Bookwars
(2000)
Rating: 5.0 stars out of 5.0 stars *****
Directed by: Jason Rosette
Running Time: 78 minutes
Utterly compelling documentary about New York street
booksellers and the trial and tribulations they endure as
such. From rude customers to the introduction of Mayor Rudy
Guliani's Quality of Life program (which sought to rid the
city of people just like the booksellers), the merchants
must fend for themselves just to protect their freedom and
others like them. All of their stories have been recorded
by one of their own.
Filmmaker Jason Rosette was one of these booksellers for
almost five years prior to the making of this film (and the
production notes state that the idea was there even before
that) and had built a decent reputation as someone the
other booksellers could trust. Because of that, Rosette
gets candid reflections on life from these hardened souls
making a living out of selling books on street corners.
Though sometimes eccentric, we are allowed a glimpse into
the lives of some of these fascinating individuals.
From the outset of the film, we are immersed in the world
of books and the people who sell them. Rosette has a way of
describing things in his narration that invoke the readings
of the beat poets (an admitted inspiration) and makes one
long for a good book to read. Anyone who has ever enjoyed
the smell of an old book will suddenly sense the experience
all over again seeing this film. The documentary actually
made me want to visit these booksellers to see if there was
anything I would like to purchase.
Rosette put a great deal of effort into making this
fascinating documentary and his hard work pays off. The
film started off being financed by Rosette's book sales
alone. A completion grant was provided by The Playboy
Foundation, but the rest of the film was shot and edited
with very little funds to work with. Rosette would actually
travel from city to city, borrowing editing facilities (to
scale down the over 200 hours of footage he had shot into a
76 minute film) until a project would come along that would
force him out. Sleeping wherever he could find a place to,
Rosette was finally able to complete his film.
I seriously suggest that anyone that even feels remotely
interested in this subject should seek out this film. It
not only shows the dedication people can have towards
something they seem to love doing, but also the camaraderie
that exists between such people. I highly recommend this
film.