Friedman made his mark on exploitation cinema in the 50s and 60s with partner H.G. Lewis, but his roots go back to roadshowing and carnivals. His stories about Kroger Babb and the 40 Thieves are priceless. The book is kind of all over the place structurally, but it's worth reading.

I had the opportunity to talk to H.G. Lewis recently about Friedman and Babb recently -- check out the MAD DOG MOVIES Podcast #7 to hear more!

You can't help but love this book if you have any appreciation for trashy cinema and exploitation. Friedman lays out his whole life story and then some, giving a hilarious insight into the birth of low budget and sleaze cinema in the US. As another reviewer noted, it is impossible to tell what percentage of tales in the book are fact. Nevertheless it makes for a great read on a neglected area of modern culture, as well as providing a fascinating profile of a very interesting character!

How factual is A Youth In Babylon? Considering Friedman is one of film's sweetest talking showmen, that's hard to say. But you're not going to get a first-hand account of working with Kroger Babb and H. G. Lewis, no matter how puffed up it may sound, anywhere else. In the end, like any well delivered Elliott Forbes routine, you'll feel inspired! It may be bull, but it's still quite entertaining.

David F. Friedman was a pioneer in the world of exploitation movies, so I was quite excited when I found out he'd written (with Don Denevi's help) his biography. "A Youth in Babylon" is a fascinating and entertaining read, detailing Friedman's early years in the promotions department at Paramount, his association with roadshow titan Kroger Babb and his partnership with Hershell Gordon Lewis (a.k.a. The Wizard of Gore). Cheerfully chauvinistic and heartily embellished, it's hard not to be charmed by Friedman's story, even if you wouldn't buy a used car from him. The conversations and events recounted in "A Youth in Babylon" often read like they were lifted from a script to one of his movies. Friedman even details a conversation that occurred between his wife Carol and his business partner--while he was out of town! As interesting as Friedman's autobiography is, I was disappointed by what he chose to leave out. I could've done with less history on Kroger Babb and the "Forty Thieves" in favor of Friedman sharing his experiences on his post-Hershell Gordon Lewis movies like "A Smell of Honey, A Swallow of Brine" and "Brand of Shame." He hypes a sequel to his bio (called "Kings of Babylon") in the final pages of this book, but to my knowledge it's never been published. Nevertheless, "A Youth in Babylon" is a must-read for fans of the movies that were so trashy even Hollywood wouldn't make them.

David F. Friedman's extraordinarily entertaining biography traces not only his colorful life, but also the the history of exploitation from side show carnivals to the independent, drive-in movies that titillated and educated generations of the American public. You won't find a single classic film discussed here, but you will finish the book with a unique admiration for these crazy movies, and an even greater respect for those who pulled the strings to make them. Friedman's narrative moves with speed and grace; it's funny, ironic, and alway informative. I'll even go so far as to say, Friedman's insight packs a significant wallop, a jolt of carny wisdom that would serve any independent artist struggling today with all the conditions of production, marketing, and distribution. I recommend this book without hesitation.