Paul Joseph Schrader was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Despite his often-demonstrated "confessional" style of writing, Schrader's childhood remains largely a mystery. What emerges from his sketchy comments on the subject is a loving but strict religious upbringing. Schrader's home was Dutch Calvinist, a religion which through a church synodical decree in 1928 declared movies to be a "worldly amusement," along with card playing, dancing, drinking, and smoking. Films and music were completely forbidden, and television was closely regulated.

Schrader remembers pleading to be allowed to see a Disney film. His mother told him, "Your money goes to support an evil industry; therefore, you can't judge the individual movie." He continues, "I remember getting on my knees and crying to see King Creole. What broke the church control structure was television, because if you didn't have it in your house, you'd go next door to your friend's house; they...