Charles Mysak of Wayne

This Manhattan street-side bookseller has his own literature-laden tale to tell.

NYU student documentary.

DIRECTED BY
Alden Peters (http://twitter.com/aldenpeters)

CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
Brenda Lopez
Alex Familian

SOUND BY
Alex Frasse

• Category

  Film & Animation

[jackspicerisland]

"For the second time in 6 months the police have seized my books without a warrant or probable cause. This bookstand will accordingly cease to operate at this location. I, however, will remain as testament to what fascism can accomplish. The right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures is one of the great rights...This stand was my only source of income, my livelihood. It was an important resource to this community..."

From a note from Charles Mysak at the location, May 9 2012

[Alden Peters]

I can't believe this! I've been meaning to go up there and visit him! Unbelievable BS

[Richard Pauli]

How did you do the B&W effects I see about 9:00 in ??

The 3d still effect... great.

[Alden Peters]

It's three different images (A&P, police car, and the men), cut out and put in 3D space (in their respective distances) in Adobe After Effects, with a camera tracking to the right.

[Alden Peters]

I didn't clear the music, no. Don't tell anyone.

[Cynthia Maddox]

This was good.He may not be the nicest guy around but he's interesting.

[jackspicerisland]

Charles' collection is incredibly well curated (the other day he had new titles in from Mishima, William Kennedy and Beckett--all in excellent shape) and folks who complain about a few stacks of books being an eyesore--while tolerating Burberry, Ugg, Reebok and all the other new nonsense in the area--sound more like suburban Dallas residents than New Yorkers. I was thrilled to see him back at his table yesterday and today.

[Vanessa Wanderlingh]

depending on who you talk to, this book seller's stuff is a nightmare. It could be on an episode of Hoarders; unsanitary and very much an eyesore. The community, or at least the members of it who do not wis to walk past the ever growing pile everyday, put quite a bit of pressure on the police to address the matter. When property is left unattended it can in fact be seized. People sell things all over the city all the time and they do so legally by following the vending laws which r imperfect

[jackspicerisland]

Please donate if you can to Charles, and please protest the creeping bullshit-ization of the UWS.

As Charles wrote today, "There are things in this world more important than clothing stores, banks, and $4 cupcakes. This stand was one of these things. Its disappearance is a shame, a public shame. COMPLAIN."

[Efurst7]

This guy is my distant uncle. My mother's side of the family is named Mysak. We heard the bad news about him being disbarred from law but I haven't kept in touch with him. Maybe when I go into Manhattan soon, I'll say hello.

[markchav]

wow, that was the best 14minutes of viewing time i've had this year, well done and thank you

[Leo Garcia]

This is great! Personally, I'd have let the guy tell the story on his own, with no voice overs or cut aways, which just interrupt the flow of the video.

[fcdeliu]

Nice story, well put together.