Shepperton Babylon

I don't watch much TV as a rule but "Shepperton Babylon" is fabulous viewing. It is based on a book of the same name that documents some of the more salacious details of the forgotten early years of British cinema. Owners of the famous Kenneth Anger "Hollywood Babylon" books of the 1970s will already be familiar with the style, but who would have thought similar scurrilous sleaziness was to be found in good old Blighty? Good Lord! Surely not! :-)

This hour-long documentary is both entertaining and fascinating. A tongue-in-cheek commentary from the very English Charlie Higson adds to the viewing delight. Made for the BBC's arts channel BBC4, but can hopefully be tracked down in syndication. Essential. More please!

Like the classic book Hollywood Babylon, about the scandals of early Hollywood and its stars, this book and film Shepperton Babylon delves into the sex and murder and suicide scandals, and the professional ups and downs of the most popular British performers and directors of the 1920's through the 1940's.

The narration is sly and rather inflammatory and we even get a look at some cheap vintage peep shows put on film. The documentary seems to emphasize the ugliness of the film business in this era, and even deprecates classics like Korda's Private Life of Henry the Eighth, and ridicules famous directors like Alfred Hitchcock. It's all so superficial but such fun. My friend in the UK sent me his recording of the documentary broadcast on BBC and I was able to view it in my region free player and record it to NTSC format on my own disc. Hooray for today's technology!